A third present was carried, in like manner, to the chamber of the duchess of Touraine, by two men representing Moors, having their faces blackened, and richly dressed with white turbans, as if they had been Saracens or Tartars. This litter was ornamented, and covered, like the others, with gauze, and accompanied by twelve citizens in uniforms, who presented the duchess with a ship in gold, a farge flagon of gold, two comfit boxes, two large dishes, and two salts, all of gold: six jugs of silver, and two dozen cups and saucers of the same: the whole weighing two hundred marcs.

In the middle of the dinner hall was erectedgers, the same number of silver cups: the a castle of wood, forty feet high, twenty whole weight of gold and silver being three feet long, and as many wide, with towers at hundred marcs. each corner, and one larger in the middle. This castle was to represent the city of Troy the great, and the tower in the middle, the palace of Ilion, from which were displayed the banners of the Trojans, such as king Priam, Hector, his other sons', and of those shut up in the place with them. The castle, being on wheels, was very easily moved about. There was a pavilion likewise on wheels, on which were placed the banners of the Grecian kings: this was moved, as it were, by invisible beings, to the attack of Troy. There was also, by way of reinforcement, a large ship well built, and able to contain one hundred men at arms, that, like the two former, was ingeniously moved by invisible wheels. Those in the ship and pavilion made a sharp attack on the castle, which was gallantly defended; but, from the very great crowd, this amusement could not last-fong.

About twelve o'clock, forty of the principal citizens of Paris, all uniformly dressed, waited on the king at his hôtel of Saint Pol, bringing a present they had displayed through the streets of the town. Their gift was in a very richly worked litter, borne by two strong men dressed as savages. This litter was covered with a transparent crape of silk, through which might be seen the magnificent things it contained.

On their arrival, they advanced to the king's chamber (which was open and ready prepared to receive them, as their coming was known, and welcome is always made to those who bring gifts); and, having placed the litter on tressels in the midst of the apartment, they cast themselves on their knees, and thus spoke: Most beloved lord and king, your citizens of your good town of Paris present to you the plate that is contained in this litter, as tokens of their joy that you have taken the government of the kingdom into your own hands.' Many thanks, my good people,' replied the king: they are fair and rich.'

First, there were four pots of gold, four saucers to match, four golden salts, twelve cups of the same, twelve porringers, and six dishes of gold also: the whole weighed one hundred and fifty marcs.

Another party of citizens, very handsomely equipped in uniforms of cloth, waited on the queen, and presented her with a litter borne by two men dressed, the one as a bear, the other as a unicorn, which they placed in her chamber, and the citizens recommended their town and its inhabitants to her protection. This present consisted of the model of a ship in gold, two large flagons of gold, two comfit boxes, two salts, six cups, and as many saucers, all of gold: twelve lamps of silver, two silver basons, two dozen of silver porrin

All these presents, which I saw, had cost upwards of sixty thousand golden crowns.

ACCOUNT OF THE BOSCHIMANS IN AFRICA. [By Col. Jansens, formerly Dutch Go

vernor of the Cape.]

The Boschimans are a savage and ferocious people; small of stature, and miserable beyond conception. Each family lives separate; they unite only to defend themselves, or to plunder the Dutch peasants, the Caffres, and other nations who have property. They do not cultivate the land, and have no domestic animal but the dog. The Dutch, in hopes of settling them, and of inducing them to relinquish their predatory manner of living, presented them with some sheep; but the savages, instead of preserving them to establish a breed, killed them immediately. Their general food is locusts. Privation has taught them to endure hunger; but when they kill any game or can steal an ox, or sheep, they devour an immense quantity of meat at one meal.

They have no huts, nor domestic utensils. Their arms are small bows, and poisoned arrows, which they shoot with astonishing exactness. They have the art of composing poisons of different degrees of strength, the strongest is reserved for those arrows which they use against their enemies. Their organs of vision being constantly exercised; they can see at a much greater distance than Europeans can imagine. Smoking is their greatest delight; instead of tobacco they use a species of hemp, that exhales a strong narcotic odour. Their pipes are made of the bones of antelopes, and other animals.

Their language contains many guttural sounds, and is spoken with a kind of thrilling motion of the tongue. The articulations cannot be rendered by characters from any European alphabet. The name of Boschi mans signifies men of the wood;" a denomination very improper, there being no

"

woods in the deserts inhabited by these people. They are, in general, of very low stature, but those who rove along the banks of the Orange river are not so short, they also appear stronger, probably because that part of the country furnishes better means of subsistance.

work in his apartment. The workman hav-
ing been previously instructed by Fénélon,
told the prince in a brutal manner to
about his business!" The prince was offend-
et; and the joiner, at last, in a threatening
tone exclaimed, “I would advise you to be
off, prince, for when I am in a passion, I
care for no one."-The prince ran to Féné
lon, to complain of so churlish a fellow
brought into his room."
"He is a very good
workman,” said F. coldly,
is being too passionate." The prince insisted
"his only fanit
that he was a brute. 46
Hearken," said 1.

you call him a brute because he threatens you, when you interrupt him; what would you say of a prince who beats his servant, at the moment when he is doing him a service?"

Before his return to Europe, Col. Jansens wished to procure a young Boschiman. After a great deal of trouble he succeeded, having promised the father to treat his child well, and to send him back if he wished it. The one he has brought, belongs to a family of very low stature, his father being only four feet high. He is called Flemings; his age is not known; the Boschimans having no idea of measuring time. He lived two years and a half in the Colonel's house, and was brought up with his son. Flemings shews an intelligent mind, and a good disposition, without any thing vicious. He readily learnt the Dutch language; and by coming to Europe on board an English vessel, has learnt as much English as he could, by communicat-pearing to meditate deeply on the nature of ing with the sailors.

sion, all who approached him appeared surAt another time, after some gust of pasprized, and alarmed at his appearance; they enquired about his health, with signs of unsician, came and felt his pulse, and after apeasiness and compassion. Fagon, the phy

Colonel J. being at Paris, when Madame have you not been giving way to some pahis disorder, said, "confess the truth, prince, Buonaparte returned from Mayence, and roxism of anger?" "You have guessed it," having occasion to mention his little Bos- replied the Duke, "but will that make one chiman, begged her to accept him, she con- ill?" sented, and he now lives in the Tuilleries. physical effects of anger, which sometimes Then Fagon began to explain the He has the mulatto complexion, with a ended in sudden death; and quoted exambroad nose; has an animated look, is veryples of persons who died in fits of passion. mild, and shews no marks of surprize at the objects around him. He perforins a kind of dance, that appears to be merely an imitation of the motions of a wild beast, accompanied with deep and monotonous roarings.

FENELON'S METHOD OF CORRECTING THE
IRASCIBILITY OF THE DUKE OF BURGUN-
DY, GRANDSON OF LOUIS XIV.

At his birth, August 6, 1682, the nation seemed to foresee how dear this prince would be to them. "I was present," says the Abbé Choisy, " at the births of Monseigneur, and of the Duke, and remarked a notable difference between joy, and the excess of it. They rejoiced at the birth of Monseigneur, but at the birth of the Duke they were almost frantic. Every person thought himself at liberty to embrace the king. The lower classes could not contain themselves, they made a bonfire in one of the courts of the palace, and threw into it part of the wainscoting and flooring intended for the grand gallery. Bontemps, in a great pas non, went and told his Majesty; who burst into laughter, and said, "let them rejoice; we will get others.”

That self controul which was necessary for a equally necessary for private individuals, to Prince born to govern others, is whom it is of the utmost importance to govern themselves. Those improprieties in our conduct of which we may be even convinced, are so palliated by the perverse logic of the heart and affections, that we much sooner forget them, than the same, or smaller, transadvocate for them in our bosoins. This regressions in others: because we have no such miniscence is in proportion to the smaller affection which we bear to the world at large, and the greater which we bear to ourselves; in other words, it is in the ratio of our general charity to our self-love.

fancy, and it is extremely necessary to be Nevertheless, great care is required in incautious that we do not plunge children into Que fault, by correcting them for others. that he should learn to suffer with firmness; It had been frequently mentioned to the Duke, and that crying was a sign of weakness. From that moment he formed a resolution of never crying again; but without distinguishing the case or the cause. One day the funeral oration on the Dauphiness his mother was As the prince grew up, he proved to be of read to hiur; he did not weep, but his senA very irascible temper. One day after hav-sibility was so much excited, that he fell down

ing beaten his valet-de-chambre, he stopped to look at the tools of a joiner, who was at VOL. IV. Lit. Pan. April, 1808.]

him that tears on such an occasion would almost lifeless. When it was explained to Lave been a mark of tenderness he wept bitterly.

F

ORIGINAL RUSSIAN ANECDOTES.

had the command of the Russian military chest, containing 60,000 Dutch ducats, and 30,00 florins (about £60,000 ), was ordered The Russian soldiers, the worst maintained into the rear of the army, with eighty chas seurs as an escort. Finding, about noon, of all troops, could not subsist in places where pillage is prohibited, if they had not a parti- that the Russians were retreating, he was cular resource which other troops have not. alarmed, and ran to General Korsakow, to In the different regiments, there is a fund call-request an order to station the chest in a place of safety. ed Artel, into which very recruit, on joining "I will give you the order in "return to your his corps, puts the little time;" replied the general, money he may have; and the value of his old clothes, when he re- post." He was scarcely returned, before a French detachment fell on his escort, and ceives his uniform. The small property of a brother soldier who dies, or is killed, is added seized the chest. The major delivered his to the common stock. In time of war, the sword, to a Frenchman who spoke German, and begged to be conducted to head-quarters. produce of their plunderings, which every "No, Sir," replied the soldier, "you shall member very conscientiously brings to the fund, increases it sometimes to a considerable go on foot, and the waggon shall remain here; amount. This fund is entrusted to old corpo- for, if we take it to head-quarters, it will be appropriated to the nation, when by leaving rals, who are chosen by the soldiers. it on the field of battle, it is ours." Herms then was sent off, and the French began to stave the casks, and fill their pockets. While they were engaged in this lucrative occupation, a party of Cossacks and Russians surprised them, killed or dispersed them, and seized the remainder of the rich plunder, with which they made off when other troops appeared. A Frenchman who was caught by the Cossacks, at the moment when he had his head and arms in a cask, received a severe wound in the only part exposed to the enemy by that singular posture. He consoled himself for the accident; because the Russians when they dragged him away from the cask, thinking that he was killed, had not time to rifle his pockets, which were well lined, and furnished him with ample means for an agreeable convalescence.

A Russian soldier, being enlisted for life, is accustomed to place all his hopes on that fund, which can relieve him. On a march, and on all extraordinary occasions, he has recourse to the artel: either to buy a horse for the baggage, or to procure provisions, or liquors; for the government allowance is only so much rye flour, barley and salt per mouth. Of these the soldier makes bread and biscuit, or a kind of broth, which he is happy if he can sometimes season with flax oil, a piece of fat, or an onion : he does more, with a little fermented flour, or the remnants of his biscuit, he makes a beverage that he prefers to pure water, but which is detestable to a palate

unaccustomed to it.

When a soldier is in quarters, he gives his rations to the peasant who lodges him, and eats at his table. When he is encamped in the deserts, if he can catch any game, he sells or gives it to his officers, sooner than eat it himself. He is in general very sober; and never sleeps on a bed, even when he is ill.

Each regiment has its priest, and a portable chapel, which is generally a very large tent, remarkable for its elegance. A Russian priest cannot exercise his functions without being married; and, when his wife dies, he is obliged to turn monk. They take St. Paul's injunction literally, that "a bishop should be the husband of one wife;" consequently, they are prohibited from second wedlock.

We cannot omit mentioning the great negligence of the Russians in regard to their wounded. Their surgeons are mostly barbers. A blunt knife is very often the only instrument they use to cut out a ball, or amputate a broken limb. If the wounded soldier has neither handkerchief, nor sash, nor linen to bind up the wound, he dies, through loss of blood. ` Potemkin, in the Turkish war, had a French surgeon whom he appointed inspector of the military hospitals. Before the attack on Otschakow, finding that the chests were without medicines, and the surgeons without instruments, he complained to the prince, and begged that immediate orders might be given for procuring the most necessary articles, and particularly lint. Potemkin laughed at his zeal, and begged him to be quiet; for they would want for nothing, for the wounded. The next day, the attack was made, and in half an hour 1800 wounded lay in heaps, in the camp: and numbers died, through neglec', and be sever 'yo: the weaAt the battle of Zurich, Major Herms, who ther, There is no c dntry where we meet

Whether it be an ancient tradition, or a more modern prejudice, the Russiaus generally believe in a particular deity, and often exclaim, when speaking of their victories, or of their happiness, "it is our God! it is the Russian God!" Suworrow, more than any other person, was thus credulous; and endedvoured to propagate the idea.

with fewer mutilated soldiers than in Russia: all those who are dangerously wounded generally die.

In one

THE BIRCH TREE.

To the Editor of the Literary Panorama. of the engagements in Holland, an SIR,The public have no doubt been ensign was wounded and fell while defending very much gratified by the entertaining achis colours. After recovering himself, his counts of various trees in your interesting misfirst wish was to conceal them from the ene-cellany. The Deities of the Heathen Mymy. He tore them in pieces and hid them in thology, are said to have taken particular trees his bosom. Being taken from the field as a under their protection, thus, prisoner, he preciously preserved the signal of honour entrusted to his valour, and carried it back to Russia. When Paul, recovering a little from the passion excited by the defeat of his army, was informed of the action, he reinstated the brave officer in his rank, which he had lost as well as all the other prisoners.

The Russian language, notwithstanding its richness and original beauties, savours very singularly of the servitude of the people who use it. A Russian slave, when speaking of his master, of the Emperor, or of any other superior, says; "He has the goodness to eat, or to sleep; he has the complaisance to speak, to think, &c." He dares not even employ the same word to express the same thing, when it relates to his lord. Potschiwat and kouchit signify to eat and to sleep, for the master; spat and iest express the same things, for the slave. It is the same with the Germons; when speaking of men or animals, they have different expressions.

The Russians are unfortunately slaves, in the most simple and clearest signification of the term, which it is so disgraceful to apply to

men.

What is a slave? It is a man who belongs to another man. If this definition be admitted, the Russian is doubly a slave. In In the first place, he, his wife and children, belong to his lord. who can dispose of them as he pleases, can sell them, beat them, can suffer them to die with hunger, and even kill them, under certain precautions. Again, he, as well as his master, belongs to the Emperor; who can dispose of them without any restrictions. Custom, prejudices, interest, and generosity on the part of the master and the sovereign, can alone humanize, in some degree, this unlimited slavery.

The Russian artillerymen and bombardiers, when they enter into the artillery, take an oath with imprecations on their body and soul, not to abandon the guns entrusted to them. They kept this dreadful oath at the battle of Frankfort, where many of them were stabbed by the Prussians while clinging round the cannon. They kept it likewise at the battle of Zurich, where not one battery was forsaken; the men were all killed at their posts, in spite of the orders of their officer.

"The Oak was the prince and the pride of the
grove,

An emblem of power, and the favorite of Jove.
While Bacchus' delights were the Ivy and Vine,
And Venus her brows did with Myrtle ent wine."

No country in general, I believe, produces finer Birches than our dear little island; and though they cannot boast of the poisonous quality of the Upas, nor of the early vegetation of the Cadenham Oak, and Glastonbury claim far more valuable and peculiar qualities. Thorn, yet in the eyes of the preceptor they In what these consist, the following lines inform us;

The Muses declare, after diligent search,
No tree can be found to compare with the Birch;
The Birch, they aver, is the true tree of know-
ledge,

Rever'd by each school, and remember'd at col-
lege.

The Birch, on each bough, on the top of each switch,

Bears the essence of grammar, the eight parts of speech.

'Mong the leaves is conceal'd more than mem'ry
can mention,

All cases, all genders, all forms of declension.
Nine branches when crop'd by the hands of the

Such, Mr. Editor, are the magical effects | scribing the punishments applicable to various of this valuable tree, as sung by the worthy ages of life, says, "a child is corrected with Vicar of Clithorow. We have all, no doubt, the finger; a boy with the hand, a mere felt its energetic and invigorating power, youngster with the lash; a young man with and may be induced to exclaim with the a rod; but a man who may be guilty of Doctor, crimes, these being of an atrocious nature, he is punished with the sword, according to the law." It appears too, that punishments varied with the condition of the party to be pu nished that slaves, and frecnieu, were not beaten with the same instruments, nor in the same parts of the person. Catullus, in Thal. 10. mentions the customs of beating boys in the hand: or on the shoulder: so Ovid, Am. i. 13, 17.