which governs England. And there may be found individuals who can display themselves, There was much destruction of works of art carried on in every part of the three kingdoms, by the fool-hardy fury of cruel fanaticism, which commenced with Henry VIII. ;* and although there were some occasional breathing pauses from that time, till the reign of Charles; yet, when the Puritans got the upper hand in parliament, it commenced again, and they followed up its destructive desecration with redoubled fury, in the churches, palaces, and other places, where they had either public or private control. So that, in that devoted country, once as it were inlaid, like the starry firmament from John O'Groat's to the land's end, beaming with brilliant beauties, bequeathed by the genius and generosity of former times, and teaching numberless historic lessons. It is really a wonder there should have been anything left, and that it should not have more resembled a nation that had never been inhabited by anything but savage life. And it would have been so, had it not been for the law of primogeniture, and for an interesting custom connected therewith, viz. a custom of leaving by will, certain chattels as heir looms. As this is so different to the form and genius of the American constitution of government, which the present generation cannot be likely to understand; I will give them an extract from Tyas's "Legal Hand-Book," for this apparently, very simple custom has had, has now, and ever will have, a very powerful bearing in that country. "Loom is a Saxon word, meaning limb; no personal chattels can be entailed, but the law recognises a power of descent in such things, as are necessary to uphold the splendour or dignity of an estate. Thus the jewels of the crown are an heir loomdeer in a park-fish in a pond-the chest in which the title deeds and the household plate are kept-the plate presented to any public officer by the crown, the parliament, or any corpo "In Edward VI.'s reign, the Duke of Somerset, as protector and president of the council, issued an order to fine every man possessing a representation of the Virgin Mary, Christ, or any picture stories; fifteen shillings for the first offence, four pounds for the second, and imprisonment for the third. It became the fashion to destroy, in Elizabeth's reign, pictures and statues; the then attorney general said, he believed there was such a predilection for the destruction of works of art, that there were some people who would have knocked off the cherubim from the ark." Mrs. Jamieson's "Hand book to the Galleries." And Lord rate body, for public services; the library-the armory—the family pictures. Also all those things which cannot be separated from the inheritance, such as chimney pieces, pumps, ancient fastened tables, and benches in the hall; then it extends and the law recognises the power, and the ecclesiastical courts extends its broad and concave shield over it in the church; as the tomb stones, monuments, and coat armour, and other ensigns of honour. For although the church, for the time being, is always in law the freehold of the clergyman; yet they were necessarily, and by consent, first introduced for the advantage and honour of the family; and they are to exist there for the instruction, and the benefit of generations still unborn." see how full of wisdom such an ancient regulation is. Kaimes says, "virtuous actions are found by induction to lead us to imitation, by inspiring emotions, resembling the passions that produce those actions; and hence the advantage of choice books, choice things, and choice company." A late instance of perhaps the choicest, if not the largest, private collection of books now known to exist, will serve to illustrate its effects. "The Gentleman's Magazine," for 1835, informs us of the death of Earl Spencer, aged seventy-six. He was a great sportsman, and also a great book collector at Althorpe, in Northamptonshire. In his will he has made them a heir loom, they are now attached to that estate, and cannot be sold by his successor. They will not go at present to the trunk maker, whom Lord Byron considered "the sexton of authorship," or wrap up sweet-meats at the confectioners; or, as Butler, in "The Anatomy of Melancholy," alludes to, was the custom in his time, (1612,) "serve to put under pies, lap spice in, and keep roast meat from burning," but will be the means of illustrating the manners and customs of our period, carrying down instruction and delight to the latest posterity. Unless some other over-heated, misdirected faction, should have a temporary ascendancy, and, with their desecrating firebrands, overwhelm these peaceful and peace-creating treasures, in one overwhelming blaze. Oh! how true is the following remark of the learned Sir W. Jones: "Many there are who read the Scriptures, yet are then grossly ignorant; but he who acts well, is a truly learned man !?? "To know That which before us lies in daily life, JUGGLERS. "The juggler, mentioned in Xenophon, requested the Gods to allow him to remain in places where there was much money and abundance of simpletons." On this subject I shall quote a few excellent remarks from Professor Beekman, who says, " people of this description will never want encouragement and support, while they exhibit, with confidencé, anything uncommon, and know how to suit the nature of their amusements to the taste of the spectators. "Jugglers, indeed, seldom exhibit anything that can appear wonderful to those acquainted with natural philosophy, and mathematics; but these often find satisfaction in seeing truths already known to them, applied in a new manner; and they readily embrace every opportunity of having them farther illustrated by experiments. Many times, it often happens, that what ignorant persons first employ merely as a show for amusement, or deception, is afterwards ennobled by being applied to a more important purpose. The machine, with which a Savoyard, by means of shadows, amused children, and the popu lace, was by Liberkühn, converted into a solar microscope; and to give one example more, which may convince female readers, if I can hope for such, the art of making ice in summer, or in a heated oven, enabled guests, much to the credit of their hostess, to cool the most expensive dishes. But, if the art of juggling served no other end than to muse the most ignorant of our citizens; it is proper that they should be encouraged for the sake of those who cannot enjoy the more expensive deceptions of an opera. They answer other purposes, however, than that of merely amusing; they convey instruction in the most acceptable manner, and serve as a most agreeable antidote to superstition, and to that popular belief in miracles, exorcism, conjuration, sorcery, and witchcraft, from which our ancestors suffered so severely. Wherever the vulgar were astonished at the effects of shadows, electricity, mirrors, and the magnet, interested persons endeavoured by these to frighten them; and thus misapplied the powers of nature, to promote their own advantage. "Those who view the art of the juggler in the same light as I do, will, I hope, forgive me for introducing these observations, and allow me to continue them, while I inquire into the antiquity of this employment; especially, as I shall endeavour by these means to illustrate more fully my subject." "The deception of breathing out flames, which excites, in a particular manner, the astonishment of the ignorant, is very ancient. By this art, the Rabbi Bar-Cocheba, in the reign of the emperor Hadrian, made the credulous Jews believe that he was the hoped-for Messiah; and, two centuries after, the emperor Constantius was thrown into great terror, when Valentinian informed him that he had seen one of the body guards breathing out fire and flame in the evening." History of In ventions. I could give great numbers of instances from the ancients, as well as from the English, at very early periods, which differ but little from the present time, all of which only serve to show that "man is ever the same." "Pleased with this bauble still, as that before, 'Till tir'd, he sleeps, and life's poor play is o'er." POPE. The town jugglers, during the reign of the Stuarts, were fellows who practised feats of strength, or dexterity; these seem always to have excited the most lively interest; but other jugglers were plentiful; the mass of the people were living under easy circumstances. And this was among the other voluntary ways of entertaining that numerous class, which serve to fill up the measure of society, who have but few cares, and have more money than wit. One popular character of this sort, Florian Marchaud, a foreigner, he drank common water, but would return it back as wine or sweet waters. I wonder the excise fellows did not gauge him, and make him pay a tax. If one of them was to exhibit himself now, Master Peel, who is so much in want of money, would do it. I would advise the Chartists and the Repealers to be careful what they are about, and be admonished by the following couplet: "If we do not be quiet, and cease all our jars, They will charge us a farthing a-piece for the stars." "The posture master is frequently mentioned by the writers of the last two centuries. The most extraordinary of this kind that ever existed, was Joseph Clark, who, although a well made man, and rather gross than thin, exhibited nearly every specie of deformity and dislocation, and could make all sorts of wry faces. He is alluded to in the Guardian, 1713, and described as a sad annoyancer of the tailors. He would send for one to take his measure, but would so contrive it, as to have a most immoderate rising on one of his shoulders; when his clothes were brought home, he would transform this deformity to the contrary side, upon which the poor tailor begged pardon for the mistake, and remedied the defect as fast as he could; but on another trial, he found him a straight shouldered man, but now was become, unfortunately, hump-backed. In short, this wandering tumour puzzled all the workmen about town, who found a fit impossible to be accomplished. There was a Turkish rope-dancer walked bare footed up a rope, holding only by gripping it tight with his toes. He also danced blind-folded on a tight rope, with a boy twelve years old, dangling to his feet below. A man would raise a cannon of four hundred pounds, by the hair of his head; and these exhibitions were visited by throngs in sedan chairs, chariots, and on foot. I will mention two curious ways, by which several have raised a little temporary relief, when put to it on journeys; my information is derived from a diary never published. A stranger, coming to a tavern, not known perhaps to a soul in it, would give out to the company, that for a small subscription, he would explain to them a problem, the result of which, he said, he did not know, they did not know, nor nobody knew! The amount he left to the company; each might give what he pleased. All this seemed so harmless, and yet so interesting, and so easily to be acquired, that it never failed, except any of the party had been previously informed. When the amount was collected, he asked some gentleman to furnish him with a garter, which, being soon obtained, he pulled off his own, and measured them together; it was soon found they were not both of a length. He then announced to the company, that the gentleman's garter was longer or shorter than his, as the case might be; which, until then, he did not know, nor they did not know, nor nobody knew! The other incident afforded more money to the exhibitor, and some useful information to the audience. It is a very common custom now, and a very old one, to have a very large and fat boiled or baked round of beef at the market dinners, on market days, some of which would not be eaten. After the dinner, some placards would be distributed, stating that a gentleman was in town, who would teach the art of carving without the possibility of the operator cutting himself. The country people would flock to the tavern, pay their shilling, and when a sufficient number had arrived, the remains of the large round of beef would be set in state, upon a clean dish, and table cloth; the operator amusing them, perhaps, with a song, or jokes, wetting his large carving knife to a keen edge. As soon as the company began to express impatience, he began, in a peculiar pompous phraseology, to explain to his auditors, that to perform the noble and agreeable art of carving, in a genteel manner, and without the possibility of cutting themselves, consisted merely in their always cutting from them; for if the |