she became the wife of a respectable linen- | Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. When draper, and Sabrina was intrusted to the care of Mr. Bicknell's mother.

THE GLEANER'S PORTE-FOLIO;

CONSISTING OF INTERESTING ARTICLES FROM RECENT PUBLICATIONS, PUBLIC

JOURNALS, &c. &c.

MANNERS, &C. OF THE PERSIANS. HAVING had frequent opportunities of observing Persians of the poorer class travelling, some with and some without their families, I shall here attempt a general description of their mode of life during their journies. If the man has with him his wife and family, which is but rarely the case, except with those who possess some little property, the wife and children ride on an ass, yaboo-horse, or mule, she || and the youngest child being covered up. Beneath the covering are also the provisions and clothes in two bags thrown across the beast's saddle, and over them the bedding, with a pillow, or a nummud rolled up; on these, thrown rather far back, the rider sits. There are rings and hooks of iron fixed to the saddle, on which various articles are hung, and reach nearly to the ground. These usually consist, first, of a

THE GLEANER'S PORTE-FOLIO.

the purpose of preparing their victuals, and of eating and sleeping.

Having pre-determined on some place near water for this purpose, they begin at some distance on their approach to it, to collect dry weeds, sticks, dung of cattle, and other combustibles on and near the road, and thus continue gathering until they arrive at the selected spot.

The ass is here unloaded and turned loose, with his saddle on, to pasture on the weeds; if the place be totally sterile the bag of chopped straw is attached to his head, he being secured by the long chain fastened to his head stall, which serves, on the road, both for bridle and whip. The nummud is laid on the evenest spot of ground, in the shade, or behind the wall of a ruin, if there be one, to screen the female from view. The wallet, or double bag before mentioned, is then opened, the contents of which, if the travellers be not in a state of wretchedness, are a cup or wooden bowl of sour milk, a quantity of dough worked up the preceding evening with a little leaven tied up in a tanned skin of sheep or goat, with the hair outward. This dough is exposed to the heat of the morning sun, or that of the fire, to complete its rising. The towa, or flat iron baking utensil, is then unhooked from the saddle. It is of an oval form, about ten inches by five: they place it on the burning fuel to be heated, while pieces of dough are detached from the mass and adapted to the shape of the towa, being about a thumb's breadth at the edge and thinner in the middle, like a large biscuit. They are wrought to this form by pressure with the fingers, and pricked with the point of a knife. The cake is slowly baked on the plate of iron, but not turned; the upper side being merely held to the embers until it is browned. During this process, sometimes performed by the female, but oftener by the man, one of the party goes to the nearest village to purchase a supply of sour milk, unless there be some of the preceding meal remaining, in which case it is preserved in a leathern bottle hung on the saddle. It is mixed with water, and becomes a very sharp and acid beverage. This, and a proportion of the wheat or barley cakes left of former meals, form the principal part, and generally the whole of

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their daily nourishment. Sometimes they are so fortunate as to find a few berries or wild sorrel, which serve to quench their thirst on the mountains, or a young thistle. This they dig out of the ground as deep as possible; the green prickly leaves and the top serve as fodder for the ass; the remaining part is eaten by themselves. Sometimes they may have had an opportunity in passing through the last town, to add a few luxuries to their store, such as a hard white curd cheese, leaves of sallad, a green melon, a few onions, or at least their top-leaves which they do not reject, some salt, and a few seeds of the poppy; the latter, when stuck on the flattened dough before baking, give the bread a soft and pleasant flavour. It is not unworthy of remark, that the practice of strewing bread with poppyseeds prevails among the Jews in all countries, and seems to be one of the customs which this singular race of men have derived from their Asiatic ancestors.

In this minute detail of the travelling arrangements of the poor Persians, we may recognise many circumstances incidentally alluded to in sacred history. It is not likely that habits of life, so simple and inartificial, can have deviated much from those of the patriarchs of old. The repose in the open air, the preparation of bread, the leisurely journeying, and a variety of subordinate circumstances, associate intimately with the notions that we gather from Scripture of a way-faring life; and perhaps from some of these solitary groupes in the wilds of Arabia or Persia, the painter might derive many interesting materials for the composition of a Flight into Egypt.

If these wanderers are travelling through a district in which they observe the black tents of the Illyauts, they, depending on their hospitality, go to them, and generally either obtain the present of a small quantity of such food as they want, or are invited with the customary bishmilla, or welcome, to sit down and eat with them.

There are certain articles almost as necessary to a Persian as a clasp knife is to an English ploughman or labourer. These are a flint and steel, with amadou, or the fungous substance commonly called German tinder, and cotton match; these implements for ignition are carried together in one of the numerous small bags, or

purses, attached to the waist of the traveller, who carries also a case-knife for use or defence, stuck in his cummerbund, or cloth girdle.

The repast of bread and diluted sour milk being ended, they usually smoke the cullyoon, and then repose all together on the nummud; but more frequently the woman and children are placed on it somewhat aloof, so as to be screened from observation, the man and his son lying on the ground. Thus they sleep until the scorching heat of the day is past, when they arise, replace their loads, and resume their journey.

The food of the more opulent sort of people travelling, is chiefly the bread and acid milk already mentioned, with the addition of meat, cut into small pieces of fat and lean, stuck on a thin iron skewer and broiled over the fire. Slices of onion are sometimes introduced among the fat and lean. This preparation of meat is called khebaub. As the mutton and lamb of Persia are extremely fine and very fat, they are rendered very savoury by this easy and expeditious mode of dressing.

Another very savoury dish of the same nature is thus prepared:-pieces of the fleshy part of mutton or lamb are cut into slices like our chops, which are covered with sliced onions or shalots, and stewed with black pepper; this is kept for the next day's march, when the onions are removed, and the meat, fried in a little butter or mutton fat, is eaten with bread or rice. In winter the men wear over their usual clothes cloaks or jackets of sheep-skin, and have caps of the same material, the wool

Persians of all ranks use nearly the same costume; the rich and affluent make no other distinction in dress than what arises from a finer quality of cloth; and it is their general maxim, at present, to appear in as poor a garb as the mind can condescend to, in order that they may elude the demands of the poorer classes for relief, but principally with a view to exempt themselves as much as possible from the arbitrary and exorbitant requisitions of govern-being kept inside, and the exterior left in

its yellow tanned state, or covered by coloured cloths. The sleeves of the cloaks sometimes reach to the wrists, but more commonly terminate at the elbow, the wool being observable only at the edges. Men of the poorer class have jackets similar in form and size made of felt, the body and sleeves being of one entire piece. These jackets are generally worn as cloaks, the

ment. The national dress, then, for the men, consists of a pair of drawers, generally blue, reaching from the waist to below the calf of the leg, over this a shirt of the same colour, open near the right breast, and there fastened with a button and loop, and open also at the sides near the bottom, which reaches to the middle of the thigh. The sleeves are very wide at the shoulders, and descend to the wrists, where they are a sleeves hanging loose outside. They have

not tied but left loose. Over the shirt they wear one and occasionally two coats, which sometimes open by a row of buttons and loops from under the armpits down to the elbow, and always from the elbow to the wrist, and are bound to the waist either by a belt of worsted girthing, or by a cloth cummerbund, blue and white. On the head is a cap of felt or of sheep-skin, tanned and lined, or, when marching in hot weather, a chiutz cap. The shoes are of kuit worsted or cotton, with leather soles, lengthened out, and turned up at the point. These shoes reach up to the ankle, and being of an elastic make sit light on the foot, without pinching. Persons who travel bind a cloth ligature about four inches broad round the ankles, which, they say, prevents them from swelling.

gloves, or rather mittens, of the same material.

Of the dresses of the females I can say but little. They wear drawers like the men, and a chemise with an opening, not on the right side but in front, fastened with buttons; the sleeves have also buttons at the wrist. Their drawers are loose, but worked of different colours, and tight at the ankle. The upper dress consists of an oblong piece of woollen shawl or linen cloth, folding over the chest and arms, and one corner hanging down behind to below the kuees. There are, no doubt, other garments, but the whole person is enve• loped from head to foot with a long wrapper of chequered cloth, fastened to a coif, or cushion, on the head, the sides meeting in front, and reaching down to the feet.

EXTRACTS FROM ANCIENT HISTORY.

Suspended from the coif, by two hooks, | with chains or strings down each side of the head, is a long strip of white cloth, which covers the face and the junction of the wrapper in front. The part over the eyes is open-work, and that opposite the mouth has a damp, or wet, appearance, occasioned by the moisture of the breath. This thin slip of cloth is called roobunda; it is only kept over the face when the female is within view of strangers, at other times it is laid aside, as well as the wrapper, or, if both are worn, the roobunda is thrown back, and left to hang over one side of the head and shoulder. Both men and women, if travelling, wear high-heeled slippers and boots of red, green, or yellow leather.

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the women, indeed, are sometimes seen to carry their clothes to a streamlet, where they wash them, and after drying them on the grass, fold them up for future use.Johnson's Journey from India to England, in 1817.

MENDICITY.

THE inconceivable power of habit alone can cause us to behold without horror and shuddering the spectacles that are incessantly presenting themselves before us; we meet continually old men, lame and mutilated objects, mothers a prey to despair without clothing, asylum, or bread; and we hear, with the most impenetrable indifference, this heart-rending cry:-" 1 am perishing with hunger!"-And if we bestow on these poor creatures a few halfpence, we think we have performed a humane action, and we pass on without emotion or pity! In the mean time where are we going? Perhaps to some public spectacle, to the play or opera, where fictitious sorrows will excite all our sensibility, and cause us to shed torrents of tears. Are we then only alive to pity in a box at the Theatre, at the representation of a drama, a tragedy, or when we are reading a ro

Ornaments appear to be worn mostly on the head, arms, and wrists. Scarlet seems a favourite colour, particularly for binding or edging other colours on the part most likely to be seen by strangers near the ankle. The women studiously avoid exposing any part of the skin; but I perceive that the middling class are fond of carrying their children, particularly if they be fair, to the gardens and walks, where, I believe, a stranger may notice and admire them without giving offence.mance? The beauty of a child is presumptive evidence of the beauty of its mother; and the ladies of Persia, amidst so much seclusion and restraint, are entitled to no small praise for this ingenious and logical mode of asserting their claims to admiration.

Mendicity is a frightful spectacle, the shame of a civilized country, and in great cities this distressing picture is a dishonour to luxury and magnificence; and we cannot but imagine that the repressive laws of mendicity are only a barbarous hypoEdging, cord, silk, lace of different co- crisy in governments, when their execution lours, are, I observe, very much worn on serves principally to conceal only the mithe dresses of men, women, and children, sery. No one should suffer himself to both rich and poor. Blue is the prevailing deprive the poor of casual alms, unless he colour of the garments of the middle and assures to him an honest livelihood, or labouring classes, both male and female; adjudges to him that labour which is prothese garments are seldom if ever washed, | portioned to his strength.-From Madame being kept on until they are worn to rags: de Genlis' Dictionnaire des Etiquettes, &c.

INTERESTING EXTRACTS FROM ANCIENT HISTORY.

SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE EMPRESS HELENA, tius Chloris having, when only an officer,

MOTHER OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT.

THE birth of this celebrated female, who was so famed for her piety, and for the high renown of her son, was so obscure that she is said to have been the daughter of an innkeeper. The Emperor Constan

an occasion of seeing and admiring Helena, as well for the noble qualifications of her mind as for the outward charms of her person, married her, and took her with him into Dalmatia, a province of Illyria, where he possessed great wealth, and where his family held a distinguished rank. At the age of twenty-five years she brought into the world the immortal Constantine.Though Helena was tenderly beloved by her husband, yet when he was created Cæsar in conjunction with Galerius Maximin, he was compelled by the orders of Dioclesian and Maximin, then Emperors, to repudiate her.

Helena remained in ignorance of the true God till her son Constantine ascended the throne, and it was to him she owed her conversion. She was then sixty-four years of age; and she instructed a considerable number of Pagans in the Christian faith, amongst whom were several members of the imperial family. Tenderly attached to her grandson Crispus, whom Constantine his father had created Cæsar, Helena | could not forbear to complain bitterly of the injustice of the Emperor in putting this young Prince to death, who gave the fairest promise of becoming all that was great. Constantine, who never departed from the respect he owed his mother, judged of the extent of his crime by the tears and anguish of Helena, and sought to console her by decorating her with the title of Empress: he had also her image engraven on the gold coin of the empire, and gave up to her the disposal of all his treasures. Helena only made use of this privilege to distribute blessings among the indigent, and to ornament the sacred vessels of the different churches. Modest in her elevated state, she never appeared in public in gorgeous apparel, but was clothed in the most plain and simple manner.

Constantine, desirous of employing a part of his riches in building churches, principally in the Holy Land, Helena seized, with transport, the opportunity of visiting the sacred place. During the course of her voyage, she did not pass a single day without satisfying her fervent charity. In one place she gave money to the poor, at another garments: many did she deliver from prison, many from the painful slavery of working in the mines, and others from the misery of exile. On her arrival at Jerusalem she caused the temple of Venus to be pulled down, which had been erected on Mount Calvary; and underneath, it is said, she discovered fragments of wood from the Cross of Christ, of which she sent a considerable quantity to Constantine, together with the nails, and she remained some time in Palestine to build the superb church of the Holy Sepulchre. She superintended the works of the other churches that the Emperor ordered to be built at Bethlehem and on the Mount of Olives, in honour of Christ's ascension, and the place sanctified by his birth.

Helena rejoined the Emperor at the end of the year 327, and expired soon after, surrounded by her grandchildren, amongst whom were two Cæsars. Her body was carried to Rome, and buried amongst those of the Emperors. Her funeral was celebrated by her son, with every outward pomp and mark of magnificence, and a superb monument erected to her memory. She had lived to be above fourscore years of age.

A CONCISE ABRIDGMENT OF NATURAL HISTORY;

IN A SERIES OF LETTERS FROM A LADY TO HER DAUGHTER.

LETTER XVI.

and has not unfrequently found its way into cellars, in order to supply itself with food, or as a shelter from the cold. In the early part of spring it retires, like the frog, to the waters, where it deposits its eggs, which, when hatched, are like the tadpoles of frogs, and go through much the same changes. The most remarkable thing in this unsightly creature's history is its longevity-its life generally extending to fifteen I is found in gardens, woods, and fields, or twenty years; and we have very au

MY DEAR CAROLINE,-I shall now introduce to you an animal, the victim of mistaken prejudice, whose aspect is more loathsome than the frog, but whose timidity, harmlessness, and usefulness, in destroying noxious insects and poisonous weeds, give it every claim to our protection; this is

THE TOAD.