tion we are indebted to an agreeable writer in the "London Magazine;" his corporal lineaments are "borrowed" (with permission) from a new caricature,+ if it may be given so low a name, wherein this figure stands out, the very gem and jewel, in a grouping of characters of all sorts and denominations assembled with "infinite fancy" and "fun," to illustrate the designer's views of the age. It is a graphic satire of character rather than caricatura; mostly of class-characters, not persons; wherein the ridicule bears heavily, but is broad and comprehensive enough to shift from one neighbour to another. The print, wherein our beadle is foremost, though not first, is one of the pleasantest "drolls" of the century, and seems to hit at all that is. In this whimsical representation, a painted show-board, at the window of a miserable garret, declares it to be "The Office of the Peruvian Mining Company." On the casement of the first floor, in the same hereditament of poverty, is a bill of " Eligant rooms to let." Wigs in the shop-window illustrate the punning announcement above it-"Nature improved by Rickets," which is the name of the proprietor, a capital barber, who stands at the door, and points to a ragged inscription depending from the parti-coloured pole of his art, from whence we learn that "Nobody is to be saved during di)ine service, by command of the magistracy." He enforces attention to this fact on an unshaved itinerant, with "Subscription for putting down Bartlemy fair" placarded on his back. This fellow has a pole in his right hand for "The preservation of public morals," and a puppet of punch lolling from his left coat pocket. An apple-stall is taken care of by a fat body with a screaming child, whose goods appear to be coveted by two little beings untutored in the management of the eye. We gather from the "New Times," on the ground, that the fruit woman is Sarah Crumpage, and that she and Rickets, the former for selling fruit, and the latter for shaving on the Sunday, "were convicted For' December, 1822. The Progress of Cant; designed and etched by one of the authors of "Odes and Addresses to Great People" and published by T. Maclean, Haymarket, L. Relfe, Cornhill, and Dickenson, New Bond-street. on the oath of the notorious Johnson, and fined ten shillings each." Next to the barber's is "the Star eating-house," with "Ladies School" on the first-floor casement, and "Mangleing took in." At the angle of the penthouse roofs of these dwellings "an angel's head in stone with pigeon's wings" deceives a hungry cat into an attempt to commit an assault upon it from the attic window. Opposite the cook's door an able-bodied waggoner, with a pennen from his whip, inscribed "Knowledge is Power," obscures part of another whereon all that remains is "NICK'S INSTITUTION." A "steeled butcher,” his left hand resting at ease within his apron, cleaver hung, and carelessly capped, with a countenance indicating no other spirit than that of the still, and no disposition to study deeper than the bottom of a porter pot, carries the flag of the "London University:" a well-fed urchin, his son, hangs by his father's sleeve, and drags along a wheeled toy, a lamb—emblem of many a future "lamb his riot dooms to bleed." A knowing little Jewboy, with the flag of the "Converted Jews," relieves the standard-bearer of the "School for Adults" from the weight of his pocket handkerchief, and his banner hides the letter "d" on another borne by and hence for "The Church in danger," a person of uneven temper in canonicals, we read "The Church in anger." Close at the heels of the latter is an object almost as miserable, as the exceedingly miserable figure in the frontispiece to the "Miseries of Human Life." This rearger," alias in "anger," is a poor, underward supporter of "the church in dansized, famine-worn, badged charity boy, with a hat abundantly too large for its hydrocephalic contents, and a coat to his heels, and in another person's shoes, a world too wide for his own feet-he carries a crooked little wand with "No Po pery" on it; this standard is so low, that it would be lost if the standard-bearer passionate person in a barrister's wig, were not away from the procession. A with Claims." Opposite to a church partly a shillelagh, displays "Catholic built, is a figure clearly designating a distinguished preacher of the established church of Scotland in London, planting the tallest standard in the scene upright on the ground, from whence is unfurled "No Theatre"-the flag-bearer of "The Caledonian Chapel," stands behind, in the act of tossing up a halfpenny with the standard bearer of "No more State Lotteries." A black mask bears the "Liberty of the Press." A well-fed man with bands beneath his chin, rears a high pole, inscribed "No fat Livings," and "The cause of Greece" follows. A jovial undertaker in his best grave-clothes, raises a mute's staff, and "No Life in London :" this character looks as if he would bury his wife comfortably in a country churchyard, get into the return-hearse with his companions, and crack nuts and drink wine all the way to town. A little personage, booted and buttoned up, carries a staff in his pocket, surmounted by a crown, and a switch to his chin, the tip whereof alone is visible, his entire face and head being wholly concealed by the hat; this is "The great Unknown"-he has close behind him "Gall and Spurs-him." "No Treadmill" is exhibited by a merry rogue, half disarmed, with a wooden leg. At a public house, "The Angel and Funch Bowl,-T. Moore," the "United Sons of Harmony" hold wassail; their flag is hung at one of the windows, from whence many panes are absent, and themselves are fighting at the door, and heartily cheered by the standard bearer of "No Pugilism." A ferocious looking fellow, riding on a blind horse, elevates "Martin for Ever," and makes cruel cuts with his whip on the back of a youth who is trying to get up behind him with the banner of "No climbing Boys." We are now at a corner messuage, denominated "Prospect House Establishment for Young Ladies, by the Misses Grace and Prudence Gregory." The corner opposite is "Seneca House Academy for Young Gentlemen, by Dr. Alex. Sanderson." Prospect House has an "Assurance" policy, and from one of its windows one of the "young ladies" drops a work by "H. More”-in eager regard of one of the "young gentlemen" of Seneca-house, who addresses her from his room, with a reward of merit round his neck. This Romeoing is rendered more scenical by a tree, whereon hangs a lost kite, papered with a "Prospectus" of Seneca-house, from whence it appears that pupils bringing a "knife and fork," and paying "Twenty Guineas per ann.,' are entitled to "Universal Erudition," and the utmost attention to their "Morals and Principles." Near this place, the representative of "United Schools" fells to the earth the flag-bearer of " Peace to the World;" while the able supporter of “Irish Conciliation," endeavours to settle " the difference by the powerful use of his pole; the affray being complacently viewed by a half-shod, and half-kilted maintainer of "Scotch Charity." A demure looking girl is charged with "Newgatory Instruction." At her elbow, a female of the order of disorder, so depicted that Hogarth might claim her for his own, upholds "Fry for ever," and is in high converse with a sable friend who keeps "Freedom for the Blacks." Hopeless idiocy, crawling on its knees by the aid of crutches, presents the "March of Mind." An excellent slippered fruiterer with a tray of apples and pears, beguiles the eyes of a young Gobbleton, who displays "Missionary penny subscriptions," and is suffering his hand to abstract wherewithal for the satisfaction of his longings. Here too are ludicrous representations of the supporters of "Whitefield and Wesley," "Reform," &c. and a Jewish dealer in old clothes, covered in duplicate, with the pawnbroker's sign upside down,finds wind for "The Equitable Loan." A wall round Seneca-house is "contrived a double debt to pay"-proffering seeming security to the "sightless eyeballs" of over-fond and over-fearful parents, and being of real use to the artist for the expression of ideas, which the crowding of his scene does not leave room to picture. This wall is duly chalked and covered by bills in antithesis, A line of the chalkings by an elision easily supplied, reads, "Ask for War." One of the best exhibitions in the print is a youth of the "Tract Society, "with a pamphlet entitled "Eternity," so rolled as to look like a pistol,which he tenders to a besotted brute wearing candidates' favours in his hat, and a scroll "Purity of Election." The villainous countenance of the intoxicated wretch is admirable—a cudgel under his arm, his tattered condition, and a purse hanging from his pocket, tell that he has been in fight, and received the wages of his warfare; in the last stage of drunkenness he drops upon a post inscribed "under Government." Among books strewed on the ground are "Fletcher's Appeal," "Family Shakspeare," lohe," &c.; at the top is a large volume lettered "Kant," which, in such a situation, Mr. Wirgman, and other disciples of the German philosopher,will only quairel or smile at, in common with all who conceive their opinions or intentions misrepresented. In truth it is only because the print is already well known among the few lynx-eyed observers of manners "Hohen that this notice is drawn up. Its satire, however well directed in many ways, is too sweeping to be just every way, and is in several instances wholly undeserved. The designer gives evidence however of great capability, and shouid he execute another it will inevitably be better than this, which is, after all, an extraordirary production.-In witness whereof, and therefrom, is extracted and prefixed the "Beadle" hereinbefore mentioned. NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature ... 36 37 January 29. 1826. Sexagesima Sunday. Accession of George IV. 1820. King George III. died. A contemporary kalendarian, in recording this memorable fact, observes, that "the slow and solemn sound of St. Paul's bell announced the event a short time after, and was heard to a great distance around the country." He adds, that he was reminded, by this mournful proclamation of departed royalty," of the following lines in Heywood's "Rape of Lucrece," written to go to a funeral peal from eight hells: Come list and hark, the bell doth toll In this black night that seems to scowle, This opportunity the same agreeable writer improves to discourse on, thus: Bells. The passing bell owes its origin to an idea of sanctity attached to bells by the early Catholics, who believed that the sound of these holy instruments of percussion actually drove the devil away from the soul of the departing Christian. Bells were moreover regarded formerly as dispelling storms, and appeasing the imagined wrath of heaven, as the following liens from Barnaby Googe will show : If that the thunder chaunce to rore and stormie tempest shake, A woonder is it for to see the wretches howe they quake. Howe that no fayth at all they have, nor trust in any thing, The clarke doth all the belles forthwith Till in the loftie heavens darke, the thunder bray no more. For in these christned belles they thinke, doth lie such powre and might As able is the tempest great, and storme to vanquish quight. I saw myself at Numburg once, a towne in Toring coast, A bell that with this title bolde hirself did prowdly boast By name I Mary called am, with sound I put to flight The thunder crackes, and hurtfull stormes, and every wicked spright. Such things when as these belles can do, no wonder certainlie It is, if that the papistes to their tolling always flie, When haile, or any raging storme, or tempest comes in sight, Or thunder boltes, or lightning fierce, that every place doth smight. Naogeorgus We find from Brand, that "an old bell at Canterbury required twenty-four men, and another thirty-two men, ad scnandum. The noblest peal of ten bells, without exception, in England, whether tone or tune be considered, is said to be in St. Margaret's church, Leicester. When a full peal was rung, the ringers were said 'pulsare classicum."" Bells were a great object of superstition among our ancestors. Each of them was represented to have its peculiar name and virtues, and many are said to have retained great affection for the churches to which they belonged, and where they were consecrated. When a bell was removed from its original and favourite situation, it was sometimes supposed to take a nightly trip to its old place of re sidence, unless exercised in the evening and secured with a chain or rope. Mr Warner, in his " Hampshire," enume rates the virtues of a bell, by translating two lines from the "Helpe to Discourse." Men's deaths I tell by doleful knell. Lightning and thunder I break asunder. On sabbath all to church I call. The sleepy head I raise from bed. There is an old Wiltshire legend of a tenor bell having been conjured into the river; with lines by the ringer, who lost it through his pertinacious garrulity, and which say: In spite of all the devils in hell Baron Holberg says he was in a company of men of letters, where several conjectures were offered concerning the origin of the word campana; a klocke, (i. e. bell) in the northern tongues. On his return home, he consulted several writers. Some, he says, think the word klocke to be of the northern etymology; these words, Ut cloca habeatur in ecclesia, occurring in the most ancient histories of the north. It appears from hence, that in the infancy of Christianity, the word cloca was used in the north instead of campana. Certain french writers derive the word cloca from cloche, and this again from clocher, i. e. to limp; for, say they, as a person who limps, falls from one side to the other, so do klocks (bells) when rung. Some have recourse to the latin word clangor, others recur to the greek kaλew, I call; some even deduce it from the word cochlea, a snail, from the resemblance of its shell to a bell. As to the latin word campana, it was first used in Italy, at Nola in Campania; and it appears that the greater bells only were called campana, and the lesser nola. The invention of them is generally attributed to bishop Paulinus; but this certainly must be understood only of the religious use of them; it being plain, from Roman writers, that they had the like machines called tintinnabula. The use of bells continued long unknown in the east, the people being called to public worship by strokes of wooden hammers; and to this day the Turks proclaim the beginning of their service, by vociferations from the steeple. Anciently • Dr. Forster's Perennial Calendar. priests themselves used to toll the bell, especially in cathedrals and great churches, and these were distinguished by the appellation of campanarii. The Roman Catholics christen their bells, and godfathers assist at the solemnity; thus Ac. consecrating them to religious use. cording to Helgaudus, bells had certain names given them like men; and Ingulphus says, "he ordered two great clocks (bells) to be made, which were called Bartholomeus and Bettelinus, and two lesser, Pega and Bega." The time is perhaps uncertain when the hours first began to be distinguished by the striking said to have been introduced by a priest of a bell. In the empire this custom is of Ripen, named Elias, who lived in the twelfth century; and this the Chronicon Anonymi Ripense says of him, hic dies et horas campanarum pulsatione distinært. from their original design to other solemThe use of them soon became extended nities, and especially burials: which incessant tolling has long been complained of as a public nuisance, and to this the french alludes:poet Pour honorer les morts, ils font mourir les vivans. Besides the common way of tolling bells, there is also ringing, which is a kind of chimes used on various occasions in token of joy. This ringing prevails in no country so much as in England, where i is a kind of diversion, and, for a piece o money, any one may have a peal. On this account it is, that England is called the ringing island. Chimes are something very different, and much more musical; there is not a town in all the Netherlands without them, being an invention of that country. The chimes at Copenhagen, are one of the finest sets in all Europe; but the inhabitants, from a pertinacious fondness for old things, or the badness of their ear, do not like them so well as the old ones, which were destroyed by a conflagration. The Rev. W. L. Bowles has an effusion agreeably illustrative of feelings on hearing the bells ring. SONNET. Written at Ostend, July 22, 1787. How sweet the tuneful bells responsive peal! So piercing to my heart their force 1 feel! |