leader of fashion to set the example, by luxurious six thousand francs a year,—a large sum in this entertainments of disseminating that wealth which ultimately finds its way into the greasy pocket of the laborer or mechanic. Shops opened late and closed early. Gin palaces, like hell, ever open to a customer. The pulse of London hardly beatsit is perceptible, but no more. Nothing is active but the press, and the preparers from without. There must be something wrong in all this. Jack Cade promised the mob, that the grass should grow in the streets of the metropolis, the present government appear to be his executors.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Spa.

country: but he did not give to the poor; he exacted from them, and they religiously obeyed him, no one killing a pig or any thing else without a present of part of it to the curate. When the old man was told that he must die, the ruling passion still governed him. He first sent for a person to dispose of for him the sundry pieces of pork which he had gathered as presents, then took the extreme unction, and died. His will is not known, but he is supposed to be very rich, and whether he leaves his wealth to some nephews or to support a hospital here now without funds, is a question of some interest. He was buried in great parade and procession, followed by hundreds holding candles. (I have heard of holding a can

He was dressed in his best, and every one said that he never looked so clean or so well in his life. He was carried on an open brancard, with his canonical hat on his head, quite exposed, and the snow fell fast and settled on his face and clothes, but he felt it not. The funeral was as cold as his charity, the thermometer being exactly 13 deg. below the freezing point. Except the procession of the dead curate and of a dead wolf, we have had nothing to enliven Spa these last ten days.

Yes, now Spa is agreeable we have no redoubte open with fools losing their money, no En-dle to the devil-is that the origin of this custom?) glish passants looking after amusement, no valetudiuarians drinking the poupon, no Spa boxes crowding every window: we are now as Spa should be, a coterie of houses in a ravine, sur rounded by the mountains of the Ardennes, crowding and shoving up together in mutual protection against the deep snow and the forest wolves. There is something now in this: most of the houses are shut up; the shop windows are all bare; the snow is two feet deep in the streets; the mountains on every side are white; the icicles hang upon the leafless boughs, and the rivulets are half enchained. All is one drear blank; and except the two-horse diligence which arrives three or four hours past its time, and the post, which is now delivered at nine o'clock instead of noon, there is no such thing as an arrival: the boys slide upon their little sledges down the hills; the cattle are driven home; the church clock strikes; and unless we are enlivened by the crowd assembled round the countryman, who appears with the carcass of a wolf which he has been fortunate enough to kill, we are all quiet monotony and peace: in fact, Spa, now that it is a desert, has become agreeable.

They say, this hard winter promises plenty of wolves; if so, I recommend those who are fond of excitement to come here. Indeed, it will be profitable, for if they are active huntsmen, they can pay their expenses. A dead horse costs little, and in Spa, as they give very little to the horses to eat in the summer and nothing at all in the winter, they die fast. You have only to drag the carcass to an out-house at a little distance from the town, and with your rifle watch during the night. The wolves will come down to prey upon the carrion, and it is hard if you do not kill your couple during the night, and then you are rewarded by the commune. I do not know what the price is now, but when the King of Holland was in possession of Belgium it was one hundred francs for a male and three hundred francs for a female wolf. Now a brace a night, four hundred francs or sixteen pounds, is not bad pay: in Spa it would keep a half-pay officer for three months. We have had nothing to enliven us within these last three days, but the death and burial of an old curate. He died in all the odour of sanctity three days ago, and was buried yesterday. He was not loved or even liked, for he wanted that greatest of all gifts charity. His situation was worth, with offerings,

But I promised to talk about the Burmahs. There have been two or three accounts of the military movements, but there has been no inquiry or examination into the character of the people, which, in my opinion, is of more importance than is generally supposed; for although the East India Company may imagine that they have done with the Burmahs, it is my conviction that the Burmahs have not done with them, and even I may live to witness the truth of my assertion.

It certainly is a point of some interest to ascertain from whence the Burmah nation originally came: that they are not aborigines, I think most certain. They are surrounded by the Cochin Chinese, the Chinese, and the Hindoos, all races of inferior stature and effeminate in person, with little or no beard. Now the Burmahs are a very powerful race, very muscular in their limbs, possessing great strength and energy; generally speaking, I should say, that they are rather taller than Europeans. They have the high cheek bones of the Tartar, but not the small eyes; they have strong hair and beards, and certainly would remind you of a cross between the Jew and the Tartar. This is singular; and it gave the idea to some of those who are fond of indulging in theory, that they might be the remnants of that portion of the Jews who, when permitted to leave Babylon, instead of going east with the others, bent their course to the westward and were never spoken of afterwards. But the only props they had to this argument were the appearance of the people, the weight in silver being called the tekel or shekel, and the great pagoda having the name of the Dagon pagoda. At least, I heard of no more props to hang the argument upon but those three, which can hardly be sufficient, although the coincidence of the two words is singular.

The Burmahs are semi-barbarous : but this term

must be used in the most favorable light; because surrounded on every side by people who are wed

267

ded to their own customs, the Burmahs have a of Christianity ever witnessed on that fellow's liberality and a desire to improve which is very part. On examination, I found that the body had remarkable. I never met with any Burmah, not been wrapped in sundry clothes, and like the ark even a lad, who could not read and write; they of Noah pitched within and without: over the allow any form of religion to be made use of, and clothes was a coat of damma, then of cheenan, churches of any description to be built by foreign- and lastly it was gilt; the head of the mummy was fictitious and formed of a cocoa-nut, the real ers, but they do not like missionaries making converts of their own people, for as the king is the scull being where, in the mummy, would have head of the religion, conversion is a branch of appeared to have been the breast of the body. It allegiance. One of the missionaries had an au- did not smell much, but there were a great many dience with the king, and demanded permission small scarabei inside, and it was so mutilated that to make proselytes. The king replied that the I did not remove it. The Burmahs are cleanly in missionary might convert as many as he pleased, their houses, which generally are raised from the but that he would cut all their heads off after- ground a few feet, so as to allow the pigs, which wards. The missionary had not much trouble are the scavengers of the town, to walk under. when this answer was made known in counting They have houses of brick or stone and mortar, the heads of his proselytes. In their own religion, such as the custom-house at Rangoon, and one or which is Budhism, the Burmahs appear to be very two others; but the most substantial houses are relax; it is too absurd for the energy of their usually built of thick teak plank. The smaller minds. Those who enter the priesthood wear a houses and cottages are built of bamboo, the floors yellow dress; but if a priest at any time feels dis- and walls being woven like wicker-work; the posed to quit his profession he is at liberty so to do. cleanliness and the beauty of these houses when All he has to do is to throw off his yellow gar-new are very remarkable, and what is still more ment; but at the same time, he can never resume so, the rapidity with which they are built. I have it. The Burmahs are superstitious about charms, known an officer order a house to be built of three but are not superstitious on religious points. In rooms with doors and windows to each, and of a fact, there is very little religion among them, and comfortable size, and three or four Burmabs will had we at the close of the war, instead of demand-complete this house in a day and thatch the roof In another point, the Burmahs show a deing a crore of rupees, insisted that they should over. embrace Christianity, the king would have given gree of civilization which might be an example the order, and the whole nation would have no-to the northern Athens-to every house there is a minally been Christians. I once asked a Burmah very neat and clean cloaca. The government is, like all are in Asia, desposoldier what was his idea of a future state. His idea of bliss was singular-"I shall be turned into tic; and the people have the faults which are cera buffalo, and shall lie down in a meadow of grass tain to be generated by despotism-but not to that higher than my head and eat all day long, and degree which might be expected. They have there won't be a single mosquito to annoy me." their hereditary nobility, and the orders of it are While on the subject of religion, I may here ob- very clearly defined. They consist of gold chains, worn round the neck, with four plates, or chased serve, that at the capture of Rangoon, Fentered a Chinese temple, the altarpiece, if I may use the bosses dividing them; the lowest order wears the term, was the Ganesa of the Hindoos, but not bosses linked together by three chains, the next seated on the lotus leaf, but on the Chinese rat.highest in degree with six, the next nine, and the On each side of this were two little candelabras last, and highest order, has twelve; the king only formed of the Egyptian ibis holding the oil cups wears twenty-four chains. The use of gold and in their beaks. I also found the Hounyman, or silver, as drinking cups, etc., is only permitted to monkey god of the Hindoos and Bhudhist figures. the nobility. They are very clever in chasing of I once observed some sepoys playing and laugh- metals, and they have a description of work in ing at a bronze image they had picked up at the glass and enamel, quite their own, with which pagoda of Syriam, and on examining it I was sur-they decorate the temples, houses of the priests, prised to find that it was a figure of the Egyptian and coffers containing the sacred volumes. Their İsis, with her hand raised and her person in the ornamental writings in the Pali language, a variety position described as the correct one when blessing of the Sanscrit, known only to the priests, are the world. The art of embalming appears to be known to the Burmahs, and is occasionally practised by the priests. At the capture of the old Portuguese fort at Syriam, I found not far from it, The women are small, and delicately formed, a sort of canopied shed, decorated with carving, cut paper, and tinsel, and supported by four pil-in proportion to the men; they are not shut up, lars like a bedstead. Below lay the body of a priest embalmed and gilt. I intended to have brought this home, but before I arrived there, I found one of my marines, a graceless dog without religion or any other good quality, very busy hammering the mummy to pieces with the but end of his musquet. I was very angry, and ordered him to desist. In excuse he replied, that it was an abominable molten image, and it was his duty, as a good Christian, to destroy it-the only evidence

also very beautiful—especially that upon long leaves of ivory. Upon the whole, their manufactures are superior to all around them, except perhaps the Chinese.

but go where they please; their dress is becoming, they brace the hair with flowers, and they are much fairer than would be supposed. Those who keep much within doors, are nearly as white as Europeans. They have a singular custom of putting a patch of white chunan on the cheek bone, something in opposition to the black patches which used formerly to be worn by our belles; and it is intended to show how near they approach to white. Indeed, in the men, the lower classes,

who are exposed all day to the sun, if they remove they held out for nearly three years against the their garments, it is singular to witness how many power of Great Britain.

shades lighter they are in that part of their bodies which is covered up. Usually, the men have but one wife, but occasionally there are supernume

raries.

The laws of the Burmahs appear to be good, but, as in all despotic countries, they are not acted upon, unless it pleases the ruler. Slavery of a certain species is allowed. Should one man be in debt to another, and is summoned before the lawyer; if he states his inability to pay, he is asked how many children he has, and according to the debt, so are his children given in bond slavery to his debtor, who writes off a certain sum every year until they are free. If he has no children, his wife, or himself perhaps, will be bonded in the same manner. But in this case, where ill treatment can be proved, the bondage| will be removed; and further, any person so bonded, may at his or her wish remove to the service of another master, provided they can find one who will pay to the debtor the amount still due, and thus finish the time of servitude under one whom they like better. These bonds are all in writing, and must be produced. Some of our military officers released several of the young women from their slavery.

Sitting down in your presence, is, among the Burmese, a mark of respect. Every poor man who is sent for, immediately drops down on his hams in the corner of the room, or at the portal. The use of the cocoa, or betel nut, is universal among the men, but not so common with the women until they grow old. The consequence is, that the teeth of the men are quite black and decayed, while those of the young women are very good.

The most remarkable feature in the character of the Burmahs is, their good temper; I think they are the most even-tempered race I ever met with. They are always gay, always content under any privation. I had, as will be seen hereafter, more opportunities of sceing into the character of this people than others had, for we mixed with them in amity for some weeks. They are very fond of marionettes, and puppet playing, and are very amusing mimics. They work very hard, and with the greatest cheerfulness. They have a high respect for the English, or the white faces, as they call us; and the superiority of our warlike instruments, and our ships, is a subject of wonder, and at the same time, of most careful examination. They perceive how far they are behind us, and are most anxious to improve. From this reason, joined to others, it was a pity that we ever made war with the Burmahs; they had made an easy conquest of those around them, and were satisfied with their supposed superiority, but now they are not, for they are active and enterprising, fond of

war,

and will not be content until they have improved their system. Twenty years hence we shall find the Burmahs a much more formidable nation than they are at present, for they have every quality necessary to become the first nation in the East: indeed, when we consider with what weapons they defend themselves, and the nature of the warfare, it is not a little to their credit that

[To be continued.]

Sons of France.

LAND of my birth, thou mistress of the world,
Rouse thee at length, and raise thy wounded

crest,

Though fallen the standard that thy sons unfurl'd,
When fortune envied their increasing fame,
Still to its unstainad glories stand confest,
Still they could teach their enemies to exclaim,
And bid thy golden sceptre fall;
Honor and glory to the sons of Gaul.

Shorn of the conquests thou hadst won of late,
And doomed to yield each rich and hard-earned
prize;

True, thou canst fall, when urged by cruel fate,

Still 'tis a full like lightning from the skies. Now through a foreign land the angry Rhine

Bids with disdain his turbid waves advance,
And from his rocky shores that once were thine,
Cries," Give due honor to the sons of France."
Where in thy fields barbarian foemen trod,
Where too the Calmuc troops profaned the
ground,

Plenty now reigns, and there a bounteous God
Bids a luxuriant harvest smile around.
'Tis true, our acts might feel the cruel blow,
Tho' wronged and robbed, yet still these acts
advance,

Rise with a Phoenix vigour, and bestow
Their meed of glory on the sons of France.

Consult our history's records, they can name
What enemies of old were forced to yield,
Whilst modern nations, envious of our fame,
Have felt our power in many a bloody field.
Britain exhibited her wealth in vain,
In vain did bankrupt kingdoms give their all,
Ages and history speak, and cry again

Honor and glory to the sons of Gaul.
Tyrants and slaves, ah! no, it cannot be,
These withering names no more shall curse the
Pleasure shall reign (she bids us all be free,)
land,
Rise, Freedom, to the world thy light display,
And love and liberty go hand in hand.

Whilst nations, as they cast their chains away,
Resume the flaming torch, forego the lance,*

Shall give due honor to the sons of France.

Queen of the world, my loved, my native land,

For thee shall victory's fertile palm expand†
For thee new laurels yet shall bud and bloom,
And 'tis my hope that where my ashes lie,
A guardian shadow o'er each hero's tomb ;

Recall a patriot's memory, and cry
The traveller may wind his way, perchance
Honor and glory to the sons of France.

* Laissez dormir la lance.

+ Palme feconde doit proteger les tombeaux.

Vicissitudes of a Silver Tea-Pot.

FASHION in books may now be said to fluctuate as frequently as fashion in bonnets, and a monthly commentary on the changes in literary modes, might just as well be circulated as a periodical magazine of fashions in dress. We might express ourselves thus:

"One of the metropolitan publishers has introduced elegant novelties in the way of town prints, produced with small neat plates, judicious gatherings, and a becoming binding. Volumes are now seen more full than formerly, and a more narrow edging of margin has been adopted. The fashion of covering annuals with watered silks has now extended to other publications. Novelists are in a pucker, the net profits of novels being on the decline, and tales elaborately worked go off less rapidly than last year. A quill-ing, however, is still in demand; and, in the critical department, the customary trimming prevails. Some marchandes have attempted to introduce a gathering of stuff, but very light materials are generally selected for spring and summer weather. Articles of point are much admired, and a great deal of bustle exists among authoresses."

I am rather a nervous man. I strove to moveI felt screwed to my chair: I passively listened to the silver tones of the voice that addressed me, and the next morning wrote down word for word what proved to be

"SOME PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF MY TEA-POT!

"I was born," it articulately poured forth," at the end of Piccadilly, on the premises of Mr. Hamlet, and, for the first days of my life, stood at the window of my parent's abode, as other babes are wont to do. Many passers-by stopped to gaze upon me, or on some other member of the family, or to remark some good tray belonging to it.

"One morning a Dowager Countess entered the shop, and requested to look at me. She took me in her hands,-eyed me,-had me weighed,— thought she saw sterling good qualities about me; and finally purchased me, after giving directions that a coronet should be engraved on my side.

"Of strange metal must that article be made, which unmoved finds itself suddenly elevated to the peerage! I was much elated, and even more so when I found that I was intended as a present to the young Countess recently married to the Dowager's eldest son.

Such might surely be periodically acceptable to the fair readers of a "Court Magazine;" and then "Tea-pots are privileged articles; they have were I called upon to add any "general observa- unusual opportunities of learning the secrets of tions" of my own, I should say, that at present families. Such, at least, is the case in the middle poetry lay in old trunks, and that autobiography ranks of life: but aristocratic tea-pots play a less was worn to a thread. But, notwithstanding this genial part. The young Earl did not breakfast last assertion, I have a morsel of autobiography to with his Countess; her cup of coffee was carried communicate of so singular a nature, that I re-to her chamber, and in the evening the tea was ally think it would be criminal to keep it to myself. made below, and handed round in the drawingI am a bachelor, and, like all others of the bro-room;—therefore my rank was of little avail, for therhood, like to have my little comforts about me. I saw nothing of high life. I possess the snuggest house in London; but being in search of some place where I might breathe fresh air, gather new ideas, and dip in salt water, Ithis summer repaired to Southampton, and took a neat lodging over a shoemaker's shop in the High Street. As I before observed, I like my little comforts; and, after making a miserable apology for tea for three successive days in a whiteware lodging-house teapot, I sallied forth to endeavor to buy a second-hand silver one.

There is certainly an inexpressible air of social refinement about a silver tea-pot! I have known an old lady whose idea of full dress amounted to nothing but the addition of a diamond hoop-ring to her ordinary costume. In like manner, when we see an old-fashioned silver tea-pot on a breakfasttable, an air of gentleman-like affluence is thrown over the most unadorned apartment of a wateringplace lodging-house!

"I sat in the house-keeper's room; and never shall I forget the pampered luxury of its inhabitants! On a shelf in a cupboard, which was often left open, I watched the proceedings of the spoiled menials:-often did bells ring again and again unheeded, every body expecting that some body else would attend, and each declaring 'it was none of his business!' They took me down too, and regardless of my coronet, made me their companion! They filled me with stolen tea, and then drained me; and, as they sat round me, they discussed the demerits of my Lord and my Lady!

"He was a gambler, the most reckless of that infatuated tribe; he had married her merely because he was struck with her beauty; but she being portionless, and of a family merely respectable, he now hated her as having been the innocent bar to his advancement by a marriage with a woman of wealth and influence.

I tried, but in vain, to find one bearing my own "The neglected wife sought in dissipation a initials; and I was at last obliged to purchase one substitute for happiness. Both she and her husof a very antique pattern, ornamented with a cor- band were heedlessly extravagant, and thus, with onet. I carried it home in my own hand, placed an income nominally large, his Lordship was often it on my table where the other articles of tea equi- puzzled to obtain the smallest sum in ready mopage were already arranged, indulged in my cus-ney. The climax soon came: the Earl destroyed tomary glass of warm brandy and water, and, pleased with my purchase, drank a second, perhaps a third. An unaccountable drowsiness came over me, motionless things began to be locomotive, and, to my utter astonishment, my silver teapot began spouting-ORATORICALLY!

himself; and the Countess, who had married without a settlement, found herself a poor widow, and doubly poor, because she thought it incumbent on her to keep up the dignity of a peeress. With a very small income, her own maid, some trinkets and myself, she retired to Southampton,