THINGS AND THOUGHTS,

FOUND HERE AND THERE.

PRESENT OF GILT GAME.—Sir James Campbell, while a detenu in France, during the Imperial sway, was favoured with the privilege of shooting over Fouche's estate, within twenty miles of Paris. Sir James, at the end of the season, at a loss how to express his gratitude, selected one of the birds he had killed, and had its feet gilt and burnished. This he sent as a present to the Duchess of Otranto. Sir James says, this was a truly. French mode of ex- pressing himself. We are afraid the French thought the idea truly John Bullish : the gallant baronet might think it chivalry; but we confess it seems to us more like folly.

REGIMENTAL SOUP.—The village where Lord Townsend's brigade was quartered on this occasion, had been occupied two days before by the French as an hospital; and it appeared, that to expedite the interment of their dead, they had thrown them into the well of the village. When the soup was served up, a universal complaint was made of its horrid taste; and, although soldiers on a march have seldom an opportunity of indulging in gastronomic fancies, it was agreed on this occasion that some inquiry should be made into the cause which had made their meal so unpalatable, when it was speedily traced to the corrupted state of the water in the well. The discovery was sufficient to stay the appetite of most of the company; but among the number present was old 3Iajor Hume, of the 25th Foot, then known as the Edinburgh regiment, who of the darkened Prince.—Memoirs of Sir James mpbell. had been a soldier from his infancy, and had served with distinction at Fontenoy and Dettingen. After so many campaigns, he had no doubt often been exposed to fare on viands not perhaps the most delicate; and when the company had broken up in most admired disorder, he proceeded with characteristic indifference to finish his dinner, exclaiming with an oath, that the soup was good, and that. it would have been better if the whole French army had been in it.—Memoirs of Sir James Campbell.

AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE.—The education of the poorer classes is very mueli attended to, excepting perhaps in the more western states, where the in- habitants think they can get on just as well without it. In the Atlantic states, there is not one person in five hundred (I am speaking of native Americans) that cannot read and write. The mail would often stop opposite a solitary log-house, in the midst of the thickest forest, and throw down a newspaper, which was immediately picked up, and spelled over with the greatest avidity. Most of the back-woodsmen can talk with all reasonable correctness of the state of Eu- rope generally ; but the Reform Bills in England, and the Liverpool rail-road, were always amongst the most prominent subjects of eager inquiry. An Eng- lishman cannot travel a mile iu', a stage-coach in the United States, without being asked whether he has been on the Liverpool rail-road. In Europe and in France particularly, it is, " Have you seen de Tunnel under de Thames?" It is the usefilluess in forwarding the prosperity of a country that suggests the American query ; whilst with the Frenchman the use is entirely out of the question ; he thinks merely of the magnitude and the novelty of the undertak- ing, and never fails to remark, that the engineer was a native of France.—

Vlyne's ;Months in America.

SELFISHNESS LIKE A BUTTERFLY, BRILLIANT IN SUN, BEDRAGGLED IN

RAIN.—The character of Constance's intercourse with Lady Claudia was en- tirely altered. When amusement had been all their occupation, each had re- mained in ignorance of the other's character ; which the serious business of life was now developing. The one was surprised to find her little fairy com- panion selfish, self-willed, and disingenuous ; the other was disappointed to discover iu her gay and ardent friend a disposition to censure her faults and dic- tate her conduct. They (lid not perceive that the difference consisted in the same elements being in action or repose. The same good-nature that had soothed and smiled ziway her petulance about a postponed ball, Constance ex- pected to be extended towards her under all circumstances—thought herself hardly used that it was not—and almost resented the coldness with which some of her feeble regrets over the consequences of her late folly had been met ; whilst Lady Claudia is-as compelled to add another to her list of moral nuistakes,, and learned that insipid sweetness is a quality very distinct from a good temper, —which is the result of a just discrimination of what is kind and correct, and a cheerful determination to do it ; that much ignorance and cunning may coexist ; and that the first no more deserves to be termed simplicity, than the latter does wisdom.— Woman's Lore.

LABOUR. IN VAIN.—The Governor solicited a charm of us to-day, to pre- serve his house from the effects of fire, and cause him to become rich; while one of his elderly wives made a doleful complaint of having been likely to be- come a mother for the last thirty years, and begged piteously for medicine to promote and assist her aecouchement. We could satisfy the old man easily enough, hilt his wife's hypochondriacal complaint we conceived too dangerous to be meddled with by unprofessional hands.—Lander's Niger.

Ma. B time n. AC:AM.-01W distinguished countryman Mr. Bullock, whom I saw at Cincinnati, had been lately residing on the spot for three months, arid had had twenty HIMI constantly employed in digging. He had discovered, amongst animals, the hones if a smaller and distinct species of migalonyx ; an animal having partly the generiC character of the armadillo, and partly that of the sloth, and nearly equalling the rhinoceros in size. But the most remarkable remains were those of a young colt, and a gigantic horse, that could not have been less than twenty-four hands high. Unfortunately, however, for the ad- vancement of science, they were all destroyed by a fire, which took place about three weeks before my arrival.— Vigne s Six Months in America.

TITHES.—" Tithes," said the Archbishop of Aix, in a whining tone, "that voluntary offering of the devout faithful . . . . " " Tithes," interrupted the Duke de la 'Roehefoueauld, in his quiet and modest way, which rendered the trait more piquant, " that voluntary offering of the devout faithful, concerning which there are now forty thousand lawsuits in the kingdom."—Duniont's Mirabcau.

ZEAL WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE.—" I was called to Wigan the other day, and saw two or three thousand men buiming Toni Paine, and shouting Church and King !' Of the whole of the number, I was welliuforined, there were not ten who knew the Alphabet."—Dr. Carrie.

A SCIENTInc CONJECTURE.—" Wheal incline to the generally-adopted hy- pothesis that the disease called cholera morbus is the produce of the deleterious action of a gas suspended in the atmosphere, and consider the circumscribed na- ture of gases so suspended, as proved by experiments, I arrive at the conclusion that this disease is itself circumscribed in the atmosphere. This conclusion, then, would lead us to suppose a concentration of poison in the air and this I propose to dissipate by means of atmospheric commotionproducedby the ex- plosions of artillery or by fires placed at certain distances. I suppose, therefore, that it would be possible to mitigate if not to annihilate the effects of this poison in the same way that the effects mitigate deleterious gases are mitigated or annihilated, —namley, by dissipation in the atmosphere. I know not what will become of my proposition, but it would be easy, I think, to prove its importance; as well by considerations derived from the progress and the mode of action of the poison, as by examples of the success which has attended the adoption of analogous me- thods. For instance, the cholera nearly ceased at Warsaw after the siege of that city. The yellow fever, though it existed in all its intensity, and that during the greatest heat at Philadelphia, yet ceased to infest that city on the breaking out of a great fire there. This theory might, perhaps, considering its capability of development, become of importance, were experiments made in consistency with its spirit ; but unfortunately we readily expend 40,000 rounds of artillery to destroy our fellow-creatures, but would hesitate to fire 20,000 rounds for their salvation !"—Baron Heurteloup.

DIPLOMATIC FLATTERY.—At one of these entertainments, I met with the celebrated Prince d'Ahremberg, of Brussels; and, indeed, he was only one of three of that rank who were present on the occasion. A melancholy circumstance; attended with a singular degree of self-possession as well as self-devotion, had happened to this Prince d'Ahremberg. Engaged in shooting in the neighbour- hood of Brussels with his elder brother, the reigning Prince, and Sir William Gordon, the English Ambassador, he had the misfortune, in discharging his piece across a hedge, to lodge its contents in his brother's face, and to deprive him in a moment of the use of both his eyes. Sir William Gordon having wit- nessed the accident, appreciated, as if intuitively, the whole of the distressing consequences. He rushed forward to the wounded man, and pressing him in his arms, implored his pardon, exclaiming at " the sail mistake he had unhap- pily committed." The Prince, who had done the deed, stood aghast for a mo- ment. When he did reach the ground to the assistance of his brother, his mouth was stopped by the friendly hand of Sir William Gordon ; and in effect, although the truth afterwards transpired, to the great credit of the feelings and the sell-possession of the English Ambassador, it happily never reached the ears YANKEE TITLES OF Horiourt.-A judge will frequently travel from town to town unattended, in his gig, or on horseback, with his saddle-bags before him, ,or in the stage-coach, and dine at the village table d'hUte, with shop-keepers, pseudo majors, and advertising attorneys. Human nature will out. In the absence of other titles, it is the pleasure of the Americans that they should be dignified by the rank of General, Colonel, or Aide-de-Camp; but more espe- cially I found by that of Major. An English gentleman assured we that, being on board a steamer on the Ohio river, he was first introduced by a friend as plain Mr., then as Captain; soon after he was addressed as Major, and before the end of the day he was formally introduced as a General. There is usually a Major, or an Aide, as they call themselves, in every stage-coach company. The captain of a steam-boat, who was presiding at the dinner-table, happened to ask rather loudly, " General, a little fish !" and was immediately answered in -the affirmative by twenty-five out of the thirty gentlemen present.- Vigne's Six Months in America.

How VANITY QIJICKENETH THE SENSE OF HEARING.-An old naval offi- cer, who had even lust the hearing of oue ear by the bursting of a cannon near him during an action, yet would the faintest echo of an encomium, designed for himself, strike upon the drum of the other, and awaken his attention as acutely as the sound of a salute from the port-guns ef a foreign power.- Woman's Lore.

CHARACTER OF THE LATE SIR SAMUEL ROMILLY.-Romilly, always so quiet and measured in his motions, is yet a roan of unceasing activity. He does not lose even minutes. He devotes himself in earnest to whatever he is doing ; and, like the hand of a clock, never stops, although his motions are so equal as to be scarcely perceptible.-Dumont.

BLACK TURNED UP WITH SCARLET.-TO our infinite astonishment, we saw a middle-aged woman sitting on the road-side, the colour of whose skin, was naturally as bright a red as a piece of our own scarlet cloth. We were informed, that she was in good health ; but we were in too great a hurry to ask her any questions, or take a nearer view of her person ; indeed our guide seemed much disinclined to go within a hundred yards of her. She was a most singular- looking being. -Lander's Niger.

GREAT NEWS FOR GARDENERS! How TO KILL SL ER; S.-Take a quantity of cabbage-leaves, and either put them into a warns oven, or hold them before a fire, till they get quite soft ; then rub them with unsalted butter, or ally kind of fresh dripping, and lay them in the places infested with slugs. In a few hours the leaves will be found covered with snails and slugs, which may then of course be destroyed in any way the gardener may think fit. [We Have tried this at Bayswater, and fo.und it attended with complete success.1-Loudon's Gardener's Magazine.

CANADIAN PATRIARCHS.-In general, the Canadian farmers, when old and unable to work, make over their property by a notarial writing to one of their sons, on condition of his paying a certain sum of money to his other children,- a custom which has the effect of preventing too great adivision of real property. In the deed, which is rather curious, it is stipulated that the old man is to be supported by his son ; that he is to receive from him a certain quantity of tea, sugar, and tobacco ; lie is to be furnished, if necessary, with a horse to ride to chapel on Sundays and festivals; and when dead, a certain number of masses are to be said for his soul.- Vigne's Six Months in America.

SHOPPING.-Another instance of Lord Ely's eccentricity took place in Dublin, where he had gone out to attend his Countess on a round of shopping. Her Ladyship had gone into a china-shop, and had occupied so much time m choosing and rejecting a number of articles, that Lord Ely got impatient at the delay ; and after fretting a good deal about it, he turned round to the man of the china-shop, and desired him to send all its contents to his house, and the bill to his steward.-Memoirs of Sir James Campbell.

MIRASEAU A CHARLATAN OF GENIUS.-In 1784, lie was engaged in his work on the Order of Cinciunatus, and had in his portfolio plansand sketches of several other works, upon which he took good care to consult every person capable of affording him information. He was then poor, and obliged to live by his writ- ings. He wrotehis Considerations on the Escaut, from a letter by;M: Chauvet, which gave him the first idea of the work. Having become acquainted with a geographer, whose name I forget, he also meditated writing dunwersal geogra- phy. Had one offered him the elements of Chinese grammar, lie would, no doubt, have attempted a treatise on the Chinese language. He studied a subject whilst lie was writing upon it ; and he only required an assistant who furnished matter. He could contrive to get notes and additions from twenty different hands; and had he been offered a good price, I am confident he would have undertaken to write even an encyclopaedia.-Dumont's Mira beau.

IRON TEETH.- An old woman applied to our lodgings to-day, for medicine that would produce her an entire new set of teeth; or, said she, " if I can only be supplied with two large and strong ones, I shall be satisfied with them." The woman was becoming rather impertinent, when I recommended her to procure two iron teeth from a blacksmith ; which so much displeased her, that she went away in a pet. -Lander's Niger.