EXTRACTS.
C.!IIARA:!TER OF TOE PoarootrEsE.—While three-fourths of the priests and friars of Portugal arc among the vilest of the human race, three-fourths of the other portion of the Portuguese community are as honest and worthy a race of people, in every respect, as can be found in any part of Europe ; that under anything like a good or liberal government, where the influence of the priests was kept under control, the Portuguese nation would soon exhibit abundant evidences of patriotism and moral integrity.—Young's Narrative of his Im- prisonment in Portugal.
WITCHCRAFT IN Pottruoat..—Near the coast, to the north-west of Leiria, which is nine miles front the sea, there are many populous villages. The people in this district, as well as in many other parts of Portugal, believe im- plicitly in witches ; and are possessed with an idea that the old witches come by eight and suck the blood of voting children. When a child dies in con- vulsions, which, of course, is frequently the case, black marks of stagnated blood are usually found all over its body: these marks, they say, " are occa- sioned by the pinches of the witches." To prevent this as far as possible, when a poor labouring man expects his wife to be confined, be prepares as much wood as he can, and makes an immense pile before the door of his ha- bitation, often requesting his neighbour's assistance to split wood as the time approaches. When the young stranger appears, a great fire is lighted, and the neighbours, by turns, sit up with the woman and child ; and this fire is of- tentimes not extinguished for a month. I have myself observed them conti- nually blazing for a fortnight. I have sat with the gossips on these interesting occasions. They often suppose the witches are near, and in the night go out with large sticks, and strike about in hopes of hitting them. The childi placed in a room near the fire, and is often looked at to ascertain that " well." Those men who sit with it, sing and tell stories, while the women spin flax from a distaff. * * * In the higher classes, I often met with a priest in this neighbourhood, a very respectable man, as far as his profession would allow him to he so. I remember saying to this man one day, when he had just returned from excommunicating some crawling vermin which infested the wheat-field of a neighbouring farmer, " that I thought it was wrong to encourage people in such gross ignorance as to believe in witches and the ex- communication of lice ;" when his reverence made me this charasteristic reply—" Never say anything to one of my cloth again on the subject ; they are ashamed of it ; but there is no remedy. We make them believe what we please, and we must allow them to believe what they please. If we told them la the contrary, they would soon begin to question us on other points. I wish I had been a cobler instead of a priest."—Young's Narrative. FESTIVAL. OF ST. PETER IN Poison.—A few days previous to St. Peter's day (29th June), leave was obtained from the jailor and secretary to celebrate this festival as usual, with a grand mass and music, if the prisoners could so arrange it, and pay the necessary fees. A subscription was accordingly opened, and those who had money cheerfully contributed, more influenced, in all probability, by the pleasure they expected to derive from the company, and the liberty of the day, than from any devotional feeling towards the keeper of the keys. On this occasion, it was necessary that St. Peter should be present in person, and they borrowed him from some neighbouring church or chapel ; he accordingly arrived in the afternoon of the 28th. Everything being ready, he was placed on the altar, and two large keys hung on his right hand. No one in the prison, among the saint's friends, seemed to recollect that he was a namesake of the Emperor of the Brazils, although eventually every one was accused of it. Some staunch Miguelite went off to the intendant of police, and reported "that the prisoners were making preparations for a festival in the castle, and that they had got St. Peter there, though they had no devotion for that apostle, who kept the keys of Heaven ; that they had profaned his sacred hand with a blue riband and white pewter keys, (blue and white being the Constitutional colours); that the saint was merely the representative of Don Pedro, and that the whole signified that Don Pedro would lock up Don Miguel ! ! !" When the prisoners were rejoicing at the idea of this tempo- rary relief to their misery, the report which had reached the intendant, and caused great alarm amongst the Royalists, produced an order to the jailor, on the evening of the 28th, prohibiting the festival, and enjoining a strict observ- ance of the conduct of the prisoners on St. Peter's day. St. Peter himself was ordered out of the Castle that night, and the money returned to the sub- scribers as quietly as possible : each one wishing to avoid, as much as possi- ble, being mentioned as a subscriber to what they chose to consider an act of political devotion.— Young's Narrative. AN AmaITIous ARTIST.—The air of Rome seemed at first to operate favour- ably upon the health of the English artist. His strength appeared to increase, his spirit to expand ; and though he had relapsed into more than his original silence and reserve, he resumed, with apparent energy, the labours of the easil. Those who looked no deeper than the surface, might have imagined the scar healed, and the real foundation of future excellence began. But while Warner most humbled himself before the gods of the pictured world— while the true principles of the mighty art opened in their fullest glory on his soul—precisely at that very nioment, shame and despondenCy were most bitter at his heart; and while the enthusiasm of the painter kindled, the am- bition of the man despaired. But still he went on, transfusing into his canvass the grandeur and simplicity of the Roman school ; still, though he felt pal- pably within hint the creeping advance of the deadliest and surest enemy to fame, lie pursued, with an unwearied ardour, the mechanical completion of his task ; sti ]the morning found hint bending before the easil, and the night brought to his solitary couch, meditation, rather than sleep. • The fire, the irritability which he had evinced before his illness, had vanished, and the original sweetness of his temper had returned ; he tittered no complaint, he dwelt upon no anticipation of success, hope and regret seemed equally dead within him ; and it was only when he caught the fond, glad eyes of his aged attendant, that his own filled with tears, or that the serenity of his brow darkened into sadness. This went on for some months; till one evening they found the painter by his window, seated opposite to an unfinished picture, the pencil still in his hand : the quiet of settled thought was still upon his countenance; the soft breeze of a southern twilight waved the hair livingly from his forehead—the earliest star of a southern sky lent to his cheek some- thing of that subdued lustre which, when enthusiasm touched it, it had been accustomed to wear ; but these were only the mockeries of life : life itself was no more ! In the divine laud which he had so yearned to tread—in the con- secrated city where the majesty of his sublime art reigned as on a throne—in the purple air in which poesy and inspiration mingled with the common breath and atmosphere of life—his restlessness and unworldly spirit sighed itself away ; and the heart, which in silence and concealment had been long breaking, broke at last !—The Disowned.
SIGNS Of WINTER IN Ennirtuncif.—Mankind hae again putten on worsted stockins, and &mien drawers—white jeans and yellow nankeen trousers bee disappeared—dooble soles hae gotten a secure footen ower pumps—big coats wi' fur, and mantles wi' miniver, gie an agreeable rouchness to the picturesque stream o' life eddyin' alang the channel o' the streets—gloves and mittens are sae general that a red hairy haun' looks rather singular—every third body ye meet, for fear o' a sudden Wash, carries an umbrella—a' folk shave noo wi het water—coal-carts are emptyin' theirsells into lka area—caddies at the cor- ners o' streets and drivers on coach-boxes are seen wannia' thenisells by blawin' on their fingers, or whuskin' themsells their open nieves across the shoothers:---skates glitter at shop-wundows prophetic o' frost—Mr. Phis may tak' in his rod noo, for nae mair thocht o' anglin' till spring,—and wi' spring hersell. as wi' ither o' our best and bonniest friens, it may be said, out o' sicht out o' mind,—you see heaps o' bears hung out for sale—horses are a' hairier o' the hide—the bit toon-bantam craws italic, and at breakfast you matin tak tent no to pree an egg afore simian' at it—you meet hares carryin' about in a' quarters—and ggem-keepers proceeain out into the kintra wi' strings o' Brews—sparrows sit silent and smoky wi' ruffled feathers waitin' for crumbs on the ballustrawds—loud is the cacklin' in the fowl-market o' Christmas geese that come a month at least afore the day, just like thae Annuals the For- get-me-Hots, Amulets, Keepsakes, Beejoos, Gems, Anniversaries, Souvenirs, Friendship's Offerings, and Wunter-Wreaths.—Ettrick Shrpherd, in Black- wood's Magazine fur December.
GRUB WORM.--A writer in the New Monthly Magazine recommends dibbling as a certain means of ridding a field of this destructive insect. When the worm is ascertained to be in the tield it should be rolled over to a smooth and firm surface. Two or three women should then be put upon each ridge ; and with iron-shod dibbles should pierce the ground to the depth of about six inches, turning the instrument round, but leaving the hole entire and smooth. These holes should be about twelve or fourteen inches separate every way. As night approaches, the worms move about, fall into the holes, and die ; and thus afford additional nourishment to the roots. The expense will not be more than from 3s. 4d. to 4s. 21. per acre ; and the remedy is un- failing. The writer thus saved a crop of oats which brought him 111. l 4s. an acre, after he had been advised to plough them up. His neighbours sustained a total loss by persisting in rolling during the night.
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