From year to year, the scrapes, intrigues, and frolics,
That you've been versed in.
I ran them through, from the day I first wore scarlet
To the very hour I tasted his fine claret;
Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances
Of hair-breadth 'scapes from drunken frays in taverns,
Of being taken by the insolent foe, and lodged in the watch-house,
Of my redemption thence, with all my gallantry at country quar-

ters.
When of rope-ladders and of garret windows-
Of scaling garden-walls, lying hid in closets,
It was my hint to speak, (for I love bragging,)
And of the gamblers that each other cheat,
The pawn-brokers that prey on needy soldiers,
When sword or waistcoat's dipt. All these to hear,
His daughter Prue would from a corner lean,
But still to strain the milk, or skim the cream,
Was call'd to the dairy,
Which when she'd done, and cleanly lick'd the spoon,
She'd come again, and sit, with gaping mouth,
And staring eyes, devouring my discourse:
Which I soon smoaking,
Once seiz'd a lucky hour, and entertained her
With a full history of my adventures;
Of fights in countries where I ne'er had been,
And often made her stare with stupid wonder
When I did talk of leaping from a window,
Or lying hid on tester of a bed.
She gave me for my pains a gloating look:
She swore, ecod 'twas strange, 'twas woundy strange,
'Twas comical, 'twas hugely comical;
“I' fags, you officers are vicked creatures,”
She'd be afraid of me, she vow'd- and yet
You are so comical and entertaining,
Well, I declare, of all the men on earth,
I like a soldier.” On the hint I spoke.
She lov'd me; for the sex loves wicked fellows,
And I lov’d her to get her father's money.

A NEW PROLOGUE TO

“ THE POINT OF HONOUR."

FOR THE PORT FOLIO. “ The Point of Honour! what a pretty name!" Methinks I hear each auditor exclaim; While Fancy roams abroad on airy wing, And each anticipates a different thing. “ The Point of Honour!” cries a matron sage, “Honour indeed! in this degenerate age! “ Tis Satire surely--some mischievous poet, “ Has mark'd our folly and would let us know it. “When I was young-if I remember right, “ The point of honour was to be polite, “ To act with due decorum, and to speak “ With staid demeanour, and with accent meek; “ No flippant miss then dar'd the public gaze,

Unless protected by a hoop and stays; “In ample folds the glossy satin fell, “ And she who carried most, was most a belle; “ Then so discreet their conduct too appear'd, “For pretty maidens then were seen, not heard, “ The beaux too, then their wigs and small-swords sported, “ Ah! men were men indeed, when I was courted!

“ The Point of Honour!” cries a dashing blade, * An author teach a gentleman his trade! “Why curse his impudence! the knave no doubt “Would teach us how to call each other out, “Prescribe the distance, measure out the lead, “ And tell the game cocks how they should be fed!"

The younger ladies sit in glad surprise, (I think I see it dancing in their eyes,) “The Point of Honour! I would bet a pair “ Of white kid gloves, ʼtis full of sweet despair,-“Of love and fighting, danger and delight,“ Wooing and wonder, frenzy and affright,“A cross old guardian, and a maiden aunt*A gallant lover and a spectre gaunt,

“ He gains her heart—and then when he has won her,
“ To get her off, must be his Point of Honour;
“ Her Point of Honour, every lady knows,-
“ To please a lover, and to plague a spouse.”
Mercantile men with formal length of phiz,
Fancy the thing must be a sort of quiz;
And eager to avert th' expected stroke,
Whisper, “'tis known that I have never broke-

I pay my debts-—'tis true my notes are out,
“ But who can say that they are hawked about.
“ In broken banks I've not a cent of stock,
“Nor do I shave-I'd rather pick a lock.
“My credit's good-nor do I e'er forget
« The Point of Honour when I owe a debt."

Thus in suspense, to you and us distressing,
You seem resolved to make it up in guessing;
For us--we care not what your guesses are,
If you'll confine them to the bill of fare;
Nor let your critics hint with wintry looks,
“ The Lord sends victuals but the Devil cooks." 0.

ART. XVIII.--Literary and Scientific Intelligence. A t'ird edition of Sig. Carlo Botta's history of the War of the American Revolution, in the original Italian, has been transmitted by the author to the A neri an Philosophical Society. This edition was printed at Milan, in 1819 “ with some corrections” by M. Botta.

The French House of Deputies caused to be published in 1818, a complete list of the pensioners of government, with the amount of weir several pensions. This list is printed in 10 vols. ito. The whole number of pensioners is, 196,205, and the amount of pensions is nearly twelve million of dollars. The greater part of these pensions is paid for services rendered to Bonaparte, and either were granted before the restoration, or liave been given to the military who have since retired from service. The pensioners are thus divided into three classes:

Persons. Amount. Average. Civil,

7,881 2,294,82 f. 295 f. Military and Widows, 132,918 48,340,484 371 Ecclesiastics,

55,505 12,959,837 233

Compensation to Authors. In the case of Power v. Power, Jately tried in London, it appeared in evidence that in the year 1811, the plaintiff entered into an engagement with Mr. Moore for a period of seven years, during which time the latter was to supply the former annually, with one number of Irish Melodies, and certain other works specified, for the consideration of five hundred pounds sterling, (82,220), at the expiration of the seven years, a further agreenient was entered into for the term of six years. Mr. Jackson

has published a translation of “ An account of a Journey from Fas, to Timbuctoo, performed in or about the year 1787: by El Hage Abd. Shabeeny. ;" Shabeeny is a musselman, a native of Tetuan, who, at the age of fourteen, accompanied his father to Timbuctoo: here they resided three years, and then proceeded to Housa; their residence in this place was for two years, when they returned to Timbuctoo, resided 7 years there, and then came to Tetuan. From this account it is evident that this person, if in the least intelligent, and to be depended upon, is extremely well qualified to give information respecting a part of Africa scarcely known to Europeans. Mr. Lucas, the British Consul at Tetuan, was well acquainted with him, and the information this work contains was obtained through Mr. Lucas, in answer to questions put by Mr. Beaufoy. It is a very important work, clear in its details, and, as far as internal evidence goes, entirely worthy of credit

The « Travels to the sources of the Senegal and Gambia," are from the pen of M. Mollien, who was sent by the French govern. ment to discover the sources of the Senegal, Gambia, and Niger; to ascertain if any communication existed between the two former, to descend the Niger, to traverse Bambouch, and visit its gold mines; and to return by way of Galam. The more novel and difficult parts of this expedition he was not able to execute: he has, however, added considerably to our knowledge of the geography of this part of Africa-having ascertained the sources of the Gambia to be distinct, though very near to each other, and having ex: plored the source of the Senegal. The information he received respecting the Niger agrees with that which all the natives of this part of Africa, and the travellers to Timbuctoo, give-viz. that it falls into the Nile. Except in a geographical point of view, M. Mollien's work is not entitled to much praise; many of his adventures and accounts are tinctured with egotism or the marvellous.

Mrs. Bailey, of Philadelphia, has issued proposals for republishing, by subscription, a scarce and valuable work entitled, A complete view of Episcopacy, as exhibited from the fathers of the Christian church until the close of the second century, containing an impartial account of them, of their writings, and of what they say concerning bishops and presbyters; with observations and remarks, tending to show, that they esteemed these one and the same order of the ecclesiastical officers, in answer to those, who have repre

63

VOL. XII.

sented it as a certain fact, universally handed down, even from the apostles' days, that governing and ordaining authority was exercised by such bishops only, as were of an order superior to pres. by:ers. By Charles Chauncy, D. 1. Pastor of the first church of Christ in Boston. Price one dollar. This title is so ample as to supersede the necessity of any explanation from us. To those presbyterians who wish to obtain a clar view of the powers peculiar to the office of bishops in the apostolic age, this work may be recommended with great confidence.

James Hall, Esq. of Illinois, late of the United States army, is preparing a Treatise on Military Law, on an enlarged plan. It will be put to press as soon as sufficient encouragement is received. There is no work in which this subject is treated so fully and fun. damentally as its importance requires; and if we take into consideration the number of courts martial which are created in this country, and the gross ignorance which is too often displayed by the judges, it may be affirmed that there is no book more wanted. On the law of evidence, for instance, these gentlemn, who, without the intervention of a jury, are called upon to decide questions which may affect the honor or the life of an individual, are often as ignorant as a stupid justice of the peace. They have been known to reject, with scorn, rules deduced from the gravest authority, merely because they did not coincide with the imperfect notions which they had rashly adopted. To some practical experience in military affairs, Col. Hall has the advantage of adding the profe-ssional knowledge of a lawyer, and we may therefore expect from his pen a systematic treatise on this anomalous branch of jurisprudence.

Nismes.-The beautiful temple known by the appellation of the Maison Carree, has undergone considerable repairs. The roof has been restored to its ancient shape; and the cornice in the eastern façade, which was much decayed and very loose, has been rendered quite firm, and secure, It is now intended to clear away the rubbish below, which has accumulated to a depth of near

ly nine feet, and to restore the bases of the columns; so that the . temple will be completely visible, although much suuk beneath

the level of the surrounding place, from which it will be separated by a handsome iron pallisading placed on the top of the stone facing of the area surrounding this beautiful relic of ancient architecture. These repairs are undertaken in consequence of the exertions of the General Council for the Department du Gard, seconded by the liberality of the King.

Denmark.-Grumbach has translated, from the Anglo-Saxon, an ancient Gothic heroic poem, entitled Biowulf's Drapa; a composition of very great antiquity, having been written more than ten centuries.- Professor Rahbeck has also produced a translation of the Mala or Sagn of Brennunia, one of the oldest and most curious of Icelandic Sagas. It is printed in the first volume of his Northern Tales. Since this eminent writer and elegant poet