DONALD O' THE MIST; OR, THE DWARFIE'S HORN. For the Olio. The bonny sun was sinkin' down And up came Will o' Wildermere, Wi' hawk and hound, and hunting-spear. "Behold," cries Roderick Ettershaw, "Where yonder sunbeams sink to rest, The Warlock reivers castle wa', Frowns o'er Loch-Maben's bonny breast; Though tempest-riven, auld, and grey, Though ivy-shrowded every stone, I've heard auld Hab the harper say, He comes there nightly o'er the foam." All trace of daylight now had died, And night had op'd her raven wing, Along they scour'd wi' furious speed, Through bog and brake, o'er moss and fen, Blood mark'd the tread o' every steed, And sulphury vapours fill' the glen. And now they gain the river's marge, Now gallop through the silver tide, And vanish 'mid the moulderin' walls, Which trail along its western side. Now Autumn's bugle blast began To chase the hovering mists away, And Luna, wi' her shinin' clan, Came out in a' their bright array; And in her bonny light the stream Roll'd dimpling onward to the sea, As tranquil as a babie's dream, Or dying zephyr's minstrelsy. While Roderick gazed in silent mood, "On the banks of Loch Maben Fair Runnithven stood, Till the red Graem deluged Its hearth-stane in blood; At the blast o' his trumpet, And clash o' his spear, Fell Runnithven's glory, And Runnithven's heir. "On the banks of Loch Maben, Shall be heard the traw summon Shall sink at its strain, Be restor'd to his ain." The dwarfie waved his magic wand, And Roderick and his mountain men, Equipp'd in gleaming armour, flung A stream o' radiance down the glen ; And each bestrode a gallant barb, And waved on high a dancin' plume, And bore a pond'rous spear and targe, Which flash'd and glitter'd in the moon. Anon a sudden trumpet blast Rang through the welkin loud and shrill, The starlit skies became o'ercast, Grey vapours clouded every hill; Enthron'd upon a towering cliff, The giant form of Donald Graem! And spear-heads twinkled up the rock, And straight a sullen plunge was heard, Amid the waters of the loch. The night-breeze caught the welcome sound, The Zoologist. By Professor Dewhurst. THE GRADUAL PROGRESS OF MAN DURING THE FIRST STAGES OF ANIMAL EXISTENCE. (For the Olio.) MAN, the chef d'ouvre of the works of an omnipotent Creator, stands justly placed by modern naturalists at the top of the class mammalia, and situated in an order by himself, i. e. Bimanum, and forms the head of the whole animal kingdom, not only in point of his superior intellectual faculties, but likewise in his anatomical conformation. The object of the present paper is to trace the gradual development of man in the first stages of animal existence. In this state he differs widely from that condition in which he is the more perfect animal. My limits only admitting brevity, I shall without further observation remark, that at a very early period after the Divine Architect has given the future being the principle of life, he becomes visible; but is only created piecemeal, if I may use this profane term. Within three weeks after the period of conception, the future man is observed in the womb of the mother this is the period fixed by that luminary of anatomical, physiologi * Strange to say, that although numerous works have appeared on the natural history of animals, that of man has been entirely neglected, and no lectures on this subject (excepting those delivered by myself, at the various literary institutions) have attempted its elucidation, since the course so ably delivered in 1816, by Mr. Lawrence, at the Royal College of Surgeons. cal, and surgical science, John Hunter; but that venerable and learned zootomist, Sir Everard Home, has discovered it at the early period of eight days* after connubial intercourse; even at the third week it is very minute, being not larger than a small pea, but after the first month, it rapidly increases in size; at this period, the part most observable is the brain and organs of vision, with a little aperture which afterwards becomes the mouth; and thus we see, that the unerring builder has first formed those portions which are the most necessary to man's future comforts and intercourse with the external world, and likewise has appointed them to the most elevated situation, as Dr. Darwin beautifully expresses it, from their being the seat of sensation, the light of understanding, and the faculty of sight.' The diminutive being I have attempted to describe rapidly increases in growth, so fast that it has been estimated by an able continental physiologist, Soemmerring, to increase 300,000 times its primitive size; about forty-five times from the third to the fifth, and subsequently about fifteen times. At the second month, the arms and fore-arms appear, with the rudiments of the lower extremities; about the ninth or tenth week these are completed, and the walls of the chest and abdomen become perfected, the external ears become visible, and the infantile foetus, (if I may use the term,) is created, and all it requires for its entrance into the world, is time for its subsequent growth, and blood for its nourishment, which fluid, strange as it may appear, contains three very important properties, viz. Secretion, i. e. forms and secretes the bones, fluids, and every part of the body; Nutrition, i. e. the nourishment of the system; and Vivification, or the preservation of life. The child gradually increases in size, until a period of about forty weeks elapses after its first formation, when the unerring voice of the great author of nature calls for the entrance of the infant into this world, when on the first draught of atmospheric air, import ant changes take place, not only in the economy of the infant, but likewise in its character. Before its birth it existed after the manner of a fish, after birth it assumes the character of a higher animal; and I may observe that these changes after birth are not peculiar to the human subject alone, but is also found in all animals who bring forth and suckle their * The preparation illustrating this curious fact, is now in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons in London. young; in fact, all the extensive class mammalia. Before I conclude this subject, I wish to correct an error which is not only prevalent among the uneducated classes of the community, but also in the higher; and in fact, it forms part and parcel of the law of the land. The supposition is founded on the erroneous idea that a foetus (or child before birth) does not possess life until the fourth month, commonly termed by matrons, the period of quickening, and conse. quently, those base characters who effect the premature destruction of their offspring, are not liable either in England, Ireland, or the Continent, to punishment, until that period has elapsed, and in Scotland not at all, until the birth of the child; the laws of modern Athens maintaining that a child does not possess life until birth+ This is absurd, for in the little creature discovered by Sir E. Home, life was as great as it would have been in any subsequent period of its existence, had it lived; and, strange to say, the same opinion as that entertained by England and Ireland, is maintained by America and most civilized nations. In my next, I shall consider the changes of man, from his birth to his death. To the Editor of the Olio. SIR,-The following little piece, by the highly gifted author of the "Farmer's lady to whom it was addressed. I have Boy,' was given to a late relative by the in my possession the original MS., and am not aware that it has ever been printed. As I think this extempore effusion, (for I believe I may almost give it that term,) partakes of the natural simplicity field's productions, I shall feel happy in and good sense which run through Bloomseeing it placed among the literary gems which grace the pages of the Olio. St. Margaret's, near Dovor. MADAM, Dec. 5, 1801. Peace is the word, a glorious cause for joy, And who more peaceful than a Farmer's Boy? + Vide Beck's Elements of Medical Juris prudence, by Drs. Darwall and Dunlop. Ibid. Then shall I wish for some sweet shelt'ring grove, Some quiet corn-field (such as still I love), Then keep thy heavy person out of sight." I must positively request that I may be permitted to absent myself, and if I hear no more from Mrs. P-, whom I would not willingly offend, or receive no note from her to-morrow, shall wish her all happiness at home. Orange St. Robert BLOOMFIELD. Sang. For the Olio. Tys pleasaunt to rove in the merie grenewode O with jolitye ryfe Is your forrestyr's lyfe, No sorrowes hath he to perplex hym I wene. Tys swete to repose when the redde sunne throwes His fierie beamis on the glade, In a flowerie noke by some bablyng broke, While the dremie breeze But sweeter than alle is the glystering falle Of the moonlighte so mild on the plain, Then blythlie we trolle the wassayling bowle, And quaff in her radiance fulle fayn; While the grey hooded owle, Peals round some olde turret his jovial straine. THE BATTAS, A RACE OF CANNIBALS IN SUMATRA. AMONG the variety of people who inhabit the different portions of Sumatra must be mentioned one,the Battas,among whom the horrible custom of cannibalism unquestionably prevails. 6 Now do not be surprised,' said Sir Stamford to the Duchess of Somerset, at what I shall tell you regarding them, for I tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. To prepare you a little, I must premise that the Battas are an extensive and populous nation of Sumatra, occupying the whole of that part of the island lying between Acheen and Menangkabu, reaching to both the shores. The coast is but thinly inhabited, but in the interior the people are said to be "as thick as the leaves of the forest;" perhaps the whole nation may amount to between one or two millions of souls. They have a regular government, deliberative assemblies, and are great orators; nearly the whole of them write, and they possess a language and written character peculiar to themselves. In their language and terms, as as well as in some of their laws and usages, the influence of Hinduism may be traced, but they have also a religion peculiar to themselves; they acknowledge the one and only great God, under the title Dibata Assi Assi, and they have a Trinity of great Gods, supposed to have been created by him. They are warlike, extremely fair and honourable in all their dealings, most deliberate in all their proceedings; their country is highly cultivated, and crimes are few. 'I have said the Battas are not a bad people, and I still think so, notwithstanding they eat one another, and relish the flesh of a man better than that of an ox or a pig. You must merely consider that I am giving you an account of a novel state of society. The Battas are not savages, for they write and read, and think full as much, and more, than those who are brought up at our Lancastrian and national schools. The They have also codes of laws of great antiquity; and it is from a regard for these laws, and a veneration for the institutions of their ancestors, that they eat each other. The law declares, that for certain crimes, four in number, the criminals shall be eaten ALIVE. same law declares also, that in great wars, that is to say, one district with another, it shall be lawful to eat the prisoners, whether taken alive, dead, or in their graves. In the four great cases of crimes, the criminal is also duly tried and condemned by a competent tribunal. When the evidence is heard, sentence is pronounced, when the chiefs drink a dram each, which last ceremony is equivalent to signing and sealing with us. Two or three days then elapse to give time for assembling the people; and in cases of adultery it is not allowed to carry the sentence into effect, unless the relations of the wife appear and partake of the feast, The prisoner is then brought forward on the day appointed, and fixed to a stake with his hands extended. The husband, or party injured, comes up and takes the first choice, generally the ears; the rest then, according to their rank, take the choice pieces, each helping himself according to his liking. After all have partaken, the chief person goes up and cuts off the head, which he carries home as a trophy. The head is hung up in front of the house, and the brains are carefully preserved in a bottle for purposes of witch craft, &c. In devouring the flesh, it is sometimes eaten raw, and sometimes grilled, but it must be eaten upon the spot. Limes, salt, and pepper, are always in readiness, and they sometimes eat rice with the flesh, but never drink toddy or spirits. Many carry bamboos with them, and, filling them with blood, drink it off. The assembly consists of men alone, as the flesh of man is prohibited to the females; it is said, however, that they get a bit by stealth now and then.' Sir S. Raffles' Life and Services. betwixte the qualyti of my crime and any humane commiseration, shewe sweet Queene some mirakles on a wretch that lyethe prostrate in yr. prison, most grivously bewaylinge his offennes and imploringe such comforte at your anoynted hands as my poore wives misfortunes dothe begge, my childs innocence dothe crave, my gyltlesse family dothe wishe, and my heynous trecherye dothe leaste deserve: so shall your divine mersy make your glorye shyne as far above all princes, as my most horrible practises are most detestable amongest your beste subjectes, whom lovinglye and happelye to governe I humbly beseche the mersye master himself to grante for his sweete sonnes sake Jesus Christe. Yor, maties most unfortunate (bicause most disloyall Subjecte) ANTHONYE BABINGETON.' "The document is labelled as follows: "Anthonie Babington, prisoner in the Tower of London, to the Q. Matie.' "As the following circumstances relating to Babington's associates and conspiracy may prove interesting, we venture to lay them before our readers. 6.6 Anthony Babington was a young gentleman of good fortune and family in Derbyshire, who having become acquainted, when at Paris, with the Bishop of Glasgow, then Ambassador at the French Court, from Mary Queen of Scots, was, by that dignitary recommended to the Queen as a person in every respect deserving of her esteem and affection. The result was a correspondence between Mary and Babington, which was carried on in cyphers, when the impetuous feelings of the latter and his commiseration for the Queen's captivity, prompted him to become her principal agent in a plot At last, they mount their own black carriage, for the delivery of Mary, and the assas And end, by taking death in marriage, Their body rakings. The remnants of their mortal dust, New Mon. PETITION OF ANTHONY BABINGETON TO QUEEN ELIZABETH, Imploring her Pardon and acknow ledging his Treason. "Most gratious sovreigne yf aither bitter teares and a pensife contrite harte or any dutyfull sighte of the wretched synnes might worke any pity in your royall breste, I would wringe out of my drayned eyes as much bloode as in bemoaninge my dreary tragedyes shold lamentably bewayll my faulte and somwhat (no dought) move you to compassion, but syns there is no proportione sination of Elizabeth. In this machination he was joined by the following gentlemen, as zealous Catholics as himself, namely, Edward Windsor, brother to the Lord of that name; Thomas Salisbury, a gentleman of good repute in Devonshire; Charles Tilney, one of the Queen's pensioners; Chydioch Tichburn, of Hampshire; Edward Abington, son of the Queen's cofferer; Robert Gage, of Surry; John Travers and John Charnock, of Lancashire; John Jones Barnwell, of a noble Irish family; Henry Dunne, Clerk in the First Fruit Office; and John Savage, one of the principal instigators of the plot. Into the above association one Pollie introduced himself, a man intimately acquainted with the affairs of the Scottish Queen, who is conjectured to have revealed to Sir Francis Walsingham the result of all their consultations, To the above individuals Babington communicated his plans; the conspirators frequently assembling at taverns, where they feasted largely and drank deep, pleasing them selves with the expectation of the honours that would ultimately be heaped upon them. This extravagant conduct was carried to such a length, that those appointed to be the assassins, were portrayed with Babington in the centre, the limning bearing this inscription: Quorsum hæc alio properantibus. It is stated that this picture was privately shewn to the Queen, who recognized no physiognomy save that of Barnwell, who had frequently presented himself at court. It is further recorded, that Elizabeth, walking abroad, espied Barnwell, when turning to Hatton, captain of the guard, she said, Am not I well guarded, that have not a man in my company that wears a sword,' which remark Barnwell repeated to his associates; adding, that it would have been easy for him to have then dispatched her, had the other conspirators been present. "Elizabeth, aware of the dreadful storm that hung over her, determined to escape; remarking to Walsingham, that by not avoiding danger when she might, she should rather seem to tempt than trust to Providence,' when it was ordered, that Babington should be strictly watched; who, notwithstanding, found means to escape, by perusing the contents of the letter to that effect, which was received while he was seated at the table. After assuming various disguises, he was ultimately taken, with the whole of his confederates, excepting Windsor, who was never after heard of. "On the 13th of September, 1586, seven of the conspirators, among whom was Babington, were arraigned and confessed their crime; and two days after, the rest, all being condemned, with the exception of Pollie, who is said to have communicated with Walsingham, as previously stated. "The execution of Babington, who suffered in Giles's Fields, was particularly severe, nay, even barbarous, his body being cut up while he was still alive; when he was heard to exclaim, Parce mihi Domine Jesu; and the six who were executed at the same time shared similar tortures. The following day, being the 21st of September, seven others concerned were also put to death on the same spot, but in a more merciful manner, as the Queen, on being given to understand how those had suffered on the preceding day, expressed her abhorrence at their having been cut up while still alive." On him confer the painter's sacred name, Whose works display the bright historie flame; Depicts with truth the great of ages past, THE present articles in continuation of our series, is a good opportunity, in consequence of the exhibition of Eucles and Punch, for bringing to the notice of the readers of the Olio, the genius and merits of the artist whose naine adorns the head of this paper. Mr. Haydon, from his first appearance, has ever been distinguished by every passion which ought to inhabit the soul and being of a painter. For undying love and enthusiasm for his art he has never been surpassed, and equals the inspired and eloquent Fuseli, in that branch of their profession which that eccentric but great man endeavoured to excel in, the school of history and imagination. Coupled with his genius and excellencies, Haydon, unfortunately, has likewise been distinguished by his sufferings and misfortunes. The injured Barry fell a martyr to his art, and Haydon was following close the ruinous track,-a track, in other countries and former ages, the certain path to eminence and success, but in England, the land of civilization and refinement,-the certain road to misery, starvation, and death! That Haydon possesses faults, it would be the height of servility and absurdity not to admit, and while acknowledging that a great deal of it has been created by his own |