Susie was what the country people call "a kind o' half-betwixt the lady's messen, escaped by stealth from the witted body," perfectly harmless and peaceable, yet capa- string, and the shepherd's " Rover," whose gaucy tail, ble, on occasions, of making a successful retort, or pur- like that of the 1811 comet, was calculated to sweep pupsuing her own interest with wonderful precision. Her pies and messens, as the latter was to brush stars and wits, indeed, had early-from what cause I know not— planets, aside at a single whisk! Whenever the shadow gone a wool-gathering; and that there might be no pre- of the minister was marked by Susie in the doorway, mature separation of parties so closely allied, her body then was her rod of authority extended, and no one of very usually accompanied them. It was, in fact, Susie's Peel's new police ever excelled her in inflicting terror annual custom, soon after the season of sheep-shearing, or upon all manner of vagrants. A few sudden and someclipping, to make an excursion, with a basketful of crockery what alarming "yelps," followed up by a hollow and ware-ycleped in Jamieson, "pigs"-into what was then indistinct growl of remonstrance, indicated to the minister called, in Closeburn parlance, " the Woo'-Lan," or more and congregation that there was a recognised authority mountainous district of the parish-there to exchange, or in operation, calculated to preserve order and silence even barter, every variety of plain, graved, spotted, striped, amongst the brutes present. To such of your readers as and clouded bowl, jug, and porringer, for somewhere may be disposed to question the faithfulness and accuracy about ten times their real value in wool. The value, of this picture, I recommend a pilgrimage, not indeed to however, of this latter article ought rather to be judged of the Kirk of Shotts, but to that of Crawford-John, where, from the estimation in which that received in exchange in order to cheat the church-going tykes out of their was held, than from its use and importance in the hands legitimate "note of rejoicing" at the rising of the congreof its new possessor. The bien gudewife of a large muir- gation, previous to the pronouncing of the blessing, every land farm, stocked with some seventy score of ewes, be- individual present preserves his seat, till the last benesides sheep, lambs, and gimmers, whose children were as diction be pronounced, and a general rising can be followed olive-plants around her, numerous and healthy, and by an immediate dismissal. whose household servants were no way particular in the preservation of earthenware, and who was, withal, possessed of a key to somewhat above 600 stone of wool, lately piled up and ready for the merchant;-I say, a mountain dame, thus circumstanced, and withal at the distance of five miles and a bittock from shop or market, was not likely to higgle with a silly, half-witted, wellknown, and ever-welcome visitant, whose stores were at once so captivating and so useful, and at the same time so difficult in any other way to be supplied. On such | occasions, which I have myself witnessed, and in which I have taken an active part, there was a degree of excitement of which town-bred and polite readers can form but an imperfect idea. Every little elf, who, in frock or petticoat, could splash through a dub, wear a ewe or fondle a pet lamb, was seen capering and vapouring from kitchen to ha', and from ha' to "chamer," with each a trophy from Susie's basket at the extremity of an outstretched arm. Nor was the gudeman himself, as he reproved the din and checked the riot, actually insensible to the accession of happiness which Susie's presence had occasioned. Nay, I have often seen him cast an odd fleece over the fauld dyke after Susie, though the mistress had already made her all the remuneration which she judged necessary! It was thus that this poor bare-footed, yet almost neatly dressed, wanderer of the "Woo' Lan'," obtained the materiel, which, being by her own industry (and that of a wee lassie, into whose history I do not at present stoop to enquire) converted into sale yarn, and sold at the Thornhill fair, enabled her and her inmate to subsist without parish aid, and without any unseemly deprivations. During the frosty weather of winter, Susie was not visible at the "kirk-stile ;" but so soon as spring had gained the supremacy, then were the "twasome," as they were termed, like "gouk and titling," seated on a fail dyke, at the side of which ran a pure stream, making the necessary preparations, by means of shoe and stocking, for entrance into the house of prayer. Few passed Susie without accosting her; but it was noticed that the "gudeman of Mitchelslack," (the largest sheep farm in the parish,) and he alone, was recognised by one of Susie's very best curtsies, in acknowledgment of his well-known" Weel, Susie, how's a' the day, woman ?" When in the house of God, and in her seat on the right of old Janet, Susie seemed to consider herself as a kind of official dignitary in the church. Her hand was uniformly armed with a long pike-staff, with which she paraded the mosses, and kept in order the shepherds' curs; by means of which she became a terror and an aversion to all manner of church-going and noise-exhibiting dogs. With Susie there was no manner nor shade of distinction In singing the psalm, Susie had acquired a habit quite the reverse of that exhibited by our modern knowing ones,-she contrived to chant or croon every line twice over at least. This, as Susie's voice was neither the weakest nor the most melodious, was somewhat calculated to cause discord and confusion. So the precentor, who had oftentimes been driven, by this undue dispatch, several notes out of his calculation, ventured at last (under sanction, and in presence, of one of the elders) to remonstrate with Susie on this unfair proceeding. Susie eyed the for some time with a look of mingled surprise and con'Lettergae o' haly rhyme" tempt, ejaculating, so soon as her wrath could find utterance, I'll sing my Maker's praise an ye war hanged!" 66 66 This laconic and pointed response proving any thing but convincing to the elder, he thought proper to investigate the causes of such an inconvenient repetition. “What for, woman, d'ye persist in singing the line twice over?" "Just because it gusts my gab twice," was the Susanic reply. Such was Susie MacCaul, who, in her seasons of mental aberration, conceived that she was rode upon by witches, and dragged nightly, in the shape of a grey mare, through all the intricacies of Creehope Linn; but who, in her more settled and rational hours, could quote Scripture even with the minister himself, and reason, as well as feel, her way through all the more interesting and essential doctrines of the Cross;-who lived very much liked by that she had neither lived nor listened to the Gospel in her neighbours, and at her death gave manifest "sign" vain. THE EDINBURGH DRAMA. WE shall be brief to-day. On Monday "Guy Mannering" was performed; on Tuesday, " Der Freischutz;" on Wednesday, "As You Like It;" and on Thursday, "Der Freischutz" again: "Perfection" has been the afterpiece of the week. This is not a bill of fare on which we can say much. "Guy Mannering" is one of those "national dramas,” among which are also “Rob Roy," "The Heart of Mid-Lothian," "The Bride of Lammermoor," "Cramond Brig," and a few more, which our worthy manager seems to consider infallible remedies under all circumstances, and which figure in his bills as often as the advertisements of "Macassar Oil," or "Warren's Blacking," do in the newspapers. Now, verily, a weariness of the flesh comes over us at the very name of any of these "national dramas," because we have seen them so often, that we know by heart every syllable in every one of them, we know every tone of rider's mind, and felt satisfied, that in all his practical and every actor's voice in every scene,—we know when there theoretical dealings with that noble quadruped the horse, he will be a laugh, and when there will be a song, and when was a “self-torturing sophist"—that is to say, he was ever there will be silence, and when there will be applause. It is anxious to go farther in the art of horsemanship than any excruciating to go to a theatre with this accurate knowledge body else had done before-in the precise words of the anof the futurity of the evening. We see in prospective no- cient sophist, "nihil actum reputans si quicquid agendum thing but one long yawn, and a sleepy exit at the box-door maneret." The world does not know, but Byron knew, about half past eleven. For Heaven's sake, Mr Murray, what Ducrow has made horses attempt. He has ridden variety!—a little variety! that variedad agradable of which them at full gallop along a slack wire; he has made them we and the Spaniards are so fond. Maybe it's yourself that dance a menuet de là cour on the point of a needle; he thinks the Freischutz a variety? Och! bad luck to you! has tied their fore and hind legs together, and made them It's as ould as the ould gintleman himself. Seriously, hop five miles without stopping; he has travelled at the we doubt whether twelve persons could be selected in rate of thirty miles an hour for a whole fortnight, and Edinburgh who are not tired of the Freischutz. But, been for the most part of the time asleep on their backs; moreover, it is not so well cast now as it used to be. he has, in short, done feats which made Byron ashamed Reynoldson is not nearly so good a Caspar as Pritchard; of his own Mazeppa, convincing him that the adventures he caricatures the part from beginning to end; and when that hero met with would have been a mere jest to Duhe wants to be pathetic or grand, he is commonly ludi- crow. As to Ducrow's being "the apostle of affliction," erous. His singing, too, is, for the most part, very bur- this epithet must also have arisen from Byron's intimate lesque-something between croaking and roaring. We acquaintance with the whole of his friend's private affairs; believe Reynoldson has some acquaintance with the science and, no doubt, when we come to consider the many of music, but his taste in the practical department is woe- annoyances which the manager of such an establishment fully deficient. Horncastle's Rodolph is inferior to what must be subject to, in the illness of his quadrupeds and Thorne's used to be; and this is not saying much for it, the jealousies of his bipeds, it will not be difficult to allow for we were no great admirers of Thorne, except that he that he may, in point of fact, be "the apostle of afflichad a pleasant, gentlemanly manner; and if he seldom tion." That Ducrow has thrown delighted, he as seldom offended. Harshness and inflexibility are the chief faults of Horncastle's voice; want of expression and of genuine feeling are the leading defects of his style. Miss Turpin's Agnes was respectable, but not to be compared with Miss Noel's, and not so good as Miss Byfeld's. It is needless repeating, week after week, the same opinions concerning people ;-we therefore beg to state, that until they come before us in distinctly new parts, we shall say no more of the importations from the Caledonian. Such of their friends as have a partiality for them, may defend them, if they can; and praise them, if they choose to venture. In " As You Like It," Miss Jarman's Rosalind is an attraction of no mean kind-fresh, gentle, and playfully artless. None of the other performers require particular mention. Waldron's Jaques is judicious, but we are afraid this actor has soared too high a flight in the line of parts he has undertaken.--We perceive a new piece is announced for this evening, under the title of "The White Phantom ;" we believe it is only a new version of a drama called "The Somnambulist ;" adapted or translated from one of the French Vaudevilles. Miss Jarman plays the leading part, in which, we understand, there are one or two powerful and interesting situations. Old Cerberus. DUCROW'S AMPHITHEATRE. Here the self-torturing sophist, wild Ducrow, The breath which made him wretched; yet he knew BYRON. "Enchantment over passion, and from woe no one will deny. That he knows how "to make madness beautiful," every one will grant who has looked at any of his scenes in the circle. On the whole, therefore, after mature deliberation, we must pronounce Byron's description of "wild Ducrow" to be as correct as it is poetical, and it is pleasant to think that justice has been done to such an equestrian by such a bard. Thus celebrated, there is little wonder that Ducrow has been drawing excellent houses in Edinburgh. His entertainments are varied, and pleasant; and every thing is got up in a classical and picturesque manner. One thing, however, we wish particularly to remark at present; that class of society who think it irreligious to go to the theatre, see no harm in visiting Ducrow's amphitheatre. We hold this to be highly inconsistent and indecorous. For the sincerely, though too rigidly pious, who object to public amusements and representations of any kind, we have a respect, and will not discuss the question with them at present. But of those, who "Compound for sins they are inclined to, we have the most unqualified suspicion. Granting all that is urged against the stage and stage-players to be true, we should like to know, whether the same remarks will not apply to a circus or amphitheatre, and to those who tumble about on horseback, who dance on the tightrope, or who enact antics with their limbs. Is the elegant and delicate wit of the clowns more soothing to religious ears than the music of a fine opera, the chastening satire of a genteel comedy, or the lofty poetry of a We used to wonder why Byron should have spoken | noble tragedy? There is sad cant in preaching against thus of Ducrow. That the poet should have had an the theatre, but saying not one word against the amphiintense admiration of that splendid equestrian, could not theatre; there is strange inconsistency in avoiding the be matter of surprise; but that he should have called mansion in Shakspeare Square as an unclean thing, but him a "self-torturing sophist," and "the apostle of afflic-in taking a front row for self and family in the building tion," appeared to us strange. On consideration, how-in Nicolson Street. It would not be a bad idea to pub- ever, we think we can see what his lordship meant. Reflecting on all those admirable evolutions and exercises through which Ducrow puts his favourite horses, and perceiving how recherché many of them are, and how impossible it would have been for any one else to have conceived them, much less to have carried them into exe-establishment. cution, the poet penetrated into the idiosyncrasy of the lish the names, as they sometimes do minorities in the House of Commons, of a few of those précieuses ridicules, who have no fear of their soul's salvation at Ducrow's, but would not estimate it at a pin's fee, were they to venture within the four walls of Mr Manager Murray's Old Cerberus. THE LONDON DRAMA. 66 Regent's Park, London, SELDOM, very seldom has it occurred to us, even in these degenerate days of loud promise and failing performance, to witness any failure so complete as that of the hopes excited by the preliminary trumpetings of Miss Huddart's surpassing talent, which were so miserably disappointed by her first appearance as Belvidera, at Drury-Lane, on Monday last. The selection, even, of such a character, betrayed a lamentable lack of judgment; but, as the choice was very probably not hers, the onus of that must rest with the managers. The young lady's face and figure are certainly in her favour. As Jachimo says of Imogen, "All of her that is out of door is most rich;" but there, we regret to say, our praise must terminate; since even our gallantry must not tempt our criticism to relax its impartiality. Her voice is one of the most untunable we ever listened to, and her acting and her attitudes are equally extravagant and artificial. Her last mad scene, when, according to the stage dictum of Sheridan's Puff, she went mad in white! was any thing but what it should have been; and though on her first night she was applauded to the very echo," and the next day's bills announced her "complete success," yet her second performance was to nearly empty benches, and her third, underlined for Friday last, very prudently postponed ! Macready's Pierre was a very unequal representation; but Wallack's Jaffier made amends for all, since we can conscientiously praise it throughout, as second to Charles Kemble's only, and we are not quite sure if even to that. When "Venice Preserved" is next produced here, the scenery and costume should, however, be made rather more accurate, as at present it seems left to the selection of scene-shifters and property-men, whose standard of correctness appears to be, pleasing themselves. Miss Huddart's next character is to be Lady Constance, in " King John," this evening, from which we augur a far more favourable result; her masculine voice and manner being infinitely better suited to such a part than to the gentle Belvidera. Bayley's last year's farce of " Perfection" has been revived, with F. Vining and Mrs Waylett in Charles Parragon and Kate O'Brian, originally played by Jones and Madame Vestris, both of whom must be entirely forgotten, before we can even tolerate their successors. "Werner" is still announced, but not yet ready; and Mrs Waylett has played Apollo, in "Midas," to our entire satisfaction. Miss Taylor's repetition of Rosalind has been almost the only noticeable performance during the past week at Covent Garden; indeed, the whole play, with the solitary exception of Keeley's Touchstone-which, "not to speak it profanely," was execrable-was most admirably performed, though Orlando and the heroine, par excellence, merit especial encomium. On Saturday last, Miss Taylor also played Clari with equal ability; and she will appear in a new piece, just read in the Green Room, very speedily. R. B. Peake's new comedy of the "Chancery Suit" has been postponed until to-morrow evening; and a new interlude, to be called "The Omnibus, or a Convenient Distance," is likewise announced for the end of the week. The opera of "Cinderella" is in active rehearsal, with a new female vocalist, vice Miss Paton, who is playing at Brighton, in very bad health, and looking most wofully; and the Christmas pantomimes are in conception, concoction, and completion, everywhere. The minors are doing much about as usual, though, by way of varying its entertainments, the Tottenham Street Theatre managers have headed their playbills with a most voluminous manifesto against Charles Kemble, on account of the prosecutions. Now, as Mr Kemble is one only of the five or six partners, who are all agreed on this point, and it is nearly the only subject on which they do agree, and as the Drury-Lane lessees and committee are equally parties to the whole of the proceedings, it is as unfair as it is absurd thus to single out Charles. The vulgarity and ignorance of the attack, however, completely neutralize all its malice; and the whole affair is rendered still more ridiculous by the knowledge, that the manager's interest in the house expired on Saturday last, that it will be open this evening from courtesy only, for Madame Vestris to complete her twelve nights' engagement, and that from some very intelligible and prudential reasons, the landlord has divers scruples against continuing Mes. sieurs Melrose and Chapman as his tenants any longer; nay, is even in treaty with, if he have not already signed a lease for twenty-one years to, parties utterly unconnected with them! In correction of some errors in a former report, we have now to state, that Macready's leave of absence to play at Plymouth, was the sole cause of his non-appearance with Mr Wallack; and that the Covent Garden interlude of "Hide and Seek" is by Mr R. Westmacott, son of the justly celebrated sculptor, and himself an artist of no mean talents, and not by Mr Lunn, who, however, once had a farce of the same name at the Haymarket. SOMERSET. ORIGINAL POETRY. THE SONS OF ST LUKE. AN EXCELLENT SONG, WRITTEN FOR, AND SUNG AT, TUNE-" The Scottish Broadswords." Now there's peace on the Bridge and there's calm on the Mound, Fill your glasses, and send the toast roaringly round, With success to the sons of St Luke, boys, When the sorcerer, Dulness, had spell-bound the land, Of our old-bearded monarch, St Luke, boys, His brush was a falchion, his pallet a shield, Who kill'd Dulness quite, by the dint of hard blows; As good lances of jolly St Luke, boys, Now drinking thy health in St Luke's, If exquisite art, if a heart kind and free, * Written when George the Fourth was King. While Edina thus boasts, shall my Perth lag behind, Fill, fill, yet again, 'tis a glorious task, Would to Heaven that the bowl were as deep as a cask! In Sculpture, Donaldo,-in painting we've Scott; A bumper to Lizars, that much beloved elf, Who with every new plate gains new honour and pelf, What would we do then in St Luke's, boys? Great Heav'ns! had I now but the trombone of Fame, I would sound in a breath every glorious name, A Simson, a Gordon, a Grant, and a Graham, All and each worthy sons of St Luke, boys, Lees, Lauder, and Williams, George Simson, and Syme, But rise, my St Luke's, if to toast you e'er stood, Now sacred to all and to each send it round, A CONTRAST. By Thomas T. Stoddart. I LOVED her: Beauty visited her brow, I loved her she was graceful as a swan, I loved her but she shrunk ; her gentle heart Years long, sad sunless years had dwindled on; And never link'd to sorrow, or the chills But so it was; and where the flow and fall The music of that voice!-her wasted ear LOVE AND JEALOUSY; OR, THE BUTCHER AND THE IRISHMAN. A VERY DOLEFUL BALLAD. THERE was a butcher fell in love O what a fall was there! This maiden kept an oyster shop, And thought it not a sin To catch men's hearts, as men catch hares, The butcher sat in Sally's shop, Like a friar in his cloister, And whenever he open'd his eloquent mouth, Sally opened an oyster. The butcher was a quiet, stern man, The butcher swore by the moon and stars, That Sally fitted his fancy, just As close as a pair of tights. And he threw upon her a soft sheep's eye, And he says he would like, in pleasant places, But Sally sigh'd like a pair of bellows, As she blushingly said, whilst she crimp'd a skate,— "I am promised to Michael Kelly." The butcher look'd blank as a dish of tripe, And he vow'd to himself that the news he heard Now Michael was an Irishman,— But the butcher came one Saturday night, And knock'd Michael up, and then knock'd him down, Then the butcher stabb'd him to the heart, Now, one night when they lay in bed, A-saying of their prayers, The butcher felt his courage fail, His wife called for assistance; When, lo! into the room there walk'd The spiritual existence ! Says he, "I am the ghost of myself, And as dead as an Irishman can be, And since I can't make three with you, You must both make one with me." He never spoke another word, But he carried them both away And there the toothless gnash their teeth, H. G. B. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. MR JAMES NOBLE, Oriental Master in the Scottish Naval and Military Academy, has in the press The Orientalist, or Letters of a Rabbi, with Notes. This work is intended to form an amusing Oriental Miscellany, and pleasant Tyro's Guide to Orientalism; consisting of tales and histories, original and selected, chiefly new translations from Oriental authors; interspersed with original verses and poetical translations; as also dissertations on the grammars of the Eastern tongues, and their connexion with those of the West; with copious explanations of Oriental words, phrases, customs, &c. It is to be dedicated to, and published under the patronage of, the Directors of the Royal Naval and Military Academy. We have seen the table of contents, which are varied and interesting, Mr Henry G. Bell's volume of poems, under the title of "Summer and Winter Hours," will be ready about the end of the month. Observations on the Present State of Historical Literature, and the Institutions for its Advancement in England, by Nicholas Harris Nicholas, Esq. is announced. Affection's Gift, a selection of sacred poetry, from the most approved authors, is in the press. Beauties of the Mind, a Poetical Sketch, with Lays, Historical and Romantic, by Charles Swain, is announced. The fifteenth volume of the forthcoming Annual Biography and Obituary will contain, Memoirs of Sir Charles Penrose, Mr Tierney, Sir George Montagu, George IV., Lord Redesdale, Sir George Brisbane, Dr Gooch, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Mr Huskisson, General Stewart of Garth, William Hazlitt, Bishop James, and others. Lest our last week's notice of the work upon Curling, now in the press, should convey the impression of its being merely a local production, we take this opportunity of stating, that the compilation is one that will widely embrace every thing connected with the history and science of that fascinating game. SOCIETY OF SCOTTISH ANTIQUARIES.-This body met on Tuesday last for the election of office-bearers, and the members afterwards dined together at the Royal Hotel. We are glad to understand that the society have a considerable portion of their transactions in the press, which will probably be published within two months. Looking to the great progress which has been made of late years in the study of Archæology, particularly abroad, we may be excused for indulging a hope that the Antiquaries of Scotland will not relax their exertions in this interesting science, and that their transactions will be worthy of being placed beside those of any similar society in Europe. To secure this object, nothing appears so well adapted as the regular publication, at least once every year, of the most interesting communications made to the society. Should this plan, which we hear is contemplated, be adopted and acted upon, the society may rely upon receiving a much greater number of literary contributions, than under a system which frequently allowed the most able, equally with the least important, communications, to lie over unpublished for years. It is but due to the society, however, to mention, that till of late years, various causes, which do not now operate, contributed to prevent the objects of the institution from being followed up as they ought to have been. The Museum of Antiquities belonging to the society has been visited by a great number of individuals during the vacation, and every facility is afforded to those who may be desirous of inspecting this interesting collection. We have heard-and hope that so necessary a work will not be omitted-that in the course of this winter a catalogue raisonnée of the museum, for the use of visitors, will be printed by the society. We purpose, during the ensuing winter session, to give reports of the proceedings of this truly national society, as well as of the Royal and Wernerian, on the plan which was followed in the Edinburgh Literary Journal last winter. CHIT CHAT FROM EDINBURGH.-An exhibition of ancient paintings, among which will be found some beautiful works by the Italian masters, is about to be opened at the Royal Institution: the pictures will not be numerous, but they are considered very valuable.—Mr Macdonald is to open early next week an exhibition of all his works, for which he has secured a suite of rooms in Prince's Street. If beau. tiful sculpture is to be admired, and native talent encouraged, this exhibition will be crowdedly attended. From our own acquaintance with Mr Macdonald's works, we can promise the lovers of the fine arts a rich treat.-The St Luke's Club, consisting principally of the artists of Edinburgh, held their monthly meeting on Tuesday evening last, in the Waterloo Hotel. The attendance was numerous and highly respectable; among others, Sir James Foulis, Mr James Wilson, Mr James Nairne, Mr Nasmyth, and Mr William Allan, whose recent return from the south of Europe was hailed with much enthusiasm, were present. Mr D. O. Hill sang an excellent club song, composed by himself, for the occasion. We have been favoured with a copy of it, which appears in our poetical columns. It was received with the greatest applause.-The annual general meeting of the Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, was held in the Academy Rooms, on Wednesday the 10th November last, when the following gentlemen were re-elected office-bearers for the ensuing year:-George Watson, Esq. President; D. O. Hill, Esq. Secretary; John Watson Gordon, Esq. Treasurer; John Syme, Esq. William Smellie Watson, Esq. Auditors.-On Friday evening last, the following gentlemen were elected Presidents of the Royal Medical Society: John Paget, Esq. Leicestershire; John H. Balfour, Esq., Edinburgh; Andrew Wood, Esq. Edinburgh; Thomas Stone, Esq. Herefordshire. -A portrait of John Brown, D, D., very well engraved in the stippled style, by Mr Walker, of Edinburgh, from the miniature in last Scottish Academy Exhibition, by Mrs James Robertson, of London, has been published by Mr R. H. Nimmo, and inscribed to the Elders of Broughton-Place Church.-In speaking last Saturday of the teachers of music at present in Edinburgh, we omitted to mention Mr and the Misses Yaniewicz, who deservedly rank very high in the musical profession. CHIT-CHAT FROM ABERDEEN.-The following publications have lately issued from the press of this city:-1st. A Sermon on the Difficulties of the Christian Ministry, preached before the autums meeting of the Aberdeen Synod, by the Rev. James Foote, A.M., minister of the east parish of Aberdeen; 2d. Isabella, or the Robbers, a Poetical Tale of the olden times; 3d. Emma, or the Cruel Father, and other Poems, by William M'Laren, author of the Life of Tannahill, &c.; 4th. A volume of Sermons, by the Rev. Mr Parker, of Union Terrace Chapel of Ease, Aberdeen; and 5th. A Correspondence between the Rev. Dr Kidd of the Church of Seotland, and the Rev. Charles Fraser of the Church of Rome, concerning a public discussion of those points of doctrine, respecting which Protestants and Romanists are at issue. This last pamphlet reached a fourth edition in the space of three days, and has now come to a fifth; the profits arising from its sale are to be given to the Reformation Society, a deputation of which is soon expected to visit Aberdeen. Mr Calvert is about to settle here, as a teacher of elocution, and has announced his intention of giving a course of lectures on Oratory, and the different branches of Belles Lettres, during the winter.-A Reading-Room has been established for the use of the members of the Aberdeen Mechanics' Institution.-The half-yearly general meeting of the Mearnshire Farmers' Society is to be held in the Mason Lodge, Laurencekirk, on the first Monday of December: the Rev. John Cook of Laurencekirk in the chair.-A Sermon, preached on the 18th inst., in the parish church of Clatt, being the day of thanksgiving for the late favourable harvest and abundant crop, with a Metrical Paraphrase of the subject; to which are subjoined, a few original Paraphrases, by the Rev. Robert Cook, minister of Ciatt, Aberdeenshire, is announced for immediate publication. CHIT-CHAT FROM ELGIN.-The Morayshire Coursing Club was numerously and respcctably attended ;-the weather was good, and the sport excellent. The stakes and cup were both gained by his Grace the Duke of Gordon.-Elgin is still rapidly increasing: more new houses are erecting, and several additional streets are projected. -The new iron bridge over the river Lossie, at Bishopmill, is fast advancing, and most probably will be open for passengers before ChristIt is very handsome, and will be a great improvement to the environs of our good town.-The gas-work and new brewery are roofed in, and are expected to be ready for commencing operations about the new year.-Handsome subscriptions for the Morayshire Flood Fund have been received from Grenada, Carriacou, and Trinidad, chiefly collected by the Hon. John Hayes, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Grenada. However far the Scotchman may wander, he never forgets his native country.-The Trades' Hall at present fitted up as a Theatre, under the management of Mr Breyer. On the 20th instant, we experienced the most awful gale which the province of Moray has felt since the eventful storm which the Stotfield fishing-boats were lost. mas. |