Her cheek outvied the mountain snows; Love bade his arrows lurk, to wound Why, sweetly tottering, moved the maid. Too little were her beauteous feet Why strove she not by look or word, When Hansi moved, all other grace As taper lights when Phoebus shines, Oh, why did fortune make her rich? I met the lustre of her eye, And thought the bliss secure; Far from my breast my reason fled, I wander'd to the deserts drear I taught the caverns to complain, I have been in the Indian lands, Oft have I play'd the pipe of peace, Could ne'er forget the beauteous wife Of Song-lin-Shah. P. B. THE EMBLEM OF ETERNITY. WHEN that eminent artist, Fuseli, first came to our metropolis, he took up his residence in the vicinity of Leicester-square; consequently, when business led him to the east end of the town, he had to pass through St. Martin's-court, in which is the long-established ham and beef shop, kept by two brothers (who for good feeding surpass in appearance the best article they offer for the mastication of the public). These brothers, in order to blend pleasure with business, attend the shop on alternate weeks. This inclined Fuseli to think the thriving victualler was ever cutting and carving for the benefit of the people; which conclusion excited his risibility, and induced him to exclaim each morning as he passed, "Ah! good morning to you fat man slicing de beef." "Ah! ah! der is de fat man again slicing de beef."-" By gar, de fat man is always slicing de beef." These exclamations continued daily for several years; and on Fuseli returning to the Continent he took off his hat, and with a formal bow ejaculated, "Adieu fat man slicing de beef, I shall never see you again slicing de beef:" but after a considerable lapse of time, Fuseli re VOL. IV. L visited this country, and took up his abode in the old spot; and on passing the well-remembered scene of his inquiry, he vociferated, "Diavolo! damn! der he is again, der is de fat man slicing de beef. Ah, I see now, see, der is one grand mistake: instead of de littel snake with de tail in his mout being the emblem of eternity, by gar it is de fat man slicing de beef!" I ORIGIN OF NEWSPAPERS IN ENGLAND. THESE Vehicles of historical intelligence and political discussion began to appear in England during the civil war. The paper called The English Mercury, which gave the first example of this kind of publication, scarcely deserves to be mentioned in a general estimate. It seems to have been established by Queen Elizabeth in times of great difficulty and danger, in order to communicate such intelligence as she felt interested in making known, and counteracting such rumours as her enemies were anxious to propagate. Of this publication we have seen three printed numbers in the collection of state papers in the British Museum. The earliest number preserved is No. 50, dated July 23, 1588. It is entitled "The English Mercurie, published by authoritie, for the prevention of false reports;" and is said at the end to be "imprinted by Christopher Barker, her highness's printer." It would appear not to have been published at regular periodical intervals, but as occasion required, or events of importance occurred. We observe, for instance, the publication of No. 50, on the 23rd of July, and No. 51 on the 26th; while subsequently more than a month elapsed without a new number. The first article in No. 50, dated Whitehall, July 23, 1588, contains advices from Sir Francis Walsingham, that the Spanish Armada was seen on the 20th in the chops of the channel, making for the entrance of the channel with a favourable gale. An account is then given of her majesty's fleet, which consisted of eighty sail, divided into four squadrons, commanded by the Lord High-Admiral in the Ark Royal, Sir Francis Drake, Admirals Hawkins and Forbisher. By the best computation, it is added, the enemy could not have fewer than one hundred and fifty ships; but as soon as they were seen from the top-mast of the English fleet, instead of exciting any fear of the result, they were hailed by the English sailors with acclamations of joy. An account is then given of the attack made on the Armada on the 21st of July, after which it fled. This official article goes on to state, that such preparations were made, not only at Tilbury and Blackheath, but along the coast, that nothing was to be feared should the Spaniards even effect a landing. The article concludes "By God's blessing there is no doubt but this unjust and daring enterprise of the King of Spayne will turn out to his everlasting shame and dishonour, as all rankes of the people, without respect of religion, seem resolute to defend the sacred persone of their Sovereigne, and the lawes and liberties of this country, against all foreigne invaders." Under the head London, July 23, it is said— "The Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Common Council, and Lieutenancie of this great city, wayted upon her majestye at Westminster this afternone, with assurances of their hearty and unanimous resolution to stand by and support her majestie at this critical juncture with their lives and fortunes, when her invaluable life, the true Protestant religion, and all the privileges of freeborn Englishmen, are threatened by an open attack from our bigotted and bloode-thirsty adversaries the Spaniards. "The queen received them very graciously, and assured them that she did not doubte their zealous endeavours to serve theyr sovereigne on the present very important occasion; that for her part, she relyed on God's providence and the goodnesse of her cause, and was resolved to run all risques with her faithful subjects." No. 51, dated Whitehall, July 26, contains "The journal of what passed since the 21st of this month between her majesties fleet and that of Spayne, transmitted by the Lord Highe Admirall to the Lordes of the council.” Also, a letter from Madrid, dated July 16, details "the hopes of Spayne in the Armada expedition." The next number in the collection, being fifty-four, is dated Nov. 24, an interval of four months. It contains an account, under the head of London, of " the solemn general thanksgivinge for the successes obtayned against the Spanish Armada" Her majesty went in state to St. Paul's. She dined at the deanery, and rode back to Whitehall by torch-lights. From the time that this publication was given up, we find no continued vehicle for political intelligence with a fixed title for many years. In the reign of James I. packets of news were published in the shape of small quarto pamphlets, as they arrived. These pamphlets were entitled "News from Italy, Germany, Hungary, &c." as they happened to refer to the transactions of those respective countries, and generally purported to be translations from the Low Dutch. No discussion could of course exist, nor could any news but such as pleased the government be communicated, when the star-chamber and high commission courts exercised an uncontrolled sway over the liberalities. and the ears of authors, or while the first of the British Stuarts was issuing frequent proclamations, forbidding the people even to converse with one another on political topics. At that time, besides, there was neither a very extensive reading public, nor a system of convenient post communication. In the time of the civil war, newspapers multiplied to a great extent, and whole flights of "Mercuries" (for that was their favourite title) were weekly despatched with royal or parliamentary intelligence. In the course of one year (1643) nearly a score of papers were started, fourteen or fifteen of which we have seen. Among them we find the following titles:"Special Passages, or certain Informations;" "England's memorable Accidents ;""Diurnal of certain Passages of Parliament;" "Mercurius Auricus;" "The Kingdome's Weekly Intelligencer;" "Mercurius Civicus, or London's Intelligencer;""The Parliament's |