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given, the princess clapped her hands, and cried, "More, more!" Delighted with her courage, Gustavus afterwards took her to a review, and perceiving the pleasure she took in the military show, exclaimed, Very well, you shall go I am resolved, where you shall have enough of this." Gustavus was prevented by death, from fulfilling his promise; and Christina, in her Memoirs, laments that she was not permitted to learn the art of war under so great a master, and regrets that during her life, she never marched at the head of an army, nor even witnessed a battle.

On the death of her father, she was proclaimed Queen at the age of seven, and appeared to take a pleasure in the pomp and dignity of her station. She discovered in her childhood, a distaste for the society and occupations of her sex, while she delighted in violent exercises, in exertions of strength, and feats of activity. She understood eight languages, and possessed a taste for the severer sciences,-the study of civil policy, legislation and history; the knowledge of which she derived from its original sources; Thucydides, Polybius, and Tacitus, were among her favourite authors.

Christina having completed her 18th year, assumed the reins of government, to the conduct of which she proved herself fully equal. An accident happened. in the beginning of her reign, which displayed the strength and equanimity of her mind. As she was at the chapel of the castle of Stockholm, with the principal lords of her court, attending divine service, a poor wretch disordered in his intellects, came to the place with the design of assassinating the Queen; he chose that moment for the perpetration of his design, when the assembly was performing, what in the Swedish church is termed, an act of recollection; in which, each individual kneeling and covering his face, performs a silent and separate devotion. At this instant, the lunatic rushing through the crowd, ascended a balustrade, within which the Queen knelt. Baron Brahi, chief justice of Sweden, being first alarmed, cried out, while the guards crossed their partisans to prevent the approach of the madman; but he furiously striking them aside, leaped the barrier, and with a knife he had concealed in his sleeve, aimed a blow at the Queen; Christina evading the stroke, pushed the captain of the guards, who throwing himself upon the assassin, seized him by the

hair.

All this passed in a moment; the man was known to be deranged, and therefore not suspected to have accomplices. They satisfied themselves with putting him under restraint, and the Queen, without any apparent emotion, returned to her devotions, while the people, with a lively interest for the fate of their sovereign, showed great alarm and agitation. Some time after, another accident happened to Christina, which brought her into greater danger than the former. Some ships of war had been built at Stockholm, by her orders, which she wished to inspect. As for this purpose, she crossed a narrow plank, led by Admiral Herring, his foot slipped, and he fell, drawing the Queen with him, into water 90 feet in depth. Anthony Steinbeg, equerry to Christina, plunged instantly into the sea, and caught the Queen's robe, and by the help of the bystanders, drew her on shore. She preserved her presence of mind during the whole time: "take care of the Admiral," cried she, the moment her head was raised above the water. When brought on shore, she neither expressed fear, nor betrayed any emotion, but dining in public the same day, gave a humourous turn, to the adventure.

The rank which by its splendour had at first flattered her imagination, she at length began to feel a burden, and after mature deliberation determined on abdicating the throne, and in an assembly convened for the purpose, resigned the crown, to her cousin Gustavus. In quitting the scene of her regal power, she appeared as if escaping from a prison; having arrived at a small brook which separates the kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden, she alighted from her carriage, and leaping over the stream, exclaimed, "At length I am free, and out of Sweden, where I hope never to return." Dismissing with her women the habit of her sex, she assumed that of the other. "I would become a man,' said she, "but it is not that I love men because they are men, but because they are not

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The temper of Christina appears to have been vindictive; accustomed to govern, she knew not how to resign with her rank, the power which that rank had bestowed. On sending her secretary to Stockholm, after her abdication, she said to him, "If you fail in your duty, not all the power of the King of Sweden, though you should take refuge in his arms, shall save your life." A musician had quitted her service for that of the Duke of Savoy; transported

with rage, she wrote, "He lives only for me; and if he does not sing for me, he shall not sing long for any body. It is his duty to live only in my service, and if he does not, he shall severely repent it."

Like all human characters, that of Christina seems to have been mingled; her wit, courage, talents, activity, magnanimity, and patronage of learning, are worthy of praise. When speaking of herself, she says she is, 66 ambitious, haughty, impetuous, disdainful, and sceptical." It must be allowed that early seated on a throne, and accustomed to exercise authority, she was unused to opposition, and corrupted by power, which rendered her temper restless and impatient of control. Subject to extremes, in her emulation of the severer virtues of one sex, she lost sight of the delicacy and decorums of the other, and forgot to add to the reason and fortitude which belong to man, the gentleness and modesty which adorn a M.

woman.

GERMAN LEGENDS. THE GROTTO OF ST. ODILLE, NEAR FRIBOURG, IN THE BLACK FOREST.

ODILLE was the daughter of Attich, Duke of Alsace. She had been brought up in the convent of Mayenfield, and in her own mind had long resolved to devote herself to a holy life, and to take the veil.

One day she left the convent to visit her father's court, and all the youthful knights were deeply stricken with her beauty.

Soon the young and beautiful recluse was surrounded by lovers, and amongst the number was a German Prince, whose suit the Duke approving of, his daughter was ordered to approve of also. But Odille, considering herself as already devoted to a religious life, viewed the proposal with horror, and knowing that her father's will was to her a mandate, she divested herself of her rich garments, and taking the habit of a wandering beggar, she reached the Rhine, and passed safely in a little boat to the opposite side.

Her flight was soon discovered by the Duke, who sent pursuers after her in all directions. He himself mounted his swiftest steed, and by accident took the road which Odille had just passed. The boatman described her so accurately,

that the Duke felt no doubt he was close upon his daughter's steps, and with increased eagerness he now pressed on.

Odille had already ascended half way up one of the high mountains of the forest, looking down upon the Rhine, when worn out with fatigues to which she had been little used, she seated herself upon a rock, and lifting up her eyes to heaven, joined her hands in prayer. But presently, startled by a distant sound of horses' feet, she looked around, and beheld an approaching troop of horsemen drest in her father's colours.

She hastily arose to save herself by rapid flight. Fear at first acted like wings upon her nimble feet, but soon her weak and gentle nature yielded, and she fell exhausted upon a rock.

The horsemen advancing with a rapid pace were now near upon the spot, when Odille, trembling, lifted up her hands to implore deliverance from heaven. Suddenly the rock opened! Odille entered, and instantly the rock closed!

Presently she heard the sound of horses' feet above her, and her father's voice calling her by name.

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My father," answered Odille, and Attich gazed around in mute surprise. Odille," cried he again, and he was seized with terror on hearing a second time the voice of his daughter issuing as if from the rock beneath him. "You persecute him who protects me," replied Odille, and she then related what had passed. Attich now recognized the will of a superior power, and swore to respect his daughter's vow, and to build for her a convent. Upon this the rock opened, and Odille came forth, arrayed in a garment of celestial light. She fell into her father's arms, and besought his blessing and forgiveness.

The rock has remained opened from that day, and in the grotto which had hidden Ödille rises a medicinal spring, possessing many virtues.

Numerous pilgrims and invalids make visits to this sainted spot, and Saint Odille and her holy life, though not recorded in the page of history, is carefully handed down by every family within her presiding district.

THE MASSACRE AT SCIO BY THE TURKS.

The following vivid description of this horrible act is taken from M. Blaquiere's History of the Greek Revolution:

"This event took place on the 23d of

April, when a fleet of fifty sail, including five of the line, anchored in the bay, and immediately began to bombard the town, while several thousand troops landed under the guns of the citadel, which also opened a heavy fire on the Greeks. It was in vain for the islanders to make any resistance: deserted by the Sanians, most of whom embarked, and sailed away, when the Turkish fleet hove in sight, they were easily overpowered, and obliged to fly. From this moment, until the last direful act, Scio, lately so great an object of admiration to strangers, presented one continued scene of horror and dismay. Having massacred every soul, whether men, women, or children, whom they found in the town, the Turks first plundered and then set fire to it, and watched the flames until not a house was left, except those of the foreign consuls. Three days had, however, been suffered to elapse before the infidels ventured to penetrate into the interior of the island, and even then their excesses were confined to the low grounds. But there was ample scope on these for gratifying their thirst for Christian blood. An eye witness, who escaped, as it were, by a miracle, thus expressed himself in a letter to a friend,

O God! what a spectacle did Scio present on this lamentable occasion: on whatever side I cast my eyes, nothing but pillage, murder, and conflagration appeared. While some were occupied in plundering the villas of rich merchants, and others setting fire to the villages, the air was rent with the mingled groans of men, women, and children, who were falling under the swords and daggers of the infidels. The only exception made during the massacre, was in favour of young women and boys, who were preserved only to be afterwards sold as slaves. Many of the former, whose husbands had been butchered, were running to and fro frantic, with torn garments and dishevelled hair, pressing their trembling infants to their breasts, and seeking death as a relief from the still greater calamities that awaited them.'

"Above forty thousand of both sexes had already either fallen victims to the sword, or been selected for sale in the Bazaars, when it occurred to the Pacha, that no time should be lost in persuading those who had fled to the more inaccessible parts of the island to lay down their arms and submit. It being impossible to effect this by force, they had recourse to a favourite expedient with

Mussulmen; that of proclaiming an amnesty. In order that no doubt should be entertained of their sincerity, the foreign consuls, more particularly those of England, France, and Austria, were called upon to guarantee the promises of the Turks: they accordingly went forth, and invited the unfortunate peasantry to give up their arms and return. Notwithstanding their long experience of Turkish perfidy, the solemn pledge given by the consuls at length prevailed, and many thousands who might have successfully resisted until succours arrived, were sacrificed: for no sooner did they descend from the heights, and give up their arms, than the infidels, totally unmindful of the proffered pardon, put them to death without mercy. The number of persons of every age and sex who became the victims of this perfidious act was estimated at seven thousand."

ARTS AND SCIENCES.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE COMPOSITION OF GOOD INK.

M. Ribaucourt, the celebrated chemist, gives the following directions for the composition of good ink :--

Take eight ounces of Aleppo galls (in coarse powder); four ounces of logwood (in thin chips); four ounces of sulphate of iron; three ounces of gum-arabie (in powder); one ounce of sulphate of copper; and one ounce of sugar-candy. Boil the galls and logwood together in twelve pounds of water for one hour, or till half the liquid has evaporated. Strain the decoction through a hair sieve, or linen cloth, and then add the other ingredients. Stir the mixture, till the whole is dissolved, more especially the gum; after which, leave it to subside for twenty-four hours. Then decant the ink, and preserve it in bottles of glass or stone ware, well corked.

Many recommend, that the sulphate of iron should be calcined to whiteness. Mr. Desormeaux, jun. an ink manufacturer in Spitalfields, has given the following in the Philosophical Magazine, as the result of much experience :---Boil four ounces of logwood about an hour in six beer quarts of water, adding boiling water from time to time; strain it while hot; and when cold add water enough to make the liquor five quarts. Into this put one pound averdup. of blue galls coarsely bruised; four ounces of sulphate of iron calcined to whiteness;

three ounces of coarse brown sugar; six ounces of gum-arabic; and a quarter of an ounce of acetate of copper, triturated with a little of the decoction to a paste, and then thoroughly mixed with the

rest.

This is to be kept in a bottle uncorked for about a fortnight, shaking it twice a-day, after which it may be poured from the dregs, and corked up for use.

Dr. Lewis uses vinegar for his menstruum; and M. Ribaucourt has sulphate of copper among his ingredients. I have found an inconvenience from the use of either, which, though it does not relate to the goodness of the ink, is sufficiently great, in their practical exhibition, to forbid their use. The acid of the vinegar acts so strongly upon the pen, that it very frequently requires mending; and the sulphate of copper has a still more unpleasant effect on the penknife. It seldom happens when a pen requires mending, that the ink is wiped very perfectly from it; and often when the nib is only to be taken off, it is done without wiping at all. Whenever this is the case, the ink immediately deposits a film of copper upon the knife, and by superior elective attraction of the sulphuric acid, a correspondent portion of the edge of the knife is dissolved, and is by this means rendered incapable of cutting till it has been again set upon the hone.

If a little sugar be added to ink, a copy of the writing may easily be taken off, by laying a sheet of thin unsized paper, damped with a sponge, on the written paper, and passing lightly over it a flat iron very moderately heated.

Inks of other colours may be made from a strong decoction of the ingredients used in dyeing, mixed with a little alum and gum-arabic. For example, a strong decoction of Brazil wood, with as much alum as it can dissolve, and a little gun, forms a good red ink. These processes consist in forming a lake, and retarding its precipitation by the gum.

CARBONIC ACID GAS. Carbonic Acid Gas is formed by the union of the vapour of burning charcoal, with the oxygen of the atmosphere, and the deadly effects which ensue from its being inhaled by the lungs are well known. It also abounds in great quantities in nature; or may be made by pouring weak oil of vitriol on common chalk; an effervescence immediately en

sues, and carbonic acid is given out. It is much heavier than atmospheric air, and for this reason occupies the lower parts of such mines, caverns, wells, &c. as afford materials for its formation. The miners call it choke-damp, and its presence is known by its immediate effect on the lungs, and the extinguishing of any candle or flame. It is very dangerous for workmen to descend wells or pits without first letting down a lighted candle or torch to detect its presence, as many instances of suffocation are on record from neglect of this precaution. The Grotto del Cano, in Naples, has been famous for ages on account of the effects of a stratuin of this air which covers its bottom. It is a cave, or hole, in the side of a mountain, near the lake Ognano, and if a dog, or other animal be thrust in, and held with its head downwards for a few seconds it is killed by inhaling this noxious fluid. Carbonic acid gas is emitted in great quantities by liquids (such as beer, vinegar, &c.) when in the state of fermentation, and on account of its great weight it occupies the apparently empty space or upper part of the vessels in which the fermenting process is going

on.

A variety of striking experiments may be made in this stratum of gas. Lighted paper, or a candle, dipped into it, is immediately extinguished; and the smoke mixing with the gas, renders its surface visible, which may be thrown into waves, by agitation, like water. In consequence of its weight, it may be lifted out in a pitcher or dish, and conveyed to any distance, or it may be drawn out of a vessel by a cock like a liquid. The effects produced by pour ing this invisible fluid from one vessel to another have a very singular appearance; if a candle or small animal, be placed in a deep pan, the former becomes extinct, and the latter expires in a few seconds after the carbonic acid gas poured in upon them, though the eye cannot distinguish any thing that is poured. It is of considerable use in promoting vegetation, and by means of forcing pumps, water is made to absorb three or four times its bulk of carbonic acid; when there is also added a small quantity of potash or soda, it makes the common soda-water of the shops, and forms thus an active remedy in hiccups, indigestion, &c.

Albumen, or the white of the egg, is remarkable for the property of rendering leather supple, and for this pur

pose a solution of white of egg in water is used by the leather-dressers. A country physician observing this, has been induced to employ it externally in cases of contraction and rigidity of the tendons, with considerable success.

AN ECDOTES.

Lord Exeter invited a large party of friends one day, among whom was the celebrated David Garrick. Mr. West, the late President of the Royal Academy, happened to be there, to whom Garrick talked respecting his art. In the course of the conversation, Mr. West asked our great actor how he liked the cartoons which were then at Hampton Court? Mr. Garrick owned that they had not struck him forcibly. Mr. West expressed considerable surprise at hearing this, observing that he vas amazed that at least the action of those pictures had not rivetted the attention of so just, so profound an actor. He instanced, particularly, that of Elimas, the sorcerer. Mr. Garrick preferred, he said, the well-known figure of Belisarius. Mr. West, upon this, requested that Mr. Garrick would indulge the company by acting a blind-man, as he was convinced nature would speak her genuine language in his acting, though he suspected his criticism. After dinner Roscius, with little preparation, assumed the walk of a blind-man. When he had advanced into the room some paces, Mr. West desired that he would suddenly stop, and not alter the direction of either his body, arms, or legs. Now, Sir, look at your attitude. Your fingers, you observe, are

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spread; your feet are in a straight direction; and, if any thing, your toes a little introverted. This unusual walk of yours is the result of natural impulse, guarding against impediments. I have further to tell you, Sir, that the attitude you are now standing in, is precisely that of Elimas the sorcerer. So accurate interpreters of nature are Raffaele and Garrick." Some time after this, Mr. Garrick, in town, invited nearly the whole party to dine with him.

West,"

Mr.

said he, "you remember our difference about the cartoons; I have studied them every day since. You threw a new light upon my mind; I have acquired another sense, and am convinced that nature and Raffaele are the same." "At least you have proved," returned the painter, "that he was the Garrick of our art."

PEYRESC.

THIS learned Frenchman was in England for a few months in 1606. He was presented to King James, who often sent for him to converse with him, and was particularly pleased with the following incident, which Peyresc related to him:--

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Peyresc was present at a dinner given by a person of some consequence in London, who had invited many men of learning and science to meet him. In the middle of the dinner, one of them, Dr. Torie, drank to Peyresc out of an immense cup, filled with strong wine, and pledged him to drink it after him. Peyresc excused himself, no less on account of the size of the cup, than on account of the liquor it contained; giving as reasons, the weakness of his stomach and his not being at all used to drink wine. The excuse, however, was not allowed, and he consented to drink after Dr. Torie, provided he might afterwards be permitted to challenge him in any liquor that he pleased. To this the company, as well as the Dector, consented Peyresc then immediately taking the bowl in his hand, drank it off boldly, all at once, and filling it again with water, he drank to Dr. Torie. The Doctor, little used to such potions, beheld him with astonishment and affright; yet, as he was not allowed to recede from his agreement, he puffed and blowed, put the cup often to his mouth, and as often took it away again, pouring out at the intervals so many verses from the Greek and Roman poets, that the day was near expended before he could get all the water down his throat, so little was he accustomed to so frigid a beverage."

The celebrated astronomer, Dr. Maskelyne, was known to be very taciturn. One day, on his return home in the Greenwich Stage, a servant girl who travelled with him, and was disposed to be very chatty, received, as usual, nothing but monosyllables. On her leaving the coach, she thus addressed the Doctor: "If you're a wise man you've been a fool for not talking; but if you are a fool, you've shown your wisdom by not exposing your folly by your tongue; and so I wish you a good morning."

LORD WILLIAM POULET.

Lord W. Poulet, though often chairman of committees of the House of Commons, was a great dunce, and could

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