received it with delight and avidity. The monarch was soon told that there was in the camp a barbarian, who wished to know the manners and maxims of the people among whom he now was. Mithradates, on his side, wished to see this foreigner. Mimer was presented to him; and, to the great astonishment of the barbarian, the king questioned him in his own language. Mithradates, it is well known, was acquainted with all the languages of the world, and spoke them with admirable facility; and had such a wonderful memory, that he knew the name of every soldier in his numerous armies. Having learned to what country Mimer belonged, and heard him eulogize the valiant Odin and the beautiful Freya, he conceived the design of engaging the warlike Ases in his quarrel with the Romans.

Mithradates, therefore, received the barbarian with the greatest kindness; admitted him to his table; and, after having procured for him all the information which he wanted, he asked him if the name of the Romans had reached to the borders of the Caspian Sea. The Scythian assured him that he had never heard it spoken of before. "You will, perhaps, said Mithradates, but too soon know that haughty republic which seeks to subjugate the whole earth, and to become the tyrant of the universe. Your nation will know it to their cost, if they do not join with me to raise a barrier against this formidable torrent. You wish to be acquainted with our arts, our splendour, the riches which Asia once possessed! You will see only the weak remains of them! Rome has swallowed up every thing! But, come and partake with us the conquest of that which has been torn from us. Sufficiently happy in obtaining vengeance, we will cheerfully leave to you the richest portion of the spoil."

Mithradates added all that is most touching in eloquence, and most seductive in the prospect of gain, to persuade Mimer that the Scythians ought to unite with him against Rome; and Mimer departed full of that enthusiasm with which Mithradates had inspired him. He assured the Pontic monarch, that he would communicate it to his compatriots; and, above all, to their leader, Odin. The King of Pontus then informed him that there was a shorter road to Byzantium than that which he had taken. This route was by traversing the

Caspian Sea, and proceeding thence to the upper part of the Palus Meotis, where Odin might embark his troops on vessels which Mithradates pledged himself to send, and by which they would be conveyed to Byzantium.

Mimer kept his word. He faithfully, and even forcibly, related to Odin all that he had seen and heard during his journey; and he filled the soul of that prince with all the deadly hatred of the Romans which Mithradates was anxious to excite.

TO BE RESUMED.

TO THE

EDITOR OF THE POCKET MAGAZINE.

CHARACTERS.

SIR, THE following characters of some of your readers are drawn from the very life,'-as such I think they would advantageously fill a space in your Magazine.

DEMETRIUS.

THE old maiden spinster, who, after having carefully examined the work, and deposited her silver spectacles upon the work-table, pronounces in an audible voice her dislike of these new-fangled performances---and declares that, in her time, young ladies were never permitted to open a book, except the bible, and were strictly confined to their needle; but, alas! (and she closes her observations with a sigh) those good old times will never return again.

The boy of fifteen, who flies to his mamma with the intelligence that he has written out his last new poem, quite nice and fair, on purpose to send it to the magazine. My dear Mrs. ***, exclaims his kind mamma, what an amazing genius he has for poetry!-Even when he was only two years old, he was always rhyming and how he used to say, there goes the cat, after the rat! Ah! my dear ma'am, cries the accommodating friend, he is quite a Virgil for his age; but pray let me see the dear boy's poem as soon as it is inserted.

:

The languid lady, on being asked if she has perused the Pocket Magazine, declares it may be tolerable enough for aught she knows, but it is such a bore to

be always reading, (giving a dreadful yawn to prove the veracity of her assertion) that she is most horribly tired before she has finished reading---what?---a word.

The country tradesman will tell you, he don't know much of those sort of things, but his son Ned, who has been at the very best boarding-house in the whole kingdom, and has had the very best edication in the whole world, made such an elegy upon his own sweetheart, poor thing, who died, that my wife, and the old gossip he used to buy his cakes of, almost cried their eyes out when they heard him read it; but as for me, I hav'nt larning enough for those sort of things.

The pompous politician and newspaper reader informs his friends, that he has looked over the magazine, and that after the most laborious research and minute investigation, he has discovered, that it contains nothing about the miserable state of the nation, nor even the smallest account of a murder, or robbery, or burglary, or forgery, or housebreaking, or pick-pocketting, or any other interesting occurrence.

A PERSIAN DINNER.

"WHEN the concert was over, says Mr. Morier, we collected our legs under us (which, until this time, we had kept extended at our ease), to make room for the sofras or table cloths, which were now spread before us. On these were first placed trays of sweet viands, light sugared cakes, and sherbet of various descriptions. After these, dishes of plain rice were put, each before two guests: then pillaus, and after them a succession and variety, which would have sufficed ten companies of our number. On a very moderate calculation, there were two hundred dishes, exclusive of the sherbets. All these were served up in bowls and dishes of fine china, and in the bowls of sherbet were placed long spoons made of pear-tree, each of which contained about the measure of six common table spoons, and with these every guest helped himself. The Persians bent themselves down to the dishes, and ate in general most heartily and indiscriminately of every thing, sweet and sour, meat and fish, fruit and vegetables. They are very fond of ice, which they eat constantly and in great

quantities; a taste which becomes almost necessary to qualify the sweetmeats which they devour so profusely. The minister, Nasm Oallah Khan, had a bowl of common rice constantly before him, which he kept eating when the other dishes were carried away. They are equally fond of spices, and of every other stimulant, and highly recommend one of their sherbets, a composition of sugar, cinnamon, and other strong ingredients. As the envoy sat next the minister, and I next to the envoy, we very frequently shared the marks of his peculiar attention and politeness, which consisted in large handfuls of certain favourite dishes. These he tore off by main strength, and put before us; sometimes a full grasp of lamb mixed with a sauce of prunes, pistachio nuts, and raisins; at another time, a whole partridge, disguised by a rich brown sauce; and then, with the same hand, he scooped out a bit of melon, which he gave into our palms, or a great piece of omelette thickly swimming in fat ingredients. The dishes lie promiscuously before the guests, who all eat without any particular notice of one another. The silence, indeed, with which the whole is transacted, is one of the most agreeable circumstances of a Persian feast. There is no rattle of plates and knives and forks, no confusion of lacquies, no drinking of healths, no disturbance of carving, scarcely a word is spoken, and all are intent on the business before them. Their feasts are soon over; and although it appears difficult to collect such an immense number of dishes, and to take them away again without much confusion and much time, yet all is so well regulated, that every thing disappears as if by magic. The lacquies bring the dishes in long trays called conchas, which are discharged in order, and which are again taken up and carried away with equal facility. When the whole is cleared and the cloths rolled up, ewers and basins are brought in, and every one washes his hand and mouth."

AN ICELANDIC DINNER.

THE arrangement of a dinner table is attended in Iceland, says Mr. Hooker, with little trouble, and would afford no scope for the display of the elegant abilities of

an experienced English housekeeper. On the cloth was nothing but a plate, a kuife and fork, a wine-glass, and a bottle of claret for each guest, except that in the middle stood a large and handsome glass castor of sugar, with a magnificent silver top. The natives are not in the habit of drinking malt-liquor or water, nor is it customary to eat salt with their meals. The dishes are brought in singly: our first was a large turenne of soup, which is a favourite addition to the dinners of the richer people, and is made of sago, claret, and raisins, boiled so as to become almost a mucilage. We were helped to two soup-plates full of this, which we ate without knowing if any thing more was to come. No sooner, however, was the soup removed, than two large salmon, boiled and cut in slices, were brought on, and with them melted butter, looking like oil, mixed with vinegar and pepper: this, likewise, was very good, and, when we had with some difficulty cleared our plates, we hoped we had finished our dinners. Not so, for there was then introduced a turenne full of the eggs of the Cree, or great tern, boiled hard, of which a dozen were put on each of our plates: and for sauce, we had a large bason of cream, mixed with sugar, in which were four spoons, so that we all ate out of the same bowl, placed in the middle of the table. We petitioned hard to be excused from eating the whole of the eggs upon our plates, but we petitioned in vain: "You are my guests," said he, "and this is the first time you have done me the honour of a visit, therefore you must do as I would have you; in future, when you come to see me, you may do as you like." In his own excuse, he pleaded his age for not following our example, to which we could make no reply. We devoured with difficulty our eggs and cream; but had no sooner dismissed our plates, than half a sheep, well roasted, came on, with a mess of sorrel (rumex acetosa,) called by the Danes scurvy-grass, boiled, mashed, and sweetened with sugar. It was to

* In Kamtschatka, according to Kracheninnikow, when a feast is given to a person for the purpose of gaining his friendship, the master of the house eats nothing during the repast; Il a la liberte de sortir de la jourte quand il le vent; mais le convié ne le peut qu' apres qu'il s'est avoue vaincu.'