網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

better. Fresh small beer, or bottled malt liquors, likewise serve instead of eggs.

[ocr errors]

I have had no opportunity of seeing these tried, and therefore cannot vouch for their efficacy, but I believe the book is in high estimation.

I remain, Sir, your's,

I.

RECEIPTS, &c.

Copied from the "Footman's Directory."

To know whether a Bed be damp or not. AFTER the bed is warm, put a glass goblet in, between the sheets; and if the bed be damp, in a few minutes, the inside of the glass, will be wet. This is of consequence to be attended to in travelling, as many persons have laid the foundation of incurable and fatal disorders by sleeping in a damp bed."

To prevent being Bug-bitten.

"Put a sprig or two of tansey at the bed's head, or as near the pillow as the smell may be agreeable." To bring a Horse out of a Stable in case of fire. "Throw the harness, or saddle and bridle, to which he may have been accustomed over the back of a horse, and he will come out of the stable, as tractably as usual.”

To extinguish a Fire in a Chimney.

"Put a wet blanket over the whole front of the fire-place. This will stop the current of air, and 80 extinguish the flames."

To preserve Clothes from Moths, &c.

"Put cedar shavings, or clippings of Russia

leather among the drawers and shelves where the clothes are kept. Pieces of camphor will preserve. furs and woollens from moths: and lavender, roses, and flowers, and perfumes of every kind, are useful in keeping away moths and worms."

SELECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS.

HE that would be devout, must beware of indulging a habit of wandering in prayer. It is a crime which will grow upon us, and will deprive us of the blessings we pray for. Neither the innocence nor the goodness of our employments will excuse us, if they possess our hearts when we are praying to God. When our Lord bids us to "take no thought for the morrow," he intended to hinder those cares and fears which are apt to distract our devotions, and are the more unreasonable, because they never can change the state of things. Never neglect devotion if you can help it. Frequent prayer, as it is an exercise of holy thoughts, is a most natural remedy against the power of sin. Make it a law to yourself to meditate (or reflect) before you pray; as also to make certain stops, to see whether your heart goes along with your lips. Bishop Wilson.

The best way to prevent wandering in prayer is, not to let the mind wander too much at other times; but to have God always in our minds in the whole course of our lives. The Same.

Give me, O God, the spirit of true devotion, such as may give life to all my prayers, so that they may find acceptance in thy sight, for Jesus Christ's sake. The Same.

Married women should recollect that there is hardly any thing so likely to drive a husband to an alehouse, as a dismal face and a complaining tem

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

per; and that cheerfulness, patience, and goodhumour, are the chief requisites to make a man love his home.

No condition in this life is quite free from affliction of some kind: every affliction is sent by God for our good.

Sufferings belong to us in this world. Of these some persons have a larger, some a lighter share. This appointment is for wise reasons; and Christians are assured that they shall never want any necessary support under their sufferings. N. L. H.

Practice to make God thy last thought at night, when thou sleepest, and thy first thought in the morning, when thou awakest; so shall thy fancy be sanctified in the night, and thy understanding rectified in the day; so shall thy rest be peaceful, thy labour prosperous, thy life pious, and thy death glorious. Old Author.

[merged small][ocr errors]

Trial and Execution of Thurtell.-On the 6th of January the Court assembled, at Hertford, for the trial of John Thurtell, Joseph Hunt, and William Probert, charged with the murder of Mr. William Weare, on the 24th of October. This trial has excited so general an interest over the whole country, that a Newspaper account of it would now be old to most of our readers.

Probert was admitted as King's evidence,' and was therefore himself acquitted.

Thurtell and Hunt were condemned -Thurtell for actually committing the murder, was to be executed within twenty-four hours :-Hunt, who was not present, but who was an accessary, one, that is, who knew of the murder, and was engaged in contriving it, was to continue in gaol for a longer time, before the sentence should be executed; and it is understood, that, in consequence of having first given the information which led to the discovery of the dead body, and having received some encouragement from the Magistrates,

to tell what he knew, his life will be spared, and that he will be transported for life.

Thurtell was executed on Friday, January the 9th, at Hertford. An immense crowd was collected, to view the awful sight. The London Newspapers were filled with the accounts of this trial and execution, and there was an extraordinary eagerness in the public to be acquainted with every particular. We have not room to copy the accounts. The general declaration is, that the wretched man died with courage and firmness: we see, however, but little of true repentance, and but little of a wish to warn others against the dreadful practices which led by degrees to the crime of murder. What a happiness it would be, if this man's end were likely to have any effect in breaking up the wretched society of gamesters, and drunkards, and boxers, sabbath-breakers and profligates, to which, unhappily, he belonged. But we have little expectation of it. Numbers of persons, belonging to the very set, were present at the execution :-but it is to be feared that they are but little appalled by the fate of their companion. A long account of the prize fight was given in one of the very papers which contained the account of the execution! Indeed, outward judgments produce but little effect, excepting that the terror of them may, indeed, just go so far as to deter others from such crimes as would bring them to the gallows. Nothing will make men act really, and consistently, well, but a principle of religion;-or rather, to speak in a more Christian manner, the Spirit of God influencing the heart, and thereby guiding the conduct.-V.

A man of the name of Fawcett was lately sentenced, at the Old Bailey, to two years imprisonment and hard labour, for promoting a pitched battle betwixt two men, one of whom was killed in the fight. The Court gave notice that, in all future cases, their sentence would be transportation for fourteen years.-London Paper.

On the fifteenth of December, an Inquest was held before Thomas Wright, Gent. Coroner, at Home Pierrepont, on view of the body of Joseph Wood, a boatman, in the employ of Mr. William Wilson, of Cropwell Bishop, who died suddenly. It appeared that on the preceding Saturday, an altercation took place between the deceased and the men employed in working a boat belonging to Messrs. Sutton, and Co. of Shardlow, when the former began to swear in the most horrid manner; and, in the heat of passion, he fell down in his boat, and immediately expired. There was nothing in the conduct of Messrs. Sutton, and Co's men, which gave the deceased any just ground of offence. Verdict.-Died by the Visitation of God.-Nottingham Journal.

On the seventeenth of December, at West Bridgeford, an inquest was held before the same gentleman, on the body of James Park, a man in the employ of Mr. Bland, a surgeon at Newark. The deceased was sent by his master to fetch a horse from Nottingham. He was seen on the Trent Bridge, about six o'clock on the evening of Monday, in a state of intoxication, leading the horse; and about a quarter of a mile beyond the bridge, on the Grantham Road, he was seen again mounted, and at full speed. Shortly afterwards he was found lying upon the road, speechless, with his skull dreadfully fractured. He was immediately carried to Mr. Chapman's, near the Trent Bridge, where, after languishing for an hour and an half, he expired. Verdict.-Accidental death, caused by intoxication. The same.

Frost.-There are many wonders of nature which pass under our eye, ill-understood and disregarded. Nothing can be more wonderful than the effects of frost, which, in the space of a single night, stops the running stream in its course, and converts the lake into a firm plain, which man and beast may safely walk upon.-Iron, when it is heated, expands; so does water, when it is frozen, that is, they both take up more room than they did before. A bolt of iron, which passes easily into a hole when cold, will not enter when made red hot. If a bottle of water, closely corked, is permitted to freeze, the bottle will be broken for want of room for the water to expand itself. Even cannons, filled with water, and plugged up at the muzzle and touch-hole have been burst by an intense frost. This effect of frost is of great benefit to the farmer, for the hard clods of the ploughed ground are loosened and bro ken to pieces, by the swelling of the water within them, when it freezes, and thus the ground is prepared for receiving the seed in spring.-Mechanics' Magazine.

Preserving Cabbages. A London Paper gives a method of keeping cabbages through a long voyage at sea, and which may be, consequently, useful to persons on land also, who wish to keep this useful vegetable from decay. The method is, to cut the stalk about an inch from the cabbage; then to scoop out the pith from this inch of stalk without wounding the bark; then hang up the cabbages, and pour water into the hollow stalk every day: this is said to answer for cauli flowers, broccoli, and other vegetables of that kind.

To secure good produce of Cauliflowers during the Winter.Sow the seeds of the early cauliflower in a south border, in the beginning of July; and as soon as the plants come up, thin them out to twelve or fourteen inches apart, where suffer them to remain, keeping them clean, and watering them occa

« 上一頁繼續 »