THE GUILDHALL GIANTS. GIGANTIC figures of wicker-work usually formed part of the pageants anciently displayed on festive occasions in various parts of the kingdom, and it is scarcely doubtful that the stupendous figures in Guildhall, London, commonly called Goo and MAGOG, were manufactured principally for the purpose of being carried in the Lord Mayor's Show. The city archives, however, afford no trace of the period when they were originally formed. The little that is known respecting them has been carefully condensed by Mr. Hone, in his recently-published work on "Ancient Mysteries," from which we transcribe the following particulars: The statues now existing are of comparatively recent construction, according to a rare work called "The Gigantick History of the Two Famous. Giants in Guildhall, London," 1741, which says" Before the present Giants inhabited Guildhall, there were two made only of wicker-work and pasteboard, put together with great art and ingenuity; and those two terrible original Giants had the honour yearly to grace my Lord Mayor's Show, being carried in great triumph in the time of the Pageants; and when that eminent annual service was over, remounted their stations in Guildhall; till, by reason of their very great age, old Time, with the help of a number of city rats and mice, had eaten up all their entrails. The dissolution of the two old, weak, and feeble Giants, gave birth to the two present substantial and majestic Giants, who, by order, and at the city charge, were formed and fashioned. Captain Richard Saunders,* an eminent carver in King Street, Cheapside, was their father, who, after he had completely finished, clothed, and armed these his two sons, they were immediately advanced to those lofty stations in Guildhall, which they have peaceably enjoyed ever since the year 1708," To prove the validity of this statement (says Mr. Hone), I examined the city accounts, at the Chamberlain's Office, and under the head of "Ex traordinary Works," for 1707, I discovered among the sums "paid for repairing of the Guildhall and Chappell," the following entry, which confirms the relation of the historian :"To Richard Saunders, Carver, Seaventy pounds, by order of the Co'mittee for Repairing Guildhall,dated ye xthof April, 1707, for work by him done. Until the last reparation of Guildhall, in 1815, the Giants, which are now placed at the western extremity, old clock and a balcony of iron work stood opposite the entrance (with the between them), over the stairs leading 701 to the Courts of Law. When they ceeds. Mr. Hone, and placed on the were taken down in that year, profloor of the Hall, I thoroughly ex amined them. They are made of wood, and hollow within, and, from the method of joining and gluing the interior, are evidently of late construction, but they are too substantially built to have been intended to be either carried or drawn, or any way occasioned the appearance of the Men exhibited in a pageant. This perhaps in Armour, in the Annual Show, as substitutes A Trainband Captain, probably. THE SWAN THEATRE, ON BANKSIDE. HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH STAGE, SECTION 5.This was the most westerly of the theatres on Bankside, standing close to the water's edge, nearly opposite what is now called Bridge-street, Blackfriars. The pe riod of its erection is uncertain, and the performances were probably of a very inferior nature, but no particulars of them have reached the present time. In 1613 it was shut up, and we learn from an old pamphlet published in 1632, that it had then fallen into decay. It was totally demolished, with several others, by order of the Parliament at the commencement of the civil wars. The precise spot it occupied it is now difficult or impossible to determine, a complete revolu tion having taken place in the neighbourhood, during the lapse of two centuries; the buildings everywhere are modernized, and the ancient names of the streets, &c. entirely changed. Thus perish even the traces of the boasted works of man, whose most durable productions are scarcely less perishable and transitory than himself. "We build with what we deem eternal rock; A distant age asks where the fabric stood, And in the dust, sifted and searched in vain, The undiscoverable secret sleeps." The works of nature alone remain unchanged. The mighty river on the banks of which stood these Theatres, the objects of so much curious research, still rolls with undiminished grandeur past the spot; but, of those resorts of the gay and dissipated, not a vestige remains. In meditating upon these things, it is impossible to repress a sigh at the instability of man's boasted importance and earthly grandeur. Pursuing the train of reflec tion awakened thus, may we not in fancy behold the time when the sites of our present magnificent theatres and palaces will be sought for as earnestly and as fruitlessly. This just now appears very improbable, but the lapse of a few centuries has produced vicissitudes still more strange and unlooked for. The opening of Southwark Bridge, and the increased degree of traffic and speculation consequent thereupon, have mainly contributed to change the features of the neighbourhood of Bankside. In 1817, previous to the completion of the Bridge, the writer of this article, accompanied by a friend, paid a visit to the CLASSIC spot, and, by the aid of the old maps, had the satisfaction of ascertaining with precision the sites of the Globe, Rose, and Hope, theatres, which the delay of a few months would have rendered utterly impracticable, for the work of devastation has since been carried on with untiring activity; old buildings have been levelled, and ancient titles altered, and Globe-alley and Rosealley, will, doubtlesss ere long, be names unknown. We cannot conclude our notice of this neighbourhood without expressing a hope that, while places, rendered interesting by their connection with writers far less celebrated than Shakspeare, are distinguished by tablets and cenotaphs, the spot which witnessed alike the hopes and fears of our great bard's outset in life and the splendour of his meridian, will not always be suffered to remain undistinguished by some ornamental arch, or column, in commemoration of the circumstance, (Resumed at page 217.) Interesting Varieties. WESTMINSTER HALL Had formerly shops on each side, along the whole length of the building. I have a print of its interior in that state, about 1720, with books, prints, gloves, and other articles, displayed for sale in cases against the walls, and on the counters, at which people are being served; lawyers and their clients walk and converse in the middle of the hall; the judges are sitting "in open court," the courts being merely partitioned off from the body of the hall, to the height of eight or nine feet. Exeter 'Change now, except as to width, is a pretty accurate resemblance of the Westminster Hall then. ("Hone's Mysteries," p. 266) TAIL-BEARERS.-The "Golden Legend" relates that the Apostle of England, St. Austin, came once to a certain town, inhabited by wicked people, who refused hys doctrine and prechying uterly, and drof hym out of the towne, casting on hym the tayles of thorn-back, or lyke fysshes; wherefore he besought Almyghty God to shewe his jugement on them; and God sent to them shameful token, for the chyldren that were born after in the place, had tayles, as it is sayd, tyll they had repented them. It is said comynly that this fell at Strode in Kente; but, a blyssyed be God, at thys daye is no such deformyte."-(Ibid, p. 280.) CHRISTMAS CAROLS are falling into disuse, and begin to be spoken of as not belonging to this century. On the 3d Oct. 1822, at the dinner of a City Company, I heard Mr. Taylor, of Covent Garden Theatre, sing a new ballad of "good old times," when "Christmas had its Christmas Carols, And ladies' sides were hoop'd like barrels." Yet no one, that I am aware of, has hitherto attempted a collection of these fugitives, except Gilbert Davies, Esq. who has recently published Eight Ancient Christmas Carols, with the Tunes to which they were formerly sung The attachment of Carol buyers extends even to the wood-cuts by which they are sur rounded. Some of these on a sheet of Carols in 1820, that I requested the publisher, Mr. T. Batchelor, of 115, Long Alley, Moorfields, to sell me the original blocks; I was a little surprised by his telling me that he was afraid it would be impossible to get any of the same kind cut again. When I proffered to get much better engraved, and give them to him in exchange for the old ones, he said, "Yes, but better are not so good; I could get better myself, but these are old favourites, and better cuts would not please my customers so well."-(Ibid.) 66 OPIUM. The work called "The Confessions of an English Opium Eater" appears to have had an effect which the writer doubtless little anticipated. Dr. Gordon, one of the witnesses on an inquest held May 21, on the body of an apprentice to Mr. Dunniford, druggist, of Cheapside, deposed thus, "he found the deceas-. ed's stomach so impregnated with opium, that he was convinced it was the occasion of his death. The prac tice of taking Opium, he added, had considerably increased of late, in consequence of a little book having been published, which writes many extra ordinary cases. Indeed, no less than four instances had recently come within his own knowledge, of per-. sons having been brought to the verge of death by it, and on his asking the reason, replied, I had read the book, and was induced to try the experiment. In fact, almost every young man of science has been induced to purchase the book, which is of universal il tendency."-(See "M. Herald," May 22.) GINGER BEER.-This, when well made, is one of the most agreeable as well as one of the most wholesome beverages that can be imagined. The subjoined receipt for producing it in high perfection, may be found useful during the summer months:-"Take 11 oz. of Ginger, well bruised, 1 oz. of Cream of Tartar, and 1 lb. of white sugar; put these ingredients into an earthen vessel, and pour upon them a gallon of boiling water, when cold, add a table-spoon full of yeast, and let the whole stand till the next morning. Then skim it, bottle it, and keep it three days in a cool place. before you drink. Be sure to use good sound corks, and secure them with twine or wire." STANZAS, BY MRS. CORNWELL BARON WILSON. Ir for awhile my heart is lighten'd By Pleasure's sun-beam straying there; Oh, stranger! do not deem that sadness Ne'er shaded o'er my heart or brow; Nor think the faithless smile of gladness Will always gild my cheek as now! No! tho' awhile, this cheek may borrow From Pleasure's dream a brighter shade; Too oft the bosom, wakes to sorrow O'er Hope deceiv'd,o'er Love betray'd! Too oft this heart,o'er prospects blighted, The bitter tears of grief will shed; Too oft it mourns affection slighted And broken vows, and friendships fled! Then, stranger! do not trust these smiling Deceitful looks that Now I wear; The joy that seems the most beguiling, Too oft conceals a breast of care. Thou ne'er would'st guess the bitter sad ness That wrings this heart, and clouds this brain; And that these seeming smiles of gladness Are but to hide the bosom's pain! TO.... On! gone for ever are the hours All lonely now, the festive scene As winter blights the roses. REGINALD. SHAKSPEARE'S SONNETS. In the New Monthly Magazine" for May, there is an Essay on these beautiful poems, in which the writer argues that as they were not printed before 1609, and Shakspeare died in 1623, they must have been written' towards the close of his life. This, however, is a non sequitur. Though they were not PUBLISHED till 1609, they must have been WRITTEN much sooner, since they are mentioned by. Meres, in his "Wit's Treasury," 1598 "As the soule of Euphorbus (says he) was thought to liue in Pythagoras, so the sweete wittie soule of Ouid liues in mellifluous and hony-' tonged Shakespeare; witnes his Venus and Adonis,' his Lucrece,' his sugred SONNETS among his priuiate friends,' &c. The Wit's Nunchion. A POSER.-A pedantic country schoolmaster asked a sailor what was the third and half-third of tenpence. The sailor, who was illiterate, but unwilling to confess his ignorance, evaded giving an answer, by saying that he did not choose to give that knowledge for nothing, which had cost him much expense and trouble to acquire adding that he could propose a much harder question. The pedagogue, piqued at this, exclaimed, "What is that?""Why," said the tar, "if a pound of cheese cost fourpence, what will a cart-load of turnips amount to?" COLONEL COCKBURNE rose from the rank of a private to that of Commander in Chief at St. Eustatia. One morning, at a review of the garrison, he saw one of the soldiers, whose dress was much soiled, and stepping up to him, demanded, in a haughty tone, "How dare you, you rascal, appear in so dirty a state?—your shirt is as black as ink,did you ever see me in such a plight, when I was a private?" No, may it please your honour, I never did," replied the trembling culprit, but, then, to be sure, your honour's mother was a washerwoman." ARNOLD, the American traitor, dur ing some military opérations in Virginia, took prisoner one of his countrymen, After some general conver sation with the captive, he asked him what he thought the Congress would do with him, if they caught him. The American at first declined giving him an answer; but, upon being repeatedly urged, he said, "Why, sir, if you insist upon my replying to your question, you must excuse my telling you the plain truth. I believe, if my countrymen were to catch you, they would first cut off that lame leg, which was wounded in the cause of freedom and virtue,* and bury it with the honours of war; and then hang the remainder of your body upon the nearest gibbet. COBBETT AND BYRON.-The 'Southampton Luminary' prints the follow Arnold was wounded in one of his legs during an attack upon Quebec. ing Epigram as Lord Byron's, and vouches for its authenticity →→ In digging up thy bones, Tom Paine, Old Cobbett hath done well: You visit him on earth again, He'll visit you in hell. YANKEE WIT. Shortly after the independence of the American Colonies was acknowledged, a native of the United States was present at a Lon don theatre, when an interlude was performed in ridicule of his countrymen. A number of American officers being introduced, in tattered uniforms, and barefoot, the question was put to them severally, "What was your trade before you entered the army ?” One answered, "a taylor," another, "a cobbler," &c. and the aim was to banter them for not keeping themselves clothed and shod; but, before' this could be expressed, the American exclaimed from the gallery, Great Britain beaten by taylors and cobblers! Huzza!? Even the prime minister,' who was present, could not refrain from joining in the general peal of laughter which this sally called forthe BEGINNING AT THE WRONG END. A wag observing a wretched artist busily employed on a scaffold, inquired what he was doing. Why," replied he, "I am whitewashing this ceiling, which I am afterwards going to paint.""Let me recommend you," said the wag, "to reverse the process: paint it first, and whitewash it afterwards.” THE ABBE F-T, notorious for his simplicity and blunders, calling one day upon an acquaintance, whom he found indisposed, exclaimed, “How dreadfully you look to-day." But, instantly reflecting that what he had said might alarm the invalid, he added, "And yet you don't look at all worse than you always do.” TO CORRESPONDENTS. RECEIVED. Curiosus,T.G., Memnon, and George. Semel shall hear from us. ERRATA P. 207 col. 1, line 25, read "Peronne :" 1. 43, read "beef-steaks." 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