SIR J. COLQUHOUN'S SEAT, AT LUSS Luss is situated in the county of which glided on in that placid majesty Smollet so well describes in a beautiful little poem called "An Ode to Leven-Water," the concluding stanzas of which we transcribe. "Devolving from thy parent lake, Still on thy banks, so gaily green, THE STORY OF JANE GIL BERT, A SUPPOSED WITCH. In the West of England, during the last century, there lived (about forty miles from Exeter) a poor industrious woman, who laboured under the evil report of being an old witch. Every hog that died of the murrain, every cow that slipped her calf, and all such casual accidents, were attributed to some pranks of Goody Jane Gilbert. If a horse had the staggers, she was supposed to be in his head; nay, whenever thewind blew a little stronger than ordinary, Goody Gilbert was declared to be playing her tricks, and riding on a broom-stick in the air. These and a thousand other phan tasms, too ridiculous to recite, posBessed the pates of the common people, and of many a would-be; and ingenuity was all alive to entrap and inortify the poor old creature. Such indeed was the rage against her, that they even petitioned Mr. Williams, the parson of the parish, not to let her come to church; nay, at last, even insisted upon it. This, however, he overruled, and appropriated a nook in one of the ailes to herself, where she muttered over her prayers with as much devotion, apparently at least, as any of the congregation. The parish, thus discontented and enraged, withdrew the small pittance they had been accustomed to allow her for her support, and would have reduced her to starvation, had she not been assisted frequently by the benevolent Mr. Williams, who would kindly go and procure her some spinning work from the next market town, and was so provoked at the uncivil behaviour of the parishioners to the poor old creature, that he applied to a neighbouring justice of the peace in her behalf; but as there happened a storm the night before, which stripped a good deal of thatch off his worship's stables, that wise haberdasher of the law positively refused her any sort of relief. One afternoon, while a party were drinking tea with Mr. and Mrs. Williams, a message was brought that poor old Goody Gilbert was taken extremely ill, and they therefore all went together to see her. As they expected to find her in bed, they opened the door of her miserable hut very gently, that they might not disturb her; but when they had entered, poor Jane was spinning by a small turf fire, which might be covered with a plate. As the poor old soul was deaf, she did not hear them open the door, therefore they had an opportunity of taking a full survey of her and her place of abode, before she perceived them, and such a picture of wretchedness is seldom to be found. Her body half naked, insomuch that her withered breasts and skin appeared through many parts of her tattered garments. Her head was bound round with an old ragged blue stocking, that exposed her bald crown and her ears to view. Her hose were composed of two haybands, tied round her legs with ropeyarn. She sat in an old rickety elbow chair, and by fits dozed, and then again turned her wheel, to the motion of which her under jaw kept exact time. When Mr. Williams called aloud to her, she raised herself up, and by the support of her chair, made the best curtsey her poor feeble limbs would admit. The manner of their a little confused her, boming in had they begged her to be composed, and she soon recovered herself, and by their desire resumed her seat. Mr. Williams then enquired into the nature of her disorder, when she told him that she be lieved her illness was principally occasioned by her eating that food, pointing to an earthen pan that stood before them, composed of a little barley meal, salt, and water; adding that she seldom tasted a bit of meat, or even bread, for the last seven or eight days. At this Mr. Williams expressed surprise, and asked what had become of the victuals he had sent her the beginning of the week? After thanking him very kindly, she replied, that two fellows in the neighbourhood, whose names she mentioned, had taken it from her, and that one of them had struck her several blows. Mr. Williams was rather angry that she had not informed him of it; but she desired he would not be displeased, adding, that she was loath to be too troublesome.. Mrs. Williams, who was a worthy good-hearted lady, was greatly affected at this circumstance, and shed tears, as did also each of the party. Mrs. Williams warmed some sack whey which she had brought in her pocket, and gave it to the poor creature to drink, which she eagerly swallowed, and was so cherished by it, that she talked to them tolerably cheerfully for two hours and upwards, and enter tained them with her whole history, and the history of her time, which was frequently interrupted with the warmest expressions of gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Williams. When they expressed their surprise at her memory and good sense, she told them that she was once a gentlewoman's waiting maid, with whom she had a good education, and could even now read and write very well, if her health would permit, but that her neighbours would not suffer her to have a pen and ink, and that they had stolen her bible and spectacles. Just as they were coming away, one of them put two half crown pieces in to her hand, which she begged leave to return again, saying she should prefer a few halfpence in their stead; for the people, says she, in the neighbourhood are possessed with a notion that I can turn lead into silver and gold, but that soon afterwards it will become lead again, and therefore none of the shops will change any money for me. When they parted with the poor old creature she cried a good deal, and whispered to Mr. Williams to come again, and give her the sacrament, for that she did not think she should live long. Many other circumstances might be related of Jane Gilbert's behaviour, greatly to her credit, all of which proved she was not a witch, but a pions good Christian, unless witchcraft can be supposed to consist of wisdem, morality, and religion.-But now for the sequel of the story, in which you will find that the source from which witchcraft is reputed to spring, is poverty, age, and ignorance, and that it is impossible for a person to pass for a witch, unless she is very poor, and lives in a neighbourhood where people are void of common sense. Some time after this interview brother of Jane's died in London, who, though like a truly adopted son of care, would not part with a shilling while he lived, but at his death was obliged to leave her FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS, a large sum in those days. This getting known in her neighbourhood, immediately altered the face of Jane's affairs: she was no longer Jane Gilbert the ugly old witch, but Madam Gilbert, as she necessarily threw off her old tattered garments, and dressed comfortably and respectably. Her greatest enemies made their court to her, even the justice himself came to wish her joy; and though several hogs and horses died, and the winds blew roughly afterwards, Madam Gilbert was never supposed to have any hand in it. From hence it is plain, as before observed, that none but a woman who is very old and wretchedly poor, and lives in a neighbourhood where the It was a saying of Mr. Williams, who would sometimes be very jocose, ECONOMICAL BREWING. and had the art of making even satire agreeable, that if ever Jane deserved SIR-Meeting with the following the epithet of a witch, it was after paragraph in the Carlisle Paper, of the money had been left her; for that August 2, I feel the greatest pleasure with her five thousand pounds, she in transcribing it for your use. The did more acts of process of brewing, there explained, is charity and friendly of people of for so economical and easily to be practune within fifty miles of the place. tised, that I hope it will have saluMany hundreds knew this to be true, tary effect upon your readers; indeed, but as many who may hereafter read those who have read that excellent of it, may have some doubts of it, article on Porter, in p. 148 of the Nicthey are informed she gave bibles and Nac, will, no doubt, be glad enough common prayer books to numbers in to know that they can so easily obtain the neighbourhood, even to her igno- a wholesome and cheap beverage. rant enemies, who before could only style her the ugly old witch; and she likewise paid for the schooling of forty boys and girls. She boiled a large copper twice a week, and made dumplings for all the neighbours, who were old or ill. She lent five hundred pounds in small sums to poor tradesmen and small farms, without interest, for a certain period, and appointed trustees to take the best security they could, so that the principal might not be lost, and to remove the sums occasionally from one family to another, when the one could spare it, and another stood in need of it. She settled twenty five pounds a year on the parson of the parish, to visit and pray by them, and teach the children their catechism; and to each child that came to church to repeat their catechism, she ordered a plum cake every Sunday. Amongst her donations she did not forget her good friends, Mr. and Mrs. Williams, and gave their son and daughter five hundred pounds each, in her life time. As to her own part, she allowed herself but twenty pounds a year to live on, which, at her death, she be queathed to an old woman who attended her. And this is a woman who, while very poor and ragged, her neighbours were about to destroy for witchcraft and sorcery! But the people being now ashamed of their former beha THE art of brewing is very easy to be understood, for it is exactly similar to the process of making tea. Put a handful of malt into a teaspot; then fill it up with water, the first time rather under boiling heat. After it has stood for some time, pour off the liquor, just as you would tea, and fill up the pot with boiling water; in a similar manner pour that off, and go on filling up and pouring off till the malt in the pot is tasteless, which will be the case when all the virtue is extracted. The liquor, or malt-tea thus extracted, must then be boiled with a few hops in it, and when it becomes cool enough, that is, about blood heat, add a little yeast to ferment it, and the thing is done. This is the whole art and process of brewing, and to brew a larger quantity requires just the same mode of proceeding as it would to make a tea breakfast for a regiment of soldiers. A peck of malt and four ounces of hops will produce ten quarts of ale, better than any that can be purchased in London, and for which purpose a tea-kettle and two pan mugs are sufficient apparatus. A bushel of malt to one pound of hops, which will not cost above nine shillings, that is sixpence a gallon, or three halfpence a quart. Brewing utensils, consisting of a mashing tub and oar, a sieve, two coolers, and wicker hose, a spiggot and faucet, together with a couple of nine-gallon barrels, new from the coopers, cost me no more than 36 shillings, and with these utensils I have frequently brewed, at one time, four bushels of malt. The plan I have adopted is, from one bushel of malt to extract nine gallons of liquor, for ale, and afterwards nine gallons more for table beer, both of which will be excellent. WITCHERY & SLOW-POISON. PRINCE HENRY was suspected to have died of poison, in consequence of wearing a pair of gloves which were made him a present of, and charmed with poisonous perfume. T Lord Bacon gravely asserts, that impoisonment of particular persons by odours hath been reported to be in perfumed gloves or the like; plagues have also been raised by anointing the chinks of doors-not so much by the touch as for that it is common of rich, when they find any thing wet upon their fingers, to put it to their noses." This is apt to make us think very seriously on the subject, or rank his lordship amongst the proselytes of his day to the doctrines of improbability. James I's faith in necromancy was earried to the highest pitch of absurdity-He published many edicts against Prophets, sorcerors, feeders of evil spirits, charmers, and provokers to unlawfull love." The punishments. of the flames for sorcery and witchcraft were not discontinued until the 9th Geo. II. passed for that purpose. It is no less extraordinary than true, that the great Judge Hale was a faithful believer in the Black Art, and consequently the terror of all the old women in the country for if any were convicted before him of witchcraft, he made a conflagration of them without mercy. There is a very curious and singular tale related of this judge: Being out with a shooting party, when a scholar at Oxford, they called at a cottage for refreshment, and not having money sufficient to reward the old woman for her hospitality, young Hale, on hearing she was subject to dreadful ague fits, gave her a piece of paper curiously folded up, and on which he had written a Latin verse, as an effectual charm for her disorder. It happened that one of this family was tried before him, on the Oxford circuit, for witchcraft. On being cal led upon for her defence, she produced the identical charm which had led her ignorant neighbours to suspect her of being concerned with the devil. His confusion and astonishment may easily be conceived. The woman was acquitted, and it is said, that he ever after lamented the infatuation which had caused him to sacrifice so many innocent victims at the altar of his unaccountable credulity. The story is extracted from the MS. of a professional friend; but I think nk something to the same. purport may be found in a collection of anecdotes made by D'Israel. The following paragraph is copied from a scarce book, dated 1690, and written by J. Selden, Esq. "The law against witches does not prove there be any, but it punishes the malice of those people's lives. who use such means to take away If one should profess that, by turning his hat thrice, and crying-Buz, he could take away a 1 a man's life (though, in truth, he could do no such thing), yet this was a just law, that whosoever. should turn his hat thrice and cry Buz, with an intention to take away a man's life, shall be put to death." you s Interesting Varieties. SINGULARITIES OF THE PRODUCT OF THE SOIL, &c. f THERE are certain lands, on which, if sow broad red clover and feed it off with sheep, do what you will, it will never place an ounce of fat on a sheep's bones, and yet on on other lands, the same grass will fat them kindly. Another fact is this; there are some lands which, if sown with either grey or white peas, will turn out according to their known character, a boiling crop, or a non-boiling crop, whatever the seed sown on them may be. or If the land is boiling land, and nonboiling white or grey peas are sown, the product will invariably be toilers; |