limits of the NIC-NAC, but without making any omission that could at all destroy the connection of the story, or weaken its interest. 22d. Jan. 1823. saw the necessity of destroying the flattering hope which nourished his attachment, and of forbidding his frequent visits. This determination, which I persisted in, produced a serious indisposition, during which I rendered him every possible care: but my constant refusal to indulge the passion he entertained for me, "In the year 1748, my youth, and the success with which I had appeared at the Opera and the Theatre Francais, procured me a considerable num-made his wound still deeper; and, ber of admirers, among whom were unfortunately, his brother-in-law, to several worthy and sensible charac- whom he had given a power of atters. M. de S, son of a merchant torney to receive the property he of Brittany, about thirty years of was entitled to from the sale of his age, and possessing a handsome fi- effects, left him so much in want of gure, with a cultivated understand- money, that he was compelled to ing, was one of those who made the accept such loans as I could accomdeepest impression on me. His man- modate him with. This was a deep ners evinced the education of a gen- mortification to him--You will tleman, and of one used to the best perceive, my dear Henry, the imcompany. His reserve and timidity, portance of keeping this secret in which scarce allowed him to explain your own bosom. I respect his mehimself, even by looks, made me dis- mory, and would not abandon it to tinguish him from among all my the insulting pity of mankind. Prelovers. After I had been some time serve the same religious silence, the object of his attentions, I permit- which I have now, for the first time, ted his visits at my house, and left violated, and which I have merely him no room to doubt the friendship done on account of my profound with which he had inspired me. Per esteem for you. ceiving I was of an easy and tender disposition, he was patient, trusting that time would awaken in my breast a stronger senstiment towards him than mere friendship Who can tell? Who can say what may happen?' Such were frequently his remarks; but, by answering candidly to all the questions which my prudence or my curiosity dictated, he entirely ruined his cause. Ashamed of being the son of a citizeu, he had disposed of his effects, in order to expend the produce at Paris, under a more elevated title. This displeased me. To blush for himself seemed to me to justify the disdain of others His temper was gloomy and melancholy. He was too well acquainted with men,' he would say, not to despise and shun them.' His plan was to live only for me,and that I should live for him alone;-this displeased me still more, as you may well imagine. Imight have been content to be restrained by a flowery wreath, but I could not brook being confined by a chain. From this moment, I "At length, he recovered his property, but not his health. I considered his absence from me would be to his advantage; and therefore refused to receive either his letters or his visits. "Two years and a half elapsed between the commencement of our acquaintance and his death. He entreated me to sooth, by my company, the last moments of his life. My engagements prevented me from complying with his request. He died in the presence of an old lady, who had for some time attended upon him. He then lodged upon the Rampart, near La Chaussee d'Autin, which had just begun to be built. I resided in La Rue de Bussy, near La Rue de Seine, and Abbey of St. Germain. My mother, and several of my friends, generally supped with me. My visitors were, an Intendant of the Privy Purse, whose friendship was of infinite service to me; the good Pipelet, whom you formerly knew and admired; the Roseley, one of my companions at the The theatre, a young man of respectable birth and talents. suppers of this period, though the company was small, were much more entertaining than the most expensive fetes have been for the last forty years past. It was at one of these suppers, and when I had been singing an air with which my friends expressed themselves extremely delighted, that, just as the clock struck eleven, our ears were struck with the most piercing cry I ever had heard. Its long continuance and piteous sound astonished every one. I fainted away, and was nearly a quarter of an hour insensible. call "The Intendant was amorous and jealous. When I revived, he said to me, with some degree of spleen, that the signals of my assignations were some what too noisy. I answered, that I was mistress of myself, and at liberty to receive,at all hours, whomsoever I thought proper, therefore, signals were entirely useless to me; and,' added I, that which you • one, is of too dreadful a nature to be the prelude to the soft moments dededicated to love.' My paleness, the tremor which still agitated me, the tears which flowed in spite of my efforts to restrain them, and my entreaties that my companions would remain with me part of the night, convinced them I was ignorant of the source from whence the noise had proceeded. We passed some time in fruitless conjectures as to what could have been the cause of it, and came to a resolution to set people to watch in the street, in order to ascertain it, in case it should be repeated. Every one in the house, my neighbours, the police even, heard the same sort of cry repeated under my windows at the same hour, and appearing to proceed from the air. There was no doubt of its being particularly intended for my hearing; for, though I seldom supped in town, yet, when I did, the cry was never heard ; but often, when I was cons versing with my mother and my servants upon the subject, it would burst forth in the midst of us.(Continued on page 76.) Interesting Varieties. SAGACITY OF AN ELEPHANT. SIR,-Being myself an eye-witness of the natural sagicity of the elephant, I should think the authenticity of the following anecdote is sufficiently established :— Passing the auction yard, at Calcutta, in the year 1802, I observed a very large elephant fastened by means of a rope attached to his off fore leg, and another fast to his near hind leg, which ropes were secured to strong stumps driven in the ground, having a scope of about two feet. I stood for a considerable time to observe his motions: he being much annoyed by flies, &c. drew up a quantity of small stones, and blew them from his proboscis over his back and loins, which disturbed them for a time; but he had other enemies, who had made a lodgment between his hind legs and hinder parts, who were secure from his missiles,and seemed to torment him considerably. At the distance of twelve or fourteen feet from his head there lay a quantity of boughs of trees, which he endeavoured to reach but was unable, in consequence of the shortness of the ropes; he then turned his head, and appeared to deliberate how to act; at last he rubbed his freed hind leg against the other in bordage, and contrived to slip the noose off his foot; he then turned his bulk round, and extending oue of his hind feet, drew a few boughs within reach of his trunk after selecting one that suited his purpose (a branch about seven feet in length) he placed his fore foot on the stout end, and stripped off the smaller branches with his trunk, leaving a small bough at the top; he then seized the thick end and flourished it over his buttocks and between his legs with as much address as a coachman handles his whip with four in hand, laying many of his foes dead at his feet, the rest flying in all directions; but, alas! his keeper making his appearance, and speaking in a sharp tone of reprimand, the poor animal dropt his weapon, slunk his head,and dejectedly turned to hisfor WHIMSICAL AFFAIR. FOUR Savoyard chimney-sweepers, at Toulouse, in 1761,having finished every thing in the way of their profession, and not having a penny left took a resolution to enlist for soldiers. Accordingly they received ten Louis d'ors each, but the officer thought it necessary, by way of precaution, to lock them in a kitchen with some flaggons of wine. As long as the liquor lasted, they were quiet enough, but when it was exhausted, they began to think of making their escape, and were not long in settling that point. There was a large chimney before them, which they mounted with their usual dexterity, and being fairly got to the top, they held a council, when it was unanimously resolved to go down another chimney. In going down, the first tumbled into a great fire, out of which he jumped, covered with soot, into the middle of the room, and was immediately followed by his three companions. The place happened to be a gaming house,and the company,taking these adventurers for so many devils, ran down stairs as fast as they could, leaving their money, to the amount of twelve thousand livres, behind them. This the Savoyards seized, and in an instant remounted the chimney, running over the tops of the houses, and descended again into their old apartment, just as the officer opened the door with some provisions. They offered him his money again, with a handsome profit, which he accepted, and they returned to their own country, thus enriched, and highly delighted with the adventure. W. H. WILLS. ON FROGS. AT Vienna frogs are esteemed a great delicacy: the hind legs are mostly in request, two pair of which are sold for three-halfpence. The fore legs and livers are used for soup. These animals are brought from the country, thirty or forty thousand at a time, and are sold to dealers, who ON SPIDERS. A remarkable occurrence happened once at the church of St. Eustace in Paris. The sexton of that place remarked that a particular lamp went out before the rest, and that the oil was gone, but the wick remained; he, therefore, determined to watch and see the reason of it; when he found that a very large spider came down the rope and drank the oil, An equally singular occurrence happened at a church in Milan, in 1751. Mr. Morland, of the academy of sciences, has given the following relation of it:-A great spider, which weighed two pounds, was observed drinking from one of the lamps, it was taken, and sent to the Emperor of Austria, and is now in the imperial museum at Vienna. 28. Why is a pretty woman like an Irish prisoner eating his dinner? Because she is captivating. 29. Why do most Operas resemble the caravans in which Messrs. Clementi, &c. convey their instruments about the town? Because they are mere vehicles for music. 30. Why is a lover like a crow? Because he has an attachment to carry on. (Carrion.) 31. Why is herb soup the most splendid of all soups? Because 'tis soup herb. (Superb.) 32. What word is that, which, when a letter is taken from it makes you sick? Musick. 33. What sea can you lie down in without getting wet? A-dry-attic. (Adriatic.) 34. Why is a room full of married people like an empty room? Because there is not a single person in it. 35. Why may feet be correctly styled ancient histories? Because they are leg ends. (Legends.) 36 Why is your father's mother like the tallest soldier in the Foot Guards? Because she's a grenadier. (Granny dear! FRISK. TO CORRESPONDENTS. We are sorry that a Correspondent finds himself disappointed because none of his transmissions were in cur last paper. We must inform him that it is our business to select what articles we think most novel, but we find that he has sent us several things gathered from the publications of the day, which is a plan we wish to avoid as much as possible, because we began not with a view to fill our pages with what our readers may have just before been put in possession of. We beg leave to decline admitting into our pages The Nic to our Nac," although, to do justice to the writer, we are obliged to acknowledge that the subject is novel, and the criticism full of pertinent remarks,which would,no doubt, prove extremely interesting to certain parties. The Ancient Vessel came too late to be inspected this week. G. M. D., F. Hall, and W. C. anon. Printed and Published by T WALLIS, Camden Town; and Sold by Chappell & Son, Royal Exchange Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill; Harris, Bow Street, Covent Garden Duncombe, Little Queen Street Holborn; and may be had of al Booksellers and Newsmen, in Town and Court Price One I cany, THE NIC-NAC; 66 "The stag at eve had drunk his fill "Where danced the moon on Monan's rill."-WALTER SCOTT. SIR WALTER SCOTT having indulged WILLIAM, the Conqueror of England, was, or supposed himself to be, the father of a certain William Peveril, and not wishing to let his sons' illegitimacy be a bar to his royal favour, granted him certain property and lordships in Derbyshire, and he became the erector of that Gothic fortress, which, hanging over the mouth of the Devil's Cavern, so well known to tourists, gives the name of Castleton to the adjacent village. In King John's stormy days these possessions were forfeited by one William Peveril, yet his descendants were long_distinguished by the proud title of Peverils of the Peak. In Charles the Second's time, the representative of this ancient family was Sir Geoffrey Peveril, a man who had many of the ordinary attributes of an old-fashioned country gentleman, and very few individual traits to distinguish him from the general por L |