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Barbarous Etiquette observed at Russian Tables, from Dr. E. D. Clarke's Travels.

THE Curious spectacle presented at their dinners, has not a parallel in the rest of Europe. The dishes and the wines correspond in gradation with the rank and condition of the guests. Those who sit near the master of the house, are suffered to have no connection with the fare or the tenants at the lower end of the table. In barbarous times we had something like it in England, and perhaps the custom is not even now quite extinct in Wales, or in English farm houses; where all the family, from the master to the lowest menial, sit down together. The choicest dishes at the Russian table are carefully placed at the upper end, and are handed to those guests stationed near the owner of the mansion, according to the order in which they sit; afterwards, if any thing remain, it is taken gradually to the rest. Thus a degree in precedency makes all the difference between something or nothing to eat; for persons at the bottom of the table are often compelled to rest satisfied with an empty dish. It is the same with regard to the wines; the best are placed near the head of the table, but, in proportion as the guests are removed from the post of honour, the wine before them is of worse quality, until at last it degenerates into simple quass. Few things can offer more repugnance to the feelings of an Englishman, than the example of a wealthy glutton boasting of the choice wines he has set before a stranger, merely out of ostentation, while a number of brave officers and dependents are sitting by him, to whom he is unable to offer a single glass. I sometimes essayed a violation of this barbarous custom, by taking the bottle placed before me, and filling the glasses

of those below; but the offer was generally refused, through fear of giving offence by acceptance; and it was a mode of conduct which I found could not be tolerated, even by the most liberal host. Two tureens of soup usually make their appearance, as we often see them in England; but if a stranger should ask for that which is at the bottom of the table, the master of the house regards him with dismay; the rest all gaze at him with wonder; and when he tastes what he has obtained, he finds it to be a mess of dirty and abominable broth, stationed for persons who never venture to ask for soup from the upper end of the table. The number of attendants in waiting is prodigious.

In the house of young Count Orlof were not less than 500 servants; many of these sumptuously clothed, and many others in rags. It was no unusual sight to observe behind a chair, a fellow in plumes and gold lace, like a Neapolitan runningfootman, and another by his side looking like a beggar from the streets.

A droll accident befell two English gentlemen of considerable property, who were travelling for amusement in the south of Russia. They were at Nicholeaf, and being invited by the Chief Admiral to dinner, were placed, as usual, at the head of the table; when they were addressed by the wellknown title of Milords Anglois. Tired of this ill-placed distinction, they assured the Admiral they were not Lords. "Allow me to ask" said their host, "what is the rank you possess?" The lowest Russian, admitted to an Admiral's table, has a certain degree of rank; all who are in the service of the crown are noble by their profession; and Russians are unable to comprehend the title of a mere Gentleman, without some specific title being annexed. The Englishmen replied, however, that they had no other rank than that of English Gentlemen: "But your titles? you must have some titles!" No, said they, we have no title, but that of English Gentlemen. A general silence, and many sagacious looks, followed this last declaration. On the following day they presented themselves at the hour of dinner, and were taking their station as before. their surprise, they found that all the persons present, one after the other, placed themselves above them. One was a general; another a lieutenant

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a third an ensign; a fourth a police- | him in danger, endeavoured to guide officer; a fifth an army surgeon; a sixth him by the speaking trumpet, and by a secretary; and so on. All this was signs; but the darkness, the whistling very well; they consoled themselves of the winds, the noise of the waves, with the prospect of a snug party at and the great agitation of the sea, prethe bottom of the table, where they vented the captain from seeing and would be farther removed from cere- hearing; and the ship was soon thrown mony but, lo! when the dishes came upon the Pebble Bank, and struck round, a first was empty; a second about thirty fathoms below the pier. contained the sauce without the meat; At the cries of the wretches who were a third the rejected offals of the whole about to perish, Boussard, disregardcompany; at length they were com- ing all representations, and the appapelled to make a scanty meal, upon the rent impossibility of success, resolved slice of black bread before them, and to go to their relief. He ordered his a little dirty broth from a humble wife and his children, who wished to tureen, behind whose compassionate keep him back, to be led away, and veil they were happy to hide their con-binding himself to a rope, one end of fusion, at the same time being more amused than mortified, at an adventure into which they now saw they had brought themselves by their unassuming frankness. Had either of them said, as was really the case, that they were in the service of his Britannic Majesty's militia, or members of the associated volunteers of London, they would never have encountered so unfavourable a reception.

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GOUBE, in his History of the Duchy of Normandy, enumerates among the remarkable men born in the town of Dieppe, the pilot Boussard, and mentions him as follows:

which was attached to the pier, he threw himself into the middle of the waves. He approached the vessel, when a wave hurried him back, and threw him upon the bank; he was thus twenty times dashed on the pebbly beach by the waves, covered by the wreck of the ship, which the fury of the sea broke to pieces: his ardour did not slacken, a wave threw him under the vessel, and all thought him dead, when he reappeared, bearing in his arms a sailor who had been washed overboard, and whom he brought to land almost senseless. At last, after an infinity of attempts and incredible efforts, he got into the ship, and got a rope on board. Those of the crew who had strength to profit by this succour, attached themselves to it, and were drawn ashore. Boussard, thinking he had saved all on board, overwhelmed with fatigue, his body lacerated and bruised, gained with difficulty the cottage where the flag is kept; there he fainted. They gave him some assistance; he had thrown up the salt water, and was recovering his strength, when he was told they still heard groans from the ship; immediately, Boussard, escaping from those who were assisting him, ran to the sea, and threw himself in afresh; and he was so fortunate as to save one more of the passengers who was tied to the wreck, and whose weakness had prevented him from profiting by the succour furnished to his companions. Of ten men who were in the vessel, there perished but two, whose bodies were found in the morning, The king recompensed this intrepid pilot, by an annual pension of three hundred livres, independently of a present of 1000 livres."

"The pilot Boussard ought to occupy a distinguished rank among the praiseworthy men of the town of Dieppc. This brave man (a name which was given to him by the virtuous Louis XVI.) perceived on the 31st August, 1777, about nine o'clock in the evening, a ship from Rochelle, which was laden with salt, approaching the pier-heads of Dieppe, without the coasting pilot being able (after four vain attempts) to go out, to direct its entry into the port. The sea was very much agitated, and the wind very impetuous: the intrepid Boussard, seeing that the helmsman of the ship made a false manoeuvre, which put

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It is melancholy to reflect, that the world abounds with misery. Many instances of this we daily see; of many more we constantly hear; and little doubt can be entertained, that myriads in this comparatively happy country, are at this moment suffering in the deepest distress. For these calamities various causes may be assigned, which justly entitle the miserable to compassion. But it is to be regretted, that

while the hand of benevolence is diligently employed in wiping the tear of sorrow from the eye of suffering humanity, cases should occur, in which

the wretchedness that some families

endure, evidently originates in vicious propensities, and in that want of common prudence and foresight, without which domestic economy is a name destitute of meaning. The following incident will illustrate this remark.

A correspondent states to us, as an indisputable fact, that there is now living, in a large town in the west of England, a family who regularly receive from Government £300 per ann. Such however is their mode of proceeding, that every morning their bed, &c. are carried to the pawn-shop, when the wearing apparel is taken out. When evening arrives, an exchange takes place; the bed is liberated by the apparel until the morning, when the same transaction again succeeds. This mode of life has been practised for some time. “It is needless," he says, "to add, that they drink all day."

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

those truths which they have such strong inducements to disbelieve, we cannot but attribute this astonishing effect to supernatural influence.

From a letter dated Demerara, July 2d, 1819, written by the Rev. John Smith, we learn, that among the Negroes in that colony, the work of God exhibits a pleasing appearance. Several members have been added to the church during the few preceding months, and many others were then waiting for admission.

To shew the readiness of the Negroes to assist in promoting the cause of God, Mr. S. makes the following remarks.

"We have altered and repaired our chapel, though we have not made it larger, but rather smaller. It will seat about 650 people. It is a very decent and comfortable place of worship. The Negroes raised £230, towards building a new one; but as a very serious obstacle was thrown in our way, we relinquished the design, and resolved to repair the old one. Upon this occasion I was obliged to do as Moses did, when the Israelites made of the tabernacle, (Exod. xxxvi. 6.) resuch liberal offerings for the erection strain them from bringing. The Whites farthing since I have been here, either towards my support, or to defray the expense of carrying on the public worIt is true, I have not ship of God. asked them for any thing. But ought they to require asking? We have one good friend, who is a Roman Catholic; he lives about four miles from us, yet he attends our chapel sometimes. He encourages the Negroes, over whom he is placed, to read the Bible, and to attend my preaching.

have not contributed so much as one

Ir will be pleasing to all, who rejoice at the prosperity of Zion, to hear, that the cause of God flourishes among the "Easter Monday, as usual, I preachheathen, in any portion of the world. ed to the children; the juvenile conTo the pious mind it is always gratify-gregation was, I think, more numering to learn, that the truths of Chris- ous than last year, and were very tianity are embraced; but more parti- attentive. They were nearly all dresscularly so, when circumstancess, arising ed in white, boys as well as girls. from unexpected causes, concur to During my discourse, I proposed seveplace its evidence and influence in a ral questions, which some of the chilcommanding light. According to our dren answered with such a degree of common principles of reasoning, it is correctness and confidence, as would scarcely possible for a slave, who makes have surprised you. I know you a comparative estimate between his would rejoice to see them. It would own condition, and that of his master, be worth while for any Christian gento draw any conclusions in favour of tleman to come to Demerara, to see that religion by which the oppressor our sable congregations; and, in my pretends to be guided. When there- opinion, be far more rational than to fore we perceive with what cordiality travel into Egypt, to take the altitude the Negroes embrace and support of a pyramid.' No. 7.-VOL. I.

2 X

QUESTIONS TO DELTA.

Mr. Editor,

SIR, The writer who signs himself Delta, in his ingenious Philosophical Essay on Primeval Light, inserted col. 257, has, I think, fully succeeded in his attempt to rescue the philosophy of Moses from the sneers of infidelity. There is however one passage, on which I intended some time to ask him a few serious questions; but, from circumstances, I have been obliged to delay it. The writer very properly regards the sun as but an instrument in the divine hands, and as having no primitive agency the same remark might be made of every material instrument whatever; they all derive their efficiency from the will of God. The passage on which I found my questions is that which occurs No. 3, column 261, where the writer observes; I am not disposed to think, that there is any thing extravagant in supposing, that the Almighty might, if he had been so pleased, have dispensed with many of the instruments he uses, without being compelled to withhold those multiplied effects which now result from him, through their subordinate agency.' However distant this may be from the reveries of Dean Berkeley, it certainly bears a distant resemblance to his hypothesis ; and the writer seems himself perfectly aware, that he was in sight of volcanic ground, if not treading near it.

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It is well known that Berkeley denied the existence of that unknown substratum or something, which we call matter, and which is believed to be the support of those properties which are the causes of our sensations. He and his followers believe that its existence is entirely useless; since, even admitting it to exist, the divine agency must still be called in, as the only sufficient cause of all events. The admission of its existence, they say, is contrary to Newton's first rule; namely, that no more causes of natural events ought to be admitted, than such as are both true, and are sufficient for explaining appearances.* The will of God, they consider as a sufficient cause of all our sensations and perceptions, and therefore reject the existence of that insentient something, called matter, as useless. I am not a Berkeleyan; but I do think that some of the arguments by which the anti-hyloistic sys

*Kirwan's Metaphysics, vol. I, page 339.

tem is supported, deserve a candid answer. I fully agree with Delta in the passage I have selected, and shall be very glad to see an answer to my questions. The questions I propose are the following: If the Almighty could, had he been pleased, have dispensed with many of the instruments he uses, without withholding_effects, why could he not equally dispense with the whole of them? If he could, and this I think cannot be denied, is not the existence of material agents useless? And if they be useless, how can the creation of unnecessary agents be reconciled with the infinite wisdom of God, who does nothing in vain? I am, Sir, your's, respectfully,

A Remarkable Dream.

SIGMA.

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"I have known (said Mr.L-) the grace of God for nearly thirty years; but in spite of all my advice, my five sons and two daughters, all grown up, ran on in the broad road to destruction. This cost me many a prayer and tear; yet I saw no fruit of all my labour. In January last, I dreamed that the Day of Judgment was come. I saw the Judge on his great white throne; the holy angels sitting round him, in the form of a half-moon; and all nations were gathered before him. I, and my wife, were on the right hand, but I could not see my children.

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I then thought that I must go and seek them; so I went to the left hand, and found them all standing together, tearing their hair, beating their breasts, and cursing the day that ever they were born.

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As soon as they saw me, they all caught hold of me, and said, O father! we will part no more!" I said, "My dear children, I am come to try, if possible, to get you out of this dismal situation." So I took them all with me: but, when we were come within a bow-shot of the Judge, 1

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thought he cast an angry look, and vanced, we shall have no other part to said, "What do thy children with act on this earthly theatre. Seek thee now? they would not take thy the Lord while he may be found: call warning when upon earth: they shall upon him while he is near.' A not share the crown with thee. De- moment's delay, may be an irreparapart, ye cursed!" At these words Ible loss,-may prove our irretrievable awoke, bathed in sweat and tears.-A few days after this, as we were sitting all together on a Sabbath evening, I related my Dream to them: no sooner did I begin, but first one, then another, yea all of them, burst into tears: and God fastened conviction on their hearts. Five of them are now rejoi- | cing in God their Saviour: I believe God is at work with the other two; so that I doubt not, that he will give them also to my prayers."

HIBERNIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, For the Crimea and Circassia; instituted in Dublin, August, 1819.

Lord Viscount de Vesci in the Chair. P. E. Singer, Esq. introduced the business of the Meeting, by reading the translation of a Memorial, presented in February, 1819, at Moscow, from the Noble A. S. Sultan Prince Katteghery Kremghery, of Mount Caucasus, in Circassia, to the Emperor Alexander of Russia; submitting various measures for spreading Christianity among his kindred and countrymen; to which a favourable answer was returned by Prince Galitzin, minister of state, on the part of his Imperial Majesty, with a promise of protection and assistance to all Missionaries from Great Britain to the Crimea and Circassia.

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This good old saint, before he exchanged time for eternity, had the happiness of seeing the remainder of his children converted to the truth as it is in Jesus, and adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour by useful lives.-Reader, realize that awful scene, in which thou must shortly bear a part. Behold the Judge seated on his great white throne, and the whole race of Adam summoned to his tribunal. The angelic armies stand in silent suspense. The books are open- It appeared, that the Edinburgh ed. The secrets of all hearts are dis- Missionary Society had embraced this closed. The hidden things of dark- opportunity; and being fully convincness are brought to light. O the per-ed of its utility, by two years' acquaintplexity! the distraction! that must ance with the Sultan, they formed a seize the impenitent rebels, when, fund, to send out Missionaries to this speechless with guilt, and stigmatized neglected region; in which the most with infamy, they stand before all the fertile soil mourns because of iniarmies of the sky, and all the redeem-quity," for the people are "without ed of the earth! What a favour would God in the world." The Crimea was they esteem it, to hide their ashamed described as peculiarly advantageous heads in the bosom of the ocean, or for a Missionary station; and the obeven to be buried beneath the ruins jects in view immediately, are, 1st, to of the tottering world! What will send out a printing press, with Turkbecome of them in this day of severe ish type; 2d, to establish Lancaster visitation? this day of final decision? Schools; 3d, an Asylum for children, Whither betake themselves for shelter to be ransomed from Turkish captior for succour? Alas! it is all in vain; vity, as a slave-trade is carried on by it is all too late: to justify themselves, robbers on the Turkish frontiers, who is still more impossible; and to make steal the most beautiful grown-up chilany supplications, utterly unavailable. dren, and sell them in the marketReader, Behold! now is the ac- places of the Turkish towns as slaves: cepted time; behold! now is the day 4th, to send out Schoolmasters and of salvation."Missionaries, from Great Britain and Ireland; who, on their arrival, will have abundant supplies, grants of land, and powerful protection from the Russian troops.

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Haste, haste, he lies wait, he's at the door-
Insidious Death! should his strong hand arrest,
No composition sets the pris'ner free."

The dead cannot seek unto God; the living, the living alone, are possessed of this inestimable opportunity.

When once this closing scene is ad

The Sultan then addressed the Meeting;-a more extraordinary character is seldom offered to contemplation, under all the circumstances of the

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