of the sea. A gown or a pair of shoes would have been something like a present for his poor mother; but he had said it, and he kept his word. The bit of burned wood regularly came ashore on the appointed day for as good, ay, and better than a hundred years. The day is now forgotten, and may be that is the reason why people say how Maurice Connor has stopped sending the luck-token to his mother. Poor woman, she did not live to get as much as one of them; for what through the loss of Maurice, and the fear of eating her own grandchildren, she died in three weeks after the dance-some say it was the fatigue that killed her, but whichever it was, Mrs. Connor was decently buried with her own people. Seafaring people have often heard, off the coast of Kerry, on a still night, the sound of music coming up from the water; and some, who have had good ears, could plainly distinguish Maurice Connor's voice singing these words to his pipes : "Beautiful shore, with thy spreading strand, The Gatherer. "I am but a Gatherer and disposer of other men's stuff."-Wotton. DEATH'S "RETURN" FOR 1827. OUR grave friends, the "Company of Parish Clerks," have made their annual appearance, with their black-bordered and black-lettered "Bill" of Death's fare, just to show us how " wags the world," and to furnish a paragraph for the Times and other newspapers, near what are technically called "the deaths," and in the same form as the Ale and Porter Brewers' Return for the year; if Mr. Accum be right, there is more connexion between these two "Returns" than is generally supposed. However, here is the "General Bill," with its parishes, diseases, casualties, christenings, and burials, as regular as the Lord Mayor's bill of fare on his day; while here Keeps Death his antic court. The Malthusians will rejoice to hear that the christenings exceed the burials, as heretofore, by 7,633. There is prima facie, an increase in the burials reported this year of 1,534, but the good clerks, compassionating the many thousands whose nerves such a fact would probably annihilate, explain this increase by stating that it arises principally from two years being-included in the return from St. Leonard, Shoreditch. How the return was omitted last year, we know not; but in the present bill some parishes have neglected to make a return; which is stated in a note, lest the public should imagine that neither christening nor burial took place in such parishes, which might lead some credulous people to conclude that there was neither birth nor death within their walls, and accordingly remove thence forthwith, as they would to Arcadia, could they find it. The "diseases and casualties" are indeed a sickly catalogue-not of sweets. We only give the suicides, which are 44, just to enable our readers to detect the lies of the Fench journalists, who are apt to celebrate us for this gloomy predilection. The hanging and drowning do not so much belong to our dead weight character as they would make it appear, and the joke is now too stale to be tolerated. SEASONABLE COUNSELS. IN an Almanac, dated from the CouncilRoom of a learned University and Society, are the following trite remarks:--December: "Preservation of Health.— The convivial meetings, and the heated rooms consequent upon them, are the sources of many diseases in the month. Warin clothing, temperance, and regular hours, are, therefore, essential.-January: Chilblains are prevented by promoting the circulation in the fingers and the feet by friction.-February: No person should take medicine in this month without advice.-April: The best spring physic is sulphur and cream of tartar. July: Frequently change linen, and take off flannel which has been worn next the skin. -November: The body must now be incased in flannel." We were not aware that the united labours of a "Society" were requisite to repeat what old Parr and our grandmothers told us long ago. Puff, (in the Critic,)"Really this is too much." DR. WARREN expired, saying, "there was no use in physic;" as Brutus did exclaiming, "Virtue was no more than a name." But though there may be no use in taking physic, there is a great deal in giving it. The doctor left, it is said, one hundred and fifty thousand proofs of this utility. Erratum in our last-at page 455, the Epigram should be A man of words and not of deeds, Is like a garden full of weedsand not of "seeds" as there written by our Correspondent. Printed and published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand, (near Somerset House,) and sold by all Newsmen and Booksellers. THE post-office system is justly consi. dered the proudest triumph of this commercial country; and perhaps nothing is better calculated to convey an idea of her importance than a single glance at its well-arranged details-for the most part perfected from the suggestions of the late Mr. Palmer. Its progress to perfection has, however, been gradual, as will be seen by a few references to its documents. In 1635, the king is stated to have ordered his "postmaster of England for foreign parts," to open a regular communication, by running posts between the metropolis and Edinburgh, West Chester, Holyhead, Ireland, Plymouth, Exeter, &c. In 1653-4, the post-office-revenues were farmed by the council of state and the protector at 10,000l. per annum. In 1685 they were computed at £65,000 1688... 76,318 1764... 1775. 1785. 1793. 281,535 345,321 463,753 and according to recent finance accounts, for England, the East and West Indies and America, Scotland, and Ireland, the gross produce for 1816 was 2,067,940l. -The Irish post-office returned 221,4167. which, added to the revenue of the English post-office, makes a gross total or nearly TWO AND A QUARTER MILLIONS ANNUALLY! In 1825 the post-office produced 2,268,6197. The principal office, as all our readers are aware, is in Lombard-street; but this establishment has long been found too small, and altogether inadequate to so vast an extension of business. Accord ingly, the erection of a new post-office was decided on, the chosen site being St. Martin's-le-grand, considered more centrical, and easier of approach than the old office in Lombard-street. The architect of the new building is Robert Smirke, Esq., and being now almost completed, it may be pronounced as one of the most imposing public buildings of the city." Its exterior is characterized by solidity, not unmixed with simplicity and elegance, which accord with the importance of its appropriation, and the opulence of the city which it embellishes. The basement is of granite, but the superstructure is of brick, faced with Portland stone. The principal façade is extremely elegant; the outline is noble and simple; the proportion and distribution of the parts are good, and in harmony with each other; and the general composition is chaste and grand. The portico is beautiful in itself, and has a bold and noble projection, the effect of which is skilfully heightened by the recessing of the back wall within the general line of the building. The door-way is magnificent. The order generally, and its members separately, are classical and elegant, and closely follow the antique in character as well as in proportions. The principal defect in the façade is the puerile employinent of columns at the wings. "The termination of the attic over the wings is extremely faulty, and has a most disagreeable effect when viewed in perspective. The boarding almost precludes our judging of the steps of the portico and of the plinth to the building. With regard to the former, it is to be regretted that they do not project before the portico, and allow the columns to have posed firmly and grandly on the landing, that the appearance of pedestals might have been avoided. "The front towards Cheapside is well designed and grand. The introduction of windows in the frieze is to be regretted ; but their necessity powerfully pleads their excuse. The fronts in Foster-lane and St. Ann's-lane have no architectural pretensions. The arrangement and plan of the building are excellent. The grand entrance from the portico is magnificent. It consists of a colonnade on each side, of the same order and dimensions as the columns of the portico, carried up the whole height of the building, and running directly through to Foster-lane."* It will be seen that in our anticipatory anxiety to add the new post-office to our London illustrations, we are confined to an outline of the exterior of this noble structure; but it is now fast approaching to completion, so that we hope shortly to be enabled to introduce our readers to the interior. In the meantime the annexed view will prove interesting to our country friends, and to many of our London readers, who, from various circumstances, may not be aware of the present forward state of the building. The plans for suitable approaches to the new establishment are already matured, and will doubtless contribute to the embellishment of its neighbourhood. England, being the only part where I have had an opportunity of observing it. In many of the small towns of Cumberland they have what many would call a 66 nasty dish," consisting of "scalded peas," and a hare, or some other kind of game. The peas are field peas (which are "brought to table" with the hare) and are scalded with water, with the husks on, after which a lump of butter is put in the middle, and they are picked out as they are eaten; the supper concludes with 66 Tharve Cake," a large, flat, oaten cake baked on a girdle, with (sometimes) plums in it, a further explanation of which I am unable to give. Dancing and drinking then occupy the remainder of the evening. Tar-Barrels. These are common with all their festivals, and scarce a town is without them to-night. Holly-Tree-At Brough it is called holly-night, because it was customary at this time of the year to decorate the altars with holly. There are two head inns in the town, at which the "holly" is provided alternately. Early in the morning they send out a body of husbandmen to fell a large ash tree, for although it is called holly-night, yet holly being a scarcity, ash is substituted. They then affix torches made of greased reeds to each bough of the tree, and then take it into the inn, there to remain till seven o'clock in the evening. At that hour a gun or pistol is fired, when the tree is taken out into a conve nient part of the town, where it is lighted, and after huzzaing for about half an hour, it is carried up and down the town on a man's shoulders, followed by the town band, and stopping every time they reach the cross at the top of the town; here they again salute the "holly" and fireworks are discharged. It is taken down the town again and so on till it is burnt out. The person who carries the holly on his shoulders is named "Ling," who, when it is extinguished, carries it to the middle of the town, and after another huzza, throws it among the crowd, who eagerly watch the opportunity of running away with it; for I should observe, there are two separate contending parties, and to whichever inn it is carried the victors retire to spend the evening in drinking, and very often it terminates with a merry night, a name given to all their dancing nights. The origin of the custom as I observed, is from the offerings to the altars at this season of the year, which is the more corroborated by the name given to it. W. H. H. Perhaps this is a kind of twelfth cake. WHY is a libeller in Newgate like a traveller who has caught a rheumatism at a bad inn? Because he suffers for lying in damp sheets. STORY OF CINDERELLA. (To the Editor of the Mirror.) SIR, Observing in No. 287 of your very amusing work, the MIRROR, an article ascribing the origin of the story of Cinderella to a Frenchman, about the year 1730, I am inclined to suspect that this A account cannot be strictly accurate. story so much resembling that of Cinderella is to be found in Ælian's Various His tories, that I cannot but suppose that to be the true original. See Eliani Varie Historie, lib. xiii. cap. 33, Lugduni, Bat. 1701. I state the edition, as I do not know whether other editions are divided in the same way. Twickenham. HENRY HAWKINS CURIOUS COINCIDENCE. THE LATE BISHOP HEBER AND HIS SUCCESSOR. (For the Mirror.) THE name Heber, so greatly venerated by all, signifies. in the Hebrew "tranwhich admits of a twofold consiens," struction, viz. either his "passing over" from England to India, or his transient existence in that climate, so generally fatal to Europeans. The name of Dr. James (Heber's successor in the bishopric of Calcutta) signifies "plantam tenems," which also admits of two meanings, either treading in the footsteps of Heber, or as cultivating that plant so assiduously nurtured by Heber, viz. the church in India. G. R. May Liberty's flag be most proudly unfurl'd, And, waving in triumph, envelope the world! May our friends, far and near, ev'ry comfort enjoy ; May our artisans feel not the want of employ ; May the Ladies, God bless 'em! in beauty excel, And domestic repose with their loveliness dwell. May the young, and the old, and the grave, and gay, In the precepts of virtue continue their way; May we all of us smoothly pursue our career, And replenish our glasses another New Year' JACOBUS. IN the year A. D. 1260, the Tartars, or Scythians, having conquered great part of Asia, turned their victorious arms into Persia, and quickly overthrew the Turkish kingdom, which had been there founded by Tangrolipix, in 1033. The people were wholly destroyed, except one tribe, called the Oguzzian Turks, who were ruled by a kind of petty king, named Solyman. This man, being unable to resist the dreadful force of the Tartars, fled with his followers into Amassia for refuge, where he remained until he heard that the Tartars had quitted Persia. He then made preparations for returning home; but arriving at the river Euphrates, over which there were no boats to convey him and his men, he in vain endeavoured with his horse to find a passage, and was drowned, leaving four sons, the two eldest of whom getting over the river were never heard of afterwards. Orthobules, the youngest, and father of the famous Ottoman, at length arrived in Lesser Asia, about thirty-five miles from Nice, where he maintained his ground against the Christians. At this time Aladin I. reigned in Lesser Asia; and from this prince Orthobules received such protection as enabled him and his exiled countrymen to defend themselves against all their enemies. Sultan Aladin likewise intrusted to his care the government of a province, in which official capacity Orthobules conducted himself honourably, and often rendered his benefactor useful services in the wars with the Christians and Tartars. * During the troublesome reigns of the succeeding sultans, Orthobules, being old, retired from the world, leaving to the protection of Aladin II. his son Otto By the Turks he is called Osman. man, who, possessing wonderful spirit and courage, was beloved by all his tribe, more especially by the young and enterprising. On the death of Orthobules, in 1289, young Ottoman was joyfully chosen the head of the Oguzzian Turks, who swore to him allegiance and fidelity, and honoured him with the title of Osman Beg, or Lord Osman. His activity soon displayed itself, and he seized several strong places belonging to the Christians, the sultan, who admired his valour, giving him encouragement to pursue his conquests. But it is unnecessary to enumerate here gaged previous to the establishment of his the many exploits in which he was enkingdom, as they are doubtless well known to every reader of the Turkish histories; let it suffice therefore to say, that, after Aladin's death, our brave Oguzzian commander assumed the state and style of a king, and called the name of his regal residence Despotopolis, or the city of the prince. This occurred in the year 1300, at which period the Ottoman empire may properly be said to have commenced. After a glorious life, the mighty Ottoman died, in the sixty-ninth year of his age, and twenty-seventh of his reign, about the year 1328. He is the father of a long line of kings, or sultans, and the present grand signior proudly deduces his pedigree from this renowned prince. STRATFORD-ON-AVON (For the Mirror.) STRATFORD-ON-AVON is situated near the south-west border of the county of Warwick. The name is derived from Strale, or Stret, Saxon for highway, or street, and the word ford, alluding to the passage through the Avon, parallel with the bridge. The history of the town may be traced to a period as remote as 300 years before the invasion of England by William the Conqueror. It was kept in possession by the bishops of Worcester during the Saxon era, and continued to their successors many years after the Norman invasion. About two centuries ago the town suffered considerably from the ravages of several fires. In the 36th and 37th years of the reign of Elizabeth, two dreadful fires happened, which consumed 200 houses, &c. to the value of 20,000. Specimens of the ancient mode of building may be still discovered in various parts of the town; the most curious is one adjoining the Garrick Inn, which is very much carved and ornamented. The date of 1596 is on the outside. There are numerous handsome structures in most parts of the town, which |