LUDICROUS ECLAIRCISSEMENT !

SCUDERY, returning from his government of Notre Dame, with his sister, stopped one night at Point Saint Esprit, and slept in a two-bedded room. Before they went to sleep, Scudery conversed with his sister about the romance of Cyrus, which they were composing jointly. "What shall we do," says the brother, "with Prince Mazare?" "I think we must poison him," replied the sister. "No," rejoined the brother, "I think we must keep the prince alive longer, as we have some business in hand for him; and it will be in our power to kill him when we like." During this conversation between the brother and sister about the fate of prince Mazare, a merchant, who slept in another room adjoining to them, and divided only by a thin partition, had been long listening to this discourse; and assured that the parties were plotting the assassination of some prince, arose from his bed, and went immediately to a magistrate, to unfold this dark scheme. Scudery and his sister were arrested, and carried prisoners to Paris, and summoned before the court; who hearing the account of the embryo romance given by the authors, dismissed the cause with very hearty laugh.

HANDEL'S MUSIC.

Ö, art divine! exalted blessing!
Each celestial charm expressing !

CUNNINGHAM.

WHEN Handel's "Messiah" was first performed, the audience were exceedingly struck and affected by the music in general; but when that chorus struck up," For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth," they were so transported, that they all, together with the king, (who happened to be present,) started up, and remained standing till the chorus ended, and hence it became the fashion in England for the audience to stand while that part of the music is performing, Some days after the first exhibition of the same divine, oratorio, Mr. Handel came to pay his respects to Lord Kinnoul, with whom he was particularly acquainted. His lordship, as was natural, paid him some compliments on the noble entertainment he had lately given the town. "My Lord,” said Handel, "I should be sorry if I only entertained them. I wish to make them better." These two anecdotes I had from Lord Kinnoul himself. You will agree with me, that the first does great honour to Handel, to music, and to the English nation; the second tends to confirm my theory, and Sir John Hawkins' testimony, that Handel, in spite of all that has been said to the contrary, must have been a pious man.

ON THE CUSTOM OF SALUTING A PERSON WHO SNEEZES,

SIR Thomas Brown, in his Vulgar Errors, proves the custom of saluting a person who sneezes, to be of the remotest origin, from Apuleius, in his story of the fuller's wife; from Pliny, in that problem of his, "Cur sternantes salutantur." (Why are persons, sneezing, saluted?) There are reports that Tiberius, the emperor, otherwise a very sour man, would perform this rite most punctually unto others, and expect the same from others. unto himself. Coelios Rhodoginus has an example of its antiquity among the Greeks in the time of Cyrus the younger : when consulted about their retreat, it chanced that one of them sneezed; at the noise whereof the rest of the soldiery called upon Jupiter Soter. He thus. gives the epigram in English:

"Proclus with his hand his nose can never wipe,

His hand too little is his nose to gripe:

He sneezing calls not Jove; for why? he hears
Himself not sneeze, the sound's so far from's ears."

Now the ground of this ancient custom, says Brown, was probably the opinion the ancients held of sternutation, which they generally conceived to be a good sign or a bad; and so upon this motive, accordingly used a salve, or Zo ooor, as a gratulation for the one, and a deprecation for the other. Of sneezing, Aristotle sayeth, they honour it a§somewhat sacred.

MY FATHER.

WHO in my helpless infancy
Assisted oft to wait on me,

To ease my Mother's arm and knee?
My Father.

When at my Mother's breast I play,
Who would attempt, in sportive lay,
To make me turn my head away ?

My Father.

Who would not let the servant share
With Mother her nocturnal care,
But choose himself that cross to bear?
My Father.

And when at night I left the breast,
Who took me on his arm to rest,
And to his manly bosom prest?

My Father...

Who, when for pain I could not rest,.
His tender sympathy express'd,

And tried each posture for the best?

My Father..

Who join'd in all my childish plays,.
And in the pleasant summer days
Who drew me in my little chaise ?:

My Father.

Who lent his cane for me to ride,
And fix'd my little legs astride,

And smil❜d to see the horseman's pride?
My Father.

And when the cane had run its course,
And I grew tired of that resource,
Who bought this painted rocking-horse?

My Father.

By converse wise and manners kind,
Who help'd to store my opening mind
With knowledge of the useful kind ?

My Father.

Who was it, that with anxious care, Forewarn'd me of each dangerous snare, Taught how to seek for aid, and where?

My Father.

Shall I not then from day to day,
Strive that my future conduct may

Thy love and tenderness repay,

My Father?

Yes, I intend, whilst still a boy,

My hours of study so t' employ

As to be call'd thy darling joy,

My Father.