read backwards, makes passable English. Take for example the following short sentences:—

Mi sana. Odioso ni mus rem. Moto ima os illud dama nam?

(I'm an ass. O so I do in summer. O Tom, am I so dull, I a mad man?) Inscription for a hospital, paraphrased from the Psalms :Acide me malo, sed non desola me, medica.

The ingenious Latin verses subjoined are reversible verbally only, not literally, and will be found to embody opposite meanings by commencing with the last word and reading backwards :

Prospicimus modo, quod durabunt tempore longo,

Fœdera, nec patriæ pax cito diffugiet.

Diffugiet cito pax patriæ, nec fœdera longo,

Tempore durabunt, quod modo prospicimus.

The following hexameter from Santa Marca Novella, Florence, refers to the sacrifice of Abel (Gen. iv. 4). Reversed, it is a pentameter, and refers to the sacrifice of Cain (iv. 3). Sacrum pingue dabo non macrum sacrificabo, Sacrificabo macrum non dabo pingue sacrum.

The subjoined distich arose from the following circumstance. A tutor, after having explained to his class one of the odes of Horace, undertook to dictate the same in hexameter verses, as an exercise (as he said). It cost him considerable trouble: he hesitated several times, and occasionally substituted other words, but finally succeeded. Some of his scholars thought he would not accomplish his task; others maintained that, having begun, it was a point of honor to complete it.

Retro mente labo, non metro continuabo;
Continuabo metro; non labo mente retro.

Addison mentions an epigram called the Witches' Prayer, that "fell into verse when it was read either backward or forward, excepting only that it cursed one way, and blessed the other."

One of the most remarkable palindromes on record is the following. Its distinguishing peculiarity is that the first letter of each successive word unites to spell the first word; the second letter of each, the second word; and so on throughout; and the same will be found precisely true on reversal.

SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS.

But the neatest and prettiest specimen that has yet appeared comes from a highly cultivated lady who was attached to the court of Queen Elizabeth. Having been banished from the court on suspicion of too great familiarity with a nobleman then high in favor, the lady adopted this device, the moon covered by a cloud, and the following palindrome for a

motto:

ABLATA AT ALBA.

(Secluded but pure.)

The merit of this kind of composition was never in any example so heightened by appropriateness and delicacy of

sentiment.

Paschasius composed the recurrent epitaph on Henry IV. :—

Arca serenum me gere regem, munere sacra,
Solem, arcas, animos, omina sacra, melos.

A very curious continuous series of palindromes was printed in Vienna in 1802. It was written in ancient Greek by a modern Greek named Ambrosius, who called it Πότημα καρκινικόν. It contains 455 lines, every one of which is a literal palindrome. A few are selected at random, as examples :

Ίσα πασι Ση τε γη, Συ ὁ Μουσηγέτης ις άπασι,

Νεαν ασω μελιφωνον, ὦ φίλε, Μωσαν αεν,

Ω λακωνικε, σε μονω τω Νομε, σε κινω καλω.

Αρετα πήγασε σε σα γη πατέρα,

Σωτηρ συ εσο, ὦ ελεε θεε λεω ος εις ρητώς.

:

The following line is expressive of the sentiments of a Roman Catholic; read backwards, of those of a Huguenot :Patrum dicta probo, nec sacris belligeraho. Belligerabo sacris, nec probo dicta patrum.

These lines, written to please a group of youthful folk, serve to show that our English tongue is as capable of being twisted into uncouth shapes as is the Latin, if any one will take the trouble:

One winter's eve, around the fire, a cozy group we sat,
Engaged, as was our custom old, in after-dinner chat;

Small-talk it was, no doubt, because the smaller folk were there,
And they, the young monpolists! absorbed the lion's share.
Conundrums, riddles, rebuses, cross-questions, puns atrocious,
Taxed all their ingenuity, till Peter the precocious-

Old head on shoulders juvenile-cried, "Now for a new task: Let's try our hand at Palindromes!" "Agreed! But first," we ask, "Pray, Peter, what are Palindromes?" The forward imp replied,

"A Palindrome 's a string of words of sense or meaning void, Which reads both ways the same: and here, with your permission, I'll cite some half a score of samples, lacking all precision (But held together by loose rhymes, to test my definition):

"A milksop, jilted by his lass, or wandering in his wits, Might murmur, 'Stiff, O dairy-man, in a myriad of fits!'

"A limner by photography dead-beat in competition,

Thus grumbled, 'No, it is opposed; art sees trade's opposition !'
"A nonsense-loving nephew might his soldier-uncle dun
With Now stop, major-general, are negro jam-pots won?'
"A supercilious grocer, if inclined that way, might snub
A child with 'But regusa store, babe, rots a sugar-tub.'

"Thy spectre, Alexander, is a fortress, cried Hephaestion.
Great A. said, 'No, it's a bar of gold, a bad log for a bastion!'
"A timid creature, fearing rodents-mice and such small fry—
'Stop, Syrian, I start at rats in airy spots,' might cry.

"A simple soul, whose wants are few, might say, with hearty zest,
'Desserts I desire not, so long no lost one rise distressed.'

"A stern Canadian parent might in earnest, not in fun,
Exclaim, 'No sot nor Ottawa law at Toronto, son!'

"A crazy dentist might declare, as something strange or new,
That 'Paget saw an Irish tooth, sir, in a waste gap!' True!
"A surly student, hating sweets, might answer with elan,
'Name tarts? no, medieval slave, I demonstrate man!'
"He who in Nature's bitters findeth sweet food every day,
'Eureka! till I pull up ill I take rue,' well might say."

Equivoque.

COPY OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY CARDINAL RICHELIEU TO THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR AT ROME.

to

First read the letter across, then double it in the middle, and read the first column. SIR,-Mons. Compigne, a Savoyard by birth, a Friar of the order of Saint Benedict, is the man who will present to you as his passport to your protection, this letter. He is one of the most discreet, the wisest and the least meddling persons that I have ever known or have had the pleasure to converse with. He has long earnestly long earnestly solicited me to write to you in his favor, and give him a suitable character, together with a letter of credence; which I have accordingly granted to his real merit, rather I must say, than to his importunity; for, believe me, Sir, his modesty is only exceeded by his worth, I should be sorry that you should be wanting in serving him on account of being misinformed of his real character; I should be afflicted if you were as some other gentlemen have been, misled on that score, who now esteem him, and those among the best of my friends; wherefore, and from no other motive I think it my duty to advertise you that you are most particularly desired, to have especial attention to all he does, to show him all the respect imaginable, nor venture to say any thing before him, that may either offend or displease him in any sort; for I may truly say, there is no man I love so much as M. Compigne, none whom I should more regret to see neglected, as no one can be more worthy to be received and trusted in decent society. Base, therefore, would it be to injure him. And I well know, that as soon as you are made sensible of his virtues, and shall become acquainted with him you you will thank me for this my advice. Courtesy obliges me to desist from saying any thing more on this subject.

will love him as I do; and then The assurance I entertain of your urging this matter to you further, or Believe me, Sir, &c.

RICHELIEU.

A LOVE-LETTER.

The reader, after perusing it, will please read it again, commencing on the first line, then the third and fifth, and so on, reading each alternate line to the end.

-The great love I have hitherto expressed for you
is false and I find my indifference towards you
-increases daily. The more I see of you, the more
you appear in my eyes an object of contempt.
-I feel myself every way disposed and determined

to hate you. Believe me, I never had an intention
-to offer you my hand. Our last conversation has
left a tedious insipidity, which has by no means
-given me the most exalted idea of your character.
Your temper would make me extremely unhappy
-and were we united, I should experience nothing but
the hatred of my parents added to the anything but
-pleasure in living with you. I have indeed a heart
to bestow, but I do not wish you to imagine it
-at your service. I could not give it to any one more
inconsistent and capricious than yourself, and less
-capable to do honor to my choice and to my family.
Yes, Miss, I hope you will be persuaded that

-I speak sincerely, and you will do me a favor

to avoid me. I shall excuse you taking the trouble
-to answer this. Your letters are always full of
impertinence, and you have not a shadow of
-wit and good sense. Adieu! adieu! believe me

so averse to you, that it is impossible for me even
-to be your most affectionate friend and humble

A young lady newly married, being obliged to show to her husband all the letters she wrote, sent the following to an intimate friend. The key is, to read the first and then every alternate line only.

-I cannot be satisfied, my dearest friend!

blest as I am in the matrimonial state, -unless I pour into your friendly bosom,

which has ever been in unison with mine, -the various sensations which swell