EPIGRAM (Ibid.) ON A PICTURE IN THE EXHIBITION, CALLED THE DOUBTFUL SNEEZE.' paper. ("London.") EELS. Of the longevity of this fish, the following instance is recorded. John Meredith, an officer of excise, who resided in a cottage at Llanvas, Brecon, having, in the year 1781, caught a small eel, put it into a well in his garden, which is about nine feet deep, and three in diameter, but seldom contains more than two feet of water, except the neighbouring river, Usk, is swelled by floods, when it completely fills. Upon one inundation, in 1812, the eel above-mentioned appeared on the surface, and was caught in a pail, when, to use the language of Margaret Price (carrier from Brecon to Swansea), who tenanted the cottage at the time, it was as thick as her arm, and coiled -round the pail from bottom to top."" Thirty-one years it had existed in its narrow abode, to which it was again consigned, and where it may probably still continue. ("Annals of Sporting.") SHAKSPEARE's PLAY HOUSE. SIR,-You are correct in stating the GLOBE, is now partly occupied by that the site of Shakspeare's Theatre, the Brewhouse of Barclay and Perkins. Perhaps the following account of a building which formerly occupied the remaining part, may not be unacceptable to your readers. Some years after the destruction of the theatre, a meeting-house for Protestant Dissenters, occupying a space of 2000 square feet, was erected on a portion of the site. It was opened in 1672 by the Rev. T. Wadsworth who had been ejected from the living of St. Thomas Poultney, by the Bartholomew Act. After him it had numerous ministers, of the Presbyterian persuasion, till, during the time of a Mr. John Ward, (who first embraced the opinions of Arius, and afterwards of Socinus) the congregation gradually deserted the chapel, and it was closed in 1752. It was afterwards opened by a sect of Dissenters called Independents, whose first minister was a Mr. M'Kenzie. He was Succeeded by Mr. Charles Skelton, who preached here for several years; but the society declining, he resigned his charge in 1776, and the house was again closed. It appears, however, to have been still used as a chapel occasionally, for the Rev. Sir H. Trelawney preached a charity-sermon here in the year 1789. It was shortly after converted into a warehouse; and subsequently into a mill to grind bones, which, for some time, formed a conspicuous object in this neighbourhood, but was pulled down in the month of February, 1820. TRUTH. TRANS-ATLANTIC VARIETIES, OR, (Resumed from page 196.) REFINED LANGUAGE-We transeribe the annexed elegant specimen of dramatic criticism from the "New York Gazette" of the 7th September last: 46 to have performed a still greater wonder in the regions of darkness: and history furnishes innumerable instances of disease, bodily as well as mental, readily yielding to the fascinations of Music. The bite of the Tarantula produces a madness which always terminates in death, unless counteracted by the magic influence of the delectable art.. Under these considerations, the Subscriber feels it a duty to invite all, who wish to guard themselves against contagion, during the present alarms Theatrical.-A part of the company attached to the Baltimore Theatre, are playing at Washington. A critic in the Georgetown Metropolitan, is unmercifully severe on Mr Wheatley, who, it seems, undertook to play an Iago-like trick on the Bard of Avon, by playing Iago. He says, could the bard have heard him, although he has slept three hundred years, his canonized and hearsed bones, would have burst their cearments.'-ing crisis, to visit his Music Store, 29, He avers, his whole recitation was a dull monotonous bellowing, and when he attempted to contract or purse his brows, they seemed to be worked by a windlass, while his abdomen contained steam machinery, which gave a ten horse power to his tongue,' MUSIC. In the "New-York Daily Advertiser," of September 12, 1822, a music-dealer offered the following novel preventative against the pestilential fever then raging in that city : "Music can soften pain to ease, And make despair and madness please." At a time when so much alarm is excited by the prevailing epidemic, it is the duty of the Philanthropist to suggest every plausible method of preventing its approach, or ameliorating its effects. It is an axiom of the Medical Faculty, that cheerfulness and serenity of mind is a potent preyeutive of contagion; while fear, gloom, and despondency, render the nervous system susceptible of evils to which a different state of mind would afford an impenetrable barrier. And now, when "Midst filth,by heat and moisture bred, 66 Chathain-street, which is one of the most healthful and salubrious sitnations in the city. Here they may examine antidotes and remedies, of which the disciples of Hipprocrates can never boast. (Resumed of page 262.), Interesting Varieties. LONGEVITY. Certain animals, birds, and reptiles are very long-lived, though nothing can be discovered in their formation to account for the circumstance. The stag, the elephant, the eagle, the crow, the parrot, and the viper, are notorious for longevity; and in 1497, a carp of prodigious size was caught in a fish-pond in Suabia, with a ring of copper affix‹d to it, on which were engraved the e words in Latin:-"I am the first fish that was put into this pond, by the hands of Frederick 2nd, Governor of the World, 5th October, 1230;" so that it must have lived 267 years. t SCRIPTURAL MEMORANDUMS.— Verse 18, Chapter 12, of the First Book of Maccabees, will serve admirably as a motto for a seal. The 21st Verse of the 7th Chapter of Ezra, contains every letter of the alphabet. The 19th Chapter of the 2d Kings and the 37th of Isaiah, are alike; also the last Chapter of 1st Samuel, and 10th Chapter 1st Chronicles. BILE. THE sallow cheek, the sunken eye, Of health (he gravely adds), you know, I sigh compliance, with an air And strive to quell, with anxious care, The morning come, I fix my eyes And straight my gorge begins to rise- In vain the crimson-paper'd cork Then to the compound tastes I pass, TO CORRESPONDENTS. RECEIVED.-J. C., A. B., Lex,Tippo, and G. Reprints of Nos. 7, 8, and 9, are in progress. "The Stranger's Grave" in a week or two. ERRATA P. 209, col. 1, line 3, read "of history." P. 210, col. 1, 1. 45, read "wealthier lust." P. 211, col. 2. 1. 23, dele "He;" 1. 42, read "Mr. Mite." P. 214, co!. 2, 1. 24, after "1820," insert "were so rudely executed." P. 215, col. 2, 1. 32, read " 1616." 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 Mrs. Jamieson, Duke's Court, Drury Lane; King, Chancery Lane, and may be had of all Booksellers and Newmen, in Town and Country Price One Penny, OR, ORACLE OF KNOWLEDGE. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1823. "Praise us as we are tasted; allow us as we prove VOL. I. No. 29. joined with him in soliciting from a magistrate a warrant to search for some plate they pretended to have lost; but, in order not to alarm the midwife, and put her on her guard, they began their shamn search at the distance of nine or ten houses from kers. When, however, they came to her residence, she affected the utmost unconcern, desiring them not to hurry themselves, but to proceed in their task with all possible circumspection. They did so, and on coming to the privy, they put down a hook which they had brought with them on purpose, and drew up the body of a child newly destroyed They continued the search, till they had found the remains of no less than sixty-two children. The midwife was immediately apprehended and brought to trial, and being found guilty upon the fullest evidence, besides her own confession, she was condemned to die, which sentence was executed in the following horrible manner on the 28th May, 1673. A strong kind of gibbet was erected, under which a fierce fire was kinded; and the prisoner, being brought to the place, was suspended from the gibbet in a large iron cage, in which were also placed sixteen wild cats, which had been caught for the purpose. When the torment of the flames began to be unbearable, the furious animals attacked the woman, as the cause of the agony they endured. In about fifteen minutes they tore out her eyes and entrails, yet still she continued alive and sensible, imploring some charitable spectator to put her quickly to death, but no one daring to comply with her entreaties, she remained in this frightful situation for the space of thirty-five minutes, and then died in unspeakable misery. At the time of her death, twelve of the cats had expired, and the other four survived but a minute or two longer. Detestable as were the crimes of this she-monster, and justly as they merited the punishment of death, the unnecessary and lingering torments she was made to undergo, reflect disgrace upon the age and country in which they were inflicted; nor does that infernal refinement of cruelty less deserve to be execrated, which thus condemned sixteen unoffending animals to the most agonizing sufferings, without the shadow of necessity or excuse. COLONEL BLOOD. (Concluded from page 220.) UPON the total overthrow of Blood's daring scheme, his spirits failed him; and, while he remained prisoner in the Tower, he appeared not only silent and reserved, but dogged and sullen. He soon changed his temper however, when, contrary to all probability, and his own expectation, he was informed the king intended to examine him himself; this was brought about by the Duke of Buckingham, then the great favourite and first minister, who infused into his majesty, over whom he had for some time a great ascendency, a curiosity to see so extraordinary a person, whose crime, daring as it was, argued a prodigious force of mind, and made it probable, that he might be capable of inaking important discoveries. These insinuations had such an effect upon the king that he consented to what the duke desired, which in the end proved disadvantageous to them all; for it brought discredit upon the royal character, an indelible load of infamy upon the duke, and ultimately produced Blood's ruin.-Blood was no sooner acquainted that he was to be introduced to the royal presence, than he conceived immediately he stood indebted for this honour to the notion the king, or some about him, had of his intrepidity, and therefore was not at all at a loss about the part he was to act, and on the acting of which well his life depended He is allowed on all hands to have performed admirably upon this occasion; he answered whatever his majesty demanded of him clearly, and without reserve; he did not pretend to capitulate or make terms, but seemed rather pleased to throw his life into the king's hands by an open and boundless confession He took care, however, to prepossess his majesty in his favour, by various, |