THE labours of those most enterprising travellers, Belzoni, Burckhardt, and Buckingham, in exploring the sumptuous ruins of Egyptian grandeur, and the antiquities of that land of ancient wonders, have justly claimed the attention of all the learned and the curious in Europe. Under the idea that even a concise view of a subject so deeply interesting and important to every lover of literature and science must prove acceptable, we give on the first page of our new volume the above spirited engraving of the Top of the Great Pyramid of Geeza. The Pyramids of Egypt, however, have been so often described, and so frequently represented, that a description would here be superfluous, it is therefore for the purpose of illustrating what has not yet been done, that the engraving and description are herewith offered. The largest of these pyramids (of which there are four principal ones in the plains of Geeza,) stands on a rocky hill much higher than the plain below. It is built of stone very little harder than chalk, and was originally cased with granite; a considerable portion of this casing still VOL. IX. B remains on and near the top, but about eight feet of its extreme height at the top has been taken away or thrown down into the plain below by various travellers. The irregular platform on the top consists of about nine stones, of between four and five feet in length, and three in height and thickness. From hence the view is sublime and magnificent, some idea of which is intended to be conveyed by the accompanying sketch taken on the spot by the travellers who visited that pyramid. These celebrated ruins are now inhabited by hordes of banditti, who, from the platform, as represented in our engraving, narrowly observe the track of the caravans across the plain, and when passing the pyramid, sally forth and commence their attack of pillage and plunder. On the north side of the great pyra mid there is a narrow passage leading downwards into the body of the structure. Those who have explored this passage find within, galleries, chambers, and a noble hall, built of Theban marble, situated in the centre of the pyrain.id. 232 ROSEMARY is a small but a very odoriferous shrub; the principal use of it is to perfume chambers, and in decoctions for washing. Its botanical name is rosmarinus, so called from ros, dew, and marinus, alluding to its situation on the sea-shore. It is seen mantling the rocks of the Mediterranean in winter, with its The grey flowers glittering with dew. ancient Latin name of the bay-tree is laurus, for which it is retained by modern botanists, and along with which it now comprehends a great number of species, constituting one of the noblest genera in the whole vegetable kingdom. The origin of the word is lost in the obscurity of antiquity; and whether etymologists derive it from lavo, to wash, or from laus, praise or honour, they give us little more satisfaction in one case than the other.The Holly, or Ilex. The leaves are set about the edges with long, sharp, stiff prickles; the berries are small, round, and generally of a red colour, containing four triangular striated seeds in each. Of this tree there are several species, some variegated in the leaves, some with yellow berries, and some with white. It is found very useful as a hedge-plant. Its scarlet berries are asserted never to suffer from the severest of our winters : "Fairest blossoms drop with every blast, But the brown beauty will like hollies last." GAY. 66 The mistletoe, so famous in the history of the superstitious rites of our ancesgroweth (says Bacon) chiefly upon tors, crab-trees, apple-trees, sometimes upon hazel, and rarely upon oaks, the mistletoe whereof is counted very medicinal; it is ever green winter and summer, and beareth a white glittering berry, and it is a plant utterly differing from the plant upon which it groweth." The ancients accounted it a super-plant, who thought it to be an excrescence on the tree without seed. It was named by Pliny viscum. * Our much respected correspondent, P. T.W. must pardon us for omitting to publish this excellent article in our preceding number, but our arrangements were completed when it reached us. The Christmas festivities, however, are still celebrating, and our friend's seasonable observations are never out of season.-ED. The manner or its propagation (according to Miller) is as follows:-The mistletoethrush, which feeds upon the berries of this plant in winter, when it is ripe, doth open the seed from tree to tree; for the viscous part of the berry, which immediately surrounds the seed, doth sometimes fasten it to the outward part of the bird's beak, which, to get disengaged of, he strikes his beak at the branches of a neighbouring tree, and so leaves the seed sticking by this viscous matter to the bark, which, if it lights upon a smooth part of the tree, will fasten itself, and the following winter put out and grow." The above are the principal plants or shrubs used at the festival of Christmas, which occurs very opportunely to enliven this period of the year. Of the rosemary, it may be expedient to add, that this shrub has ever been treated with great respect for its efficacy in comforting the brain and strengthening the memory, which has made rosemary an emblem of fidelity in lovers. It was, therefore, worn at weddings and funerals, on which latter occasion it is still, in some parts of England, distributed among the company, who frequently throw the sprigs into the grave along with the corpse. This circumstance is beautifully noticed in the following stanzas by Kirke White: THE ROSEMARY. SWEET Scented flower! who art wont to bloom On January's front severe, And o'er the wintery desert drear To waft thy waste perfume! And, as I twine the mournful wreath, Come, funeral flow'r! who lov'st to dwell A sweet decaying smell, And we will sleep a pleasant sleep, And, hark! the wind-god, as he flies, Sweet flower! that requiem wild is mine The cold turf altar of the dead; My grave shall be in yon lone spot, Where, as I lie by all forgot, A dying fragrance thou wilt o'er my ashes shed. P. T. W. There is nothing to which a reflective mind is more inclined than to an interesting survey of past events. What a crowd of impressive images would fix our attention, awaken our astonishment, soften us to grief, or elevate us to joy, should this retrospection not only include the circle in which we may have individually moved, but extend to the infinite variety of circumstances, that during the years of our own remembrance have transpired on the face of the globe. From considering the various changes which have taken place on the earth, (a mere atom in the immensity of creation), we are naturally led to look upward, and contemplate with feelings of awe and reverence the works of that Being in whom there is no change, and gaze with admiration on the wonders displayed in the formation of the planetary world. Josephus observes, that longevity was bestowed upon Adam and his posterity for the express purpose of improving the sciences of geometry and astronomy; and ascribes to Seth and his posterity an extensive knowledge of the latter. The discovery of the pole star, the mariner's sure and certain guide, is attributed by the Chinese to the emperor Hong-ti, the grandson of Noah. How often do we observe at this period of the year the sun rising majestically, his beams gloriously bursting forth, and seeming to bid defiance to the approach of gloom; but ere he has attained the meridian, the gathering clouds have drawn an impenetrable veil between us and his brightness, discharging their contents with relentless tury. A few months since, and how large a portion of his cheering influence did we enjoy; now he just glides along at a trifling elevation above the horizon, casts on us a few weak and watery rays, and withdraws in such haste, that the visit appears as if it was unintended. On the 20th of the month he enters Aquarius, at 6 h. 9 min. afternoon. Mercury arrives at his greatest elongation on the 4th in 20° of Sagittarius, when he may be observed a short time before the sun ascends; he attains his aphelion on the 28th, being then in 22° Capricornus. Venus becomes stationary on the 13th in 24° Sagittarius, when she will afford a good opportunity for observation. She is in perihelio on the 15th, in the same geocentric longitude; her greatest brightness is on the 27th. Jupiter also becomes stationary on the 29th in 14° Libra, southing at 4h. 12 min. morning. There are five visible eclipses of his first satellite this month; the immersions are as follow:On the 8th, at 2 h. 12 min. 25 sec. morn. 15th,-4 h. 5 min. 49 sec. 22nd,-5 h. 59 min. 12 sec. 24th,-0 h. 27 min. 30 sec. 31st,2h. 20 min. 54 sec. Saturn still pursues a retrograde course. He is on the 1st in 2o Cancer, and on the 31st in 30o Gemini. A line extended from the centre star in the Girdle of Orion through Betelgeuse, in his right shoulder, will point out Saturn; he also forms a large triangle with Aldebaran and Capella. A line drawn from Bellatrix, in Orion's left shoulder, through Saturn, will shew the first twin Castor; the star immediately below him is Pollux, the second twin. Herschel is in conjunction with the Sun on the 14th, at 0h. 45 min. afternoon. A Comet has lately been observed in the north-west, near the horizon, situated in the constellation Ophiucus. Their approach not being exactly known, even by the most learned astronomers, they are seldom heard of till they become visible. The term is derived from the Greek Coma, a hair, by reason of their figure, which is that of a star floating in vapour, engendered in the upper regions of the air, and which causes them to appear hairy. They are sometimes observed with a long tail, a beard, sometimes like a rose, a sword, &c., according to their position with regard to the Sun. Some persons imagine that C. mets are the forerunners of great calamities or evils, as the death of some great personage, the sign of war, the destruction of armies, and various other direful events. We read of blazing stars, or comets, so far back as the year 750, and in almost every century since. The comet of the longest continuance was in the time of Nero, which was visible for six months. Most of your readers, I have no doubt, remember the very brilliant one which made its appearance in 1811, and was visible from the middle of August till the latter end of the following November; its tail was computed to be 33,000,000 of miles long. They are of different magnitudes, but the greater number are supposed to be less than the moon. PASCHE.. P. S. On the 8th of January, 1642, Galileo, the celebrated astronomer, died near Florence. He was cited before the Holy Inquisition, and forced to abjure the Copernican or true system of the world. After going through the humiliating ceremony, he stamped with his foot on the earth, saying, e pur si muove, "it moves notwithstanding." The Sketch-Book. No. XXVIII. A CHRISTMAS PARTY. BY MISS MITFORD. THE wedding of Jacob Frost and Hester Hewitt, commemorated in my last,* took place on a Monday morning; and, on the next day (Tuesday), as I was walking along the common-blown along would be the properer phrase, for it was a wind that impelled one onward like a steamengine-what should I see but the wellknown fish-cart sailing in the teeth of that raging gale, and Jacob and his old companions, the grey mare and the black sheep-dog, breasting, as well as they might, the fury of the tempest. As we neared, I caught occasional sounds of "herrings-oysters! oysters-herrings !" although the words, being as it were blown away, came scatteringly and feebly on the ear; and when we at last met, and he began in his old way to recommend, as was his wont, these oysters of a week old (note that the rogue was journeying coastwise, outward-bound), with a profusion of praises and asseverations which he never vented on them when fresh,-and when I also perceived that Jacob had doused his old garments, and that his company had doffed their bridal favours, -it became clear that our man of oysters did not intend to retire yet awhile to the landlordship of the Bell; and it was soon equally certain that the fair bride, thus deserted in the very outset of the honey; moon, intended to maintain a full and undisputed dominion over her own territories-she herself, and her whole establishment-the lame ostler, who still called her Mistress Hester-the red-haired charity girl, and the tabby cat, still remaining in full activity; whilst the very inscription of her maiden days, * See MIRROR, p. 389, vol. vill. "Hester Hewitt's home-brewed," still continued to figure above the door of that respectable hostelry. Two days after the wedding, that happy event seemed to be most comfortably forgotten by all the parties concerned the only persons who took any note of the affair being precisely those who had nothing to do with the matter; that is to say, all the gossips of the neighbourhood, male and femalewho did, it must be confessed, lift up their hands, and shake their heads, and bless themselves, and wonder what this world would come to. at On the succeeding Saturday, however, his regular day, Jacob re-appeared on the road, and, after a pretty long traffic in the village, took his way to the Bell; and, the next morning, the whole cortège, bride and bridegroom, lame ostler, redhaired lass, grey mare, and black sheepdog, adorned exactly as on the preceding Monday, made their appearance church; Jacob looking, as aforetime, very knowing-Hester, as usual, very demure. After the service there was a grand assemblage of Master Frost's acquaintances; for, between his customers and his playmates, Jacob was on intimate terms with half the parish-and many jokes were prepared on his smuggled marriage and subsequent desertion; -but he of the brown jerkin evaded them all, by handing his fair lady into the cart, lifting the poor parish girl beside her, and even lending a friendly hoist to the lame ostler: after which he drove off, with a knowing nod, in total silence; being thereunto prompted partly by his wife's intreaties, partly by a sound more powerful over his associations-an impatient neigh from the old grey mare, who, never having attended church before, had began to weary of the length of the service, and to wonder on what new course of duty she and her master were entering. By this despatch, our new-married couple certainly contrived to evade the main broadside of jokes prepared for their reception; but a few random jests, flung after them at a venture, hit notwithstanding; and one amongst them, containing an insinuation that Jacob had stolen a match to avoid keeping the wedding, touched our bridegroom, a man of mettle in his way, on the very point of honour-the more especially as it proceeded from a bluff old bachelor of his own standing-honest George Bridgwater, of the Lea-at whose hospitable gate he had discussed many a jug of ale and knoll of bacon, whilst hearing and telling the news of the country side. George Bridgwater to suspect him of stinginess -the thought was insupportable. Before he reached the Bell he had formed, and communicated to Hester, the spirited resolution of giving a splendid party in the Christmas week-a sort of wedding-feast or house-warming; consisting of smoking and cards for the old, dancing and singing for the young, and eating and drinking for all ages; and, in spite of Hester's decided disapprobation, invitations were given and preparations entered on forthwith. Sooth to say, such are the sad contradictions of poor human nature, that Mrs. Frost's displeasure, albeit a bride in the honey-moon, not only entirely failed in persuading Master Frost to change his plan, but even seemed to render him more confirmed and resolute in his purpose. Hester was a thrifty housewife; and although Jacob was apparently, after his fashion, a very gallant and affectionate husband, and although her interest had now become his-and of his own interest none had ever suspected him to be careless-yet he did certainly take a certain sly pleasure in making an attack at once on her hoards and her habits, and forcing her into a gaiety and an outlay which made the poor bride start back aghast. The full extent of Hester's misfortune in this ball, did not, however, come upon her at once. She had been accustomed to the speculating hospitality of the Christmas parties at the Swan, whose host was wont at tide times to give a supper to his customers, that is to say, to furnish the eatables thereof-the leg of mutton and turnips, the fat goose and applesauce, and the huge plum-puddings-of which light viands that meal usually consisted, on an understanding that the aforesaid customers were to pay for the drinkables therewith consumed; and, from the length of the sittings, as well as the reports current on such occasions, Hester was pretty well assured that the expenditure had been most judicious, and that the leg of mutton and trimmings had been paid for over and over. She herself being, as she expressed it, a lone woman, and apt to be put upon," had never gone farther in these matters than a cup of hyson and muffins, and a cup of hot elder-wine, to some of her cronies in the neighbourhood; but, having considerable confidence both in the extent of Jacob's connexions and their tippling propensities, as well as in that faculty of getting tipsy and making tipsy in Jacob himself, which she regarded" with one auspicious and one dropping eye," as good and bad for her trade, she had at first no very great objection to try for once the experi 66 ment of a Christmas party; nor was she so much startled at the idea of a dance -dancing, as she observed, being a mighty provoker of thirst; neither did she very greatly object to her husband's engaging old Timothy, the fiddler, to officiate for the evening, on condition of giving him as much ale as he chose to drink, although she perfectly well knew what that promise implied, Timothy's example being valuable on such an occasion. But when the dreadful truth stared her in the face, that this entertainment was to be a bona-fide treat-that not only the leg of mutton, the fat goose, and the plumpuddings, but the ale, wine, spirits and tobacco were to come out of her coffers, than party, dancing, and fiddler became nuisances past endurance, the latter above all. Old Timothy was a person of some note in our parish, known to every man, woman, and child in the place, of which, indeed, he was a native. He had been a soldier in his youth, and having had the good luck to receive a sabre wound on his skull, had been discharged from the service as infirm of mind, and passed to his parish accordingly; where he led a wandering pleasant sort of life, sometimes in one public-house, sometimes in another-tolerated, as Hester said, for his bad example, until he had run up a score that became intolerable, at which times he was turned out, with the workhouse to go to, for a pis aller, and a comfortable prospect that his good humour, his good fellowship, and his fiddle, would in process of time be missed and wanted, and that he might return to his old haunts and run up a fresh score. When half tipsy, which happened nearly every day in the week, and at all hours, he would ramble up and down the village, playing snatches of tunes at every corner, and collecting about him a never-failing audience of eight and ten year old urchins of either sex, amongst which small mob old Timothy, with his jokes, his songs, and his antics, was incredibly popular. Against Justice and Constable, treadmill and stocks, the sabre cut was a protection, although, I must candidly confess, that I do not think the crack in the crown ever made itself visible in his demeanour until a sufficient quantity of ale had gone down his throat, to account for any aberration of conduct, supposing the broadsword in question never to have approached his skull. That weapon served, however, as a most useful shield to our modern Timotheus, who, when detected in any outrageous fit of drunkenness, would immediately summon sufficient recollection to sigh and look pitiful, and put his poor, shaking, withered hand to the seam |