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MISCELLANEA.

FAMILY OF SIR WALTER SCOTT.-How vain are often our most cherished hopes and ambitions! Sir Walter Scott expected-toiled-and died-to found an estate. His family was then numerous; and the Scotts of Abbotsford were, in his imagination, to rival any of the border chiefs of olden time. A long line of descendants would regard him, the poet-founder of their race, with pride and veneration. It seems certain now, that the direct succession will not continue beyond the present generation. His eldest son has no family; the second has died, in a foreign country, without issue; both his daughters are dead. Misfortune and death have lowered the crest of Abbotsford; and the halls which Sir Walter took such pride in rearing, will scarcely ever again be trod by one of his children. The only survivor is now in India. Mr. Charles Scott was of a reserved and diffident disposition, but possessed of considerable intelligence, and a fund of quiet humour, which he delighted to exercise among his private friends. He was carefully educated at Oxford, but from his unobtrusive manner and retired habits was little known, making no exertion beyond his official duties, and mixing with few but a small circle of friends and relations. (LEEDS MERCURY.)

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A PHENOMENON EXPLAINED.-Though the wit of Stella, the unhappy victim of Dean Swift's heartlessness, seems to have enjoyed an exaggerated reputation; one saying is recorded of

VOL. I.

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her which possesses exquisite humour and quaintness. The literary society of Dublin was haunted by a Reverend Clergyman, who was equally remarkable for affectation of manner and uncleanliness of person. «Pray, asked one of the company, alluding to this soapless exquisite, how is it that Dr's nails are always so dirty?»- The circumstance must arise, doubtless," said Mrs. Johnson, «from his scratching himself, w (SWIFT'S MISCELLANIES.)

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SUMMER SKAITING.-Some time age an invention was announced on the part of a Mr. Kirk, to lay down artificial ice, so as to form an extensive skaiting-hall for the summer season, in certain premises within the nursery ground of Mr. Jenkins, in the New-Road. On Monday a large party of ladies and gentlemen visited the skaiting-hall, and for the amusement of the former many of the latter figured, literally, on the surface of the saponaceous compound with which the floor is inlaid, with as much easy grace as on real ice in the parks. One of the most eminent members of the Skaiting Club declared the artificial ice equal to that of nature- not so bad as bad ice, not quite so good as good. » If the iceroom should become as common as the billiard-room in the mansions of the great, its first and most probable effect will be to bring out the ladies as accomplished skaiters on the real ice in the open air. (SPORTING MAGAZINE.)

IMPROVEMENTS IN LONDON.-It has been proposed that a better view of St. Paul's Cathedral would be obtained by the removal of a great number of houses at the West end of Cheapside. The estimated loss of property on this change would be about L 150,000.

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(SUN.)

CAPTAIN ROSS'S DISCOVERIES. Extracts from Captain Ross's despatches have been published in a parliamentary paper. South Victoria Land, which he discovered, extends in Latitude from 70 S. to 79, how much farther is unknown; and in Longitude its Eastern coast lies between 163 and 171. Its position is directly South from New Zealand, and at the distance of 1,500 geographical miles. The length of the part was fully 500 miles. It was girt with a border of ice

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many miles in breadth, which rendered it inaccessible. The passage southward was closed in Lat. 78 by a barrier of ice 150 feet high, which was traced for 300 miles east of Victoria Land. Ice-bergs were encountered in numbers, after they passed the parallel of 63, and park ice at 69. The land rose in lofty peaks from 9,000 to 12,000 feet in height, perfectly covered with eternal snow; the glaciers that descended from near the mountain summits projected many miles into the ocean, and presented a perpendicular face of lofty cliffs. » They could not reach the main land, but landed on an island, which they found to consist of volcanic rocks. On Jan. 28th, in Lat. 76, and Long. 169 E. they discovered « a magnificent volcano, emitting smoke and flame in splendid profusion, » and named it Mount Erebus. An extinct one near it was named after the other vessel, Mount Terror. At the distance of less than half a mile from the ice-cliffs which barred their progress southward, they had soundings with 318 fathoms. These cliffs, no doubt, reached the bottom; and, including the 150 feet above water, must have an elevation of 2,000 feet or thereabouts. The observations on the dip and declination induced them to place the south magnetic pole in Lat. 75, and East Long. 153; and they considered its position as well ascertained as if they had reached it, though their nearest approach to it was a point 160 miles from it, on the East coast of Victoria Land. The pole is probably within that region, though this cannot be positively affirmed, as its western boundary is unknown. The highest Latitude they reached was 78, 4. They were therefore only 12 degrees from the pole; and about 4 degrees nearer to it than Captain Weddel, the most successful of their predecessors.

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(TIMES.)

SINGULAR DEATH. - A lady arrived in Exeter last Mondayweek, bringing a female servant with her. On the day of her arrival, the latter broke a looking-glass. She became greatly alarmed at this trifling accident, covered the glass over with a hand-kerchief, and turned it to the wall, saying that she foreboded a life of trouble and misfortune; and could not dis-

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miss the subject from her mind. She said, she should never prosper in the world again. Haunted by this idea: she became sad and dejected, and went to bed on the Wednesday, two days after the accident, on account of illness. The next day she was worse. On Friday one of the most experienced of the medical gentlemen of the city was called in. He found her free from bodily pain, but suffering under a perfect prostration of strength and spirits. She continued to sink till twelve o'clock the next day, when she expired, a victim to the absurd superstition of the dreadful consequences of breaking a looking-glass.

(DEVON INDEPENDENT.)

MANNERS MAKE THE MAN. A Sea-Captain, standing up to dance at a Portsmouth ball, received a gentle hint from his fair partner that it would perhaps be better if he would put on his gloves. Oh, never mind me, Ma'am, » quoth our SeaChesterfield, I'm going to wash my hands as soon as I have done dancing."

(QUARTERLY REVIEW.)

SOMNAMBULISM. There is a man in London, who once walked so far in his sleep, that when he waked he could not find himself anywhere.

NEWSPAPERS IN CHINA.

(LITERARY GAZETTE.)

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There exists throughout China but a single Chinese newspaper, which is published at Pekin, and bears the title of King-Paou, or Messenger of the Imperial Residence. It consists of extracts of what the Emperor has examined or ordered in council. It is published daily, and the price is 8s. 4d. per annum.

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(ORIENTAL HERALD.)

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MAGNETIC DISTURBANCE AT GREENWICH. There is now circulating: a paper, printed for private distribution, or rather with a view of being spread among the scientific, entitled, On an Extraordinary Magnetic Disturbance recently observed at Greenwich. It is signed by G. B. Airy, the Astronomer Royal, and is dated, Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1841, Oct. 26. The following are the chief features of the paper. On the 25th September, 1841, a most extraordinary disturbance of the magnetic instruments was noticed in the Magnetic Observatory attached to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. The disturbed state of all the instruments attracted the attention of Mr. Glashier, chief assistant of the magnetic department, at an early hour on that day; and he immediately commenced a series of observations on all the instruments. After a time the disturbance became so small that the extraordinary observations were discontinued; but it again increased, and observations were again immediately made. But for the promptitude and judgment displayed by Mr. Glashier, the record of this disturbance, unprecedented in this magnetic Latitude, would probably have been lost. The following statement will give an idea of the magnitude of the disturbance. That within 8 minutes of time the declination-needle changed its position more than 2, degrees (having passed in both directions the range of the observing telescope, which includes that angle); that the vertical force was increased by more than 10th of its whole value, the instrument having then reached the extremity of its range; and that the horizontal force was increased by about 'oth of its whole value. (Then are given the details and figures of such results.) During the appearance

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