the room where the company were assembled, with the staid, sober demeanour which became his sacred character, and with a slow solemn pace, which, however it might occasion his taking up more time to traverse a room, has not prevented him from making great progress in the world. Scarcely had he advanced ten steps into the saloon, when the door of it opened again, and the duchess of G-, the sister of M. de Choiseul, and whose influence with her brother was unbounded, was announced. The abbé stopped for an instant to allow the duchess to pass, and turning a little towards her, exclaimed "Ah!" The duchess walked quickly on, but nevertheless cast a look upon the abbé, who, without being in the least discomposed, proceeded very quietly to place himself at one corner of the table where dinner was served. In the dining room every one was silent, waiting for the sister of the duke to speak, when she suddenly espying the author of the interjection, which was still ringing in her ears, addressed him with " Mr. l'abbé, what was the meaning of "the Ah!' which you pronounced on my en"trance." "I, Madame la duchesse? I did not say Ah! but I said Oh!" The first time in her life the duchess was confused, and did not perceive that the abbé was only eluding the ques

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tion; and not knowing how to interpret this singular reply, remained silent. Every one however, addressed the impassible abbé; the same evening he received nine invitations, and thanks to his talent for speaking without saying a word, immediately passed for a wit.

REVEREND MR. FELTON AND HANDEL.

The Rev. Mr. Felton was a musical composer of some note in the eighteenth century, and finding that his first organ concertos were well received, he opened a subscription for a second set, and begged of Mr. Brown, the leader of his Majesty's band, to solicit Mr. Handel's permission to insert his name in the list. Brown, who had been in great favour with Handel the winter before, when he led his oratorios, remembering how civilly he had been attended by him to the door, and how carefully cautioned after being heated by a crowded room, and hard labour at the rehearsals in Brook-street, not to stir without a chair, had no doubt of his success: but on mentioning to him the Rev. Mr. Felton's request as delicately as possible, one morning when he was shaving, by telling him that he was a clergyman, who being about to publish some concertos by subscription, was extremely ambitious of the honour of his name and the acceptance of a

book, merely to grace his list without involving him in any kind of expence. Handel, putting the barber's hand aside, gets up in a fury, with his face still in a lather, and cries out with great vehemence: "Tamn your seluf, and go to der teif"fel-a barson make concerto! why he no make "sarmon?" In short, Brown seeing him in such a rage, with razors in his reach, got out of the room as fast as he could, lest he should have used them in a more barbarous way than would have been safe.

BARDSEYE ISLAND, IN WALES.

Bardseye island is about two miles in circumference and contains but few inhabitans, although it once afforded an asylum during life to twenty thousand saints, and after death, graves to as many of their bodies. Well, therefore, might it be called insula Sanctorum, the isle of saints. Dr. Fuller, however, observes, "It "would be more facile to find graves in Bard66 seye for so many saints, than to find saints for "so many graves." But, to approach the truth, let it be said, that Dubritius, archbishop of Caerleon, almost worn out with age, resigning his see to St. David, retired here, and, according to the best account, died in 612, and was interred in the spot, but in after times his body was remo

ved to Landaff. The slaughter of the monks of Bangor, in the year 607, is supposed to have contributed to the population of this island, for not only the brethren who escaped, but numbers of other pious Britons, fled thither to avoid the rage of the Saxons. The time in which the re

ligious house was founded is very uncertain; it probably was before the retreat of Dubritus, for something of that kind must have occasioned him to give the preference to the place. It seems likely to have been a seat of the Culdees or Colidei, the first religious residents of Great Britain, who sought islands and desert places in which they might in security worship the true God. It was certainly resorted to in very early times; for our accounts say that it flourished as a convent in the days of Cadwan, king of Britain, coeval with Dubritius.

MIRACULOUS CREDULIT Y.

During the season of miracles, worked by Bridget Burtock, of Cheshire, who healed al diseases by prayer, faith, and an embrocation of fasting spittle, multitudes resorted to her from all parts, and kept her salival glands in full employ. Sir John Pryce, with a high spirit of enthusiasm, wrote to this wonderful woman, to make him a visit at Newtown Hall, in order to

restore to him his third and favourite wife. The letter will best tell the foundation on which he built his strange hope, and very uncommon request.

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Purport of Sir John Pryce's letter to Mrs. Bridget Burtock, 1748. "Madam-Having re"eived information by repeated advises, both "public and private, that you have of late per"formed many wonderful cures, even where the "best physicians have failed; and that the means used appear to be very inadequate to "the effects produced; I cannot but look upon "you as an extraordinary and highly favoured 66 person. And why may not the same most " merciful God who enables you to restore sight "to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and strength "to the lame, also enable you to raise the dead "to life? Now, having lately lost a wife, whom "I most tenderly loved, my children an excellent "step-mother, and our acquaintances a very “dear and valuable friend, you will lay us all "under the highest obligations; and I earnestly "entreat you, for God Almighty's sake, that you "will put up your petitions to the throne of "Grace on our behalf, that the deceased may be "restored to us, and the late dame Eleanor Pryce be raised from the dead. If your per"sonal attendance appears to you to be neces

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