The History of Janus.

Not Poet like, I call on fate,
To aid, or contradict the state :
Nor do I once invoke the Muses,
To forward praises, or abuses:
But on the changing of the year
Some revolutions make appear;
And dedicate this theme of mine
To Janus, reckon'd as divine;
His lofty pedigree to follow,
Born of Creusa by Apollo.
Of no inferior man I sing,
For Janus was an ancient king:
To tell the truth, he made a feast
For any hospitable guest,

He kindly sav'd, and stood between
Great Jove and Saturn, as a screen,
And, as far as he was able,
Provided Saturn a good table:
For which repast the mighty god
Put sense and wisdom in his nod.
Without the least concern at dinner,
He could observe the fairest sinner,
Discern'd the wicked from the saint,
And knew a real face from paint!
Could, if you gave him cause to vex,
Expose the faults of either sex.

Such is the fate of all mankind,

No one can please in every mind;
Although he was renown'd by fame,
Folks thought him sometimes much to blame,

For he (said they) invented locks

And keys, for wood, or golden stocks.

His wooden ones the legs make dead,
But golden stocks affect the head.
For want of cash hath turn'd the pate
Of many a miser, small and great;
And brokers too, whene'er they fail,
The rise or fall of stocks bewail.
This is the chance, and evil luck
Of ev'ry lost 'Change Alley duck.
Now first inventing locks and keys,
Proves very useful many ways,

For they defend our friends, and selves,
From robbers, thieves, and frightful elves,
And those who property assail,

They safely keep within a gaol.

For husbandry he was renown'd, And taught to till the useless ground; Showing his people how to thrive, He made them flourish, when alive. His sense was such, 'twas said by some, Things past, things present, and to come He knew, and by his art could tell

To those that ask'd him, very well.

But what deform'd his outward graces

Was, he always wore two faces.
One face before, and one behind,
Must easily see through mankind;
And having eyes set in his poll,
His foes or friends he might controul.
Ah! had we such men now-a-days,
They'd serve as lanthorns to our chaise,
And if we travell'd in the night
Would always set the driver right.

A new edition of a very old book has just been published at Paris: it is entituled "Everlasting Prophecies, from the year 1521, to the end of the World." The Author is Joseph Justo, of Naples. The Academy of Sciences, at Paris, is said to have transmitted this little work of fiftyfour pages, to the Minister, Louvois: and, what is still more, to have found it invariably correct for the last 140 years. Of the year 1806, it is said, "Let people procure a supply of oats and commodities, for at the end of August commences a great war, which extends to many regions. The people suffer death, and great calamities. In 1807, a great quantity of snow will fall in the beginning of February; many inundations." The most important prophecy relates to the year 1811: "It will be difficult to preserve the cattle, through the severity of the winter: from that year, a peace of a whole century will be enjoyed by Christendom; bread, wine, and clothing will then be cheap."

At a late contested election at Southson, between Mr. B. E. and Mr. G. R., a waggoner belonging to the former, accosted a servant of the latter, while driving an ox team into the town:

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Well, John, I dear ze them oxen be to be rosted for your pearty to-day, beant them ?”— "Oh, yes," answered John, "and the waggon is a gwine to be steawed for yourn."

There is living at present in the parish of Donaghadee, a farmer, aged 85 years, who has enjoyed such uninterrupted health, that he never had an head-ache but once, and that was occasioned by his having drank some strong Highland whiskey. There is also another instance of longevity in the same parish: a man aged 100 years, who enjoys good health, and can walk on an average ten miles every day.

A traveller was lately boasting of the luxury of arriving at night, after a hard day's journey, to partake of the enjoyment of a well-cut ham, and the left leg of a goose. "Pray, sir, what is the peculiar luxury of a left leg?"—" Sir, to conceive its luxury, you must find that it is the only leg which is left!"

A few days since an elderly man, who professed to be stone blind, and deplorably infirm, collected a great deal of money from the charitable visitants of a church in a great provincial city. Not long after he was observed by one of his benefactors approaching, with the boy who led him, to the door of a public house, when he exclaimed: "No, this is not the house ;" and pointing to another, at a little distance, "see, that is the sign!"

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A sample of opium, the produce of Porto Santo, one of the Madeira Islands, has been received in this country. It is said to be the natural juice of a poppy, yielded by incision. Its smell is much more aromatic than the common opium. It is also free from every impurity. Trial has been made with it on a cancerous patient, who, from the long habit of using opium was thought a fit subject of comparison; but after the first dose, being taken alternately, not the least possible difference could be discovered between the Madeira and the common opium.

Justice of Peter the Great.-Miss Hambleton, a Maid of Honour to the Empress Catherine, wife to Peter the Great, had an amour, which, at, different times, produced three children. She had always pleaded sickness, but Peter, being suspicious, ordered his physician to attend her, who soon made the discovery. It also appeared, that a sense of shame had triumphed over humanity, and that the children had been put to death as soon as born. Peter enquired if the father of them was privy to the murder; the lady insisted that he was innocent, for she had always. deceived him, by pretending they were put to

nurse.

Justice now called upon the Emperor to punish the offence. The lady was much beloved by the Empress, who pleaded for her; the amour was pardonable, but not the murder. Peter sent her