walked about as the Pacha, then approached her, and congratulated her on her restored health. On the third day he was enabled to play his part without shaking; he therefore thought he might do a little more, and undertake something yet more difficult. He wished to appear quite at his ease, and very polite; and he resolved on offering her pure refreshments. He practised with a glass of water on a plate: at first it rattled sadly in his trembling hand; but he at last overcame this weakness, and was even able to act his part quite easily, so that no mortal would be able to say that they saw him tremble. Ali Pacha, of Janina, now felt himself sufficiently courageous to go to the masquerade, in spite of his anxieties. Poetry. [In Original Poetry, the Name, real or assumed, of the Author, is printed in Small Capitals under the title; in Selections, it is printed in Italics at the end.] THE ANCIENT MANSION,1 To part is painful; nay, to bid adieu That fine old seat, with all those oaks around, As something sacred dwelt in that delicious ground. There, with its tenantry about, reside A genuine English race, the country's pride; That flow'd through generations brave and good ; Is ours!" our house, our land, our walks, our trees!" But still he fears the time is just at hand, When he no more shall in that presence stand; To serve no being in the world beside. (1) See Engraving, p. 321. "He has enough," he says, with many a sigh, Alas! I see a change, And standing where his genius bade them stand; Some true admirer of the time's reform, Who strips an ancient dwelling like a storm; Strips it of all its dignity and grace, To put his own dear fancies in their place. He hates concealment: all that was enclosed By venerable wood is now exposed; And a few stripling elms and oaks appear, As thus my spleen upon the view I fed, "Come, lead me, lassie, to the shade, The lass replied: "The trees are fled; And I would taste the healing spring, "Or, lassic, lead me to the west, Where grow the elm trees thick and tall, "The rooks are shot, the trees are fell'd, To Comfort's Home, the ancient inn, "Alas! that mine should be the fate Some As an instance of the adaptation between the force of gravity and forces which exist in the vegetable world, we may take the positions of flowers. flowers grow with the hollow of their cups upwards; others "hang the pensive head," and turn the opening downwards. The positions in these cases depend upon the length and flexibility of the stalk which supports the flower, or, in the case of the euphorbia, the germen. It is clear that a very slight alteration in the force of gravity, or in the stiffness of the stalk, would entirely alter the position of the flower-cups, and thus make the continuation of the species impossible. We have, therefore, here a little mechanical contrivance, which would have been frustrated, if the proper intensity of gravity had not been assumed in the reckoning. An earth, greater or smaller, denser or rarer, than the one on which we live, would require a change in the structure and strength of the footstalks of all the little flowers that hang their heads under our hedges. There is something curious in thus considering the whole mass of the earth, from pole to pole, and from circumference to centre, as employed in keeping a snowdrop in the po sition most suited to the promotion of its vegetable health. Whewell. STITCHES IN A SHIRT. THE following singular calculation of the number of stitches in a plain shirt has been made by a sempstress in Leicester:-Stitching the collar, four rows, 3,000; sewing the ends, 500; button-holes, and sewing on buttons, 150; sewing the collar and gathering the neck, 1,204; stitching wristbands, 1,228; sewing the ends, 68; button-holes, 148; hemming the slits, 264; gathering the sleeves, 840; setting on wrist-bands, 1,468; stitching on shoulder straps, three rows each, 1,880; hemming the bosom, 393; sewing the sleeves, 2,554; setting in sleeves and gussets, 3,050; tapping the sleeves, 1,526; sewing the seams, 848; setting sidegussets in, 424; hemming the bottom, 1,104-Total number of stitches, 20,649. THE ROUND TOWERS OF IRELAND. THE Christian origin of the Round Towers of Ireland has been warmly advocated by several writers, and at various periods; the opinions as to their uses having been-1. That they were anchorite towers. 2. That they were penitential prisons. 3. That they were belfries. 4. That they were keeps, or monastic treasurehouses. 5. That they were watch-towers, and beacons. The last three theories, not taken separately, as originally advanced by different writers, but united into one, and grounded on the most careful investigations, form the theory now put forth by Mr. Petrie, and of which he gives the following interesting account: "The towers have been all subjected to a careful examination, and their peculiarities accurately noticed; while our ancient records, and every other probable source of information, have been searched for such facts, or notices, as might contribute to throw light upon their history. I have even gone further; I have examined, for the purpose of comparison with the towers, not only all the vestiges of early Christian architecture remaining in Ireland, but also those of monuments of known or probable Pagan origin. The results, I trust, will be found satisfactory, and will suffice to establish, 66 Secondly, that they were designed to answer at least a twofold use, namely, to serve as belfries, and as keeps, or places of strength, in which the sacred utensils, books, relics, and other valuables, were deposited, and into which the ecclesiastics, to whom they belonged, could retire for security, in cases of sudden predatory attack. "Thirdly, that they were, probably, also used, when occasion required, as beacons, and watch-towers." In support of the first conclusion, namely, that the towers are of Christian origin, Mr. Petrie states, that they are never found unconnected with ancient ecclesiastical foundations. This is not alone sufficient evidence of their Christian origin; for, as it has been reasonably remarked, it might be stated conversely, that the churches were built contiguous to the towers, in accordance with the well-known disposition of the early Christians to accommodate their worship to that of their Pagan proselytes; amongst many evidences of which, was the eager appropriation of heathen temples, and places consecrated to their gods, to Christian uses. But the architectural styles of the round towers are found, by Mr. Petrie, to exhibit no features or peculiarities not equally found in the original churches with which they are locally connected, when such remain. And here the author endeavours to show, by most elaborate and extended research, that the Irish erected churches and cells of stone, without cement, at the very earliest period after the introduction of Christianity into the country; and he thinks they could not possibly have remained ignorant of the use of lime cement in their religious edifices after the immigration of that crowd of foreign ecclesiastics, Egyptian, Roman, Italian, French, British, and Saxon, who flocked to Ireland, as a place of refuge, in the fifth and sixth centuries. He then considers the remains of the existing churches themselves, which are, indeed, of high interest, and, as figured in his work, carry an undoubting conviction to the mind of very remote age. The ancient quadrangular doorways, the sides inclining inwards towards the top, and covered with a horizontal lintel composed of a single stone, are found almost universally in the primitive churches of Ireland. Yet there are some examples of doorways, apparently of nearly equal age, having the semicircular arch. The windows in these ancient churches are always of a single light, and are extremely simple in their forms. Frequently they are triangularheaded, two large stones being inclined to form the head, and, in none of them, of whatever form, does there appear to be any provision for the reception of sashes, or glass. It would be interesting, though beside our purpose in this brief notice, to follow Mr. Petrie through several of his valuable notices of the ancient churches of Ireland; but, referring our readers to his valuable work for abundant information, we can only give a general idea of the simplicity of these edifices, by noticing that called Tempull Ceannanach, on the Middle Island of Aran, in the Bay of Galway. This little church, wanting in nothing but its stone roof, measures on the inside sixteen feet six inches in length, and twelve feet six inches in breadth; and its walls, which are three feet in thickness, are built in a style quite Cyclopean, the stones being throughout of great size, and one of them not less than eighteen feet in length, which is the entire external breadth of the church, and three feet in thickness. In the extreme simplicity of these churches, their dimly-lighted nave, their total absence of everything which could distract the worshipper's attention, our author rightly judges that there is "an expression of fitness to their purpose, too often wanting in modern temples of the highest pretensions." Some of the features found in these ancient churches are likewise to be found in the round towers, while, in no one building in Ireland assigned to pagan times, have been found either the form or features of these towers, or, indeed, any characteristics that would imply sufficient skill in the architects to construct such edifices. It is also a fact that on several of the round towers Christian emblems are observable, while others display in their details a style of architecture universally acknowledged to belong to Christian times. The evidence adduced on these subjects must be examined and weighed by those who would come to a decision on this interesting point; and, if found satisfactory, there will scarcely be much difficulty in agreeing to the reasonableness of the uses assigned to the round towers. Their construction was well adapted to the double purpose of belfries and castles; and, when it is considered that the former kind of building is known to have existed from a very early period in connexion with the cathedral and abbey churches of Ireland, and that no other building suited to the purpose of a belfry has ever been found in connexion with any church of an age anterior to the twelfth century (except a square belfry attached to a church in an island of Lough Ree), there is much reason to think that in these towers we have the belfries in question. It is also well known that the round towers are considered as belfries by the people of Ireland, whose traditions favour the supposition, and who even use the towers as bell-towers in many parts of the country at the present day. The opinion that the round towers were fortresses as well as belfries, rests much on some of the peculiarities found almost universally in their construction, particularly on their small doorways, placed at such a height from the ground. The most ancient military towers in Britain, subsequent to Roman times, are invariably of the same lofty and circular form, having their doorways small, and considerably elevated from the ground. That the round towers were designed as places of security, in addition to their other uses, may also be inferred from the fact, that many of their remaining doorways exhibit evidences of their having been provided with double doors. Mr. Petrie has found good reason to infer that some of the round towers were existing in the seventh century, but he is disposed to assign the great majority to the ninth and tenth centuries, while he is persuaded that some were erected as late as the twelfth, of which their architectural characteristics seem to afford proof. The respective ages of these towers, as determined by a close examination of their architecture, and a comparison of each with the ancient churches, whose dates are determined, or may be fairly presumed, is to form the third part of Mr. Petrie's Inquiry, to be published at a future period. But he gives the measurements and interior construction of two of the most ancient towers, i.e., those of the round tower of Clondalkin, near Dublin, and of the tower of Rattoo, in the county of Kerry. The tower of Clondalkin has, it appears, a singular projecting base, which is nearly thirteen feet in height, and composed, in great part, of solid masonry. In this it resembles the tower of Roscarbery, in the county of Cork, which no longer exists, but is figured on an ancient seal; and both these towers resembled, in this respect, the ancient castle of Brunless, in Brecknockshire. Above the base this tower of Clondalkin measures forty-five feet in circumference, and, with the exception of the chiselled stones round its doorway, it is altogether constructed of common rubble masonry, of the calp limestone of the district. The apertures are all quadrangular, and the jambs of the doorway incline, like those of the oldest churches. Of the original ecclesiastical edifices, which were of considerable importance, the tower alone remains. The tower of Rattoo is remarkable for being placed on a terrace or platform, connected with a causeway, which extends in a line opposite its doorway. The tower is formed of roughly-squared hammered sandstone, the entrance doorway alone being chiselled. It measures forty-seven feet nine inches in circumference at its base, and ninety-two feet in height, the wall being three feet ten inches in thickness at the doorway. The doorway is semicircular-headed, the arch being formed of three stones, and it is ornamented with a flat band, nine inches in breadth. The tower is divided into six stories, that at the top containing, as usual, four large apertures, facing the cardinal points. The tower is enveloped in ivy, hiding the situation of several of the windows. Between the floors of each story, there project from the wall on the interior, rough corbel stones, which have been supposed to be for the purpose of fixing ladders to join the stories, (as there are no staircases in these towers,) or as supports for shelves, on which the precious things were deposited. As in the case of the former tower, so in this also, an ancient ecclesiastical establishment, the seat of a bishopric, once occupied this place. The tower is now popularly known by the name Giolcach, by which is understood a bell-house, and which is a local corruption of cloigtheach, the general name for the round towers. According to the tradition of the place, there was a silver bell placed in the upper story of the tower, which had a remarkably sweet tone, and this bell is been made at the same time as the chapel, it seems probable that it is the tomb of the original founder of this religious establishment. The chapel is surrounded by a wall, allowing a passage of four feet between them; and from this, a covered passage, about fifteen feet long by three wide, leads to a cell, which was probably the abbot's habitation. This cell, which is nearly circular, and dome-roofed, is internally seven feet by six, and eight high. It is built, like those in Aran, without cement, and with much rude art. On the east side there is a larger cell, externally round, but internally a square of nine feet, and seven feet six inches in height. On the other side of the chapel are a number of smaller cells, which were only large enough to contain each a single person. They are but six feet long, three feet wide, and four feet high, and most of them are now covered with rubbish. These formed a Laura, like the habitations of the Egyptian ascetics. There is also a covered gallery, or passage, twenty-four feet long, four feet wide, and four feet six inches high, and its entrance doorway is but two feet three inches square. The use of this it is difficult to conjecture. Could it have been a storehouse for provisions? now concealed in the adjacent river Brick, into which it was thrown for safety during the "troubles." But the bell, though formerly emitting melancholy sounds to show where it lay, is now silent, and cannot be found. It has been already noticed that some of the round towers exbibit Christian emblems. An example of this occurs in the quadrangular doorway of the tower of Antrim. This doorway, which is placed at an elevation of about twelve feet from the ground, is constructed of large blocks of coarse-grained basalt found in the neighbourhood, some of which extend the whole thickness of the wall, that is, three feet three inches. On a stone immediately over the lintel is a pierced cross, within a circle, sculptured in relievo, and somewhat resembling one that exists on the lintel of the doorway of the ancient church of St. Fechin, at Fore. The foundation | of the church at Antrim has been ascribed to St. Mochaoi, a cotemporary of St. Patrick's, who died about the year 496, but popular tradition ascribes the erection of the tower to a celebrated builder, Goban Saer, who flourished in the seventh century. The doorway of the round tower of Donaghmore, in the county of Meath, is likewise remarkable in having a figure of the Saviour crucified, sculptured in relievo on its key-stone and the "The monastery is surrounded by an uncemented stone immediately over it. Those who doubt the Chris- stone wall, nearly circular, enclosing an area of one tian origin of the round towers affirm this to be an after hundred and eight feet in diameter. The entrance into work, but there appear to be no just grounds for the this enclosure is at the south-east side, and from it leads assertion. A similarly ornamented doorway, having a a stone passage, twenty-one feet in length, and three in representation of the crucifixion, but with richer sculp-width. At each side of this entrance, and outside the tures,is found in the round tower of Brechin, in Scotland. great circular wall, were circular buildings, probably Mr. Petrie's remarks have also extended to the minor intended for the use of pilgrims; but, though what edifices, connected with the ancient religious establish- remain of them are of stone, they do not appear to have ments of the Irish, such as the houses or cells of the been roofed with that material. Within the enclosure ecclesiastics. In the north and east of Ireland these are several rude stone crosses, probably sepulchral, and were usually of perishable materials, such as wood and flags sculptured with rude crosses, but without letters. clay, but in the western and southern parts of Ireland There is also a granite globe, measuring about twenty abundant examples occur in stone, from which it appears inches in diameter. that the ecclesiastical houses were usually of a round or oval form, and differed little from the ordinary buildings in use among the ancient inhabitants generally. In the earliest religious establishments of Ireland, the abbot, clergy, and monks had each their distinct and separate cells, and such other buildings as the house for strangers, the kitchen, &c., were also separate edifices, the whole being surrounded by a cashel, or circular wall, and forming a kind of ecclesiastical town, like those of the early Christians in the east, and known among the Egyptians by the name of Laura. "In the surrounding ground, there are several rude stone altars, or penitential stations, on which are small stone crosses; and on the south side of the enclosure there is a small lake, apparently artificial, from which an artificial outlet is formed, which turned a small mill; and along the west side of this lake, there is an artificial stone path, or causeway, two hundred and twenty yards in length, which leads to another stone cell, or house, of an oval form, at the south side of the valley in which the monastery is situated. This house is eighteen feet long, and nine wide, and there is a small walled enclosure joined to it, which was probably a garden. There is also adjoining to it a stone altar surmounted by a cross, and a small lake, which, like that already noticed, seems to have been formed by art." One of the most interesting and best preserved of these ancient establishments is that of St. Fechin, on the uninhabited and almost inaccessible island called Ardoilen, or High Island, off the coast of Connemara, on the north-west of the county of Galway. The de- Such are the curious relics of antiquity now brought scription of this relic of past ages is too valuable to be before the public notice, and we are sure that every abridged. "The Church here," says Mr. Petrie, "is candid and qualified reader, on examining Mr. Petric's among the rudest of the ancient edifices which the book, will find abundant reason to prize such revelafervour of the Christian religion raised on its introduc- tions of the past, and to look forward with much tion into Ireland. Its internal measurement, in length anxiety for the completion of this beautiful work. And and breadth, is but twelve feet by ten, and in height ten if, with a talented writer of the present day, we believe feet. The doorway is two feet wide and four feet six that to take an interest in the ancient history of Ireland inches high, and its horizontal lintel is inscribed with is the best way to win the hearts, and to soften the a cross, like that on the lintel of the doorway of St. prejudices of the Irish themselves, we may indeed conFechin's great church at Fore, and those of other door-gratulate ourselves on the appearance of a work so ways of the same period. The east window, which is eminently calculated to excite that interest. the only one in the building, is semicircular-headed, and following remarks of the writer just alluded to, are is but one foot high and six inches wide. The altar still worthy the attention of all who wish well to Ireland :-"We do believe that one of the great avenues to the remains, and is covered with offerings, such as nails, buttons, and shells, but chiefly fishing-hooks, the most hearts of the Irish nation is by recognising, fostering, characteristic tributes of the calling of the votaries. appealing to, valuing as a great treasure, in which On the east side of the chapel is an ancient stone sepul- Englishmen have a common interest, their deeplychre, like a pagan Kistvaen, composed of large mica cherished, worthily cherished nationality, fed as it is to slates, with a cover of limestone. The stones at the this day by the traditions and memories of that very ends are rudely sculptured with ornamental crosses, and period to which Mr. Petrie's researches have carried us These memories have been never forgotten a human figure; and the covering slab was also carved, back. and probably was inscribed with the name of the saint among the peasantry; and now that they have been for whom the tomb was designed, but its surface is now exhumed and set before the more cultivated classes, much effaced; and as this sepulchre appears to have they will produce on them also a very powerful impres The |