At Bremen there is a wine-cellar, called the Store, where five hogsheads of Rhenish wine have been preserved since 1625.  These five hogsheads cost 1,200 francs.  Had this sum been put out to compound interest, each hogshead would now be worth above a thousand millions of money, a bottle of this precious wine would cost 21,799,480 francs, or about 908,311_l._, and a single wine-glass 2,723,808 francs, or about 113,492_l._.

J.L.S.

* * * * *

THE HEROINE.

A SKETCH FROM SUNDRY NOVELS.

(For the Mirror.)

She must be, a plaisir, tall and slender in person, or of humbler stature, but never inclining to stoutness, since the en bon point savours (at least in romance) of vulgarity.  Her complexion may be light or dark, according to fancy; but her interesting pallidness may occasionally be relieved by a hectic flush, yet more interesting.  She must possess small alabaster hands, coral or ruby lips, enchasing a double row of pearls; a neck rivalling ivory or driven snow, (yes, even if our heroine be a brunette, for incongruity is the very essence of romance); velvet cheeks, golden or jet black hair, diamond eyes, marvellous delicate feet, shrouded at all times in bas-de-soie, and defended by the most enchanting slippers imaginable; her figure must be a model for the statuary, and at all seasons, and in every situation, arrayed in muslins or silks, which, wondrous to relate, resist the injuries of time, weather, and wear in a manner perfectly astounding.  What heroine had ever an hiatus in her stocking, or a fracture in her gown of finest woof?  Ye gods! what an insult to suppose her repairing such!  The lady’s mental accomplishments and qualifications are as follow:—­She sings divinely, plays on the harp (and piano too in modern days) a merveille; occasionally condescends to fascinate on the guitar, and the lute also, should that instrument, now rather antiquated, fall in her way.  She takes portraits, and sketches from nature; she understands all languages, or rather that desideratum, an universal tongue, since in the most foreign lands she is never at a loss to render herself understood, nor to comprehend that which is addressed to her; she is of a melancholy cast of mind, and carries sal-volatile in her reticule, and fountains of tears in her eyes, for use on the most public occasions; she likes gloomy apartments, looking upon the sea, mountains, or black forests, and leading into endless corridors; she has an AEolian lyre ever at her casement, writes verses and weeps by moonlight, for—­effect, or—­ nothing; and is enamoured with a being, who, in the common course of nature, could not exist; he possessing, amongst other fine qualities, that of omnipresence in an impious degree.  Should the heroine reside in a town,