Where there are extensive fir and pine woods which have been subjected to the injurious practice of close pruning, the knots left will frequently be found oozing out resin.  This gardeners’ labourers and cottagers might collect, reduce to a fine powder, and mix up with small coal, horse droppings, and clay, into fire-balls.—­Gardeners’ Mag.

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

  A snapper up of unconsidered trifles. 
  SHAKSPEARE.

* * * * *

COPY OF A LETTER RECEIVED BY A
YOUNG LADY FROM A COUNTRY COUSIN.

“DEAR ELIZABETH,—­I arrived a few months since in this over-grown metropolis—­Modern Babolon I believe they call it—­more properly, I should think, Gabble-on, for my head goes round like a whipping-top, being kept in rotatory motion by all the discordant sounds in the ‘Enraged Musician.’  Having been but a short time in town, I have not had the pleasure of seeing many of the metropolitan wonders.  The following places were visited by me lately:—­The British Museum, my dear girl—­never saw such a collection of mutilated articles:  statues, like the boroughs in schedule B in the Reform Bill; manuscripts, in languages scarcely understood, and such like curiosities.  St. Paul’s—­a great building—­I dare say the Londoners are very proud of it:  a fine whispering gallery, where you may hear what is said at the most distant part:  no place for kissing—­worse than a friend’s parlour.  Guildhall:  a very antique building, with two huge figures—­to frighten little children, I suppose.  There was a fine feast:  numbers of fine folks in their Sunday clothes, whom I should suppose lived very queer at home—­perhaps upon tripe, for the victuals disappeared so fast.  I had almost forgot to mention the pleasures of Bartholomew Fair, a place unequalled for dirt and noise—­where was to be seen horses that had run at races, though they had never been on a course; bears turned to pigged—­faced ladies; play-booths, where more fun was to be seen outside than in—­men dressed like baboons, and women screaming, ’Show them in, only a penny a-piece!’ Oysters, ginger-beer, hot pork, hot beef-steaks, and gingerbread-nuts by the bushel.  Had almost forgot, my dear girl, to apologize for not having paid you a visit since your removal to the suburbs—­peaceful abode!—­nothing equal to my lodgings, next door to a coppersmith, opposite to a box-maker, with a shoemaker overhead, and a good woman who takes in children to ‘dry-nurse’ in the parlour.  Hope soon to see you, having to give you a kiss for each of your cousins, quarter cousins, friends, and acquaintances.—­I remain, your’s truly,

“A COUNTRY COUSIN.”

W.G.C.

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CHINESE PROVERBS AND APOTHEGMS.

“It is very difficult to govern women and servants.”