The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 20, No. 577

The Mirror of Literature,
Amusement, and Instruction, Vol.
20, No. 577

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Title: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 20,
No. 577 Volume 20, Number 577, Saturday, November 24, 1832
Author: Various
Release Date: February 9, 2006 [EBook #17728]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND
INSTRUCTION.
VOL. XX, No. 577.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1832. [PRICE
2d.
* * * * *

[Illustration: DOMESTIC ANTIQUITIES.]
DOMESTIC ANTIQUITIES.
The first of these archæological rarities is a pair of Snuffers, found in
Dorsetshire sixty-four years since, and engraved in Hutchins's history
of that county. They were discovered, says the historian, "in the year
1768, in digging the foundation of a granary, at the foot of a hill
adjoining to Corton mansion house (formerly the seat of the respectable
family of the Mohuns), in the parish of St. Peter, Portisham. They are
of brass, and weigh six ounces: the great difference between these and
the modern utensils of the same nature and use is, that these are in
shape like a heart fluted, and consequently terminate in a point. They
consist of two equal lateral cavities, by the edges of which the snuff is
cut off, and received into the cavities, from which it is not got out
without particular application and trouble."
"There are two circumstances attending this little utensil which seem to
bespeak it of considerable age: the roughness of the workmanship,
which is in all respects as crude and course as can be well imagined,
and the awkwardness of the form."
So little is known of the comparatively recent introduction of snuffers
into this country, that the above illustration will be acceptable to the
observer of domestic origins and antiquities. See also Mirror, vol. xi. p.
74.

The KEY, annexed, was the property of Mr. Gough, the eminent
topographer, and is supposed to have been used as a passport by some
of the family of Stawel, whose arms it bears.
* * * * *
LINES
ADDRESSED TO A PARTY OF YOUNG LADIES VISITING THE
CATACOMBS AT PARIS.
(From the French of M. Emanuel Dupaty.)
BY E.B. IMPEY, ESQ.
While life is young and pleasure new, Ah! why the shades of Death
explore? Better, ere May's sweet prime is o'er, The primrose path of joy
pursue: The torch, the lamps' sepulchral fire, Their paleness on your
charms impress, And glaring on your loveliness, Death mocks what
living eyes desire. Approach! the music of your tread No longer bids
the cold heart beat: For ruling Beauty boasts no seat Of empire o'er the
senseless dead! Yet, if their lessons profit aught, Ponder, or ere ye
speed away, Those feet o'er flowers were form'd to stray, No
death-wrought causeway, grimly wrought, Of ghastly bones and
mould'ring clay. To gayer thoughts and scenes arise; Nor ever veil
those sun-bright eyes From sight of bliss and light of day-- Save when
in pity to mankind Love's fillet o'er their lids ye bind.
* * * * *
HOLLAND.
Holland derives its name from the German word Hohl, synonymous
with the English term hollow, and denoting a concave, or very hollow,
low country.
This country originally formed part of the territory of the Belgæ,
conquered by the Romans, 47 years before Christ. A sovereignty,

founded by Thierry, first Count of Holland, A.D. 868, continued till the
year 1417, when it passed, by surrender, to the Duke of Burgundy. In
1534, being oppressed by the Bishop of Utrecht, the people ceded the
country to Spain. The Spanish tyranny being insupportable, they
revolted, and formed the republic called the United Provinces, by the
Union of Utrecht, 1579. When they were expelled the Low Countries
by the Duke of Alva, they retired to England; and having equipped a
small fleet of forty sail, under the command of Count Lumay, they
sailed towards this coast--being called, in derision, "gueux," or beggars
of the sea. Upon the duke's complaining to Queen Elizabeth, that they
were pirates, she compelled them to leave England; and accordingly
they set sail for Enckhuysen; but the wind being unfavourable, they
accidentally steered towards the isle of Voorn, attacked the town of
Briel, took possession of it, and made it the first asylum of their liberty.
In 1585, a treaty was concluded