Literary Extracts.

the choicest and most invigorating quality , " and which , being " given from hour to hour , wrapt in a covering of good beef or venison , a horse of spirit will not flag for five hours at the speed of fifteen miles an hour . " But to return , the French have also a peculiar " apparatus for decanting liquids at table , " and a patent for " seamless shoes . " Those lastwe presumeare made either of gutta

, , percha or cast iron . Then there is an invention , the modus operandi of which does not very clearly appear . It is a " mode of transatlantic conveyance for avoiding the loading and unloading of goods . " By means of this invention merchandise may possibly be transported in a manner somewhat similar to that we read of in the fairy ^ tales about the " wishing-cap , " or in the " Arabian

Nights , " where a certain Persian prince , who sat him down on his carpet at the gate of Damascus at night , was at Bagdad in the morning—with his dressing-case and patent portmanteau , no doubt . Our French neighbours particular !} ' excel in " improvements in artificial sets of tteth . " We refrain from speculating as to whether the apparently great demand for these articles may not arise from their innumerable varieties of bon hens and similar sweet things . —Fraser ' s Magazine .

ARISTOCRATIC AAHTSEJIEIN' -TS FORTY YEARS AGO . —Mr . Grautley Berkeley , in his personal reminiscences , gives a pretty picture of society when George tho Fourth Avas King . Thus ho states : —A match had been announced in the papers between a small bull-terrier , belonging to the veteran pugilist , Tom Cribb , and a monkey , which was said to have a peculiar knack of killing dogs by

bites on tho jugular vein . " The news of the expected combat , " says our author , " ran through society liko wildfire , and many of my friends invited me to make arrangements to see it . " The match took place in Tufton-strest , Westminster . "Perhaps , " Mr . Berkeley candidly acknowledges , " a more blackguardly locality then this could not have been selected . " Here is the account of the

battle : — "In the centre of tho pit was chained to a ring a large ill-looking monkey . There was nothing about him suggestive of an animal that hacl ever conquered , or that was boldly expecting a battle ; ho cowered to the floor , and seemed to Avish that some hole would open into which he might creep for protection . On the other side the pit stood the burly form of Cribbhis beautiful milk-white

, bull-and-terrier bitch held under his left arm , his back being to tho monkey , so that she could not see her foe , and his hand firmly clasping the dog ' s muzzle , keeping her jaws together , and her head in an upright position . ' Tour manner is suspicious , Master Cribb , ' I thought

to myself . Time was then shouted , Cribb faced the monkey , loosed his hold of his dog , and with a spring she fastened on the back of the neck of her antagonist . The poor wretch gave himself up to punishment without an effort at retaliation , at times clasping his arms round the dog ' s neck , at others holding them firmly over his own eyes , apparently to shut out the view of his tormentor .

Suddenly , and before the animals had closed for a second , and as the bitch worried the monkey round and round , as a swivel in a chain permitted her to do , out , and beyond the combatants for the distance of a foot or more , there began to form a circle of blood . At this sight , and the heat and roars of the pit , my poor dear friend , the late Sej-mour Bathurst , fainted away , and

was carried out into the open air ; others of my friends , equally sick of the spectacle , assisted in carrying him . Myself and many others , however , were resolved to see it out , my object being to detect an imposition , and to show that my opinion on the capabilities of the genus monkey was correct . Tbe dog was then permitted thus to have it all her own way , till there was a very large

pool of blood around her , and she showed slight symptoms of weakness . Then there arose a cry of 'Take her away ! monkey and dog will be killed ! make it a draw ! ' Cribb seemed to speak for a moment to a man supposed to own the monkey ; a ' draw' was proclaimed ,

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and the champion picked up his bitch , and held her in his arms precisely as he had done before , and she ceased to bleed . Then there was ' such a getting up stairs , ' or out of the fetid atmosphere of tho pit , ' as never was seen , ' Ci-ibb remaining stationary to the last . ' Cribb , ' I said in his ear as I passed , ' I'm down on it all ; the monkey never bit your dog . You bled her in the

jugular vein with a lancet before you put her down ; I knew it when I saw tho care you took of her jaws and head . * Old Cribb ' s jolly face put on a smile . 'Mum , sir ' s , the word—yon knows it , but it makes a pit . ' "

Poetry.

Poetry .

MAY . BX AA ILMAM BEADI ? IEI , . AVhen the luscious "laylock" cluster _\ fods above the garden wall ; When the hawthorn ' s living lustre Spreads on every hedge for all ; AVhen the bright laburnum flowers

Burst into a floral wreath , Threatening with golden showers Those who wander underneath—Then is May , the maiden May AVith love and gladness laden , Tripping o ' er the sunny way A merry , merry maiden .

When the summer rays appear , And the sun of Winter sets ; Blooms the chestnut , chandelier With a hundred thousand jets ; When the tender leaflets gladly Whisper to the fitful breeze ; And the ever-green ones , sadly Emulate the other

trees—Then is May , the maiden May , — The merry , merry maiden . AVhen the king-cup and the daisey Wildly and profusely bloom ; When the honeysuckle laxy , Languishing amid perfume

, Hangs its'favours on the bramble , AVith a wanton careless grace , Gives a pleasure to the ramble , Brings a smile into , the face—Then is May , the maiden May—The merry , merry maiden .

When the cuckoo like an echo AVith its note the ear deceives ; When the swallows pair , and flutter Hither , thither , round the eaves ; When we gaze with eyes of pleasure On the deep eternal blue ; When the clearest earthly treasure Is for all and not the

few—Then is May , the maiden May—The merry , merry maiden . Strolling from the City ' s shadow With a joy devoid of words , To tbe A \ oodland , through tiie meadow Where the flowers are and

birds—Thus the tables of my fancy New and true impressions hear ; For 'tis May , the merry May , Maiden of another year—Smiling May , beguiling May With love and gladness laden , Tripping o'er the sunny way , A merry , merry maiden !