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Chesnuts. They had six sorts, some more easily separated from the skin than others, and one with a red skin; they roasted them as we do.

Figs. They had many sorts, black and white, large and small, one as large as a pear, another no larger than an olive.

Medlars. They had two kinds, the one larger, and the other smaller.

Mulberries. They had two kinds of the black sort, a larger and a smaller. Pliny speaks also of a mulberry growing on a brier: Nascuntur et in rubis, (1. xv, sect. 27,) but whether this means the raspberry, or the common blackberry does not appear.

Nuts. They had hazle-nuts and filberds; has quoque mollis protegit barba (1. 15, sect. 24:) they roasted these nuts.

Pears. Of these they had many sorts, both summer and winter fruit, melting and hard; they had more than thirty-six kinds, some were called libralia: we have our pound pear.

Plums. They had a multiplicity of sorts (ingens turba prunorum) black, white, and variegated, one sort was called asinina, from its cheapness, another damascena, this had much stone and little flesh: from Martial's Epigram, xiii, 29, we may conclude, that it was what we now call prunes.

Quinces. They had three sorts, one was called chrysomela from its yellow flesh; they boiled them with honey, as we make marmalade. See Martial, xiii, 24.

Services. They had the apple-shaped, the pear-shaped, and a small kind, probably the same as we gather wild, possibly the azarole.

Strawberries-they had, but do not appear to have prized; the climate is too warm to produce this fruit in perfection unless in the hills.

Fines. They had a multiplicity of these, both thick skinned (duracina) and thin skinned: one vine growing at Rome produced 12 amphoræ of juice, 84 gallons. They had round berried, and long berried sorts, one so long, that it was called dactylides, the grapes being like the fingers on the hand. Martial speaks favourably of the hard skinned grape for eating, xiii, 22.

Walnuts. They had soft shelled, and hard shelled, as we have: in the golden age, when men lived upon acorns, the gods lived upon walnuts, hence the name juglans, Jovis glans.

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MR. OLDSCHOOL,

As it is not, I believe, generally known that a colony of Greeks are settled in North America, I transcribe for your use, the following extract from Stoddard's Sketches of Louisiana, and hope that it may induce some of your correspondents in that quarter, to give an account of the present situation of those unfortunate people.

S.

As the Floridas have often changed masters, some variety in the popula tion may be expected. The Spaniards were the first to make permanent settlements in them. The peace of 1763, put them in possession of Great Britain, when a number of English, Scotch, and Irish, were incorporated with the ancient inhabitants. They also received an accessation during the American revolution, when many of those disaffected to our cause obtained refuge in the Floridas; and the proximity of our settlements has prompted many of our citizens since that period to become Spanish subjects.

One remarkable fact relative to the population of the Floridas must not escape notice. While these were in possession of the English, a plan was con. certed to entice a colony of Greeks into the country. Sir William Duncan and doctor Turnbull were at the bottom of this transaction. The country was represented to the Greeks in the most favourable light; they were promised fertile fields and lands in abundance, and also transportation and subsistence. Hence fifteen hundred souls were deluded from the islands in Greece and Italy, and landed in East Florida. They were planted at a place called New Symrna, situated about seventy miles to the southward of St. Augustine. But what was their surprise when, instead of cultivated fields, they were ushered into a desolate wilderness, without the means of support! What mortified them still more was, that some of them were tantalized with the use of rented lands for ten years, at the expiration of which they reverted again to their original proprietors, when the poor settlers were once more reduced to poverty and misery. Some of them indeed could not obtain land on any terms. Hence they were obliged to labour for the planters in the character of slaves, and to experience hunger and nakedness. Overseers were placed over them, and whenever the usual task was not completed, they were goaded with the lash. Families were not allowed to live separate from each other; but a number of them were crowded together in one mess, and condemned to promiscuous repose. The poor wretches were not even allowed to procure fish for themselves, although the sea at their feet was full of them. People were forbidden to furnish them with victuals; severe punishments were decreed against those who gave, and those who received the charitable boon. Under this treatment many of them died, especially the old people. At length in 1769, seized with despair and sensible of no other al

ternative than escape or death, they rose on their cruel tyrants, and made themselves masters of some small vessels. But their designs were frustrated by the prompt exertions of the military; and this revolt closed with the deaths of five of the unhappy ringleaders.

This transaction is so contrary to the reputed humanity of the English nation that it requires some credulity to believe the solemn report of a British officer who was an eye witness to what we have related.

THEATRICAL.-FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

MR. OLDSCHOOL,

Believing that you are disposed to do justice to rising merit in any walk of life, I take the liberty of expressing the pleasure I enjoyed some evenings since, on witnessing the performance of a young actor whom I have never yet seen noticed in print. I allude to Mr. Harris of the new theatre. I happened to be present at the representation of Mrs. Inchbald's comedy of "Such things are," the scene of which is in India; where a benevolent Englishman (Mr. Howard) is introduced as visiting the prisons, in hopes of relieving the distresses of those who are confined. As the keeper is conducting him through a dark passage among different dungeons, one of the prisoners steals his pocket book containing a large sum, which he finds is sufficent to ransom him and restore him to his family. When Howard returns from his round he meets this man, interrogates him on his situation, and, being touched by his distress, offers him money and promises to intercede for his release. He is then retiring, when the prisoner, struck with the generosity of the stranger, and unable to contain his feelings, restores him his pocket book, and confesses his theft. All this occupies but a very little time and the prisoner is quite a subordinate personage. But Mr. Harris seized so true a conception of the character, and performed it with so perfect and touching a simplicity, that I confess, without disparaging the rest of the company, who really all performed well, the prisoner was to me the most interesting character in the play. I mention this circumstance, not merely as a matter

of justice to a meritorious young man, but because it may be rendered serviceable to his future improvement. Mr. Harris has yet very much to learn. He has adopted an awkward swing in his walk which might be corrected, and he should endeavour to acquire more dignity and grace in his manner. These are things which will not cost him much labour, and they will amply repay it; for it will depend altogether on Mr. Harris's own exertions whether he will hereafter be a performer of much distinction. Let him persevere in his diligence and his studies, without striving to urge himself forward into a premature and transient celebrity. Let him remember that there is no part however insignificant which may not furnish opportunites for exerting his talents, and this note may serve to remind him, of what may stimulate his ambition, that the eyes of the audience are already upon him and that although his acting has been confined to a humble sphere, its merit is appreciated by more than OBSERVER,

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FOR THE PORT FOLIO. PERPETUAL MOTION.

In another part of our Journal we have allotted an ample space to a very ingenious and temperate essay on the subject of Mr. Readhefer's machine, "whereof," to borrow a phrase from po. etry, the country "rings from side to side." It is indeed a singular and a very honourable proof of the ardent, inquisitive spirit of our countrymen, that the great question of perpetual motion has occupied and absorbed the public attention, till all the habitual topics of conversation are banished from its presence. Perpetual motion is every where heard of, and discussed, and assailed, or reprobated. Even politics, that darling theme so near and dear to all our hearts, is forgotten in the zeal of physical speculation-and the war with England, and the invasion of Canada, possess only a subordinate interest in comparison with Mr. Readhefer, and the Germantown discovery. The miracles of the abbe Paris did not excite more wonder-nor the stranger's nose in Strasburg more controversy. The very ladies have joined in the discussion, and many a belle now applies to much higher

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