The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-03-19

P"oo"ec uOWu COuuu VI Ono OF OuT cle-
CANT steamboats,, says correspondent,
the last summer, a gentleman not much
accustomed to polished society, came SO
late to the dinner table, that he found it
diincult to obtain scat. He stood
some time with hands in pocket, looking
wishfully at the smoking viands. He
wns at last noticed by the Captain, who
relinquished to him his own chair and
plate, when he commenced carving a
pig that lay before him.
Having finished, he passed portions
Of the dish to all the ladies in his i'm
mediate neighborhood, and then heaped
a plate for himself. He soon perceived
lady who had not been served, and in
quired ifshe would be helped to some pig
She replied in the affirmative, and he
accordingly handed her the plate which
he had reserved for himself. Her lady
ship feeling her dignity somewhat often
ded at SO bountiful service, observed
with protruded lips, loud enough to be
heard. all around-'I don't panf cart
load /! The gentleman, at her remark,
became the object of attention Of all at
his end the table, and determining to
,retort upon her for her exceeding civility
watched her motions, and observed that
she had despatched the contents Of the
plate with little ceremony. When this
was &C :omplished, he cried out, Madam
if you'll back your cart up this way III
give you another load !"
Spectral NYusions.-Dotor Brewster
mentions several instances Of remarka-
BILE spectral illusions to which Mrs. A
WIS subject, amongst Others the
following On the 17th March. A. was
preparing for bed. She had dismissed
her maid, and was sitting with her feet
in hot water. Having an excellent
memory she had been thinking upon,
and repeating to herself striking pas
snge in The Edinburgh Review, when on
raising her eyes, she saw seated in
large easy chair before her the figure of
a deceased friend, the sister of Mrs. A.
The figure was dressed, as had been de-
scri bed 10 her by common friend az
having been worn by Mrs AS sister
during her last visit to England. Mrs. A.
paid particular attention 10 the dress,
air, aud appearance of the figure, which
sat in m easy attitude in the chair hold
ing handkerchief i'm one haud.-Mrs.
A. tried to speak to it but experienced
difficulty in doing so, and in about
three minutes the figure disappeared.
About minute afterwards, Mr.. A. came
into the room and found Mrs. A slightly
nervous, but fully aware of the delusion
Of the apparition. She described il as
having oil the vivid colloring and appa-
rent reality Of life; and for some two.
hours proceeding this and other visions,
she experienced peculiar sensation in
her eyes which seemed to be relieved
when the vision had ceased.
Aerial Spectres.-Oue ofthe most in
teresting accounts Of aerial spectres has
been given by Mr.. James Clarke in his
survey Of the Lakes of Cumberland. Or
a summers evening in the year 17d3.
when Daniel Stricket servant of John
Wren Of Wilton Hall, was sitting at tho
door along with his master, they saw the
figure of a man. with dog pursuing
some horses, along Souter fll-sIle. a
place so extremely steep that horse
could with great difficulty scarcely trav-
81 upon it at all. The figures appeared
to run at an amazing pace. till lhoy got
out of sight al the lower end of the fall
and the following morning Stricket and
his master assembled the steep side of tho
mountain in the full expectation Of find.
ing the man dead, andof picking up
some ofthe shoes Of the horses which
they thought must have boen cast while
gallopping at such furious rate. Their
expectations were however, disappointed
No traces either ofman or horse could be
found and they could not even discover
upon the turf the single mark ofa horses
hoof. These strange appearances, seen
nt the same time by TWO different per-
sons in perfect health, could not fail to
make deep impression on their minds.
They at first concealed what they had
seen, but they a, length disclosed it, aud
were laughed at for their creduli,y.
Speaking heads.-Next to the eye, the
ear is the most fertile source Of our illu-
sions, and the ancient magicians seem -
have been very successful in turning to
their purposes the doctrines Of sound.
The principal pieces ofacoustic mechan-
ism used by the ancients were speaking
or singing heads which were constructed
for the purpose ofreprcscnting the Gods
or Of uttering oracuIar responses. A.
mong thees the speaking head Of Orphe-
AS, which uttered its responses Of Lesbos.
is one ofthe most famous. 1t was cele-
braied, not only throughout Greece but
even Persia, and it had the credit ofprs-
dieting in the eqnivocal language Of tue