RELIQUES OF ANCIENT POETBIE.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 238, 31 January 1860, Page 3

RELIQUES OF ANCIENT POETBIE.

JUDGE JEFF.ERIES,

Judge Jefferies was a just a Judge As anie Judge could be, Who hanged two hundred honest men, On Tyburn's fatall treb,

He alwaies pleaded for the Crowne, As loyall Judges shoulde, And pre-Hupposed the prisoner's guilte Even though his cause was goode.

" Your guilte is written in your face," . This loyall Judge would sa^ye; • " I'll have you hanged to-morrow, sir, For you'll be tried to day.

"My Friende; the Attorney-General h A verie honeste man, He wishes you convicted, and I'll help him if I can."

Then pointing with his staflfe in handa To the pris'ner at the barre, " There is a villiane at the ende Of this sticke I declare."

" At which ende of the sticke, my lorde ?" The undaunted Briton said; The loyail Judge then blushed, I weene, And hung his full-wigged head.

A French Opinion op the Great Eastern.— A French agent, who was stated to be a distinguished naval officer, pre-eminent for his nautical knowledge and experience, bear* testimony,^ a letter published in Wednesday's Moniteur," to the enormous strength and indubitable safety 'of the '. Great Eastern, and to her victory over the ocean. With regard to the first point, the naval officer says:—"Nevertheless, it may be said that the destruction of the forward funnel of the Great Eastern might have happened to the smallest steamer, and would propably have occasioned its total destruction, because it would not have presented the mass and solidity of the great ship, while the accident in question in nowise compromises the future of this last." With respect to the second point, the same authority says :—"The little swell while going against a strong headwind, and a heavy sea ." on, proved that the nautical problem lias been solved (the italics are his own) If there is any doubts, they can only be as to her rolling, because she experienced no slanting heavy seas, and the vessel was too light to be considered in her normal position. But when, with the wind right ahead, she oscillated up and down hardly a quarter of a degree, while the neighbouring vessels plunged into the waves, and her sharp bows threw up less spray than a boat, one feels convinced that no sea can stop her, and that she will cut through the waves with too great a force and fadlitv for them to regard her progress, or for them even to produce that pitching which is so inconvenient to passengers. Contarywise to so many ships of rounded lines, which the, sea tosses and retards more than does the wind, the Great Eastern meets with no impediment from the waves. She cuts them too easily to feel their rapid motion; the wind appears the only obstacle which nature can present; and all who are acquainted with navigation know ,how slight its action is in comparison with the action of the waves. Thus the trial which has just been made proves that this gigantic mass will always overpower the sea and that she will not feel even the effects thereof except when the wayes strike her sideways. Snakes and Monroose.—On November SO, at the Philosophical Institute, Melbourne, Captain Layard exhibited,two specimens of the Mongoose, or Indian ichneumon, whose prowess digainst the venomous snakes of Australia were shown to the members of the institute on the Ist inst., when, there being only two snakes to experiment upon, no fair test could be made of the serpentocidic. powers of the animals. The unhappy reptiles, upon bejngireed from confinement, were speedily' seized and dispatched. On the 3rd, a second exhibition took place in the Mechanics' Institute. On this occasion there was no lack of "<Bubject9,'' and two carpet snakes,' about two feet and a halif long, having been thrown into the arena, they were immediately encountered, and, after a short straggle, overpowered. The male .ichneumon shortly afterwards became sick, and it was supposed, that he had been bitten or otherwise injured in the contest. The female succeeded in escaping with herprize beneath the platform. After some delay, a third snake was thrown down, but the male mongoose was too ill to attack it, he having become so weak from the effect of vomiting as to be scarcely able to stand. Both remained.for some time at a., respectful distance from each other, when- theteinale suddenly reappeared^ and at once seized her antagonist by the head. An exciting strugglefollowed, the snake enveloped the active little animal in its folds; but she, by rolling over several tiraes, contrived to disengage herself. In a few: minutes the snake was dead, its head being completely crushed. It is generally admitted that they will not breed in captivity. The pair ill", the possession of Captain Layard have been together for more than a year,.and have not produced offspring. Again, they do not confine their ravages tosnakei, but have an cqiialjpeiJcAast for poultry and egg&-~