In the romance of "St. Graal," executed in the fourteenth century, we have this representation of one of these preaching friars in his rude portable pulpit. From the contrast afforded by their mendicancy, and enthusiasm in teaching, to the pride and riches of the higher clergy, and their constant mixing with the people, they became excessively popular. The preacher in the cut has a crowded and attentive audience (though one lady seems inclined to nap); the costume of the entire body, who are all seated, after a primitive fashion, on the bare ground, is worthy of note, and may be received as a fair picture of the commonalty of England about the year 1350.

THE ECCENTRIC LADY LEWSON.

Mrs. Jane Lewson, widow, of No. 12, Coldbath Square, London, died 1816, aged 116. Mrs. Lewson, from the very eccentric style of her dress, was almost universally recognised as Lady Lewson. She was born in Essex Street, Strand, in the year 1700, during the reign of William and Mary; and was married at an early age to a wealthy gentleman then living in the house in which she died. She became a widow at the early age of 26, having only one child, a daughter, living at the time. Mrs. Lewson being left by her husband in affluent circumstances, though she had many suitors, preferred to remain in a state of widowhood. When her daughter married, being left alone, she became very fond of retirement, and rarely went out or permitted the visits of any person. For the last thirty years of her life she had kept no servant, except one old female, who died in 1806; she was succeeded by the old woman's granddaughter, who was married about 1813; and she was followed in the situation by an old man, who attended the different houses in the square to go on errands, clean shoes, &c. Mrs. Lewson took this man into her house, and he acted as her steward, butler, cook, and housemaid; and with the exception of two old lap-dogs and a cat, he was her only companion. The house she occupied was elegantly furnished, but after the old style; the beds were kept constantly made, although they had not been slept in for about fifty years. Her apartment was only occasionally swept out, but never washed; the windows were so encrusted with dirt that they hardly admitted a ray of light to pass through them. She had used to tell her acquaintances that if the rooms were wetted, it might be the occasion of her taking cold; and as to cleaning the windows, she observed that many accidents happened through that ridiculous practice; the glass might be broke, and the person wounded, when the expense of repairing the one, and curing the other, would both fall upon her. A large garden at the rear of the house was the only thing connected with her establishment to which she really paid attention. This was always kept in good order; and here, when the weather permitted, she enjoyed the air, or sometimes sat and read by way of pastime; or else chatted on times past with any of the few remaining acquaintances whose visits she permitted. She seldom visited any person except Mr. Jones, a grocer at the corner of the square, with whom she dealt. She was so partial to the fashions prevailing in her youthful days, that she never changed the manner of her dress from that worn by ladies in the reign of George the First. She always wore powder with a large toupée made of horsehair on her head, nearly half a foot high, over which her front hair was turned up; a cap over it, which knotted under the chin, and three or four curls hanging down her neck. She generally wore silk gowns, the train long with a deep flounce all round, a very long narrow waist, very tightly laced up to her neck, round which was a ruff or frill. The sleeves of her gown, to which four or five large ruffles were attached, came below the elbow; a large straw bonnet, quite flat, high-heeled shoes, a full-made black silk cloak trimmed round with lace, and a gold-headed cane, completed her every-day costume for the last eighty years of her life, and in which habiliments she occasionally walked round the square, when she was uniformly spoken of by all spectators as Lady Lewson. She never practised ablutions of any kind, or hardly in any degree, because, as she alleged, those persons who washed themselves were always taking cold, or laying the foundation of some dreadful disorder. Her method was to besmear her face and neck all over with hog's lard, because that was soft and lubricating; and then, because she required a little colour in her cheeks to set off her person to advantage, she had used to paint them with rose-pink. Her manner of living was so methodical, that she would not take her tea out of any other than a favourite cup. She was equally particular with respect to her knives, forks, plates, &c. At breakfast she arranged, in a particular manner, the paraphernalia of her table: at dinner she always observed a particular rule as to the placing of the two or three empty chairs, by which the table was surrounded, but herself always sat in one favourite chair. She constantly enjoyed an excellent state of health; assisted at all times in regulating the affairs of her household; and never, until a little previous to her decease, had an hour's illness. She entertained the greatest aversion to medicine; and, what is remarkable, cut two new teeth at the age of 87, and was never troubled with the toothache. Towards the close of her life her sight failed her. She lived in five reigns, and was believed to be the most faithful living chronicler of the age. A few days previous to her decease, an old lady who was her neighbour died suddenly, which had such an effect upon her that she frequently said her time was also come, and she should soon follow. She enjoyed the use of all her faculties till that period, when she became weak and took to her bed; but steadily refused all medical aid. Her conduct to a few relations was extremely capricious; and she would never see any of them; and it was not until a few hours before her dissolution that any relaxation in her temper was manifested. She was interred in Bunhill Fields burying-ground.

WHEN FIRE ENGINES WERE FIRST MADE.

The Phœnix was the first fire-office established, in 1682. There were used, in towns, squirts or syringes, for extinguishing fire, which did not exceed two or three feet in length. These yielded to the Fire Engine, with leathern pipes, which was patented in 1676. Water-tight, seamless hose was made in Bethnal Green in 1720. About this date—

£s.d.
A fire engine and pipe for Lyme cost600
A square pipe, 23 feet long1180
12 leather fire-buckets233

A Fire Engine was considered an appropriate present for an aspirant to a borough. At Lewes, in 1726, T. Pelham, Esq., gave one, and having been chosen representative in 1731, he presented a second.

EXTRAORDINARY CATARACT.