The annexed sketch depicts a scene in the coast rocks at Fairhead, near Ballycastle in Ireland. Fhir Leith, or "The Grey Man's Path," (a fissure in the precipice,) viewed either from land or sea, is never to be forgotten: it seems as though some supernatural power, determined to hew for itself a pathway through the wonderful formations that tower along the coast—so that it might visit or summon the spirits of the deep, without treading a road made by mortal hands—had willed the fearful chasm that divides the rocky promontory in two. The singular passage, in its narrow part, is barred across by the fragment of a pillar, hurled, as it were, over the fissure, and supported on both sides at a considerable elevation. If you descend, you perceive the passage widens, and becomes more important; its dark sides assume greater height, and a more wild and sombre magnificence; and at last they extend upwards, above 220 feet, through which the tourist arrives at the massive débris which crowd the base of the mighty promontory, where the northern ocean rolls his threatening billows. From the cragsmen and boatmen of this wild coast you hear no tales of Faery, no hints of the gentle legends and superstitions collected in the south, or in the inland districts of the north; not that they are a whit less superstitious, but their superstition is, as the superstition of the sea kings, of a bold and peculiar character; their ghosts come from out the deep, before or after the rising of the moon, and climb, or rather stalk up the rocks, and, seated upon those mysterious pillars, converse together; so that, in the fisherman's huts, they say, "it thunders." Even mermaids are deemed too trifling in their habits and manners for this stupendous scenery, where spirits of the gigantic world congregate, and where the "Grey Man" of the North Sea stalks forth, silently and alone, up his appropriate path, to witness some mighty convulsion of nature.
ANCIENT JET NECKLACE.
Various interesting ornaments, belonging to the Archaic, or Bronze period in Scotland, are preserved in the Museum of Scottish Antiquaries, and one set in particular, found enclosed in an urn within a rude stone cist, on the demolition of a tumulus near the Old House of Assynt, Rossshire, in 1824, we here engrave. They include a necklace of irregular oval jet beads, which appear to have been strung together like a common modern string of beads, and are sufficiently rude to correspond with the works of a very primitive era. The other ornaments which are represented here about one-fourth the size of the original, are curiously studded with gold spots, arranged in patterns similar to those with which the rude pottery of the British tumuli are most frequently decorated, and the whole are perforated with holes passing obliquely from the back through the edge, evidently designed for attaching them to each other by means of threads.
JUGGLERS IN JAPAN.
The perfection of jugglery in Japan entitles it to be ranked amongst the fine arts. An eye-witness thus describes the performance of a Japanese juggler. "Here are some of his feats:—No. 1. He took an ordinary boy's top, spun it in the air, caught it on his hand, and then placed it (still spinning) upon the edge of a sword, near the hilt. Then he dropped the sword point a little, and the top moved slowly towards it. Arrived at the very end, the hilt was lowered in turn, and the top brought back. As usual, the sword was dangerously sharp. No. 2 was also performed with the top. He spun it in the air, and then threw the end of the string back towards it with such accuracy that it was caught up and wound itself all ready for a second cast. By the time it had done this it had reached his hand, and was ready for another spin. No. 3 was still performed with the top. There was an upright pole, upon the top of which was perched a little house, with a very large front door. The top was spun, made to climb the pole, knock open the said front door, and disappear. As well as I remember, the hand end of the string was fastened near the door, so that this was almost a repetition of the self-winding feat. But feat No. 4 was something even more astonishing than all this. He took two paper butterflies, armed himself with the usual paper fan, threw them into the air, and, fanning gently, kept them flying about him as if they had been alive. 'He can make them alight wherever you wish! Try him!' remarked the Kami (Prince), through the interpreter. Mr. H—— requested that one might alight upon each ear of the juggler. No sooner expressed than complied with. Gentle undulations of the fan waved them slowly to the required points, and there left them comfortably seated. Now, whether this command over pieces of paper was obtained simply by currents of air, or by the power of a concealed magnet, Mr. H—— could not tell or ascertain. One thing, however, was certain, the power was there."
may-fair play bill in the time of william iii.
WILLIAM REX.
MAY-FAIR.
MILLER'S,
or the Loyal Association Booth,
at the upper end of
Brook-field Market,
near Hyde Park Corner.
During the time of MAY-FAIR, will be presented
an excellent droll, called
KING WILLIAM'S HAPPY DELIVERANCE
and Glorious Triumph over his Enemies,
or the Consultation of the
POPE, DEVIL, FRENCH KING, and the GRAND TURK,
with the whole Form of the Siege of Namur,
and the humours of a Renegade FRENCH MAN
and BRANDY JEAN,
with the conceits of Scaramouch and Harlequin,
together with the best Singing and Dancing that was
ever seen in a Fair, also a Dialogue song.
VIVAT REX.
BELLS.