a catalogue of two hundred and fifty-one works

Lydgate's apology for prolixity.

by Lydgate. Among these are epic poems very lengthy and perhaps tedious according to modern ideas, but suited to the tastes and requirements of his day, and for their length Lydgate apologises, saying:

"For a story which is not plainly told,
But constreyned under wordes few,

For lack of truth, wher they ben new or olde, Men by report cannot the matter shewe; These oakes greaté be not down yhewe First at a stroke, but by a long processe; Nor long stories a word may not expresse.' The foregoing lines are from Lydgate's Fate of Princes, one of his longest poems. The Siege of Troy contains nearly thirty thousand lines. Esopian fables, veracious chronicles, satirical pictures of the manners of his own time, and even merry ballads, all came within the scope of the versatile monk's genius. Of his talent in the two last-named departments we have evidences in his London Lyckpenny, and The Prioress and her Three Wooers. Mr. Halliwell, who has edited a collection of Lydgate's shorter poems, suggests that Lyckpenny should be read " Lack penny," and certainly it would suit the sense better, for the poem gives a humorous account of the author's walk through London streets, and how he could not speed with an empty purse, being unable to dine at Westminster, or to buy the velvet satin and lawn offered for sale in "the Cheepe," or even purchase back the hood stolen from him, and hanging amid "much stolen gear" for sale in Cornhill. The following lines will give an idea of the humour of the London Lyckpenny. The author has visited the various courts at Westminster, and now Lyckpenny. betakes himself to London. He tells us (the spelling is modernized in the extract):

The London

"Then unto London I did me hie,

Of all the land it beareth the price.
'Hot peas-cods!' one began to cry,
'Strawberry ripe,' and 'Cherries in the rise'
(branch or twig, from the German Reis).
One bade me draw near and buy some spice.
Pepper and saffron they 'gan me bid,
But, for lack of money, I might not speed.
Then to the Cheepe I 'gan me drawne
Where much people I saw for to stand
One offered me velvet, silk, and lawn;
Another he taketh me by the hand:
Here is Paris thread, the finest in the land.'
I never was used to such things, indeed,
And, wanting money, I might not speed.

;

Then into Cornhill anon I yode,
Where was much stolen gear; among
I saw where hung mine own hood
That I had lost among the throng.
To buy my own hood I thought it wrong;
I knew it, well as I did my creed;
But, for lack of money, I could not speed.
The taverner took me by the sleeve,
'Sir,' says he, will you our wine assay?'
I answered, That cannot much me grieve-

A penny can do no more than it may.'

I drank a pint, and for it did pay:

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Yet sore a hungered from there I yede, And, wanting money, I could not speed." Lydgate lived to be a very old man. Though a contemporary of Chaucer, being born in 1375, he survived till 1461.

This period produced a royal poet, in the person of the chivalrous and accomplished JAMES I. of Scotland. Taken

James I. of Scot

captive on a voyage to France, land: 1394-1437. the boy-prince-then only ten' years old-was confined by Henry IV. in Windsor Castle. Looking out of the window of his prison to beguile his captivity with the sight of free people, "to see the world, and folk that went forbye," he caught sight of the Lady Jane, or Joanna Beaufort, daughter of the Earl of Somerset, walking in a garden. "The fairest or the freshest younge flower," says the young poet, "that ever I saw methought before that hour. For which sudden abate, anon astart, the blood of all my body to my heart." The vision of the fair young girl awoke the poetic faculty of the royal capive, and forthwith he began to indite verses in her praise. He describes how he watched for her appearance, and how, when she departed, it seemed to him "the day was turned into night." The story of the boy-prince had a more appropriate ending than often favours the close of such a romance of real life. The royal captive in due time was set free, and married The captive the Lady Jane. His career as a prince and the king, however, was unfortunate. Lady Jane

Like many an ardent reformer, he Beaufort. interfered with too zealous a haste in the affairs and privileges of a turbulent nobility, and after a short and disturbed reign perished at Perth by assassination. Under the title A Royal Poet, a charming sketch of the episode of James and the Lady Jane is given in the graceful Sketch Book of Washington Irving.

66

Qubair," etc.

James was undoubtedly far in advance of his time in the elegance and facility of his style. The King's Quhair (or King's Choir) is his chief work. The King's Two popular poems descriptive of the manners and humours of his countrymen have been ascribed to him. They are respectively entitled Christ Kirk on the Green, and Peebles to the Play. In the former the poet satirically records the want of skill of his countrymen in the science of archery. One archer breaks his bow, the second shoots wide of the mark, and the arrow of the third rebounds harmlessly from a leathern doublet. There is some doubt as to the authorship of the two satirical poems in question, but various high antiquarian authorities, with Sir Walter Scott at their head, ascribe them to James.

The following lines will give an idea of the grace and literary merit of James's verses, and exhibit him as a poet far in advance of his time. The young captive prince has been bewailing his imprisonment, his "deadly life full of pain and pennànce, saying right thus: What have I guilt to fail, my freedom in this world, and my pleasaunce." He goes to the window to beguile his captivity with a view of the free world without, and in the garden he sees walking a fair lady. This is the Lady Jane

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bordering the Indian Ocean, along the coasts of Australia, and even to the west coast of Peru. They feed more exclusively upon seaweeds than the manatees. The females show striking maternal affection.

RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.

This order includes more genera and species than any other mammalian order; but squirrels, beavers, mice, rats, lemmings, jerboas, porcupines, guinea-pigs, hares and rabbits, are all united by one remarkable chaGnawing teeth. racter-that of having a pair of permanently growing incisor teeth in the front of both jaws. In all but the hares and rabbits, the coating of enamel is developed only on the front surfaces of the teeth, the softer dentine being behind. The teeth, meeting, thus wear away into a sharp chisel-shape, and are exquisitely fitted for gnawing all kinds of vegetable products. They are to a large extent vegetable-feeders, although mice and rats, as is well known, are more varied in their diet. Many rodents are small, and they have limbs modified for varied habits,-for life in trees, on the

Limbs.

ground, under it, and progression in water. Though they are clever in gaining their objects, their brains are small and little complicated. There are usually five clawed toes on each foot, reduced to four or three in the hind-limbs of some. Speed and agility are often provided for by increased length of the hind-limbs and great power in the muscles moving them.

Hares and Rabbits abound in the northern

Hares and

rabbits.

hemisphere, and some species are found in India, South Africa, and South America. They have a second pair of small incisors directly behind the front large pair. The swiftness and timidity of these "small deer," and their power of doubling upon their pursuers, are familiar topics. The hare lives in a shallow pit or "form"; the rabbit makes a hollow or burrow, by preference in sandy soil.

Over 300 species constitute the great Mouse family, including besides the rats and mice, the Hamsters, courageous creaRats and mice. tures which have cheek-pouches in which to accumulate their spoil, Voles, commonly called water and field rats, and the Arctic Lemmings, which make Lemmings, remarkable journeys in countless

myriads, traversing mountains, rivers, lakes, and after committing great devastation in harvest fields, finally reach the sea and perish in it. Nearly all the family have but three grinding teeth on each side in both jaws,-a number much less than that of the hares and

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Beaufort. He tells us this in words full of the pining melancholy of the prisoner :

"Bewailing in my chamber, thus alone,
Despaired of all joy and remedy,
Tortired of my thought, and woe-begone,
And to the window 'gan I walk in by,

To see the world and folk that went forbye.
As for the time, though I of mirthis food,
Might have no more, to look it did me good,
Now was there made, fast by the tower's wall,
A garden fair; and in the corners set

An arbour green, with wandis long and small,
Railed about, and so with trees set

Was all the place, and hawthorn hedges knet.
That lyf was none walking there forbye,
That might within scarce any wyght espy.
So thick the boughis and the leavis green
Beshaded all the alleys that there were,
And mids of every arbour might be seen
The sharpe greene sweete juniper

Growing so fair with branches here and there
That as it seemed to a lyf without,

The boughis spread the arbour all about.

the heart, after it has "abate," stopped for a moment from surprise-the willing thraldom of the heart that gives itself up to that gentle presence, are touches that betoken the true poet.

A few lines from Christ's Kirk of the Green will show (if these poems be by James I., of which there is little doubt) that the royal author possessed wit and humour, as well as fancy and grace, and could write in very different styles. The lines are chosen from the first verses of the poem :

"Was never in Scotland heard nor seen
Sic dancing nor deray,

Neither at Falkland on the Green
Nor Peebliss at the Play,

As was of wooers, as I ween,

At Christ's Kirk on ane day;

There came our Kittys washen clean
In their new kirtles of gray,

Full gay,

At Christ's Kirk on the Green that day.

I saw, walking under the tower Full secretly, new comen here to plain, The fairest or the freshest younge flower, That ever I saw, methought, before that hour, For which sudden abate, anon astart The blood of all my body to my heart. And though I stood abusit tho a lite, No wonder was; for why, my wittis all Were so overcome with pleasance and delight Only through letting of my eyen fall That suddenly my heart became her thrall For ever of free-will-for of menace There was no token in her sweete face."

ANT EATER.

poet goes on:

GUINEA-PIG.

"To dance thir damsellis them dightTheir lasses light of laits (behaviour)Their gloves were of the raffel right (roe-fell or deer-skin),

Their shoon were of the Straits (from Morocco; Straits of Gibraltar),

Their kirtles were of Lincoln light

Weel piest with many plaits.

They were so nice, when men them nicht (come nigh)

They squealit like ony gaits (goats)

Sa loud,

At Christ's Kirk on the Green that day.

ZOOLOGY.

XXIII.

THE MANATEE AND DUGONG. YET another group of mammals has to be noticed which is especially aquatic in its habits. Although but two kinds now remain, they are but the representatives of many more that formerly existed, and it is probable that their nearest relatives are among the hoofed quadrupeds. Although in some respects they resemble the whales, these are merely qualities dependent upon their inhabiting the same medium. The ancient idea of the mermaids and sirens

The sirens. depends upon these creatures,

which, when half raised out of the water, present, especially the females, a slight reminder of the human form; when a young dugong is at the same time held to the breast of its mother, the similitude is heightened.

A great horizontal fin encloses the tail; there are no hind-limbs; while the fore-limbs,

Limbs and

mainly flipperdiet. like, are more completely organised than those of whales. In one feature, their diet, they are completely contrasted with the latter group, for they feed upon seaweeds and water-plants, and indeed have been called sea-cows. All their bones are very solid; the skull, it may also be observed, is much

smaller in proportion than in any cetacean.

of manatees.

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bordering the Indian Ocean, along the coasts of Australia, and even to the west coast of Peru. They feed more exclusively upon seaweeds than the manatees. The females show striking maternal affection.

RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.

This order includes more genera and species than any other mammalian order; but squirrels, beavers, mice, rats, lemmings, jerboas, porcupines, guinea-pigs, hares and rabbits, are all united by one remarkable cha

racter-that of having a pair of Gnawing teeth. permanently growing incisor teeth in the front of both jaws. In all but the hares and rabbits, the coating of enamel is developed only on the front surfaces of the teeth, the softer dentine being behind. The teeth, meeting, thus wear away into a sharp chisel-shape, and are exquisitely fitted for gnawing all kinds of vegetable products. They are to a large extent vegetable-feeders, although mice and rats, as is well known, are more varied in their diet. Many rodents are small, and they have

The Manatee dwells on the west coast of Africa and the east coast of South America, also reaching Jamaica and Florida; but it extends far upwards into each Distribution continent, in the great rivers and their large tributaries. How far the species in each locality are distinct is not quite certain; but all manatees are strikingly alike. They may attain a length of a dozen feet. The palate and tongue are Horny pads covered with a horny pad, admiand teeth. rably suited for rubbing down its rough diet. Eleven grinders appear above and below on each side, and their ridges present a considerable resemblance to those of many of the Ungulates. They have no incisors or canines when adult; but two small incisors are formed in each jaw in early life, and never appear above the jaw. These unused organs seem only to show a descent from some ancestor in which they were protruded above the jaw.

The Dugong has an extensive distribution, though in diminishing numbers, over the coasts

limbs modified for varied habits,-for life in trees, Limbs. on the

ground, under it, and progression in water. Though they are clever in gaining their objects, their brains are small and little complicated. There are usually five clawed toes on each foot, reduced to four or three in the hind-limbs of some. Speed and agility are often provided for by increased length of the hind-limbs and great power in the muscles moving them.

Hares and Rabbits abound in the northern

Hares and

rabbits.

hemisphere, and some species are found in India, South Africa, and South America. They have a second pair of small incisors directly behind the front large pair. The swiftness and timidity of these "small deer," and their power of doubling upon their pursuers, are familiar topics. The hare lives in a shallow pit or "form"; the rabbit makes a hollow or burrow, by preference in sandy soil.

Over 300 species constitute the great Mouse family, including besides the rats and mice, the Hamsters, courageous crea- Rats and mice. tures which have cheek-pouches

Lemmings.

in which to accumulate their spoil, Voles, commonly called water and field rats, and the Arctic Lemmings, which make remarkable journeys in countless myriads, traversing mountains, rivers, lakes, and after committing great devastation in harvest fields, finally reach the sea and perish in it. Nearly all the family have but three grinding teeth on each side in both jaws,-a number much less than that of the hares and