Against the bite of a mad dog.—Put a silver ring on the ringer, within which the following words are engraven: hobay, habas, heber; and say to the person bitten by a mad dog, "I am thy saviour, lose not thy life;" and then prick him in the nose thrice, that at each time he bleed. Otherwise take pills made of the skull of one that is hanged, &c.

To find her that bewitched your kine.—Put a pair of breeches upon the cow's head, and beat her out of the pasture with a good cudgel, upon a Friday, and she will run right to the witch's door, and strike thereat with her horns.

We are exceeding our limits, else we should have added several other pithy receipts, almost worthy of her who made the noted one against the creaking of a door—"rub a bit of soft soap on the hinges." The most celebrated and precious charm, however, (for the above are mostly against every-day occurrences) was the Agnus Dei, which was a "preservative against all manner of evil, a perfect catholicon; and blessed indeed was the individual who possessed a treasure so valuable." It was "a little cake, having the picture of a lamb carrying a flag, on the one side, and Christ's head on the other side, and was hollow; so that the Gospel of St. John, written on fine paper, was placed in the concavity thereof;" and was a sovereign remedy against lightning, the effects of heat, drowning, &c. &c. In some of the above charms there is a little humour to be found; and as we have previously observed, such are the effects of faith, that like the amulets of the east (may not our own sprigs of witch-elm, &c. be so called?) they may have had in many cases the desired effects in averting disease.

Reginald Scot furnishes us with directions "how to prevent and cure all mischief wrought by charms or witchcraft." To prevent the entry of a witch into a house, nail a horse-shoe in the inside of the outermost threshold. We believe this rule is still in practice. Also it was a custom in some countries to nail a wolf's head, or a root of garlic, over the door, or on the roof of a house. And our Saviour's name, &c. with four crosses at the four corners of a house, was a protection. The Romish custom of driving out evil spirits by the smoke of sulphur, is well known. "Otherwise the perfume made of the gall of a black dog, and his bloode besmeared on the posts and walls of a house, driveth out of the doores, both devils and witches." A sprig of witch-elm sewn in the collar of the doublet, was celebrated amongst our great grandmothers as a specific against the malignant deeds of the weird sisterhood.

But we must draw this article to a close. We may well rejoice that we live in the nineteenth century; and that the disgusting infatuation and baleful doctrines of witchcraft are gone for ever.

VYVYAN.

FINE ARTS

DESCRIPTION OF THE KING'S PALACE,

By Mr. Nash, the Architect

The grand entrance in front, which is to be reserved for the especial use of his Majesty and the Royal Family, will be composed of white marble, and will be a faithful model of the arch of Constantine, at Rome, with the exception of the equestrian figure of his Majesty George IV. on the top. The workmanship of this arch is expected to rival any thing of the sort in the kingdom, and to equal the finest works of antiquity. From each side of the arch a semicircular railing will extend to the wings, executed in the most beautiful style, in cast-iron, and surmounted by tips or ornamental spears of mosaic gold. The area, within, will consist of a grass-plat, in the centre of which will be an ornamental fountain, and the whole will be bounded by a graveled road.

The wing on the left will comprise his Majesty's chapel, the kitchen, and other offices; and that on the tight, his Majesty's private suite of apartments. The entrance to the former is from the back, near to where Buckingham-gate formerly stood, and it is by this door that the visiters to the palace on gala days will be admitted. Passing through the building, they will enter a spacious colonnade, which extends along the front of the body of the palace, and in front of each wing; above the colonnade is a magnificent balcony, supported by columns of the Doric order. At the end of each wing is a pediment, supported by Corinthian columns. The entablature of each pediment is tastefully filled up with groups of figures in white marble, exquisitely carved in alto relievo, illustrative of the arts and sciences. On the extreme points of the wing on the left, are fixed statues representing History, Geography, and Astronomy; and on those of the right wing, Painting, Music, and Architecture. On the entablature of the pediment, in front of the main body of the palace, it is intended to place the Arms of England; and on the top are placed Neptune, with Commerce on one side, and Navigation on the other. Around the entire building, and above the windows, is a delicately worked frieze, combining in a scroll the Rose, the Shamrock, and the Thistle.

The entrance-hall is about thirty-three feet in height. The pavement is of white marble slightly veined with blue. The entire hall is bordered with a scroll of Sienna or yellow, centred with rosettes of puce-coloured marble, inlaid in the most masterly style of workmanship. The walls are of Scagliola, and the ceiling is supported by a succession of white marble pillars. From the hall are the avenues leading to the state apartments—drawing-rooms, dining-rooms, throne-room, statue-gallery, picture-gallery, &c.

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The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 13, No. 355, February 7, 1829

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FINE ARTS

DESCRIPTION OF THE KING'S PALACE,

By Mr. Nash, the Architect

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