148 anecdotes of Samuel Bernard. » —_ Now. 28 
these may afford useful dyes; and in the Highlands of 
Scotland the natives obtain a glary juice, like the whites 
of eggs, from the root of the fern, which they account a 
sovereign remedy for sprains and burns. They all grow 
with great luxuriance on barren soils, where few other 
plants could be made to thrive ; so that if they were pro- 
perly cultivated there, it is highly: probable that some 
kinds of them may be foutid in time to afford a much 
more valuable produce than could otherwise be obtained 
from such soils. Its use in making potafh is well known: 
ANECDOTES OF SAMUEL BERNARD. 
ae To the Eduor of the Bee. 
Some traits which have been preserved of Samuel Ber- 
nard, unite,the ideas of piety and vice, of a great and a 
“Jittle, of a steady anda capricious mind. 
This man was a rich Jew, who lived at Paris in the be- 
ginning of the present century.—_Being appointed banker to 
the court, he consented to bear the iniquities of govern- 
ment by pretending insolvency. One of his sons was a 
President of parliament, another, Master of Requests, and 
his daughter was married to a gentleman who was pro- © 
moted to the rank of first President of parliament; yet 
Samuel himself adhered inflexibly to the religion of his 
fathers. 
He resisted the flattery of courtiers with all the digni- 
ty of an independent philosopher. He was modest and 
unafsuming at his own table, a circumstance which rende- 
red his company more supportable than that of his brothes 
financiers. . 
His carriage and horses stood in readinefs from the mo- 
ment he rose till he went to bed. His porter was obli- 
ged to watch and listen to every noise, so as to have the 
_ gate opened before his coach drove up to it. The scup, 
