304 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



APRIL 3, 1S33. 



MISCELLANY. 



From the Mew England Magaxinc. 

 WIT AND AVISDOM. 



'Tis long since Wit and Wisdom met, 

 For neither much esteemed his brother ; 



Wit was a httle, too, in debt, 

 And a small sum was due the other. 



So Wisdom wore a solemn phiz, 



As if he feared Wit would not pay it ; 



But Wit thought gravity a quiz, 

 Ajid did not hesitate to say it. 



Wit had no glebe to toil upon. 

 Though better of the fates he merited; 



He was, you know, a younger son, 

 A vagabond, and disinherited. 



''Fools hate," said he, " the name of Wit, 



And Wisdom loves me not, I know, 

 Because I am no hypocrite, 



But have a jest for friend and foe. 



What Wisdom hath I envy not. 



But, as the bard saith, ndror magis ; 



And though mine is a dismal lot, 

 I would not change it for a sage's." 



Though Wit could count but little gold, 



He was for lack of it the prouder ; 

 But Wisdom's wealth could not be told. 



Which made him pitch his voice the louder. 



The parties quarrelled in a trice. 

 But what was uttered — ^you may guess it. 



For Wit could not abide advice. 



And Wisdom never could suppress it. 



The brothers, tlierefore, parted then, 



Tlio' friends or foes I know not whether ; 



But this is sure, — tiiose w^orthy men 

 Since then have not been seen together. 



' From the Library of Entertainhig Knowledge. 



DESCRIPTIOIV OP AN ANCIENT VILIiA. 



Discovered between the Volca.no of Vesu- 

 vius AND the Sea. — When Vesuvius first shewed 

 aigns of the coming storm, the air was still, as we 

 learn from the description of Pliuy, and the smoke 

 of the mountain roes up straight, until the atmos- 

 plicre would bear it no higher, and then spread on 

 all sides into a canopy, suggesting to him the idea 

 of an enormous pine tree. After this a wind sprung 

 up from the west, wliich was favorable to carry 

 Pliny from Misenum to Stabife, but prevented his 

 return. Tlie next morning probably it veered 

 something to the nortli, when, in the younger 

 Pliny's words, a cloud seemed to descend upon 

 the earth, to cover the sea, and hide tlie Isle of 

 Caprese from his view. The ashes are said by 

 Dion Cassius to have reached Egypt, and in fact a 

 line drawn south east from Vesuvius would pass 

 very near Pompeii and cut Egypt. It was proba- 

 bly at this moment that the hail of fire fell thick- 

 est at Pompeii, at day break on the second morning, 

 and if any had long thus survived the stifling air 

 and torrid earth which surrounded them, their 

 misery probably was at this moment brought to a 

 close. The Villa of which we speak lay exactly 

 between the city and the mountain, and must have 

 felt the first, and, if there were degrees of misery, 

 where all perished alike, the worst effects of this 

 fearful visitation. Fearful is such a visitation in 

 the present day, even to those who crowd to see 

 an eruption of Vesuvius, as they would to a pic- 

 ture gallery or an opera ; how much more terrible, 

 accompanied by the certainty of unpeuding death 



to those whom neither history nor experience had 

 familiarized with the most awful phenomenon of 

 nature. At this, or possibly at an earlier moment, 

 the love of life proved too strong for the soci.'il af- 

 fections of the owner of the house. He Hed, 

 abandoning to their fate a numerous family, and a 

 young and beainiful daughter, and bent his way, 

 with his most precious movables, accompanied only 

 by a single slave, to the sea, which he never reach- 

 ed alive. His daughter, two children, and other 

 members of his family and household, sought pro- 

 tection in the subterranean vaults, which, by the 

 help of the wine-jars already stored there, and the 

 provisions which they brought down with thein, 

 they probably considered as sufticient refuge 

 against an evil of which they could not guess the 

 whole extent. It was a vain hope — the same fate 

 awaited them all by diflfcrent ways. The strong 

 vaults and narrow openings to the day protected 

 them indeed, from the falling cinders, but the 

 heat suflicient to char wood and volatilize the more, 

 subtle part of the ashes, could not be kept out by 

 such means. The vital air was changed into a 

 sulphurous vapor, charged with burning dust. In 

 their despair, longing for the pure breath of heaven, 

 they rushed to the door, already choked with 

 scoriae and ruins, and perished in agonies on 

 which the imagination docs not willingly dwell. 

 This the reader will probably be inclined to think 

 might do very well for the conclusion of a ro- 

 mance, but why invent such leutiniental stories to 

 figure in a grave historical account. It is a re- 

 markable instance, perhaps the strongest which 

 has yet occurred, of the peculiar interests which 

 the discovery at Pompeii possesses, as introducing 

 us to the homes, nay to the very persons of a 

 long forgotten age, that every circumstance of this 

 tale can be verified by evidence little less than con- 

 clusive. Beside the garden gate two skeletons 

 were found ; one, presumed to be the master, had 

 in his hand the key of that gate, and near him 

 were about a hundred gold and silver coins ; the 

 other stretched beside some silver vases, was, prob- 

 ably, a slave charged with the transport of them. 

 When the vaults beneath the rooms were discov- 

 ered at the foot of the staircase, the skeletons of 

 seventeen persons were huddled up together, un- 

 moved during seventeen centuries since they sunk 

 in death. They were covered by several feet of 

 ashes of extreme fineness, evidently slowly borne 

 in through the vent-hole, and afterwards consoli- 

 dated by damp. The substance thus formed re- 

 sembles the sand used by metal founders for 

 castings, but is yet more delicate and took perfect 

 impressions of every thing on which it lay. Un- 

 fortunately this property was not observed until 

 almost too late, and little was preserved except the 

 neck and breast of a girl, which arc said to dis- 

 play extraordinary beauty of form. So exact is 

 the impression, that the very texture of the dress 

 in which she was clothed is apparent, which, by 

 its extraordinary fineness, evidently shows that she 

 had not been a slave, and may be taken for the 

 fine gauze which Seneca calls woven wind. — On 

 other fragments the impression of jewels worn on 

 the neck and arms is distinct, and marks that sev- 

 eral members of the family here perished. The 

 jewels themselves were found beside them — com- 

 prising, in gold, two necklaces, one set with blue 

 stones, and four rings, containing engraved gems. 

 Two of the skeletons belonged to children, and 

 some of their blond hair was still existent ; most of 

 them are said to have been recognized as female. 



Each sex probably acted in conformity to its char- 

 acter, the men trusting to their own strength to 

 escape, the women waiting with patience the issue 

 of a danger from which their own exertions could 

 not save them. In the same vault bronze cande- 

 labra, and other jewels and coins were found. 

 Amphora; were also found ranged against the wall, 

 in some of which the contents, dried and hardened 

 by time were still preserved. Archoeologists, it is 

 said, pretend to recognize in this substance, the 

 flavor of the rich strong wine for which the 

 neighborhood of Vesuvius is celebrated. 



PAINT OII^. 



THE subscribers keep on liand a constant supply of their 

 "prepared Paint Oil," which they oB'er for sale (with some 

 further improvements, adapting it for use in cold weather as 

 well as warm) witli renewed assurance of its merit, having stood 

 through the last siunmcr and winter without change, and almost 

 without a diminution of gloss. This Oil, indei)endcnt of being 

 25 per cent, cheaper, will actually cover a quarter more surface 

 than Linseed Oil, as has been repeatedly proved, and confirm- 

 ed by statements of many painteis. Upwards of fil\y buildings 

 in this city aud vicinity, can be referred to painted last year 

 with this Oil, aud most of Ihcm (where painted with two coals) 

 still retain their gloss, which is a clear demonstration of its 

 strength. The prepared Oil, is found to answer a good pur- 

 pose to nii.K with Linseed Oil, giving it strength, and durability 

 with a more permanent gloss. It is found euso to paint a very 

 clear white ; being light colored, it does not give any coloring 

 or yellow tinge to the lead in mixing. Oil factory, head of 

 Fosters wharf. DOWNER &, AUSTIN 



N. P.. The al)0ve Oil, and all other Oils, sold from the Oil 

 Factcrv. which shall not prove as represented, can be returned, 

 and tin- cartage will be paid. 3t m27 



FiVRDIER WANTED. 



W.\NTED a single man to work on a small farm — one who 

 is wc!i acquainted with the cultivation of all kinds ol" vegetables, 

 .Also one who understands taking care of fruit trees. No one 

 need :ipply who makes use of ardent spirits. A good charac- 

 ter will be required. Liquire at No. 52, India Wharf, 

 (.is&to 3t m27 



EVERGREENS, SILiVER FIRS, &c. 



THE Subscriber being engaged in the Seed business, would 

 be happy to receive orders for Forest Trees, See<ls anti Ever- 

 greens from Maine ; and being agent for G. C. Barrett, Boston, 

 and Prince & Sons, Flushing, N. V. orders sent through them 

 or otherwise, will be attended to without delay. Pai-ticular 

 directions for taking up and packing are requested. 



WM. MANN. 



Augusta, Me. March 13. 



PRUNING. 



THE Subscribers would be glad to undertake the Pruning of 

 Fruit Trees, &-C. &c. Their practical experience in Horlicul 

 ture for many years, in England and America, recommends 

 ilrom to give satisfaction to their cmnlovcrs. Anplv at this 

 ollice. wiLOT& WILSON. 



March .'>. ^ 



THE NE^V ENGLAND P ARMEU 



Is published every Wednesday Evening, at gS per annum, 

 payable at the end of die year — but those who pay within 

 sixty days from the time ot subscribing, are entiUcdtQ a deduc- 

 tion of tiflv cents. 



(0= No paper will be sent to a distance without payment 

 being made in advance. 



° AGENTS. 



New York—G. Thorburu & Sons, 67 Liberty-street. 

 Alhany—Wti. Thorburn, 34-7 Market-street. 

 Philadelphia — D. Sl C. Landreth, 85 Chcsnut-street. 

 Baltimore — I. I. Hitchcock, Publisher of American Farmer. 

 Cincinnati — S. C. Parkhurst, 23 Lower Market-street. 

 Flushing, N. Y. — Wji. Prince & Sons, Prop. Lin. Bot. Gar. 

 Middlebunj, Vt. — Wight Chapman, Merchant. 

 Hari/ord^GooBWin & Co. Booksellers. 

 Springfield. Ms. — E. Edwards, Merchant. 

 Newtmryport — Ebenezer Stedman, Bookseller. 

 Portsmmith, N. H. — J. W. Foster, Bookseller. 

 Portland, Me.—CoLMAS, Holden &. Co. Booksellers. 

 Angiista, Me. — Wm. Mann, Druggist. 

 Halifax, N. S.—P. J. Holland, Esq. Editor of Recorder. 

 Montreal, L. C— Geo. Bent. , 

 St. Louis — Geo. Halton. 



Printed for Geo. C. Barrett by Ford & Damrell 

 who execute every description of Book and Fancy Frini- 

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 in^ may be left with Geo. C. Barrett, at the Agricul- 

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