156 



NEW ENGLAND EARilER. 



]\Iarch 



part in the last act of "The ^Merchant of j 

 Venice ;" and in "The Two Gentlemen of 

 Verona," Julia savs : 



"This ring I gave liini when ho pr.rti'd from me, 

 To bind hiui to remember my good will." 



Swinburn, in his Treatise on Spousals, gives 

 the following reason for the ring being the 

 chosen emblem of true love, "The fonn of 

 tlie ring being circular, that is, being round 

 and round without end, iniporteth thus much, 

 that their nuitual love and hearty atl'ection 

 should roundly flow from tlie one to the other 

 as in a circle, and tliat continuously and forev- 

 er." In the most remote ages the ring or 

 circle was used as an emblem of eternity ; in 

 Egypt and Greece, a usual form of emblematic 

 circle was the serpent with its tail in its mouth, 

 and this form has been frequently adojjted in 

 rings and bracelets. 



The custom of breaking a gold or silver 

 coin between lovers is also very ancient, and 

 may probably have been derived from the old 

 Athenian symbol. A jnece of metal or wood 

 was cut into two parts, one-half being retain- 

 ed by the native of Attica, the other given to 

 the stranger whose actpiaintance he had made. 

 Tlie beai'cr of the sA'uibol, whether one of the 

 original j)arties or only a friend, was entitled 

 to all the rites of hospitality from the owner 

 of the other half. Not to acknowledge this 

 duty Avas considered scandalous and a crime. 

 Coins were no doubt subsequently used be- 

 cause of the facility of recognizing the token 

 by the device. A "bowed," or crooked piece 

 of money, was preferred as a love token, be- 

 ing considered more lucky. These broken 

 coins, pledges of love, are frequently referred 

 to in poem and story. 



Strutt mentions small embroidered handker- 

 chiefs among the love favors in vogue in Eng- 

 land in the olden time. They were about 

 three or four inches s(pia-e, "wrought round 

 about," with a button or tassel at each corner, 

 and another in tlie centre. Some were edged 

 with narrow gold lace or twist, and then fold- 

 ed so that the middle might be seen ; they 

 were worn by accepted lovers in their hats or 

 at the breast. These were so fashionable in 

 Queen. Elizabeth's days that they were sold in 

 the shops at from sixpence to sixteenpence 

 ajnece. 



Camden, in his Ancient and Modem Man- 

 ners of the Iris/i, speaks of lovers presenting 

 their mistresses with bracelets of woven hair; 

 and among northern nations a knot was a 

 syml)ol of love and fidelity. The origin of 

 the expression true-love knot is not from true 

 love, as might be supposed, but fi-om the 

 Danish Tridofa Jidem do — 1 jihght my troth. 

 — Temple Bar. 



Fill Yol'r Lamps in the Morning. — 

 Scarcely a week passes but we read accounts 

 of frightful accidents from kerosene lamps ex- 

 ploding and killing or scarring for life, men, 

 women and children. A simple knowledge of 

 the inllammable nature of the liquid will 

 probably put a stop to nearlj' all the acci- 

 dents. As the oil burns down in the lamp, 

 highly inllammable gas gathers over its sur- 

 face, and as the oil decreases the gas increas- 

 es. When the oil is nearly consumed, a slight 

 jar will intlame the gas, and an explosion is 

 sure to follow — death and destruction. A 

 bombshell is no more to be dreaded. Now, 

 if the lamp is not allowed to burn more than 

 half way down, such accidents are almost im- 

 possible. Always fill your lamp (!very morn- 

 ing, and then you need never fear an explos- 

 ion. 



Lady Nurses. — In respect to nursing, that 

 it should cease to be regarded as an occupa- 

 tion implying a social position not above a cer- 

 tain level, doubtless would demand that a 

 high rale or renumeration and an excellent so- 

 cial position should be enjoyed by some of 

 the body ; but, provided there were a common 

 bond of true knowledge and high feeling per- 

 vading the whole, these more fortunate mem- 

 bers need be by no means numerous. Their 

 honor would involve the honor of the whole ; 

 and the lady who, well instructed in her art, 

 and with an enthusiasm which shoidd render 

 her incapable of degrading it, should spend 

 her time in the abodes of the poor for such 

 small sums as their means could ailbrd, would 

 find that the honor of the whole body was to 

 her " a robe and a diadem," and Avould place 

 her, as far as it places the curate, from hav- 

 ing her social grade tested by her purse. — 

 Cornliill Mayazlne. 



