24 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 



gymnastic sports. It is adapted for every age and every 

 degree of strength; and the degree of exertion can always be 

 proportioned, by increasing or diminishing the power of the 

 bow employed. It is not necessarily laborious, as it may be 

 relinquished as soon as it becomes irksome or fatiguing. 



It is recorded, that a king of Persia offered a reward to 

 whoever could invent a new pleasure. Had such an in- 

 ducement been held forth by the ladies of the present day, 

 he who introduced Archery as a female amusement, might 

 deservedly have claimed the prize. It is unfortunate that 

 there are few diversions in the open air, in which women 

 can join with satisfaction, or without overstepping those 

 bounds which custom and innate delicacy have prescribed 

 to the sex; and as their sedentary life renders exercise 

 necessary to health, it is to be lamented that suitable amuse- 

 ments have been wanting, to invite them into the open air. 

 Archery, however, is admirably calculated to supply this 

 deficiency, and in a manner the most desirable that could 

 be wished. 



The bow is the most ancient and universal of all weapons, 

 and has been found in use amongst the most barbarous 

 and remote nations. In the days of Uavid, the practice of 

 this instrument of warfare appears to have been so general, 

 that it is constantly made use of in the Bible as a figure of 

 speech. Its earliest application, however, was for the pur- 

 pose of procuring food; and notwithstanding the celebrity 

 of the English archers, it is a question among antiquaries 

 whether it was ever used by the Anglo-Saxons and Danes, 

 except for the chase, or as an amusement. All authorities 

 agree, that it never was considered as a formidable weapon 

 of offence in that country, until after the Norman conquest, 

 who introduced the general use of it and the crossbow 

 among their military retainers and serfs; the difference in 

 the use of which is well exemplified in a simile made by 

 the celebrated Bayle: "Testimony," says he, "is like the 

 shot of a long bow, which owes its efficacy to the, force of 

 the shooter, whereas argument is like that of the crossbow, 

 equally forcible, whether discharged by a dwarf or a giant." 

 It is now wholly relinquished among civilized nations as a 

 hostile weapon, but still retains a prominent rank as afford- 

 ing a healthy and rational amusement. 



This exercise, which is exceedingly common in Europe, 

 and more particularly in Great Britain, is scarcely known 

 in this country; the only association of Bowmen in the 

 United States, as far as we can learn, being in this city. 

 We trust, however, that this fashion may be universally 

 cultivated and approved, and that we may see the time 

 when, with Statius, it will be said 



" Pudor est nescire sagiuas." 



Every information respecting the use of the Bow, can be 



readily obtained from the " Archer's Manual," a little 

 work published by Mr. Hobson, of Philadelphia, under the 

 superintendence of the " United Bowmen." Shooting 

 apparatus can likewise be obtained without much difiiculty, 

 either in this city, or may be imported from Europe. 



We have been led into these remarks, from a wish to see 

 this useful and agreeable amusement become general in our 

 country, where there is such a dearth of invigorating exer- 

 cises, with the exception of those of the chase. The asso- 

 ciation to which we have alluded, held their third annual 

 prize meeting on the twenty-second of October, when the 

 first prize, a silver bugle, was awarded to Mr. X. for the 

 greatest value of hits, and the second, a silver grease box, 

 for the hit nearest the centre of the target, to Mr. C. 

 From the unfavourable state of the weather, the shooting 

 was far from being equal to that on many of the ordinary 

 practice meetings of the association. 



MISCEIiliAJfY. 



A PHEASANT was chased by a hawk, a few days since, 

 from a swamp, and took refuge in the chimney of the 

 dwelling-house, on the farm of Mr. E. Seeley, in Cumber- 

 land county, N. J., and descended into the parlour, whence 

 it was taken, and kept alive for several days. 



The same gentleman has a domestic fowl, which pro- 

 duces, regularly, eggs with double yolks, and about the size 

 of those of a turkey. 



In the following anecdote, Hogg tells a monstrous story, 

 with an honest simplicity, that makes one laugh: — 



It's a good sign of a dog when his face grows like his 

 master's. It's a proof he's aye glowerin' up in his mas- 

 ter's een, to discover what he's thinking on; and then, 

 without the word or wave o' command, to be aff to execute 

 the wull o' his silent thocht, whether it be to wear sheep 

 or run doon deer. Hector got sae like me, afore he dee'd, 

 that I remember when I was owre lazy to gang to the kirk, 

 I used to send him to take my place in the pew — and the 

 minister never kent the difference. Indeed he ance asked 

 me, next day, what I thocht o' the sermon; for he saw me 

 wonderfu' attentive amang a rather sleepy congregation. 

 Hector and me gied ane anither sic a look! and I was 

 feared Mr. Paton would hae observed it; but he was a sim- 

 ple, primitive, unsuspectin auld man— a very Nathaniel 

 without guile, and he jealoused naething; tho' both Hector 

 and me was like to split; and the dog after laughing in his 

 sleeve, for mair than a hundred yards, could stand't nae 

 langer, but was obliged to loup awa owre a hedge into a 

 potato field, pretending to have scented partridges. 



