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oie Lyceum of Ancient Literature—Lucretius. {April 1, 
the least fibre of the beefimust be left, and 
the whole made into a paste. It is well 
to have it fresh every day; or what will an- 
swer,in case any should be left in the bird’s 
pan, three times the quantity of fresh 
may be mixed with it. When the bird ts 
first caught, 1t should be put into a small 
box, about a foot or less square, with a 
little hay at the bottom, the top covered 
over with a cloth, a small hole cut in one 
side large enough to admit a smail pan for 
meat. It must te fed at first with meat and 
meal-worms, if it refuses food, three or 
four times a day, and once in the night ; 
and when it returns toits food, which ge- 
nerally happens im twoor three days, it 
may be put intoits cage. 
_ The cages for nightingales should be 
different from the wire ones used in com- 
mon; the back, sides, and bottom, should 
be of wood, the top of thin green stuff, 
the front of a net work, made of a green 
silk twist; and till the bird is tame, itis 
better that the net- work be covered with 
a piece of thin green stuf. 1tis long be- 
fore they become completely domesti- 
cated and tame, nor could I teach one 
even after eight years confinement; to his 
cave, ever to come on my hand, or entice 
him out of his.cage. A hole should be 
cut on each side of the cage, one for a 
pan for meat, the other for a pan ef wa- 
ter; the latter large enough to admit of 
the bird’s washing itself, as he does not 
equire water to drink. Thedoor should 
be at the back, and a draw to receive 
dirt at the bottom. ‘The bird must be 
regularly attended to night and morning. 
It will often appear as if it were melan- 
choly, and be extremely particular in its 
food, and will require something addition- 
al to entice it to eat. A meal-worm or 
two may be stuckin its meat, and some- 
times sugar may he added; but if it ob- 
stiuately persists in refusing to eat, it 
must be fed, but very carefully. I have 
seen a nightingale fal! oif its food, and 
become quite emaciated, but yet recover, 
after being fed for six weeks: he was put 
im a box, &ce covered over with a cloth as 
before mentioned, and placed in a very 
warm room. Whenever the bowels are 
selased, a small quantity of prepared 
chalk (ereta ppt. of thé shops) sbould be 
given it. The bird will often get too fat, 
which will prevent its singing; this may 
be removed by adding’ to its meat 
a small quantity of finely powdered bis- 
cuit, (what are commonly called tops 
and bottoms); sometimes it will require 
equal parts of biscuit and meat, more or 
less according to its appearance, or to the 
feel of its breast, which is the better cri- 
terion; at the same time I should re- 
commend, that the bird may have a small 
room to fly in, placing before the window 
anet and some evergreen in it for the 
bird to perchon. According to this me- 
thod I have frequently heard fifteen to 
twenty in good song, at the same time, 
sometimes thirty. . 
The management of the woodlark and 
robin have notso immediately fallen under 
my observation, or I should have been 
happy to give what little information L 
might have possessed. 
Your's &c. 
Highgate. Las 
EE 
To ihe Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, | 
REQUEST the favour of an answer 
from some of your learned readers, 
through the medium. of your valuable 
Miscellany, whereabouts the hall in 
Blackfriars stood as mentioned by Shakes- 
speare in his play of King Henry VII. 
(act 2, scene 4), at what time it was built, 
and who was the founder. 
Your’s, &e, 
February 22, 1808. 
ee EE 
For the Monthly Magazine, 
LYC/EUM OF ANCIENT LITERA- 
TURE. —No. XVI. 
LUCRETIUS. 
‘ (7 are now to take a retrospect of 
a poem, for beauty of style, and 
purity of language, worthy of the Au- 
gustan age; but for its sabject, one of 
w.G. 
the most singular that ever engaged the 
pen of man. 
There are few particulars of the life of 
Lucretius. We are not disposed with 
lian*, to attribute this deficiency of 
materials, as he does in the case of Dia- 
goras, to the disgust of his contempora- 
ries, who reluctantly recorded even the 
existence of a man esteemed the enemy 
of the gods. It is more probable that a 
short hte, absorbed in the pursyits of 
philosophy and poetry, afforded little that 
could interest his own age, or engage the 
attention of posterity. He lived and died 
at-a period when the eye of every citizen 
was directed to public concerns; when 
the Roman republic was distracted by 
the ambition of aspiring demagogues, and 
the jealousies of contending factions. ° 
um 
* Lib. ean €. 23s 
© 
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