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Ewtracts from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
[Communications to this Article are always thankfully received. ] 
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THEODORE GAZA. 
HIS learned Greek-settled in Italy 
after the taking of Constantinople, 
by Mahomet the Second: He applied 
himself so earnestly and with such suc- 
cess to the Italian language, that he was 
able in a short time to point out many of 
its beauties, even to the Italians them- 
selves. Such was the idea he entertain- 
ed of his own acquirements, and of the 
literary character in general, that- when 
he presented one of his works to Pope 
Sixtus the Fourth, and received in returna 
very scanty supply of money; he indig- 
nantly threw it into the Tiber, exclaim: 
ing ** that learned men should no Jonger 
resort to Rome, where taste was so:de- 
praved, and learning so meanly reward- 
ed.” 
LoNGomoNnTANUS, (1562, '1647.) 
A native of Denmark, was‘celebrated. 
in his time as a mathematician, and an 
astronomer. He was many years the 
friend of Tycho Brahe, and assisted’ him 
in his observations. 
Besides many astronomical works, he 
is author of a carious treatise entitled, 
“* Disputatos ethica de Anime Humane 
Morbis.” Me 
He was simple enough to believe that 
he had at length ascertained the quadra- 
ture of the circle, and was with difficulty 
convinced of his mistake. 
THE FIRST TAX LEVIED IN ENGLAND. 
‘Taxes have been so greatly miultiplicd 
it England, especially within the last 
thirty or forty years, that a person could 
scarcely believe that this nation would 
be able to pay the different duties which 
are exacted. ‘The first tax known in 
unis country was that of danegeld, 
which was a contribution originally in- 
tended to relieve England fromthe Danes, 
but was afterwards imposed to ‘prevent 
other invasions, or on some great emer- 
gency. 
the hides of land; and this method being 
employed in future taxations, hidage 
caine to denote any general aid drawn 
from the landed property of the kingdom, 
A hidage was usually a taxation of two 
shillings, but sometimes of threé, four, 
five, and even six shillings on every hide, 
which, tn general, was to consist of one 
hundred, or one hundred and twenty 
acres. Dr. Burn says, that a hide of 
land seems to be the same as an ergang, 
Tt was levied by assessment on 
being as. much as one yoke of oxen 
could plow ina year. 
PRICE OF FAT OXEN, &c. IN THE REIGN 
OF EDWARD II. . 
’ In the eighth year of the reign of Ed- 
ward If., the parliament ordered,’ that, 
in consequence of a dearth, an ox, fat- 
ted with grass, should be sold fur 15s. 
and with corn for 20s.; the best cow 
for 12s.; a fat hog of two years’ old for 
3s. 4d. ; a fat sheep which was shorn, for 
1s. 2d., and unshorn 1s. 8d.; a fat goose: 
22d.; a fat capon 2d.; and a fat hen 1d. 
MAGNANIMITY OF DEAN SWIFT. 
In the year 1724, Swift’s patriotism’ 
burst forth with great vehemence, in his: 
opposing the ‘currency of Wood’s half- 
pence. A full levee was held at the 
castle in Dublin, the day following that 
on which a proclammation had been is- 
sued against the Draper. The lord-lieu- 
tenant was going round the circle, when 
Dean Swift.abruptly entered the cham- 
ber, and, pushing through the crowd, 
never stopped till he arrived within the 
circle. With marks of the highest in-- 
dignation in his countenance, and in a 
voice which echoed through the room, 
he addressed tite lord-lieutenant as fol-. 
lows: “ So, my lord-lieutenant, this is a: 
glorious exploit that you performed yes- 
terday, in issuing a proclamation against 
a poor shopkeeper, whose only crime is 
an honest endeavour to save his country 
from ruin, You have given a noble spe- 
cimen- of what, this devoted nation: has 
to expect from,your government, I 
suppose youthink that a statue of copper 
will beerected to you for the service thus 
rendered to Wood.” He then for some 
time continued to inveigh in the bitter- 
est terms against the patent, and dis- 
played:in the strongest colours the fatal 
consequences of introducing that execra- 
ble coin. The whole assembly were. 
struck dumb with wonder at this unpre- 
cedented scene. In the presence of this 
inan of virtue, tlie titked slaves and vas- 
sals of power felt and shrunk into their 
own insignificancy. Swift stood super- 
eminent among them, like his-own Gul- 
liver amidst.a circle of Liliputians: For 
some time, a profound silence ensued ; 
but at length, Lord Carteret, who had 
listened with great composure to the 
whole speech, replied,in the following... 
auotation trom Virgil: 
pn Res 
