The Orange.—­This endless family of fruits it is probable had the small but useful wild lime for its progenitor.  The monstrous shaddock, citrons of all shapes and sizes, oranges and lemons, are all varieties, obtained in the course of long cultivation.

(To be concluded in our next.)

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

“I am but a Gatherer and disposer of other men’s stuff.”—­Wotton.

* * * * *

TO CHLOE, AT SIXTY.

  Those teeth, as white as orient pearls
  Stolen from th’ Indian deep,
  Those locks, whose light and auburn curls
  Soft on thy shoulders sleep,
  Expose a woman to the sight
  None but old friends can know;
  Thy locks were grey, thy teeth not white,
  Some twenty years ago.

* * * * *

Wilkes used to say, that a gentleman did not always require a footman to carry a parcel, for there were three things which he might always carry openly in his hand,—­a book, a paper of snuff, and a string of fish.

* * * * *

HEREDITARY TALENT IN ACTORS.

“Families are chequered as in brains, so in bulk.”—­FULLER.

The children of many obscure performers have become eminent:  but there are very few instances in which the descendant of a considerable actor or actress has been distinguished.  To take instances within recent recollection, or of the present day, for example—­Mr. Elliston has a son upon the stage:  with none of the striking talent of the father.  Mr. Henry Siddons, the son of Mrs. Siddons, was a very bad actor indeed.  Lewis had two sons upon the stage, neither of them of any value.  Mr. Dowton has two sons (or had), in the same situation.  And Mrs. Glover’s two daughters will never rise above mediocrity.  On the other hand, Mr. Macready and Mr. Wallack, are both sons of very low actors; and the late Mr. John Bannister and Mr. Tokely were similarly descended.  Almost the only modern instance of the immediate descendant of a valuable performer turning out well, was in the case of Mrs. Jordan’s daughter, Mrs. Alsop; who was very nearly as good an actress as her mother.  We doubt, too, if there is an instance on record of a very young man being a considerable actor.

* * * * *

PRISON TORTURE.

A horrible instance of human vengeance occurred a short time since, at Minden, in Westphalia.  The object was a person who, from conscientious motives, peculiar to the religious body of which he was a member, had refused to serve in the militia.  He was placed in a cell, the floor and sides of which were closely studded with projecting spikes, or pieces of sharpened iron resembling the blades of knives.  The individual remained in this state for twenty-four hours, and the punishment was repeated at three distinct intervals.  It is considered a rare occurrence for a person to survive the second infliction of this species of cruelty.  In this instance, however, the sufferer did not perish—­From the last Report of the Prison Discipline Society.