[3] "Rhodoginus mentions a parrot which could recite correctly the
whole of the Apostle's Creed."--Animal Biography, by the Rev.
W. Bingley.
[4] "The Dutch," says Le Vaillant, "give this bird the name of
Secretary, on account of the bunch of quills behind its
head."--Bingley, Animal Biography.
(_To be continued._)
* * * * *
THE GATHERER.
A snapper up of unconsidered trifles.
SHAKSPEARE.
* * * * *
PRISONS.
We had formerly in the Tower of London, a straight room or dungeon,
called, from the misery the unhappy occupiers of this very confined
place endured, the Little-Ease. But this will appear a luxurious
habitation, when compared with the inventions of Louis XI. of France,
with his iron cages, in which persons of rank lay for whole years;
or his oubliettes, dungeons made in the form of reversed cones,
with concealed trap-doors, down which dropped the unhappy victims
of the tyrant, brought there by Tristam L'Hermite, his companion and
executioner in ordinary; sometimes their sides were plain, sometimes
set with knives, or sharp-edged wheels; but in either cases they were
complete _oubliettes;_ the devoted were certain to fall into the land
where all things are forgotten.
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