stitious, who, as in ancient times,
regard it as the concomitant of pestilence and the herald of
war."--Vide New York correspondence of _The Sun_, Aug. 24, 1853.

"The splendid comet now visible after sun-set on the western horizon,
has attracted the attention of every body here. The public impression
is, that this celestial phenomenon is to be considered as a sign of
war; and their astrologers, to whom appeal is made for an
interpretation, make the most absurd declarations: and I have been
laughed at by very intelligent Turks, when I ventured to persuade them
that great Nature's laws do not care about troubles here below."--Vide
Turkish correspondence of _The Herald_, Aug. 25, 1853.

"The comet which has lately been visible has served a priest not far
from Warsaw with materials for a very curious sermon. After having
summoned his congregation together, although it was neither Sunday nor
festival, and shown them the comet, he informed them that this was the
same star that had appeared to the Magi at the birth of our Saviour,
and that it was only visible now in the Russian empire. Its appearance
on this occasion was to intimate to the Russian eagle, that the time
was now come for it to spread out its wings, and embrace all mankind in
one orthodox and sanctifying church. He showed them the star now
standing immediately over Constantinople, and explained that the dull
light of the nucleus indicated its sorrow at the delay of the Russian
army in proceeding to its destination."--Vide Berlin correspondence of
_The Times_.

W. W.

Malta.

* * * * *

THE OLD ENGLISH WORD "BELIKE."

The word _belike_, much used by old writers, but now almost obsolete, even
among the poor, seems to have been but very imperfectly understood--as far
as regards its original meaning and derivation. Most persons understand it
to be equivalent, or nearly so, to _very likely_, _in all likelihood_,
_perhaps_, or, ironically, _forsooth_; and in that {359} opinion they are
not far wrong. It occurs in this sense in numerous passages in Shakspeare;
for instance:

"Some merry mocking lord, _belike_."--_Love's Labour's Lost._

"O then, _belike_, she was old and gentle."--_Henry V._

"_Belike_, this show imports the argument."--_Hamlet._

Such also was Johnson's opinion of the word, for he represents it to be
"from _like_, a