the head, and breaking
through skull and bones, comes out at the sides or back. Finally, a bull
with tail erect, comes bellowing and bounding in, with a man strapped on
his back. The animal jumps and capers about, making every effort to rid
himself of his burthen, to the no small amusement of the spectators. The
rider at length loosens the straps, and the bull is attacked on all
sides by amateurs and matadores on foot and on horseback. When a matador
has killed a bull, he bows to the government box, then to the
municipality, and then all around, receiving plaudits in proportion to
the skill he has shown, and the sport he has afforded. Advancing then to
the box of the municipality, he receives his reward from one of the
members, who is appointed as judge on the occasion, which consists of a
few dollars thrown into the arena. When the spectators are particularly
gratified by the performance, they also throw money into the ring.

* * * * *

THE ANECDOTE GALLERY.

ANECDOTES OF CELEBRATED AUTHORS, FRENCH AND ITALIAN.

Crebillon's manner of life was extremely singular. He slept little, and
lay very hard; he was always surrounded with about thirty cats and dogs;
and used to smoke tobacco, to keep his room sweet against their
exhalations. Being one day asked, in a large company, which of his works
he thought the best? "I don't know," answered he, "which is my best
production; but this (pointing to his son, who was present) is certainly
my worst." "It is," replied the son, with vivacity, "because no
Carthusian had a hand in it," alluding to the report that the best
passages in his father's tragedies had been written by a Carthusian
friar, who was his friend.

Molieres, the celebrated French priest and mathematician, was a very
irritable man, which led him frequently into passions, of which one was
the cause of his death in 1742. In other respects he was reckoned a very
amiable character; but was apt to be so absent, or absorbed in his
studies, as to appear almost wholly insensible to surrounding objects.
His infirmity in this respect became known, and he was accordingly made
the subject of depredations. A shoe-black once finding him profoundly
absorbed in a reverie, contrived to steal the silver buckles from his
shoes, replacing them with iron ones. At another time, while at his
studies, a villain broke into the room in which he was sitting, and
demanded his money; Molieres, without r