ratches or splutters, it may be thrown away,
and another may be tried. But when a really good one is found, we cling to
it, as worldly men cling to their friends: we use it till it breaks down,
or grows rusty. We can do no more; we handle it as Izaak Walton handled
the frog upon his hook, "as if we loved him." We could almost fancy some
analogy between the gradual and decided improvement of the steel pen--one
of the new instruments of education--and the effects of education itself
upon the mass of the people. An instructed nation ought to present the
same gradually perfecting combination of strength with elasticity. The
favorites of fortune are like the quill, ready made for social purposes,
with a little scraping and polishing. The bulk of the community have to be
formed out of ruder and tougher materials--to be converted, welded, and
tempered into pliancy. The _manners_ of the great British family have
decidedly improved under culture--"_emollit mores_:" may the sturdy
self-respect of the race never be impaired!

SNAKES AND SERPENT CHARMERS. (FROM BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.)

At the present time there are at the London Zoological Gardens two Arabs,
who are eminently skilled in what is termed "Snake-Charming." In this
country, happily for ourselves, we have but little practical acquaintance
with venomous serpents, and there is no scope for the development of
native skill in the art referred to; the visit, therefore, of these
strangers is interesting, as affording an opportunity of beholding feats
which have hitherto been known to us only by description. We propose,
therefore, to give some account of their proceedings.

Visitors to the Zoological Gardens will remark, on the right hand side,
after they have passed through the tunnel, and ascended the slope beyond,
a neat wooden building in the Swiss style. This is the reptile-house, and
while our readers are bending their steps toward it, we will describe the
performance of the Serpent Charmers.

The names of these are Jubar-Abou-Haijab, and Mohammed-Abou-Merwan. The
former is an old man, much distinguished in his native country for his
skill. When the French occupied Egypt, he collected serpents for their
naturalists, and was sent for to Cairo to perform before General
Bonaparte. He described to us the general, as a middle-sized man, very
pale, with handsome features, and a most keen eye. Napoleon watched his
proceedings with great interest, made many inquiries,