INDEX INDICATORIUS. Continued from p. 71. W. N. sends a pastoral, consisting of many stanzas, with a request to have them inserted in the Bee. The first and the last fhall serve as a specimen. On the side of a verdant hill A fhepherd bewailing did lie, While rocks and the neighbouring rill After a long wail and many sighs, the maid, who was listening all the while, comes forward, owns a mutual flame, a wedding of course follows.' Then, Contented they live inacot, Well thatch'd on th' enamell'd green, So each nymph may Flora's I ween." Is this enough gentle reader? Pollio sends a pitiable story of a sailor, who having ruined a young girl, and thenjdeserted her, afterwards was seized with compunction, returned home with a purpose to marry her. On enquiring for her, was told she was well, and had a thumping boy; but, for the sake of the hum, the informant added, she was also married. The poor sailor, disconsolate, rambling about, was picked up by a press gang, and next day hanged himself; and his mistress hearing of his mishap died for grief.-Alas! and alas! The moan of Infelicitas begins thus: Oh what uneasiness I feel! No serious bus'nefs can I touch. We dare not touch another line, lest we should catch the infection from Infelicitas. J. H-n celebrates the beauties of May in several stanzas, of which this is not the worst: Young lambkins are straying, And harmlessly playing, While sweet feather'd songsters make vocal each spray. The senses it pleases, The fancy it heezes, When that we behold all the beauties of May. A Highlandman, after stating in strong terms the advantages of industry and population, returns to the old subject of the depopulation of the Highlands; a subject that demands much and serious attention, and concludes with the following proposal. "In order to remedy so weighty a train of evils to the human species, I would propose, first, that sheep farms should be established in islands, large mountains, and immense tracts of heath, which are at present of no great value, or at least can be spared without any material injury to the neighbouring inhabitants. Proprietors would have thus a considerable acquisition to their estates, without depopulating any part of them. Again, where sheep farms of this kind cannot be established, I would propose that proprietors, instead of removing their tenants as is now practised, fhould encourage themselves to become sheep farmers. This method is gradual in its progress, but sure. Proprietors may thus in a few years have all the advantages of sheep farming, and retain the comfortable consideration of being the fathers and the guardians of an industrious people, instead of being a scourge to the human race: and who that can claim any fhare of humanity or generous sentiment would not prefer the one to the other?" Humanity and generosity are commendable qualities; but before they can do much good, they must be under the direction of sound judgement, How is it possible to make a man a sheep farmer, if he has not money to stock his farm? How is it possible to have a numerous people who fhall be all employed as fheep farmers? Will the profits to be derived from a score or two of sheep, be ever such as to be sufficient to maintain a family? could such a small hersel be ever managed with rational economy? Could," -But enough has been said. A Constant reader desires that the following notices may be inserted in the Bee. "Mr Michael Bruce, whose poems were taken notice of by the writers of the Mirror, with applause, was born at Kinneswood, near Kinross, in the year 1746, and died when only twenty-one in 1767. The poet's mother is still living in the same village, in the eighty-third year of her age, and until lately, when she received several presents, was in very destitute circumstances." This notice, like several of the other papers, has been with the Editor some time. He thinks he once saw proposals for printing these poems by subscription for the behoof of the mother. Is the still alive? or what has become of the poems ? M. A. after putting several queries respecting silk worms, which have been already answered in the Bee, requests that the following B. C. with much humanity, sends a long copy of verses beginning thus: 66 'Mongst all the num'rous ways man is employ'd None is more grateful to the feeling mind, The Editor regrets that the fastidiousness of modern critics obliges him to reject so many poetical attempts that have been dictated by beneficence. He yet more regrets that so many should think that verse is absolutely necessary for inculcating the precepts of humanity. Inquisitas enquires" If it is the duty of magistrates to curb the increase of houses of bad fame? If their exertions for this purpose fhould fail, which he thinks scarcely possible, is it not in their power to stop the perambulations of those execrable wretches commonly called street bawds? Are houses of bad fame any way prejudicial to society, exclusive of their being an encouragement to vice?" TO CORRESPONDENTS. THE valuable translation of part of the history of Haco the Good, from the Icelandic of Snorro, is thankfully received, and shall appear soon. The Editor is also much obliged to another valuable correspondent for his excerpts from the Edda, and comparison with Smollet. The ingenious essay by Non Medicus, came safe to hand, and shall be inserted with the first convenience. The competition piece for the Russian gem by I. M. C. M. is received. The author has unfortunately not adverted, that the premium was offered by the donor for essays in verse only. The verses by a Phenix hunter are received. They abound with beauties and defects. Why will not the writer avoid these last? a very little care would do it. The favour of Curiosus Junior is come to hand. The answer will be ready waiting at the Bee Office next week. The verses by A. T, are received; to indulge this writer, we will try to find a spare corner for them some time. Thanks to the author for the poem of Clito and Delia. Its greatest defect for our journal is its length. Might not excerpts from it be taken? The second note from Eusebius came to late. Farther notes to correspondents deferred i3i. THE BEE, OR LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER, FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5. 1793. NATURAL SIZE. A NON DESCRIPT FISH. THIS beautiful little fish was caught on a piece of gulf weed, by an officer of the Lord Hawkesbury Indiaman, in latitude 26°. 30 N. and longitude 39o. 30 W. from London, the 16th of July 1792. Its ventral fins are two; long, narrow, and tipped with black near the point on each side. Their point reaches exactly to the vent. The anal fin rises a little below the vent, and reaches nearly to the tail. The exact number of rays in this specimen could not be counted.' The dorsal fin is divided into two parts. The first arises near the shoulder; and turning in, a little narrower, is continued till it again becomes of a much greater breadth than before, extending downwards till it reaches the upper side of the lowermost white bar, where it is rounded off. The exact number of rays in neither of these could be ascertained, nor the precise form of the fin. In the latter dorsal fin I think there are fourteen rays. The pectoral fins are broad, longifh, fan-fhaped. The tail has the same general appearance with the other fins, oval, fan-shaped. All these fins are marked with a beautiful black line running along near the edge; but beyond that line the points of the rays project a little, and are quite transparent. This little fish is distinguishable at first sight from all others I have ever seen, by the regular bands, or zones of different colours, that surFound its body, which are arranged in the following order:⚫ 1. The muzzle, as far down as the eye, is of a dufky brownish colour. 2. A band of white, of a silvery lustre, bordered with a line of black on each side, succeeds, bending backwards towards the middle. 3. Another band of the same, brown. This is irregular in shape, being narrower in the middle, |