Ancient Britons before there were either Saxons or
villains.

By the laws of succession among the Ancient Britons, a man's land at
his death did not descend to his eldest son, but was equally divided
among all his sons; and when any dispute arose, it was determined by
the Druids. The youngest son, it appears, was more favoured than the
eldest or any of his brothers. "When the brothers have divided their
father's estate, the youngest shall have the best house, with all the
office-houses, the implements of husbandry, his father's kettle, his
axe for cutting wood, and his knife. These three last things the
father cannot give away by gift, nor leave by his last will to any but
his youngest son, and if they are pledged they shall be redeemed."

To account for this law is not very difficult. The elder brothers of a
family were supposed to have left their father's house before his
death, and obtained a house and necessaries of their own; but the
youngest, by reason of his tender age, was considered as more
helpless, and not so well provided. Halbert H.

* * * * *

STORM RAISING

The dread of storm raisers is universally prevalent amongst the
Italian peasantry, and especially in mountainous districts. A Danish
botanist, journeying alone upon an ass through the mountains of
Abruzzi, was involved in several perilous adventures by this
superstitious terror of the peasantry. They had for some time seen him
collecting plants amongst the unfrequented cliffs and ravines, and
watched his proceedings with suspicious curiosity. A few days later
their district was ravaged by a succession of storms, their suspicions
grew into certainty, and, assembling in considerable numbers, they
attacked the unconscious botanist with a volley of stones, and cursed
him as a storm-raising enchanter. He made vehement protestations of
his innocence, but the enraged peasants took forcible possession of
his collection, which they minutely examined. Finding only some
harmless leaves and blossoms, and no roots, their fury abated, and,
although it was suggested by some that he had probably used the roots
in his incantations, the unfortunate herbalist was at length dismissed
with fierce menaces, that if he dared to take a single root from the
ground, it would cost him his life. In the mountains near Rome, the
peasants regard with suspicion a singular costume, a stern cast of
countenance, or any striking personal formation