's claim,
Forgetting honoured race and ancient name;
Where round your souls the flowers of song might twine,
Lost in the rapture of the bard's design.

* * H.

* * * * *

RETROSPECTIVE GLEANINGS.

* * * * *

TOUCHING FOR THE CURE OF THE KING'S EVIL.

(_For the Mirror_.)

The author of a treatise on this subject, tells the following anecdote,
which may in some degree account for the numbers registered at
Whitehall, (who were _touched_) which were from the year 1660 to 1664
inclusive, a period of five years, 23,601; and from May 1667 to May
1684, 68,506; viz. an old man who was witness in a cause, had by his
residence fixed the time of a fact, by Queen Anne having been at Oxford,
and _touched_ him while a child, for the cure of the evil. When he had
finished his evidence, the relater had an opportunity of asking him
whether he was really cured. Upon which he answered with a significant
smile, "that he believed himself never to have had a complaint, that
deserved to be considered as the _evil_, but that his parents were poor,
and _had no objection to the bit of gold_."

When King Charles II. _touched_ at Whitehall, he usually sat in a chair
of state, and put about each of their necks a white ribbon, with an
_angel_ of gold on it. Query.--Was not this the _original golden or
angelic_ ointment?

Edward the Confessor is generally mentioned as the first possessor of
this art; although the historians of France are disposed to maintain,
that it was originally inherent in their kings.

Dr. Johnson's mother is said to have been instigated by the advice of a
celebrated physician, Sir John Floyer, to bring her son to London for
the purpose of receiving the remedy, and it is recorded that he was
_touched_ by Queen Anne.

P.T.W.

* * * * *

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AMONG THE EGYPTIANS.

(_For the Mirror_.)

The Egyptians were exceedingly exact about the administration of
justice, believing that the support or dissolution of society altogether
depended upon that. Their highest tribunal was composed of thirty
judges. They placed at the head of this tribunal the person who at once
possessed the greatest share of wisdom, knowledge, and love of the laws,
and public esteem. The king furnished the judges with every thing
necessary for their support, so that the people had justice rendered
them without expens