5th Edward III.) the wages paid to haymakers was
1d. a-day; a mower of meadows, 3d. a-day, or 5d. an acre; reapers of
corn in the first week of August, 2d., in the second 3d. per day, and
so on till the end of August, without meat, drink, or other allowance;
finding their own tools. For threshing a quarter of wheat or rye,
2-1/2d.; a quarter of barley, beans, peas, and oats, 1-1/2d. A master
carpenter, 3d. per day, other carpenters 2d. A master mason 4d. per
day, other masons 3_d_., and their servants 1-1/2d. per day. Tilers
3d., and their "knaves" 1-1/2d. Thatchers 3d. a-day, and their knaves
1-1/2d. Plasterers, and other workers of mud walls and their knaves
in like manner, without meat or drink, and this from Easter to
Michaelmas; and from that time less, according to the direction of the
justices. T. GILL.

_Literary Quizzing_.--Of all human quizzing, ancient and modern,
plebeian or patrician, nothing equals that now in triumphant practice
in the lists of literature. From Zoilus to the penny newspapers, never
has there been criticism, penned or spoken, so bitterly pungent as
some of the grave laudatory articles, by which authors are now quizzed
down to zero in the popular reviews. Satan Montgomery is bantered with
the name of Isaiah; Miss Landon by a comparison with La Rochefoucault;
and Don Trueba, with Pigault le Brun. This is a refinement in cruelty.
It is twining the rack with flowers; and hanging a man with a cord of
gold. The sentence of the reviewer should be "Yea, yea; and nay, nay!"
A Barmecide's feast of fame is a supererogation of malice. We hold
that all authors so derided have a right to call upon their critics
to make good their words; and build up the visionary castles of their
_Fata Morgana_, (like London Bridge in the nursery song) with "gravel
and stone;" or rather, "with silver and gold." A heavy mulct should be
imposed on literary quizzing.--_Tait's Edinburgh Magazine_.

_Cross Readings_, (_from the Spanish_.)--Suddenly King Alphonso
Riberro Fernando rose from his couch, and sallying from his tent with
fierce looks and sword in hand--swore the total annihilation of every
bug in the Castiles.

And the king with great despatch, forthwith ordered a strong body of
cavalry, for--there was a mouse scratching behind the wainscot.

So the queen, Mary, rising majestically from her throne, with
imperial, yet gentle look, exclaimed in a sweet voice--"Scratch Poll's
head."

There was a goodly array of