dess, and act her own character, than which none could be more perfect. Then turning to lady Anna, he declared the blindness of love was now self-evident, since nothing but infatuation could have made any man go prowling about after a pair of eyes, when such lights were given to his view; "but it is like all our vagaries," he continued; "those lamps which have guided us for a century past, are now to be superseded by gas lights; nay, it would not surprise me, to see a set of men form themselves into a company to analyze the properties of women's eyes."

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"It would end in smoke if they did," said a doctor Ollapod, laying his hand on the shoulder of the Bellman, my worthy friend. Of women I say nothing; they are indefinable creatures, though excellent patrons of our profession, thanks to the introduction of the nervous system;' but, for the gas, it is a delightful and redundant source for animadversion; to how many philosophical lectures has it given rise!

6

What

What eloquence has grown out of the subject! Sir, permit me to add, that I myself have harangued the Institution' for an hour and a half at a time, and have proved, by demonstration, that the air being rarified, is"

Poh!" interrupted the Bellman, “none of your outlandish gibberish. I always commits every body that I don't understand; you would find no more mercy with me than if you were a Frenchman. I think you must be wrong, because I cannot make you out; so none of your long

stories for me."

"Vile ignorance!" said the son of science, "I pity you!" and flourishing his gold-headed cane, he took his departure.

The Bellman, throwing himself into an attitude of the most whimsical kind, sang out a line of that popular song, "Nobody coming to marry me," which was too pointedly applied to be mistaken for any thing but an attack upon Mrs. Marnley.

Her companion appeared to feel the allusion;

L 3

allusion; she evidently strove to lead the widow from the group; but ere she had time to effect her purpose, the Crier warbled forth two lines of that plaintive ballad sung in The Heiress'

"For tenderness form'd, in life's early day,

A parent's soft sorrow, to mine led the way."

That its application was just, there required no other proof than the manner of the stranger, who now seemed to need that support she had so recently offered. Sir Charles Felton seized this moment to press his services; and with a strong feeling of compunction for his own remissness, our hero saw the baronet attend the ladies to their carriage. Yet Sidney was soon sensible of his error, for lady Anna, who leaned upon his arm, had a claim to his politeness, which must have prevented his attending them.

"Poor Charles!" said lady Anna, "he is really captivated. I don't know what papa. will say, but Charles is very independent."

"And

L

"And very amiable," replied Wentworth, with a strong emphasis,

"Indeed he is," replied her ladyship. "I scarcely think it possible, any woman: who owned a heart could refuse it to his solicitations."

"What a comprehensive eulogium!" said Sidney; "how have you escaped the danger?"

"I! oh dear! it never entered my head to love him but as a cousin, and that I do most sincerely but papa, you know, has a prejudice against the Irish; he never saw his sister after she married sir Edward Felton."

"Indeed!" replied Sidney; "that seems to me the most unfounded prejudice possible. A people whom we are at all times so desirous of guiding-whom we have bowed to our own purposes, in a political point of view; it is most unaccountable to me, how a feeling so ungenerous can enter the mind of an Englishman. I confess myself partial to them; their gaiety is a

sunshine by which I have often felt myself improved; often when those trivial casualties which discompose us islanders have unfitted me even for my own company, have I been indebted to the genuine hilarity of an Irishman, for that equanimity which reconciles one to trifles."

"And pray how do you like them as rivals ?" asked lady Anna.

"As well as I could like any man under such circumstances," retorted Wentworth. "But tell me, as you seem disposed to banter me, who is the lady whom Felton has attended?"

Why really I don't know; she came under Mrs. Marnley's care, and I know my aunt received a note this morning, asking permission to bring a friend. It occurs to me that she is lord Osterly's sister, as I know Marnley is now on terms with the family."

"Then the Crier's allusion to her parents' sorrow is erroneous," said Wentworth. "How accurate you are! In pity to

your