on a Sunday morning, or during a holiday, in their dirt and dishabille, deciding their contests and challenges by pugilistic combats. It was no uncommon thing, at that time, on taking a Sunday morning's walk, to see about twenty of such fights. Dog-fights and cock-fights were equally common at that time; and what were called 'free and easies,' and 'cock and hen clubs,' were very common among the working classes. These ' 'cock and hen clubs' were meetings of males and females together at a public house, where they heard songs sung; indeed, they were in some instances attended with every species of debauchery. Now they have singing, and something that may be called free and easies' at public houses; but, they are comparatively few, and these confined to the lowest classes. And in the workshop too, a great improvement has taken place among the working classes; their footings, fines, and drinking bouts are now almost done away with. The working classes have, within the period that I refer to, become to a great extent, a more reading and thinking class than they formerly were."

libraries, the proportion is diminishing and the proportion of historical and philosophical works taken out is increasing. The novels, in some libraries, are in the minority. All Bohn's series of historical works are very much read. Froissart's Chronicles is a work | in great demand, and very popular; and latterly the republication of the old Saxon Chronicles. The increase of reading is very marked indeed; there is a decrease, I think, says he, of that turbulent spirit, which I consider to be owing to ignorance; I have always found, that when the people read most they are the least open to be played upon by mere appeals to feelings. There is, it is true, a great deal of trash published in the shape of cheap tales of horror, which is read mostly by the younger and lower class of readers; but after they have learned to read and write well, they rise by degrees in the character of the books they read, and the trash sinks down to the lowest readers generally. Some of the most intelligent and bestread men in Birmingham are working men: I could produce five or six working men whom I should be happy to have examined against almost any of the middle classes in the place. They are men who have wrestled it out on Another indication of progress is the formation of scientific subjects, history, politics, and literature gene- ragged school libraries in the metropolis. One of these rally. Shakspere is known by heart almost. I could has been established in Marylebone, where there is a produce men who could be cross-examined upon any play. reading-room for the accomodation of those who choose In Manchester there is a large class of operative natu- to attend. Mr. J. Imray, the superintendent, says, that ralists, and a curious set of botanists. Of late years, in those who have attended, have read the books with the some places, popular lectures have been given on botany, greatest quietness and attention. Sometimes as many as and excursions made sometimes by working men: they go 100 persons attend, principally men between the ages out, six or seven together, with a teacher and take a day's of sixteen and thirty-five. The chief want is books, the ramble in the summer for botanical or entomological pur- | number of volumes being very limited. Possibly they poses. In the Staffordshire coal district they are setting enter the rooms at first, because of having a comfortable up libraries and institutions in every village alinost; but place to sit down in; but so soon as they have began to up to very lately they have been rather a neglected popu-read, they get interested in the books, and return for the lation. Three prizes were lately gained by three working purpose of renewing their acquaintance with them." men at Birmingham, whom I know well. The essays were Works on emigration are very much in demand in these really well written; their fault is the fault which gene-rooms. Most of the men who go there have no homes of rally those people have at first, that is, more words than thoughts; they want shaking a little, to let the words drop out." One consequence of this improved literary taste of the people is, that "the character of their amusements has changed. Bull-baiting and dogfighting in Birmingham and the neighbourhood were the public favourite sports; now the bull-baiting has gone altogether, and although the dog-fighting does exist, it is only among the most ignorant of the people. The improved taste of the people themselves has had as much to do with the discountenance of those sports as any interference by the authorities: they have died out of themselves: they have not been put down: there has been a change in the source and current of the thoughts of the people."

Mr. W. Lovett gives equally gratifying evidence of the same kind of improvement among the people of the metropolis. He says, "I have witnessed a very decided improvement intellectually and socially, especially among the working classes of London, during the last twenty-eight years. In the first place, they are not so drunken and dissipated in their habits as they formerly were, which beneficial change I attribute principally to the great increase of coffee-houses and reading-rooms. Then, the increase of cheap books and periodical publications has been of great service. You may now go into the coffee rooms of London, and see great numbers of the working classes reading. I am told that somewhere about 500 of them have libraries connected with them: some of their libraries have as many as 2,000 volumes. The proprietors of some of these coffee-shops expend hundreds of pounds a year in the purchase of periodicals, newspapers and books. I may mention further, as regards the improvement of the working classes, that they are not so eager after brutal sports and pastimes as they were when I came to London. At that period, you might see the working classes of London flocking out into the fields

their own to go to-they are a rough, wild set, but the process of reading seems gradually to civilize them. Mr. Imray states that he has known men of from twenty to thirty, who, when they first came, smoked their pipes in the school-room, overturned the forms, and did all kinds of mischief; but, they soon became perfectly quiet and orderly, and dressed better: "instead of rags, they come with whole clothes, (though still of the poorest kind.) and they sit down in the library with the greatest quietness and decorum, and read the books. Many men, having wives and families, begin by frequenting the schools to learn to read: they see that their friends who come to the library evince the possession of information, which they themselves do not possess, and they naturally feel anxious to read: they come to the school, aud learn to read, and then they frequent the library." Another gratifying fact is mentioned by Mr. Imray, that when the people have once acquired a taste for reading good books, they do not again return to the perusal of publications of the lower class.

Popular libraries have also been making satisfactory progress in Scotland, where there is a population taught in childhood to read, to begin with; the great obstacle to reading in England being the fact of the uneducated state of the population. For instance, in the district of Wigan, in Lancashire, out of every hundred men married in the year 1846, fifty-six signed their names with a mark; and out of every hundred women, not fewer than eighty-three signed in the same way. In Scotland, however, the poorest classes have the benefit of a national system of school education; which, although imperfect, has at all events greatly facilitated the intellectual culture of the people, and created a strong public opinion in that country in favour of all methods of freely imparting knowledge. What are called Itinerating Libraries have long been established in Scotland; in some countries there are free libraries established in

applied the proverb, she accepted the fit of laughter, which made his red face grow purple, as a tribute to her wit, and quite giddy with joy, jumped in and out between the legs of the old horses that were turning the machine, with a degree of excitement which quite alarmed her inother, and made the turkey-cock chuckle more slily than ever. At last, full to the brim, and fairly worn out with her exertions, she nestled herself to sleep beside her mother's wing, rather lulled than aroused by some monotonous remarks, which the more sedate and experienced members of the flock were making on the changes of fortune, and the uncertainty of worldly affairs.

every town and village, and a free library attached to nearly every school. In many of the larger towns public libraries have been formed, which are easily accessible to all ranks of the people, the humblest apprentice being enabled to participate in their benefits. The public library of Peebles is an instance of such an institution: it contains 730 volumes, and is largely frequented by young men. Mr. Bathgate, its secretary, says, "It is impossible to estimate the benefit which will ultimately accrue to the population from the library. There are several young men, of humble parents, who are educating themselves as students of divinity, and as teachers, to whom such a repository of historical works and general literature must be of great service in prosecuting their studies privately. The establishment of a public library in a country district affords the means of self-instruction to such as are desirous to rise from the condition in which they may be originally placed. It affords the means also of encouraging a taste for reading, and thereby weaning the young men from many of the destructive pursuits in which, if left unoccupied in their leisure moments, they are too apt to be engaged. Their morals are improved, and they again re-act on their families and the society of the place generally, with a salutary effect. The young men who have acquired the habit of reading, feel the desire strengthened by exercise, and are never found My dear Sir," she would exclaim to her new friend, within the tavern, or engaged in any of its debasing" do not be led away by those romantic descriptions; concomitants which lead to illegitimacy, and often to there is no comparison between the two places: the crime." variety, the life, the plenty, of this fine farm yard, where every one may help himself and please himself without check or control; and that tiresome place we came from, where from one end of the year to the other the flail never stopped; different, indeed, from this merry

But nothing in their situation, for many a day, seemed to verify such remarks: and very irksome, stupid, and vulgar, in Miss Merrytail's opinion, were her mother's lingering regrets and allusions to their former home, where their highest enjoyment from day to day was to bask on a dunghill, or find themselves disturbed even there by the necessity of providing their own livelihood, to make up for the short allowance obtained from the scatterings of the flail; and very impatiently would shə turn away from the old hen's grateful recollections of the kind master shaking out his sieve for them in the morning after feeding his horses, and of the rosy children that watched them since they broke their shells, and wept when they were sent away.

Next to a system of secular education which should meet the necessities of all classes of the population, we do not know of any institutions that would be productive of greater natural good than the general establishment throughout the kingdom, of city, town, and district libra-go-round. I could dance to its music!" In and out ries; and we should accordingly hail with profound gratification any act of the Legislature which would have the effect of establishing such valuable institutions.

Lessons for Little Ones.

A FEAST OR A FAMINE. "FINE times you have here! Is it always this way?" inquired a sprightly young turkey, one of a flock which, just purchased by the lady of the house, had been sent round to make themselves at home at the barn-door. Her question was addressed to a consequential-looking, middle-aged turkey-cock, with a grand aquiline nose, a raby-coloured face, and a swelling chest, who being an old occupant of the place, had set himself to do the honours to the new arrivals with a show of politeness and hospitality very unusual amongst his quarrelsome tribe. This was partly to be accounted for, by the bustle and and plenty going forward at the time; a large thrashing machine being at full work inside the barn, the noise of which silenced even those garrulous birds; while from the wide open door issued a shower of chaff, with its due proportion of grain, more than sufficient to satisfy the appetites of the party, though it had been twice as

numerous.

again she hopped between the old blind horse's legs : this time, however, one of them resenting the liberty with a half lazy kick sent her back to her companions, to her infinite mortification, as the turkey-cock turned red, blue, and almost black in the face, in his polite efforts to smother the laughter produced by her upset.

Thus swimmingly matters proceeded for a fortnight, at least, until the last stack being housed, and a great heap of corn thrashed out in this wholesale manner, the time came for shifting it into bags and sending it off to the market. Better times than ever-no chaff at all nownothing but pure grain falling, falling into their very eyes as it spilled over the mouths of the sacks, until at last fully gorged, they were fain to lie quiet, and even feel thankful to their neighbours the pigs, that now greedily removed the remains of temptation from their sight.

They had stuffed themselves so full that they literally wanted nothing for the two following days, and as the weather turned out rather wet, they thought it just as wise to remain comfortably on their perches under the shed: but the sun shining out gaily the next morning, Miss Merrytail especially thought it better to get up and look for some fun; so, incited by her example, they all sallied out. What a sight met their eyes! The late busy barn-that scene of bustle, noise, and plenty—was silent as the grave; one lingering horse and car just moving off, the last of a file engaged all the morning and the previous day in clearing away the refuse, now rendered by the rain good for nothing but the dunghill: and instead of the soft bed of chaff with its hidden treasures of grain, nothing but the cold bare pavement now reMother, mother, do come here!" cried the above-mained to receive the once again hungry flock. mentioned youngster, who, from her lively conceit, had got the name of Merrytail from her companions, "just look at this heap, with scarcely anything but corn: such plenty to be sure! It never rains but it pours." And glancing at the old turkey-cock as she thus cleverly

We may imagine what an exciting and gratifying scene it must have been to the new comers; these, accustomed to the scanty supply afforded by a quiet pair of flails in a small country barn, now fancying they had reached a land of unfailing abundance, cackled incessantly as they hopped to and fro in a whirl of delight.

It must be confessed Miss Merrytail looked rather disconcerted, though affecting to put a good face on the matter; she did not care very much to go near her mother, who might have taken the opportunity to lower her plumes; but sidling up to her old friend, the turkey

cock, she remarked, with rather an off-hand air, "Of course the master will presently come round to give us our breakfast: it is better than nothing, though not to be compared to the pleasure of picking and choosing for ourselves."

"The master, my dear," replied the old gentleman, drily, "I rather think has something to mind beside us, at least I never saw his face."

"Then who is to attend to us?" inquired the young turkey, in rather an affronted tone, "We surely cannot be expected to stay here on the stones."

with a toss of the head, as if she never had expected any thing else, she replied, Of course there was no risk of our not being taken care of, though my poor mother, who can never forget her old predilections, looks as woebegone as if we were still on the old farm stint."

"You are fond of proverbs, Miss Merrytail," replied her companion, with a complimentary air, "did you ever hear that, the more the merrier; but the less the better fare.' Perhaps your good mother remembers that, in the midst of the lively scenes which afford you such pleasure."

Merrytail vouchsafed no answer to this hint, but walking away, amused herself for the remainder of that day, and the two or three following, in exploring the river's bank, varying her somewhat abundant meals with the blackberries which grew in profusion by the side of the stream: but when weary of this occupation, she again sought her companions, she found their number diminin the very act of seizing on two couples more, remarking at the same time to her young attendant, "The field will be soon all turned up, and between the cattle and the fowl much hasn't gone to waste; 'tis pretty bare now, so we must hasten and manage those before they fall away."

Oh, don't fear, you shall receive attention enough at the proper time," answered the old cock, and something in his tone made her fear to question him farther, though her curiosity was still more highly excited by the approach of the red-armed cook in company with a boy, both evidently making them their object as they advanced straight across the yard. As the pair eyed the flock one by one with a scrutinizing glance, Miss Merry-ished by at least a dozen, and the red-armed cook tail immediately endeavoured to attract particular notice to herself, by ruffling her feathers, dipping her head up and down, and trying to look as smart and pretty as she could. Had her mother been near, she would have prompted a different line of conduct; but the old cock chuckled so discordantly, that he quite startled her nerves; and dropping her late swelling plumes, she looked drooping and lank in a moment, which answered the purpose as well as if she had received all the cautions in the world.

"Those four will do!" exclaimed the red-armed cook, seizing the stated number, somewhat roughly, and pinioning them quickly, two under each arm-Merrytail remarked they were the very finest and fattest of the flock-herself excepted. However, as they were none of her particular friends, she did not feel much anxiety, but waited with rather keener interest to know what was to be done with herself; but apparently she was not deemed worthy of particular notice, the cook merely looking over her shoulder as she turned away, saying, carelessly, "Turn the rest out into the stubble-field." Very indignant was Miss Merrytail; though her mother came up, joyfully exclaiming, "The stubble-field! how my heart warms at the sound of the name! many a pleasant day after harvest have we spent roaming in the stubbles at home long before you were born, child, when I was just such another as yourself; ah! that was liberty, and plenty, and enjoyment indeed.”

But Merrytail was determined not to see with her mother's eyes in any way; her old-fashioned notions were quite unsuited to her: so, drawing up her wings with somewhat of the air with which a fine lady wraps her shawl, she turned away shivering, half muttering to herself, "It is long before my heart could warm to banishment like that."

Arriving at the stubble-field, however, they found it quite an animating scene; and Merrytail's conscience told her that for once her mother had been right; there was even more liveliness, and nearly as much plenty as had been at the barn-door: horses, ploughs, men, hard at work; pigs, sheep, even the donkey, regaling themselves; with the additional improvement of pretty groups of trees, and a bright running stream; though this, indeed, except as a point of scenery, was of no great value to the turkeys. But Merrytail thought on the whole nothing could be more enchanting, and glanced towards her mother every now and then, expecting to hear her ask, "Now who was right?" To her infinite surprise, however, the old lady looked more dejected than ever, and at last, as usual, unable to restrain her curiosity, Miss Merrytail drew near, requesting to know the cause.

But her purpose was frustrated by an encounter with the old turkey-cock, who came up gallantly to congratulate her on the improvement in her prospects since the morning. Immediately all the conceit returned; and

Time enough, the ploughs had advanced within a few yards of the edge of the fence, leaving the rest of the field reduced, and only fit for the crows; the pigs, sheep, and donkey, were gone, and the few remaining turkeys huddled disconsolately under the hedge, seemed as if they were only waiting for marching orders too.

"What a change! What's to come next? Where are all our friends?" enquired Merrytail, of the rest, with her usual volubility; though the depressed looks of the party somewhat startled her, and a slight quiver might have been detected in her habitually confident tones. The old turkey-cock was the only one acquainted with the ways of the place; and as he was no longer in conversational mood, she remained without any information for the present; but when returning to their usual shelter for the night, they had to pass by some of the farm buildings, he considerately drew her aside, and pausing before one door, with a resolute push, set it open, and hopped in, with an expressive look inviting his companion to follow.

There, comfortably lodged all in a row, each in his little boarded chamber, lay the friends from whom she had felt so rudely separated in the morning; heaps of the daintiest fare on wooden platters before them, and as if they had been enjoying themselves to the full, all were fast asleep. Oh, happy creatures!" exclaimed the young turkey, "why was I left behind? Did my mother stand in the way of my promotion? Did she prevent my removal?" And her eyes actually flashed with indignation at the thought.

The old turkey-cock's laugh sounded very sneering and disagreeable now, as he replied, "Hush, silly child, your mother has no influence here; follow me." And again with pompous steps he led her through the out-houses, until at last they stood beneath a grating to which she had often seen the cook resort. The place was very chill, and had much of a prison air, and Merrytail felt uncomfortable, though she could not exactly tell why: but without noticing her sensations, her companion, in a tone that seemed more sneering than ever, thus addressed her: "You are young and active, Miss Merrytail, be so kind as hop up to that grating, and tell me what you see."

Nothing loth where discovery was in question, she took a hop and a little flight, and was the next moment at the lattice; there her eyes were actually dazzled with the prospect that met their view-legs of mutton, joints of beef, pies, fish, loaves of bread-in short, all the good fare of a well-stocked Christmas larder. But what-what

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