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instantly set the example of the horse-laugh, in which the company joined. Finding he was getting the worst of it, Dick thought it prudent to change the conversation, by observing that it would luckily be'igh-vater in the arbour vhen they arrived." "Then I recommend you by all means to use some of it," said the pertinacious Mr. Smart; " perhaps it may cure your squint."

Both mother and son rose up in wrath at this personality, and there would infallibly have been a bourasque (as the French say) in the hold, but that there was just then a tremendous concussion upon the deck, occasioned by the fall of the main-boom, and followed by squeaks and screams, of all calibres, from the panic-stricken company at the dinner-table. "Lord have mercy upon us!" ejaculated Croak with a deep groan, "it's all over with uswe are going to the bottom-I like to make the best of every thing-it's my way, and I therefore hope no lady or gentleman will be in the least alarmed, for I believe drowning is a much less painful death than is generally supposed."

Having run upon deck at this juncture for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the accident, which he found to be unattended with the smallest danger, the writer cannot detail any more of the conversation that ensued until their arrival at Calais, which may form the subject of another paper.

IMITATION OF HORACE. BOOK II. ODE 16.

"Otium divos rogat impotenti.”

FANATICS, both in church and state,
While to themselves they arrogate
The exercise of candour,

The use of TRUTH to us refuse,

Forgetting that what's sauce for goose,
Is sauce, too, for the gander,

.

TRUTH! TRUTH! the pliant judge exclaims, E'en while he candidly defames

The object of his rancour;

And courtiers, tossing on the sea
Of false intrigue and flattery,

Still claim her for their anchor.

But ermined tool, nor titled slave,
Nor gilded star-and-garter Knave,

Can bribe her to compliance;

Through guards and gownsmen's dread array Her daring whispers win their way,

And beard them with defiance.

'Tis this makes great and little curs Unite their voice to smother hers,

And supersede the Bible:

By statutory proof, forsooth,

Showing that welcome falsehood's TRUTH,
Unwelcome truth a LIBEL.

But should they bury her awhile,
No patent coffin can beguile,

Her formidable spectre,

Which, spite of bribery or blows,
Will tweak a monarch by the nose,
And scare a legal Hector.

TRUTH follows us where'er we range;

It dogs an Alderman to 'Change;

A shepherd to his meadow

He who beyond her reach would fly,

Might just as sapiently try

To leap beyond his shadow.

;

While he, TRUTH's victim, whom their fears Condemn to pass imprison'd years,

Is martyr'd 'to be sainted:

Nor Judge's sword, nor Pander's tongue,
Wound him whose withers are unwrung,
Whose bosom is untainted.

They chain his body, not his mind,
Which, soaring, quickly leaves behind
The cell wherein they toss'd it
And like Belshazzer's spectral hand,
In his own festive hall will brand

The tyrant or apostate.

373

THE UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY,

CONTAINED IN A LETTER FROM A YOUNG LADY AT BRIGHTON TO HER COUSIN IN LONDON.

DEAR JENNY,

ON parting I gave you my word to write an account of whatever occurred at Brighton deserving your Ladyship's ear-and thus I begin: In the first place, my dear, if you mean to come down, book your place in the DART; a coach which is not only dashing and smart in its look, but exceeds every one on the road in quickness of going. So much for the mode. Now as to the friends and acquaintance you'll meet when once you come down, I should never complete a list of them all; however, your friend fat Deputy Dump and his wife, from Mile End, are both of them here; and of course such a pair are sure to occasion a general stare; for there is not a soul in the place who beholds this corpulent dealer in rush-lights and moulds, without being struck by his little chip hat-his stomach rotundahis coloured cravat-his apple-green frock, drawn carefully in at the back, that his beautiful shape may be seen his Wellington trowsers, and bootlings provided with spurs. You will certainly fancy, as I did at first, that the tale of his spurs is invention, but I've seen him accoutred in all that I mention. His equestrian deeds, I was perfectly sure, were confined to a chamber-horse, kept as a cure for the gout; so I made a fine quiz of his spurs. So much for the Deputy's dress: as to hers, imagine her elephant waist (if you can) screw'd and rivetted down in stays a la Diane; an Oldenburg bonnet, and carbuncle face, like a coal-skuttle holding a melon; a brace of fat fubby arms all pucker and puff; her petticoats scolloped with flounces enough to cover her knee; and, to finish the whole, conceive

VOL. II.

K k

an umbrageous red parasol, with a fringe of peagreen!

But Brighton appears to level all ranks, all distinctions of years: the blackleg and rustic, the peer and the cit, all gladly conspire to exhibit their wit in killing the general enemy time. To accomplish this object some cheerfully climb up the neighbouring hills in the heat of the day; some, mounted in donkey carts, listlessly stray to the villages round; some, sweltering, ride on Jerusalem ponies; and all coincide that, when they have toiled to the object in view, it was'nt worth seeing. An indolent few lounge the whole of their morning away on the Steyne, or skim a romance in a bathing machine, or wager at billiards, or lollop about in their library` rooms, whence they seldom come out till they've got all the papers by heart.

Thus it's clear (at least to my judgment), that pleasure is here the greatest of torments: the tyrant ennui throws a gloom over all; it is easy to see that the killers of time (as they vainly conceive) are themselves being killed; and indeed, I believe there's a great deal of truth in the common remark, that the busiest people are always-but, hark!

-the ringing of bells and the firing of guns, proclaim that the king is come down, and, for once, his majesty's welcomed with the shouts of applause. A reception like this is an adequate cause for my breaking off short, as you know such a sight may never return. Perhaps I may write another epistle to-morrow, till when, always

Your's faithfully,

W. N.

P. S. O! such a discovery, Jenny! just now brother Tom, (who's a bit of a poet, you know,) looking over my letter, exclaimed with an oath, that 'twas written in numbers; and though I was loath to think I could scribble my nonsense in rhyme, and

never observe it the whole time, yet I find it will run in the Ansteyan measure; so pray lay it by as a wonderful treasure!

MORAL AND MATERIAL BEAUTY.

"Beauty is exterior virtue; and virtue is interior beauty."

"It is pleasing to observe the uniformity of nature in all her operations. Between moral and material beauty and harmony, between moral and material deformity and dissonance, there obtains a very striking analogy. The visible and audible expressions of every virtuous emotion are agreeable to the eye and the ear, and those of almost every criminal passion disagreeable. The looks, the attitudes, and the vocal sounds, natural to benevolence, to gratitude, to compassion, to piety, are in themselves graceful and pleasing; while anger discontent, despair, and cruelty, bring discord to the voice, deformity to the features, and distortion to the limbs. That flowing curve which painters know to be essential to the beauty of animal shape, gives place to a multiplicity of right lines and sharp angles in the countenance and gesture of him who knits his brows, stretches his nostrils, grinds his teeth, and clenches his fist; whereas devotion, magnanimity, benevolence, contentment, and good humour, soften the attitude, and give a graceful swell to the outline of every feature. Certain vocal tones accompany certain mental emotions: the voice of sorrow is feeble and broken, that of despair boisterous and incoherent; joy assumes a sweet and sprightly tone, fear a weak and tremulous cadence; the tones of love and benevolence are musical and uniform, those of rage loud and dissonant, &c."*

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