perdition the class of self-impoverished literary men can be at no loss to make the application. Perhaps it is partly owing to the poverty cry, and the notable imprudence of many literary men, that a certain stigma is attached by the public to the profession in the mass; that is to say, to all except the few who attain to an overbearing degree of fame and wealth. Something also may be attributed to the novel and as yet unclassified predicament of the profession. From whatever cause, there is certainly a disposition in our commercial community to look down a little upon men who are understood to depend for subsistence upon some of the more strictly useful branches of literature. This is a sad case for the literary profession, for nineteen-twentieths of it is composed of the useful class of writers. These, we think, may be divided into the writers of controversial politics in newspapers, the conductors of and contributors to literary and critical periodical works, and those who employ themselves in modifying human knowledge in new book shapes, or, briefly, compilers. to the regularity and conscientiousness shown in his of literary celebrity have left descendants; a bad re- we should think, of a statute which DOUBTFUL AND FABULOUS ANIMALS. Now, it would, we think, be difficult to show any alone of cleverness-how is it to be expected that they AMONG the various animals whose existence is as yet thing absolutely mean or wrong in any of these modes of employing an able and educated mind. The la are to succeed? A literary fan should regard a certain range of the physical sciences, political economy bours to which such men address themselves are and philosophy, and an acquaintance with history and labours which the public requires as much as it re- the literature of at least his own country, as part of quires the services of any other profession whatever. a stock necessary for his trade, which he should emHow should it be respectable to write letters on law-ploy every spare hour in acquiring. He should reflect business at a fee of six-and-eight pence for each, and that with his employer the produce of the pen is a not respectable to pen one's opinions on a political matter of business, which must be managed on busitransaction, or to criticise a book, or write a paper of ness principles-dispatch, regularity, sufficiency in amusement, or gather some kind of knowledge from point of quality-and it should be his endeavour to a number of places in which it is widely scattered into act accordingly. A literary artist thus accomplished a volume where it will be comparatively accessible? and qualified, need not fear fortune. He could not The public service is concerned alike in these various fail, in a country like this, to ascend rapidly. We can ways of making a livelihood. Literary men of the say, with all the confidence of personal experience, class described seem to us comparable to teachers and that so far from employment being wanting for such artists. The power of writing agreeably in the belles men, there is only a want of the men for the employlettres may be ranked amongst the fine arts: and to ment. In reality, the literary employés of this country the fine arts no disreputable idea is attached. Writing are a large body of men. It is a body in which there in the critical, controversial, and generally instructive is as good a chance of promotion, in accordance with walks, is much like the business of a preacher or a bar-qualification, as there is in any other profession. Those rister to which professions the public imputes nothing but honour. Why, then, should a useful writer in these departments be in any way sneered at or held lightly? Clearly, we think, he ought not to be so on account of his profession, as long as labour in general is not held to infer disgrace. The public sentiment on this subject calls for correction, and correction it will no doubt get in good time, as ordinary society becomes more accustomed to see men living by literature But certainly it would contribute much to this end, if literary men themselves adopted more correct views as to their position and destiny, and sought to dignify their profession by their individual conduct. who are at once able, steady, and skilful, unavoidably doubtful or positively fabulous, the first place may be "which God of all his worka Created hugest that swim the ocean stream. Him haply slumbering on the Norway form. The pilot of some small night-founder'd skiff, Deeming an island oft, as seamen tell, With fixed anchor in his scaly rind, Moors by his side under the lee." According to Norwegian writers, the kraken appears occasionally on the surface of the water in calm weather, stretched out far and wide like a floating island, and exhibiting many enormous arms at all parts of its circumference. The numerous accounts given of it differ as regards its actual size; but most writers describe it as about a quarter of a mile in diameter, and as covered on the back with sea-weeds. After remaining some time in the sun, it is said to sink slowly, causing a great eddy in the waters. The accounts of these authors are in such a style as anxious investigation of evidence. But we must try to betray great exaggeration, and any thing but an to sift the real from the unreal. Bishop Pontopiddan states that the fishermen of Norway, when out at sea on summer days, "often find but 20 or 30 fathoms of water, where they knew they ought to have had 80 or 100 fathoms. At these places they generally find the greatest quantities of fish, especially cod and ling. Their lines, they say, are no sooner out than they may draw them up with the hooks all full of fish. By this they judge that the kraken is at the bottom." The bishop then goes on to say, that experience has taught the fishermen to fly the instant that the water grows shallower. From a safe distance they then behold "the enormous monster come up to the surface of the water; he there shows himself sufficiently, though his whole body does not appear. Its back or upper part, which circumference (some say more, but I choose the least seems to be, in appearance, about an English mile in for greater certainty), looks at first like a small number of islands, surrounded with something that floats and fluctuates like sea-weeds. At last, several bright points or horns appear, which grow thicker and thicker the higher they rise above the surface of the water; and sometimes they stand up as high and as large as the masts of middle-sized vessels. It seems that these are the creature's arms; and it is said, if they were to lay hold of the largest man-of-war, they would pull it down to the bottom." By and by, the monster sinks with a great eddy; and the bishop adds, that it possesses or emits a peculiar scent which attracts fish to feed its unwieldy vastitude. Even while the literary adventurer remains as an employé, he may, by a careful husbanding of his gains, do much to secure his independence. He is in this respect fully as well off as any other class of men with similar incomes; and, like most other persons, he will be apt to find that to be always nakedly poor is the surest means of continuing poor. On the contrary, with something in his pocket, he will be able to make moves and changes that may be expected to redound to his advantage. In fact, on this will partly depend his advancing to some of those higher positions of his profession in which ease and affluence are secured, and the ability at length attained to follow out some of the favourite projects of his inner mind, so as to crown his name with real fame. It is not desirable that he should give himself to moneymaking, or become a niggard. But it is certainly most desirable that he should seek to be indepen- The most remarkable characteristic of the creature dent by all honourable means, as a point essential here described consists in its enormous arms, distinnot only to his respectability as a citizen, but to the guishing it at once from the whele or any of that proper, untrammelled, unembarrassed exercise of genus. A similar creature is described by Pliny as those mental gifts which have given direction to his having been found in the gut of Gibraltar. He states course in life, and are his own and his children's bread. it to have been "provided with vast arms, so widely We think the warning the more necessary, as it spread out as to impede the navigation of the straits." happens to be just one of the most besetting inclina- A more modern writer, Paulinus, confirms, in every into extravagances which in the long run enslave and authority of Ambrosius Rhodius, professor in the tions of all literary men who prosper a little, to launch respect, the account of Bishop Pontoppidan, on the degrade them. A dignified simplicity of life, with a University Christiana in Norway, and a man of "sureasonable regard for the future, would be, in con- pereminent trustworthiness." That gentleman renexion with a well-earned literary reputation, some-lated, that, near the castle of Wardchuss, on a calm thing which the most thoughtless might pause upon and contemplate with pleasure. The profession of letters is one to which no man is regularly bred; and this is unavoidable, for it requires a range of qualities which no one can be calculated upon beforehand as possessing. It is recruited, for the most part, by individuals who, after attempting some other profession with little success, and finding a natural vocation to this, are induced to change from the one to the other. This is quite a proper course: by all means let a youth try some of the regularly established professions, and make his best endeavour in it; and let the shift of object only take place on mature consideration of its being the most advisable step. But supposing that the literary career is at length determined on, the aspirant will, we believe, save himself much future uneasiness, and be best likely to attain his end, if he considers himself, as other aspirants are obliged to do, simply as a man who must labour that he may eat. He should see fully that he has a life of exertion before him, and address himself to it with all the coolness and energy of a man of the world. He will be eager to employ his faculties in some of the higher walks of the art-he will have an epic or a tragedy in his head, and long to get it produced; but it is for the wealthy amateurs to rush to these efforts he must meanwhile eat, and to eat he must work at something which is pretty sure to bring money. We do not, indeed, see how it can ever be in the power of a literary adventurer to follow out his own fancies, while the world continues to be constituted on the principle that meat and drink are only to be got for coin. He By presenting these plain common-sense views of must, then, it is clear, be industrious. There are other the condition and duties of literary men, we believe things which he must consider well; in particular, he we are doing more for their genuine interests than if must have a just sense of what he is. He is a useful we only indulged in sentimental wailings over the hard labourer or artist. Now, there are various degrees of in vogue of late, during the progress of the Copyright fate of genius. The lachrymose vein has been much skill to be exerted in all kinds of labour, and a useful Bill. So far has it been carried, that one particularly labourer is likely to be estimated, moreover, according | luminous writer endeavours to show that few men day, an immense monster made its appearance on the surface of the ocean. "Its circumference was so great that a troop of horse might easily exercise on its back." It lay long with its back exposed to the sun, like a rock covered with weeds, and then sunk gradually out of sight. From its long arms, it was if boats approached closely to it, they were seized and called a Herculean crab; and the fishermen said that submerged by these expanded feelera Another writer, Olaus Magnus, alludes to the same immense animal; and mentions that an early British bishop, named Brendanus, being on an episcopal peregrination to the north, came with his companions to an island, as they deemed it, on which they were tempted to land and kindle a fire. The island, however, quickly began to descend, and the bishop and his friends escaped with difficulty, made aware that they had been on the back of a living thing. But, passing over such testimonies, which remind one very much of the stories of Sinbad, let us come to a more direct species of evidence. In the year 1680, an occurrence took place, of which an authenticated account was drawn up by the Rev. Mr Früs, minister of Bodoen in Nordland, and vicar of the college for promoting Christian knowledge. Into a strait between rocks, in the parish of Alstahoug, an animal of great size was found to have entered, and there to have entangled itself. It had arms of great length and strength, and these were wound among some trees hard by, while the body, also, was so fixed by projections of the rocks, that the creature could not work itself out, but perished and putrified on the spot. Such was the length of time which it took to decay that the whole channel was rendered impassable by the fœtor. Large though it was, this animal was held to have been young, as, when advanced in years, they appear seldom to move, and perhaps cannot move far from one spot. Such being the accounts which we have of the kraken, the question arises-"What foundation may there be for them, and is there any existent creature really approaching this alleged magnitude?" To speak frankly, we think it cannot be doubted that there is some such animal, though its proportions have been monstrously exaggerated. The cuttle-fish, long called a polypus, agrees with the kraken with respect to its arms or tentacula, and is authentically known to reach a great size. Pennant, in speaking of this animal, mentions that specimens of it have been seen in the Indian seas measuring two fathoms in breadth across the central part, with eight powerful arms, each nine fathoms in length. Shaw observes-"The existence of some enormously large species of the cuttle-fish tribe in the Indian and northern seas can scarcely be doubted; and though some accounts may have been exaggerated, yet there is sufficient cause for believing that such species very far surpass all that are generally observed about the coasts of European seas." Shaw then alludes to the case of Captain Dens, a modern navigator, who lost three men by such a monster in the African seas. As this case is very curious, we subjoin an account of it, abridged from the French of Denis Montfort, a writer who collected various instances of the same kind. To Denis Montfort Captain Dens related, that while between the island of Saint Helena and the Cape of Good Hope, in about the 15th degree of south latitude, his vessel was becalmed for several days, and he resolved to profit by the occasion to clean the ship. For this purpose several planks, suspended by cords, were let down from the sides of the deck, and several of the men took their station there to perform the work. They were so engaged when one of those monsters, called by the Danes ankertrolds, rose suddenly from the deep sea, and, casting one of its arms around two of the men, drew them in an instant with their scaffolding into the sea. Next moment a second arm was thrown around another of the men, but he had sprung up to the strong ropes, and the monster, enclosing these, could only crush him, while he emitted the most piteous cries. Meanwhile, the crew had rushed to his aid. Some began with knives and axes to cut asunder that terrible arm which encircled him, while others launched harpoons into the body of the animal. The man was freed, and it then became the good captain's strenuous endeavour to recover the two other men. Five harpoons were in the creature's body, as, with its prey, it sought to descend again into the deeps of the sea. The harpoon-lines were allowed to run out in part by the captain's orders, and then he ordered them to be drawn back. This brought the monster a short way up; but it soon resisted, and too successfully. Four of the harpoonlines broke, and a fifth harpoon came out of the body, leaving the unfortunate victims with their captor. In addition to this sad loss, the man who had escaped died through the night, rather from a delirium of terror than from his injuries, though these were severe. The head of the monster had not been seen, and but a part of its body; but that part of the arm which had been cut off measured twenty-five feet in length, and was as thick at the base as a mizen-mast. The length of the whole limb must have been much greater-probably, as Captain Dens thought, from thirty-five to forty feet. A case similar to this is illustrated by a picture in the chapel of St Thomas at St Malo, placed there by a ship's crew in remembrance of their preservation off the coast of Angola. An enormous cuttle-fish had grasped their whole vessel in its arms, and was on the point of dragging it to the bottom, when, by the most desperate exertions, the sailors timeously succeeded in hewing off the members which were hauling them to destruction. In their extremity they had vowed vows to St Thomas, and the picture is a memorial of these. This colossal cuttle-fish as yet remains undescribed by zoologists, for it has never been accurately observed. Admitting that it exists, we can easily conceive how the imaginations of the few mariners and others who have seen it might expand its actually large body into a bulk far beyond what are, to us, the bounds of probability. THE LIFE AND POETRY OF CATULLUS. CAIUS VALERIUS CATULLUS was born either in the town or territory of Verona, 87 B.C. He was sprung of rich and honourable parents. This appears from the circumstance that Julius Cæsar, when in the north of Italy, usually resided at his father's villa. When the poet afterwards attacked him in some satirical verses, he had the good sense or the magnanimity only to revenge himself by asking him to supper. Perhaps his old regard for the father might plead for leniency in his treatment of the son. While yet a youth, Catullus was invited by Manlius Torquatus to Rome. The dissolute life which he there led made serious inroads on his hereditary possessions. We next find him accompanying to his province of Bithynia the Prætor Memmius, a distinguished patron of literary men. This was a common expedient, among the Roman youth, for repairing a dilapidated fortune; but in the case of Catullus it seems to have failed. He returned to his country no richer than he left it; and brought back with him a constitution enfeebled by debauchery, and a heart at once galled by disappointment and saddened by the loss of a favourite brother. Ilis protestations of indigence must, however, be understood as only relative to the luxurious ideas of the circle in which he moved. Besides meeting the expenses of a town life, his income was always adequate to the maintenance of two splendid country mansions. His station in society, combined with his genius, naturally introduced him to the acquaintance of the most eminent men of the day, at the head of whom may be placed the illustrious Cicero. From a passage in one of that philosopher's epistles, some have concluded that the account which refers the death of Catullus to 57 B.C. must be erroneous; and that he survived at least sixteen years longer. According to the one authority, he died at the early age of thirty; according to the other, he reached that of forty-six. Catullus has left a single book of poems, which opens with a dedication of the collection to the well-known historian Cornelius Nepos. It is difficult to classify the various pieces of which the little volume consists. Some are lyrical, some elegiac, some epigrammatic; three are epithalamia; and some cannot well be referred to any recognised class whatever. They are mostly imitations, in some cases versions, from the Greek, in which language Catullus was a proficient. The celebrated translation of the Sapphic ode is perhaps the most perfect specimen in existence of transfusion of the spirit of one language into another. Catullus was the first who introduced the lyric measures of Greece into Latin versification. This he has effected with incomparable skill. No ruder hand could have transplanted a flower so fragile, without soiling its purple or perilling its fragrance. It is matter of deep regret, however, that so far as the great majority of these compositions are concerned, we must restrict the term delicate to the style (and it never could be more appropriately applied), and select for the sentiment its strongest possible antithesis. We begin our selections with the exquisite twin poems on Lesbia's sparrow. This lady's real name was Clodia; and when the reader is informed that she poisoned her husband, he will be able to rate at its due value her display of sensibility on the death of her feathered favourite. The versions to which no name is affixed have been prepared by the writer of the present article. TO LESBIA'S SPARROW. Oh! could I like solace gain, The legend here alluded to is that of Atalanta-a royal maiden noted for swiftness in running, who, wishing to get rid of the importunity of her suitors, declared her determination to accept none but the man who should outstrip her in the race. Failure was to forfeit the life of the competitor; her hand was to be the reward of success. Several ventured, were defeated, and suffered the penalty. One youth, named Hippomenes, at last won the fair prize by stratagem. Dropping, one after another, three golden apples, procured by Venus from the garden of the Hesperides, the virgin, fascinated by their beauty, stooped repeatedly to lift them, and thus allowed her lover to get ahead of her. The composition which pairs with the preceding has been often imitated by the earlier French poets, as also by one or two of the classic writers. It is a model of delicacy and tenderness. ELEGY ON THE SPARROW. Each Love, each Venus, mourn with me; The pretty sparrow thus is dead; Deed of spite! poor bird! ah! see -Elton's Version. The point and terseness of the two performances which we next present, constitute them instances of the proper epigram. In the first of these light effusions, Catullus contrasts with his mistress a more brilliant and fashionable charmer. The reader will anticipate the decision. To discover " Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt," is no strange exertion of Love's second-sight. Could we call up in array before us all the beauties whom the love of poets has immortalised, from the high-born dame to the plebeian damsel-from the Lauras and Sacharissas down to the sadly unpeople our imaginations of many a bright Chloes and Jeannies-we should, it is to be feared, tenant that poesy has lodged there; and find, in more than one instance, our admiration of the faith and fancy of the worshipper increased by our discovery of the worthlessness of the idol."* OF QUINTIA AND LESBIA. A seasoning spice of that-I know not what; -Ellon In the next epigram, the poet acknowledges, in handsome terms, a benefit he has received at the hands of Cicero. TO MARK TULLY. The senate's and the forum's grace, Tully! whose like of Roman race Nor is, nor has been, nor will be→ Catullus pays his thanks to thee; Thanks paid to him of patrons first, But paid, alas! by him of poets worst. The next poem is a unique. It is addressed to Sirmio-a spot endeared to Catullus probably by the circumstance of birth; at all events, by the associations of boyhood, and by the pride of property in the soil. He was bound to the locality by a twofold tie: of the master, in these exquisite verses, is therefore so Sirmio was his, and yet he was Sirmio's. The claim softened down as to leave scope and sway to the filial feeling for the natal soil. A brief description of the spot may not be unacceptable to the reader. Sirmione, then, for such is the modern name, is a small promontory projecting into the Lago di Garda. "It appears," observes Eustace, in his Classical Tour, "as an island; so low and so narrow is the bank that unites it to the mainland. . . . . The soil is fertile, and its surface varied, sometimes shelving in a gentle declivity, at other times breaking in craggy magnificence, and thus furnishing every requisite for delightful walks and luxurious baths; while the views vary at every step, presenting rich coasts or barren mountains; sometimes confined to the cultivated scenes of the neighbouring shore, and at other times bewildered and lost in the windings of the lake or in the recesses of the Alps." We need not wonder that Catullus was enamoured of such a delicious retreat, especially after a long absence. TO SIRMIO. Sirmio! what spot may rank thyself beside? *Moore's Byron, vol. ii. No more a wanderer on Bithynia's plain, Yes, yes I am, I am at home again. Rid of a load of cares, at last to come, Wearied with travel, to one's own dear homeThe old familiar couch again to press, And feel it yield-oh! this is blessedness! Enough of luxury that single day Doth bring, a lifetime's labours to repay. Fair Sirmio! smile: joy is thy master's due, Return'd from far: laugh forth, ye waters blue! And all familiar things your oiden look renew! The ruins of the poet's mansion are still to be seen. From their appearance, it has been concluded that the buildings, when entire, were about seven hundred feet in length, and fully three hundred in breadth. dimensions may convey some notion of the magnificence of Roman villas. It is to be observed, however, that each villa consisted of three distinct buildings; the first of which was occupied by the family, the second was allotted to domestics, and the third was reserved as a repository for wine, fruit, and all sorts of stores. These As a specimen of our poet's pathetic manner, we subjoin the elegy on his brother. This poem must have been written about the same time as the address to Sirmio. DIRGE AT HIS BROTHER'S TOMB. Slow faring on o'er many a land and sea, -Elton. There is much quiet beauty in the next specimen. Catullus condoles with a brother bard on the death of his mistress. TO CALVUS ON THE DEATH OF HIS QUINTILIA. To witness that her Calvus held her dear! -Ellon. With the following extract from one of the epithalamia we close our selections. The marriage chant is kept up, alternately, by young men and maidens. The parts are, of course, composed in character-the lads extolling, the girls denouncing, matrimony. The two images suggested by these opposite expositions of sentiment have few rivals and no superiors in the whole compass of poetry, whether we consider the felicity of the conception, the elaborate delicacy of the execution, or the effectiveness of the disposal. We are agreeably surprised to meet in the retort so complete a counterpart to its playful provocative; and are delighted to find that fancy, whom we thought an antagonist, has suddenly shifted sides, and become transformed into an ally. VIRGINS. As in fenced gardens blows some flow'ret rare, YOUTHS. As on the naked field the lonely vine -Elton. On the poetical character of Catullus we shall not enlarge. It is evident that he has proved himself capable of greater things than he has achieved. In the ready seizure of happy turns of expression, in the adroit shaping of speech to every flitting shade of sentiment, in giving each "airy nothing" of the fancy its aptest mould and embodiment in words, he is unsurpassed, perhaps unrivalled. One or two of his longer poems (if he is not indebted for these qualities to his Greek models) evince, however, a range of tragic power, a mastery over the higher passions, a sympathy with the saddest or stormiest workings of the human will discriminate between its genuine pabulum and Framer of the human mind. PEDESTRIAN EXCURSION IN SWITZERLAND. BY ALPNACH AND LUNGERN, TO BRIENTZ. Lucerne, we found that the slight remains of mist table. ascent, there was a partial depression, and then an ascent again. This sarose, apparently, from its passing chiefly among debris lying between the mountains. Gigantic blocks of stone were scattered here and there, so large that it was necessary to treat them as hills, and wind round them or go over them. The effect, however, was not that of desolation, for the verdure was everywhere full and thronging, and not only lichens and brushwood, but large trees hung their heads over the stony masses, or clothed the crevices in the mountain from which they had been hurled. To spiritual consolation from the fatigues of the road, for the true Catholic, there were ample means of deriving every here and there rose crosses, or small chapels, with German inscriptions applicable to the spot. Bathed in perspiration, we took a good rest beneath the trees at the apex of the pass, by the brink of a cool and most grateful fountain. We descended towards one of the most interesting illustrations of the industry and enterprise of the modern Swiss-the Lake of Lungern, which had been literally tapped by the proprietors would be laid bare by drawing off a portion of the round its border, for the sake of the alluvial soil that water. A slanting tunnel, through the Kaiserstuhl, for the purpose of accomplishing this object, was commenced in 1788. With many interruptions, it had proceeded so far before the year 1835, that it only required to be carried a few feet farther; but these few feet were to open the bore upon the lake in the midst of its waters, and the perforation was the most difficult part of the whole project. After other methods had been successively considered, and decided on as insufficient, it was resolved to blast the rock. Having purchased some geographical information gallery, and lodging it dry in the upper extremity, The labour of getting the powder along the narrow from a professional guide, who intimated a strong and drenched by water oozing from the lake, was prodino doubt disinterested wish to make one of our body, gious. An anxious moment it was for those who had we started from Lucerne,* keeping the border of the expended so much of their labour and their narrow lake southward. We had but just cleared the suburbs, capital in the project, when all was ready, and the train was fired by two bold men, who had to retreat when we were overtaken by two young Englishmen, through 1300 feet of tunnel after applying the match whom we had met on the Righi. As we found we -a few moments were to realise all their hopes, or to were all going much in the same direction, and travel- prove them vain. The time calculated for the exploling on a like system, our parties became amalgamated sion had elapsed by ten minutes, and hope was almost for the time being. Of these two young men, the one abandoned, when two dull successive reports were heard beneath the rock, but the Kaiserstuhl did not bore the name of a celebrated statesman, the other tremble, and the lake remained as smooth as ever; and that of a distinguished physician and naturalist, of so slight did the manifestation appear, that the anxious whom I afterwards found he was an immediate de- peasants could not associate with it the important rescendant. They both had the unobtrusive and accomsults they had awaited. At length, however, a shout modating manners of the well-bred English gentleman, waters and mud of the lake were seen issuing forth from below announced the joyous result, and the whose position is too well acknowledged to require in a turbid stream. The aperture was small, and being perseveringly or boisterously asserted-a class, sixteen days elapsed before the lake sunk to its level. of which it is to be regretted that on the ordinary con- Though the descent of the waters was thus gradual, tinental routes our neighbours see too small a propor- there was considerable ground for alarm as to the tion. On reaching Winkel, we took boat for Alpnach. removal of the partial aid afforded by the water tended safety of the banks, which cracked and slipped as the The lake here runs into long narrow bays between to disturb the balance of support by which they were the spurs of Pilatus; and the largest of these, called preserved at their angle; but there was no material the Lake of Alpnach, penetrates almost within the calamity. We saw evidences of the shock which the bosom of the mountain. The banks of this solemn solid earth had sustained. Here and there rocks were and retired inlet run up several thousand feet, and split, and there were slips of fresh earth, while large trees impended menacingly, parts of their roots being are, I should suppose, about as near the perpendicular laid bare by slips, and the remainder clinging convul as will admit of the growth of wood. Steep as they sively to the firmer rocks above. We looked with seem-so much so in appearance as hardly to appear anxiety for the advantages which had been gained by accessible to an active climber-there is scarcely a this gallant undertaking, and at first with some disspot bare of pine trees, which, rising in endless tiers appointment; for towards the lower end of the lake, where the banks, both above and below the original above each other, look like a dense leafy army not water-mark, were pretty steep, there was but a narat rest, but struggling to mount the steep bank. It row slip of soil, which seemed stony and hard, and was here that the trees were brought down by the bore but a scanty and disconsolate-looking crop of well-known slide of Alpnach, so graphically described meadow grass. Towards the upper end, however, by Professor Playfair; but the operation has been for the alluvium gathered in its course, there was a conwhere the stream that fed the lake would deposit many years abandoned, and is now a matter of his-siderable expanse of field, amounting, apparently, to tory. There are other and more poetical subjects of association in the depths of this solemn valley, for a small ruin near the lake marks the Castle of Rotzberg, the first feudal fortalice seized by the confederacy of the fourteenth century. The village of Alpnach is remarkable for the comfort, neatness, and handsomeness of its houses, and for a new church of great size and of light and graceful architecture. The road to the village and Lake of Sarnen is flat, and we passed it under a burning sun. Though scarcely among the wildest scenery in Switzerland, we were now on the spot round which centre many of its deepest historical feelings, whether as they have sprung from the tragic cruelty that was endured or the signal vengeance that Melethal, eastward of the village, lived Arnold-an-der was accomplished. At the mouth of the valley of the Halden, who struck the first blow for freedom, on the Austrian bailiff that attempted to seize the cattle from some hundreds of acres; and though it had but a raw and uncomfortable appearance, industry seemed to be actively metamorphosing its surface, for there were one or two cottages seemed to be in course of erection. some fields of rich grass, with fences round them, and The cost of the undertaking was £5000, besides 19,000 days' labour bestowed by the peasantry of the district, which, if we estimate each day only at a shilling," would add nearly another £1000. Such a sum would cleared, yet those who know best must hold the adseem an over-estimate of the value of the property venture to have been a successful one, as their neighbours are projecting a "tap" of the Lake of Sarnen. The banks of Lungern are doubtless much shorn of their original beauty, but the spot is interesting to geologists as a fresh and vivid illustration of the aqueous deposit of strata. Along the upper margin, where plainly visible the modulated slope, which has been the water originally touched the land, there is very the ground for attributing the parallel roads of Glen spirit, which may well awaken our regret at his spend- his plough; and nearer still is Landenberg, the castle roy to the agency of water. ing his strength on trifles. Still more is it to be deplored that so fine a genius should have lent its aid to licentiousness. It is instructive, however, to observe that it has suffered in the attempt. The works of Catullus suggest a truth which all reading and reflection will confirm: the truth, that it is of the essence of poetry to be pure. To this rule there are no real exceptions. Poetry, like music, has no congeniality and can brook no alliance with the grosser sentiments. No man can be a poet without having virtue or feigning it. The muse will not stoop to be the minister of vice The finer sense to which poetry addresses itself of the bailiff, which was seized by the confederates We boated along the Lake of Sarnen, and at its Lucerne, and of the other places lately described in a series of well earned our dinner by our day's exertion, and we In Lungern we found a considerable inn. We had fell to it with no less satisfaction than our landlord eviland of merchant princes. It came to pass that while dently felt in supplying five unexpected guests from the we were busy eating, we heard a considerable hubbub in the lower storey of the inn, the predominating feature in which was pretty evidently a voice from our *Mr Symons, in the assistant Hand-Loom Commissioners Report on Switzerland, calculates the wages of country roadmakers in the neighbouring canton of Zurich at from 8 to 10 batzen, equal to from Is. to 1s. 24d. native land. The sound gradually mounted the steps; our two English friends had made up their minds to our door was thrown open, and a tall, thin man, with go to Meyringen. They informed me, however, that a very red face, and with other symptoms of strong they would prefer altering their route and accompanyagitation in his deportment, stood before us, and said ing us, as they had strong suspicions that the unclean in a loud voice, "Is there any body here who speaks stranger might be connected with a band of robbers English?" Now, here were five of us sitting together, on the mountain track. Without criticising too not one of whom had the slightest doubt of his being minutely the cause of the arrangement, I felt gratified gifted to full perfection with the desired accomplish by the effect; for we found our new friends to be ment-indeed, we had found it for some time to be pre- pleasant and joyous travelling companions. Meancisely that lingual endowment of which we possessed while, it occurred to me that the stranger was conthe largest quantity, but for which we had found the templated in a rather uncharitable point of view, and smallest use; and this sudden demand came upon us I tried to make up for any distrust he might perceive much as an application to a tradesman might do for on the part of others by walking with him, and carrysome commodity of which he possessed an indubitably ing on a conversation so far as my command of French large stock, which no one had previously shown any dis- permitted; it was not that I professed any greater inposition to aid in diminishing. But the comparison difference to bullets and poignards than my commust stop short. Our method of receiving the appeal panions, but I entertained a totally different view of was far from business-like, for we burst into a simulta- our position. One of the first remarks my new comneous fit of laughter. When we had recovered our self-panion made was rather amusing, in connexion with possession, the visitant stated his case. He had just the dire suspicions raised about him. When we came parted with a friend who, in that neighbourhood, had to a particularly narrow part of the road, he pointed lost or been deprived of a cigar case, and he was con- to the rocks above, and explained how, if we had been vinced he had found the individual who had come into on the other side of the Alps, we might be attacked the possession of the article, but who was evidently in such a spot by a band of armed bandits. It ocshielded by a wicked combination of the neighbours. curred to me that his description had a rather theoHe hoped we would give our assistance to the cause of retical and merely amateur air about it; and I had right and justice, and stand up for the protection of even the conceit to suppose that if I were to betake our countryman from pillage. Thereupon he de- myself to such expedients, I could take a more practiparted, and returned pushing in by the shoulder a cal and serviceable view of their operation than my good-natured-looking young peasant, who seemed a companion seemed to do. He appeared to be quite little astonished at the ordeal he was going through. willing to give any required information about himHe held in his hand one of the common china-pipes self. He was a Russian, had studied in Germany, and smoked by the peasantry of half the European conti- taken a degree in medicine. He let me into a little nent. It was this curious article which it appears the secret about Swiss inn-charges, after asking, with a judicious distinguisher of right and wrong supposed to knowing smile, what we had paid for our dinner. be the missing cigar-case; and his request to us was, The bill had amounted to four francs each. He asked that any of us who could, should question the young if there was any thing inferior to ours in the meal he man as to whether the article was his own and honestly had got himself, except that it was served in bulk income by. One of our number, who, by reason of his stead of in courses, and he had paid but a franc and superior knowledge of French, had generally acted as a half; such were the effects of clean linen and our exspokesman when that language was in requisition, tensive acquaintance with the English language. The with the natural politeness which sometimes makes Russ, however, had another side of the picture to give. one assent to a request without considering it, asked He had ventured, in the course of his wanderings, to the peasant if the pipe was his own. The words were pay a short visit to our great Babylon, though he no sooner said than repented of; and the youth being could not speak a word of English; and he had so cona German, probably did not understand what was trived matters that, one day tired with roaming about A pretty business, indeed, it would be if the endless streets, he bethought himself of being rean English clodhopper were laid hold of by one freshed with a bowl of soup, for which he was charged Frenchman, and dragged into an inn to be exposed to three shillings. It was evident, however, that he did a judicial investigation by five others! But the inha- not understand the philosophy of his misfortune, and bitants of the touring districts frequented by the mistook the uniform high charge of a West-End English have a good-natured if not a flattering theory hotel for an isolated attempt to fleece a foreigner. for such exhibitions of insolence. They believe it to be the outbreaks of a certain aberration of intellect to which the inhabitants of our foggy island are peculiarly liable, and our examinee would probably walk homewards in the cool of the afternoon quietly smoking his pipe, and cogitating over the circumstance that he had encountered six inhabitants of the United Kingdom more mad than usual. Our thief-catcher walked off soon after his victim had got his acquittal, and we heard him again mounting the stairs in company with some one. This time, however, it was a well-dressed, middle-aged woman, English, and, as we naturally concluded, his wife: the more especially as she had a slight touch of shrewishness in her appearance and manner, which seemed like the reflected light of the broader characteristics of the other. They put many questions to us about the proper fares for the hire of chars and conveyances of all sorts, but we knew none of these things, making use of a species of conveyance for which there could be no overcharge. I must admit that the gentleman began to show himself a little ashamed of his conduct, which he imputed partly to the state of bewilderment he was in from going through a country of which the inhabitants did not understand one word he said-a calamity which he seemed to consider entirely their fault, and none of his own. At length, the amiable couple departed-a fine specimen of that ignorance, bigotry, and insolence, that have brought disgrace on our country all through said. the world. We were not done with strange guests. Before we had finished, there seated himself very quietly beside us an individual who was evidently little given to the practices of shaving and washing-not that he cultivated mustachios, or had any thing of the bravo about him he was simply what might be called "seedy," and slightly raffish-looking. His clothes were not of any tourist cut, yet they would not have looked very well either in a drawing-room or in a promenade in "town." His shirt was not very white; and his travelling accoutrements, instead of being strapped up in a neat haversack, were rolled up globularly in a cotton handkerchief, none of the cleanest. Yet, with all this, the man acted as one who considered himself, and had no doubt of others looking upon him, as a gentleman; and his manners did justice to his claims. His face was quick, and intelligent too, and his conversation that of an educated man. There was nothing very remarkable about all this, at least abroad; but somehow or another, this stranger, eating his dinner in a corner, and venturing a remark occasionally in a very quiet way, had produced some ominous effect on our party, which I could not at first account for. Somebody dodged me in the elbow when I spoke of its being time to go; and a most mysterious wink was conveyed to me when I spoke of the distance to our place of destination. At last, however, we set off, and the stranger with us -then came out the mystery. We were for Brientz; successful in their endeavours-at least if the having no recollection of it but the intense soundness of the sleep it afforded be considered valid testimony to the goodness of a bed. BITS FROM THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. [The meeting of the association at Manchester, June 23-30, was a very brilliant one as to attendance and local circumstances, and at the same time rather more than usually productive of important novelties in science. From the ample reports given in the Manchester Guardian, we glean a few things of the kind most likely to be generally intelligible and interesting.] AN EXPERIMENT IN SPADE HUSBANDRY. A PAPER by Mrs Davies, widow of the late President of the Royal Society, descriptive of an experiment which she had made in small lettings of land, was read in the Statistical Section. The writer began by stating that it was only lately that she had become aware of the great advantages that would result from a more careful cultivation of the soil; but, from what had taken place under her own observation within the last few years, she felt persuaded that, by due management, the most fruitful causes of poverty and distress in this country might soon be removed. It had been stated in the House of Commons by Mr Pusey, that the average produce of land in Great Britain was 26 bushels of wheat an acre. Now, if it were possible, merely by an improved mode of cultivation, without any additional expense, to increase the produce to 27 bushels an acre, this would give an increase of 475,000 quarters, which, at the average price of grain, would be worth L.1,200,000 per annum, equal to a capital of L.36,000,000 gained for ever. But, in her own experience, she had found far greater results than this. By careful weeding, manuring, and cultivation of the land, which was in many instances done at very little expense, she found that some of her tenants raised 40 bushels of wheat an acre; that they were paying double the rent which she received for the same land when it was in large farms; and that, out of 124 tenants among whom the land was now divided, not one had fallen a single farthing in arrears since 1830. With regard to the industrial school which had been lately formed under her patronage, the results had been very gratifying. It appeared that the schoolmaster paid L.11 per annum for his dwelling-house and school, in addition to which he held three acres of, land at L.3 per acre. His school consisted of twenty boys, of the average age of eight years, who worked for him at out-door labour three hours a-day, in return for three hours' instruction in reading, writing, and accounts. The boys thus educated were much better able, when they left school, to undertake farm labour, from the practice they had had; and the schoolmaster considered that their labour amply rewarded him for the instruction he gave them. From the manner in which his land was cultivated, he had been enabled to keep two cows, where he would otherwise not have been enabled to keep more than one; indeed, as was stated by the writer of the paper, but for the school and the labour he derived from the scholars, he would have been forced to go into the workhouse with his family, consisting of five persons, which would have cost the township about L.39 a-year. The writer concluded by remarking, that the statements she had made regarding an increase of rent from the small allotment system would no doubt surprise those who imagined that large farms must necessarily be the most productive; but experience was better than theory. As she had already stated, out of 124 tenants, not one had gone a farthing behind since 1830; and yet they paid a much higher rent than she had received previously to that period. The footpath led up to the pass of the Brunig, and was delightfully wild and solitary in the stillness of the evening. Occasionally it was hard climbing among the rocks, and at other times we crossed patches of soft green sward, while over our heads hung solemn pines as motionless as if they had been painted on the darkening sky. It was almost dark when we reached the top of the pass, where we had to part with the Russ. He seemed to think the design originally expressed by our English friends to proceed to Meyringen was some misunderstanding, for he left us all with a hearty farewell; and we heard him cheering to us as he disappeared in the gloom of the descent. It was now a matter of some anxiety for us to get forward, for the night was deepening apace, and of the celebrated expanse of valley scenery which stretches towards Meyringen we could only trace the faintest outline. We had not gone many paces when we found the path leading directly up to a house, and showing no means whatever of passing it by. This seemed to be a decided stoppage, and to indicate a mistake; but it is a foolish thing to come to rash judgments in a strange land, and it was as well to make inquiry of the in- This paper led to a conversation in which many mates before we attempted anything on our own re- eminent members of the section expressed the highest sponsibility. The result proved the prudence of the gratification with the experiment described by it. measure; we were on the right path, and it passed "Think," said Colonel Sykes, "of the schoolmaster, through the house, which turned out to be a toll-house, who might otherwise have been an inmate of the marking the limits of the canton of Berne. The road workhouse, not only teaching twenty boys the rudikept to its high level, between three and four thou- ments of an ordinary education-reading, writing, sand feet above the sea, for some miles, and we went and accounts-without receiving any wages, but also on in the dark with great animation, talking on all of his actually paying L.3 per acre for his land." Mr sorts of subjects. I know not how many dangerous Felkin said that, when travelling on the continent, he spots we may have passed unregarded, when suddenly had found that even in those parts where the compethe thought occurred to us, that here we were on a tition for employment was very intense, the subdiviSwiss pass-a sort of place proverbial for all kinds of sion of land into small allotments prevented the hair-breadth 'scapes-marching along in the dark as labouring class from ever becoming so destitute as carelessly as if we were on an English turnpike. Per- many are in this country in periods of commercial haps it was something in the nature of the spot we depression. By a judicious system of husbandry, and had just reached that suggested the necessity of cau- by the careful application of manure, they were ention. We were on a ledge of bare rock, sloping down-abled to obtain a much larger amount of produce than wards to the left, in which direction we heard the the same extent of surface would yield under the large rushing of waters, coming as it were from a torrent farm system. Looking at the present state of the far beneath, and smothered among thick foliage. We country, and the number of industrious individuals grew very cautious on this discovery, and passed along without employment, he thought it was time to ask in a string, feeling the way with our sticks before we whether this mode of cultivation ought not to be tried stepped, and planting our feet firmly and steadily. as far as possible? In Saxony a large proportion of This doubtful state of matters did not last long, how- the artisans had small plots of land, which they cultiever; we soon found that we were passing between vated at intervals; and thus were enabled to procure two rows of trees, and rapidly descending. When we many comforts which would not otherwise have been reached the inn at Brientz, we found it was full-not within their reach. In that country there were a hole in which we could be stowed. Contemplating twenty-five thousand families employed in the manuour blank faces on this avowal, a good-natured guide facture of hosiery, most of whom had small plots of presented himself, and offered to conduct us to the land, which enabled them to work for lower wages than other inn, about a mile off. Here the first part of the were paid to English operatives who were engaged in answer was the same, but not the second. The case the same branch of manufactures; in consequence of was seen to be one for sacrifices, and the civil people which, our workmen were superseded in the foreign said they would try to put some sort of beds together market. Mr George Webb Hall thought the associafor us in the servants' rooms. They were eminently tion was much indebted to Mrs Davies for her valu able communication. The success of her industrial school was no less gratifying than wonderful; but the secret of its success was easily explained. By the terms on which the schoolmaster and his pupils were engaged to each other, the most powerful feelings of the human breast were called into play. It was the interest of the master to teach his scholars how to work for him most effectually; while, on the other hand, his scholars, in acquiring that lesson, were no doubt enjoying themselves far more than if they had been all the while pent up in school; and as for the essons they received during the rest of the day in reading, writing, and accounts, he was convinced that they would make much more rapid progress in three hours, thus alternating with out-door exercise, than they could possibly do in double the time were they to continue at their tasks without intermission. As regarded the great increase of produce on small farms, and also the increase of rent which the tenants were enabled to pay, he would warn them not to jump too fast to general conclusions; nor to suppose, that because this experiment had succeeded so well, every thing else must be wrong. For his own part, his wish was that every working man could have his rood of land as a large garden plot, on which he might raise a good portion of what was required for the subsistence of himself and family; but not that he should be dependent for support on the sale of farm produce. It was well he thought that this distinction should be kept in mind when talking of the small allotment system. The great object with most farmers was to obtain the largest amount of produce out of the land with the least possible expenditure of labour; but the successful development of that principle was not opposed, in his opinion, to the small allotment system. From his own experience, too, he might say that he had never known a case in which any of those cottagers with a small plot of land had applied for pa rochial relief. TALES OF THE JURY ROOM.* AMONG the Irish novelists of the last few years, Mr Gerald Griffin, the author of the "Collegians" and some other productions, had earned for himself a high place before his premature and lamented death occurred. A play, entitled "Gisippus," has been represented with success since that event, and a collection of tales has also been published posthumously. These stories, it strikes us, are juvenile compositions, yet several of them are in no slight degree entertaining. Mr Griffin styles the collection "Talis Qualis [a sort of pun, perhaps, but literally signifying Such as They Are], or Tales of the Jury Room ;" and they are imagined to be told, for mutual recreation, by an Irish jury shut up for an entire night, in order to attain unanimity in their verdict. One of them, entitled Mr Tibbot O'Leary the Curious, opens with the description of an antique house in Ireland, on the Upper Lake of Killarney, where lived Mr Tibbot O'Leary, a small squire of lonely habits, who, after receiving a fair education, devoted himself to antiquarian speculations, the Round Towers of his native country being his favourite theme. He was of a simple, eccentric, and curious disposition; and kept only one servant, by name Tom Nash, who was almost as odd as his master, only a little more 'cute. Late on an autumn evening, Mr Tibbot O'Leary was poring over his strange antiquarian stores, when "the unusual sound of a horse's hoof was heard upon the avenue. O'Leary, in his room, holding the candle in his hand, and Tom Nash in the kitchen, at the same instant paused to listen. What belated wight could it be, who sought so unfrequented a place of shelter as Chore Abbey, at this lonesome hour? It was evident the rider was a man, and a merry fellow too; for as he drew near the house, they could hear him singing, at the top of his voice, a burlesque Latin version of a popular song. Both the voice and words seemed familiar to the ear of Tibbot O'Leary, for his countenance immediately exhibited a mingled expression of pleasure and alarm. Mr 'Bless me!' exclaimed the squire, it is he, sure enough! Was ever any thing more unfortunate? How did he find me out here, and what shall I do with him?' Unconscious of the observations which his arrival occasioned within door, the horseman, instead of taking the trouble to alight at the hall door, continued to shout and sing alternately, at the top of his voice: "What, ho! house! Why, house! I say, is there any one within ? In the mean time Tom Nash had made his way to the presence of his master. The key of the hall doore, sir, if you plaze.' 'Oh, Tom, I'm ruined!' 'How, sir?' This is Mr Geoffry Gunn, an old college chum of mine, and the last person in the world whom I would have find me in this place.' Well, sure 'tis aisy for me to give him the cold shoulder, or for us all to hould our tongue, an' purtind we don't hear him, an' lave him bawlin' and singin' abroad there 'till he's tired. The Gunns arn't only a modhern stock in these parts. The first of 'em come over ondher Queen Lizabit.' 'Nay, nay, that would never answer; I am very glad to meet him, though I could wish there he calls again; run, run and open the door! And stay; have you got anything for supper? 'Lashins and lavins.' Very well, have it ready, and *Three Volumes. London: Maxwell and Co. 1842. bring it when I call.' If it be true, as some wise men have asserted, that the more a man does the more he is able to do, it is no less a fact, that the less a man does the less he is inclined to do. The comparatively idle life which Tom Nash led under his studious master had strengthened to the utmost a powerful natural taste for doing nothing, and rendered him proportionably unfriendly to any demands upon his labour, especially when they happened to be unforeseen or out of course. 'Why, then, you're welcome, as the farmer said to the tithe procthor,' he muttered, going down stairs; 'what a charmin' voice you have this evenin'. I must go, make up your horse now, and get him a feed, and be cleanin' your boots an' stirrups, in place o' bein' where I ought to be at this time o' Light-in my warm bed. An' all on account of a roystherin' bawlin' bedlamite that What's wantin', plaze your honour?' he added in an altered tone, as he opened the door and confronted the belated horseman. Is your master at home?' He is, plaze your honour.' Will you tell him that his old friend Mr Gunn is come to see him?' He knows it already, plaze your honour. He heard your honour singin' on the aveny, an' he knows the voice. Tom Nash, says he (mainin' himself), that's Misther Geoffry Gunn, my old friend, an' I'm very glad to meet him, says he; take care an' have supper ready when I call!" 666 The interview between the old friends was as cordial as might have been expected. Mr Gunn made himself most agreeable to Tibbot O'Leary, having, indeed, a plan of his own in view. It was no less than to get Tibbot married, in order, by so doing, either to fulfil a whim, or to oblige a friend of the lady. Apropos of antiquities, Tibbot,' says Mr Gunn, are you acquainted with this great female antiquary who lives in your neighbourhood? Not I. Whom do you mean? Why, now, that's very odd. I have only come down to this part of the country to snatch a peep at the lake, during the vacation, and I know more of your neighbours than you who live on the spot; but then, rogue as you are, I would be a fool to you, I warrant, if we came to question about the court of the Ptolomies or Rameses. But, indeed, it was accidentally I heard of her first. She is a Miss Moriarty (a genuine west country stock), and a very witch at the books-knows Hebrew, and can even scrawl a hieroglyphic or two of the Chaldaic and such things. As for Greek and Latin, she makes no more of them than a squirrel would of cracking a nut.' Is it possible? How odd that I should never have heard of her? Not at all odd, my dear fellow, you were busy about more important things. It is only for us ephemeral beings to have our ears cocked for such every-day novelties. But, indeed, you ought to know her. She lives not more than half a mile from here, on the Kenmare road, in a farm-house tenanted by Mr O'Connor, the husband of a relative, where she has a couple of rooms filled with all the antediluvian rareties in the world. You should have heard her upon the Round Towers.' You don't tell me so?' She has a theory of her own about them. I had the full benefit of it, for a few days since I was compelled to take shelter in the house from a shower of rain, and had the honour and happiness of hearing, during the half hour I remained, more words I couldn't understand than I did the whole time I was in college." " Geoffry Gunn departed from Mr O'Leary's in due course, but his words did not pass from Tibbot's memory. On the contrary, the lady " who had a theory about the Round Towers" haunted his thoughts perpetually, and he began to astonish Tom Nash by exhibiting the most unintelligible spite at the continuance of good weather which the country then enjoyed. "At length, about the end of the month, the mercury began to fall, and his master's spirits to rise in an inverse ratio, which was exceedingly puzzling to Nash. "Tom,' said his master, with a look of sprightliness and glee, such as he had not manifested before since the visit of Mr Gunn-Tom, I'm in hopes we'll have rain to-morrow.' ་ In hopes, masther? I'm sure 'twould be our ruination. Sure, 'tis to-morrow we have the praties dug in the next field.' 'Hang the potatoes!' exclaimed Mr O'Leary. 'Hang the praties! Mille murdher! I never heard so foolish a speech as that from him before. Hang the praties! The whole stock we have agin' the winter! I hope them ould books an' round towers ar'nt makin' a whirligig of his brains,' muttered Nash, as he left the room. Wisha, we never heard more than that any way. Hang the praties!" it in the rain, master? It is. Make haste, and do as I desire you.' Purse warin' all through ejaculated Nash, as he went out and shut the door behind him. Some drops were just beginning to fall as Mr O'Leary and his faithful squire set off upon their journey. They rode on for something more than half a mile, at the termination of which space the rain began to fall in torrents. Mr O'Leary now quickened his pace, and Nash followed his example, but their speed did not save them from a thorough drenching. After riding about a quarter of a mile farther, Mr O'Leary suddenly pulled up his horse, and said, ' Tom, isn't that the avenue leading to Mr O'Connor's? Tis, sir.' I think we might as well turn in and ask for shelter there until this shower passes, at all events.' The Lord be praised, he's comin' to again,' Nash added to himself, as he alighted and opened the gate." Mr Geoffry Gunn had prepared his friend Mr O'Connor, with whom the learned Miss Moriarty resided, for Tibbot O'Leary's visit, as well as its motives and probable consequences. Mr Gunn had also given a delicate hint of O'Leary's antiquarian tendencies to the lady herself, and had also insinuated a word, as if casually, about Tibbot's antipathy to "false teeth and wigs." When the latter gentleman arrived, as related, he found Miss Moriarty to be chiefly remarkable for a very fine head of hair. Being well pleased with the prospect of a match for his relative, Mr O'Connor soon found an excuse for leaving the pair together. Tibbot was a little confused at this proceeding, and the first words which he bolted out were, "P-p-pray, ma-ma'am, what is your opi-pi-pinion of the r-r-round towers? I can hardly say,' replied Miss Moriarty, with a degree of ease which somewhat diminished the confusion of her visiter, that I am satisfied with any of the theories which have been broached upon that most interesting subject. You are aware that mankind have in all ages been remarkable for a love of the arduous, and that no pursuits have been carried on with greater zeal, expense, and perseverance, than those which held least hope of ever yielding any profitable result; and the most important practical discoveries in science have often been attained in the pursuit of some visionary and unattainable end. The search after the philosopher's stone led to the discovery of Glauber's salts-the study of judicial astrology produced those elaborate calculations in old times which are of such importance to the astronomer-and the desire to effect a north-west passage conducted the voyagers of England to the magnetic pole. Now, my theory is, that some philanthropic patron of letters in old time, observing this disposition in his species, had those round towers built with no other view than that they should exercise the research and ingenuity of the learned in succeeding ages, and, by furnishing an inscrutible subject of inquiry, perpetuate the study of Irish antiquities through all succeeding time. The astonishment and admiration of Mr O'Leary had been reaching a climax during the delivery of this ingenious speech, at the conclusion of which he again sprang from his seat, and seemed about to fling himself on his knees in an ecstacy of delight; but recollecting himself in time, he drew back with a respectful bow, and remained in his chair.” 666 Such an original theory on round towers was not to be resisted, and so, some time after the visit, Tom,' said Mr O'Leary, 'you must not put oats or potatoes into that parlour any more. Why so, masther? what hurt is it doin' there?' 'No matter. She mightn't like it.' Is it ould Nelly, sir? No; your mistress.' 'My missis!' exclaimed Nash, dropping the bag of oats. Yes-didn't I tell you I am going to be married?' For nearly a quarter of an hour the master and man remained gazing on each other's countenances without uttering a syllable. At length the latter found words to say, in a tone of the profoundest sympathy, The Lord preserve us, masther! Amen, Tom!' sighed Mr O'Leary; and not another sentence was exchanged between them upon the subject, until Mrs O'Leary, formerly Miss Moriarty, was introduced amid rejoicings that resounded far and near, to the venerable mansion which, it was the owner's will and pleasure, should thenceforth call her mistress. For a considerable time after his marriage, Nash observed nothing in the demeanour or conversation of his master which could lead him to suspect that he regretted the step which he had taken. Mrs O'Leary was all that could be wished in every respect, either by master or servant, and indeed it surprised Nash a great deal more than he cared to let Mr O'Leary understand, how she came to be so easily satisfied. Early on the following morning Nash went into his Matters continued in this even course, until they master's room as usual to take his clothes to brush. received a second visit from Mr Geoffry Gunn, now While he emptied the pockets, and laid the contents Counsellor' Gunn, who, on hearing the humorous on the table, Mr O'Leary, awoke by the jingling of antiquary repeat his happiness for the hundredth keys and halfpence, turned his head, and asked time, exclaimed, 'I can tell you, then, that if ladies Well, Nash, are we likely to have rain? I never are curious, they sometimes know how to keep a seen such a mornin', sir. The sky is all one cloud secret. Did you hear about Captain and his from aist to west, an' so low that I could a'most tetch wife?' 'No-what of them ?' 'A most extraordinary it with my hand. I don't know from Adam what story they tell, indeed. They had been living together we'll do about the praties; the men wont be able to in perfect harmony, it seems, for more than twenty give half a day with the weather-a clane loss of half years, when she died, and it was for the first time disa guinea at the laist.' That's delightful.' Delight-covered that she had two faces, one behind and one ful!' repeated Nash involuntarily, looking over his before. Nonsense!' exclaimed Mr O'Leary. 'It shoulder with surprise. He's pursewarin' in it, I may be so,' replied his friend; 'I do not answer for see.' Nash,' said Mr O'Leary, pulling back his night- the reality of the story. cap and sitting up, have both horses saddled and fed. I intend riding out immediately after breakfast.' 'Is 6 'If it be true,' said Tibbot, I think the worst part of the affair was the keeping it concealed from her |