tering heart, until breathless and distressed he reached the villa at which he was to dine, convinced that he had been seen and known by some lurking and invidious observer, who evidently made question of his right to be abroad, and acquainting his friends with the circumstance, and his own alarm, lest his absence, without leave, should be reported before he could return, requested a post-chaise might be sent for, into which he stepped, without waiting for dinner, and like a poor frightened bird, he hastened back to his deserted cage, unknowing, till some days after, that he had only been driven from his intended enjoyment by a Parrot's imitation of a Pye.

CURRAN (THE IRISH MASTER OF THE ROLLS) AND "IRISH JOHNSTONE.”

CURRAN was very fond of Mr. Johnstone's society, which, in truth, was most hilarious and entertaining. But the Master of the Rolls, strange to say, did not altogether approve of Johnstone's stage-Irishmen, exquisite as they were to every other person.

Mr. Curran observed one day to my Husband, that "his friend Johnstone was an admirable comedian. Whether he represented the humorous gentleman, or the broader characters of Irish life-both of

which, by the attractions of his person, the beauty of his features, the melody of his voice, and force of his genius, he made effective and delightful;" but he maintained that Johnstone did not deliver the genuine brogue. "He translates it," said he, "for the English ear. And," he added, "he is perhaps right; for it is very difficult to represent a genuine Irishman to the satisfaction of a British audience. In truth, the Irish brogue is a very sweet liquid-but it won't bear to be put into English bottles."

We were dining with this little great man at Major Scot-Waring's, at Parson's Green, when one of those pests of a suburban retreat (from whose intrusions there is no retreat) dropped-in immediately after dinner. He was a neighbouring schoolmaster -an inflated blockhead, with some learning, but possessing neither good manners nor brains.

The Master of the Rolls soon found himself insensibly led into an argument with this stupid fellow, who clearly considered himself a greater man than the one he talked withal, and rudely and vehemently opposed and contradicted Curran upon every point, whose opinions were mildly supported by arguments, convincing to all present-but the dictatorial and opinionative pedagogue, whose behaviour was intolerable and unpardonable, considering the person addressed. At length the disagreeable intruder took his leave and himself away, having con

cluded his argument with a very intemperate speech, enforced by the most violent tones and gestures, while the assailed party remained a calm and placid recipient. When this man was gone, the host, who had been greatly annoyed by the folly and impropriety of his neighbour, made an apology to his illustrious guest for the offensive rudeness of the self-invited dropper-in-at the same time thanking the great man for his meek forbearance; which led Curran to observe, in his peculiar quaint, quiet

way

"Oh, my dear Major, there's no occasion for your apology or thanks-I deserve no credit whatever for what you call my forbearance; for, to say truth, I have not forgotten my school-days, and I was influenced wholly by my boyish fears, being quite sure that if I had not yielded my opinions without resistance, the schoolmaster would have horsed and flogged me before the whole party!"

RANDOLPH.

THE American Randolph was a miniature likeness of Curran, whom he generally resembled, not only in features, but in expression and manner of speaking. He was a very little (even less than Curran) spare and singular-looking man, with dark eyes, full of meaning.

"Time had not thinned his flowing hair;"

which he wore (the front part carefully parted) combed behind his ears, and gathered with the back hair into a black leather string, which tied it; leaving, however, the lower part of this queue, which curled, to flow unconfined upon his back.

About the year 1823 or 4, he was the main lion of the time in England. On one occasion, at a noble table, a great set was made at him, after the ladies had withdrawn, by one of the untitled guests, who very inconsiderately pressed Mr. Randolph for his opinion of the English people. At first he affected not to have heard the question; but upon its being strenuously repeated, he was evidently annoyed and nonplussed; and he bowed his head, saying slowly in reply—“ That, Sir, is a very compendious question ;"-evidently meaning to evade it. But the Englishman was not so to be put off; and with very

bad taste, and worse breeding, persisted in his desire to perplex the “Yankee Orator,”—reiterating his indiscreet question, and endeavouring to elicit from the stranger, opinions and observations to repeat elsewhere. "What," then, he reiterated, " was Mr. Randolph's opinion of the English people?"

The American, thus indelicately urged, after a short pause, during which he gave an acute glance at his noble host and other titled and courteous listeners, in which he seemed to ask their indulgence for whatever he might say to his tormentor, thus addressed him, in a severe tone

"Well, Sir! since you insist upon a direct reply to your question, I shall candidly give you the concise results of my observations upon the English nation, as far as I am at this time capable of describing my impressions.

"I consider the higher orders Paradise; the middle orders Purgatory; and the lower orders Hell."

It was clear that he placed his interrogator in the middle class of his countrymen.