bidding of fancy, without passion having much share in it. Fancy has learned from the workings of passion that such transmutations are practicable, and she has pressed the power thus discovered into her own service. When her fictions are clothed with moral beauty, and finished with suitable and congruous details, the mind receives them as pleasing possibilities, and derives a new delight from admiring the ingenuity and skill which they display. Hence, among other fruits, has sprung the voluminous code of Æsop and his followers, of which the elegant imaginations and intrinsic truths find so ready credence in infant minds, and which many of the ripest understanding have found pleasure in studying as well as in imitating.

In concluding this branch of our observations, let us glance for an instant at some of the feelings which seem most inconsistent with the natural exertion of the personifying power. Any mean or degrading impulses-any worldly or merely practical views-any anxiety about minute accuracy or mathematical truth, must impede or destroy this imaginative power. If the mind is fastened to the ground by sordid ties, it cannot aspire to an ethereal and creative energy. If it is bent on ascertaining matter of

literal fact, or is dissatisfied with grand generalities, it cannot feel the due influence of that spirit which operates by fallacies, but by fallacies more veracious than many physical demonstrations. We can believe Atlas in dimness and in distance to be a king or a hero, that bears the weight of heaven on his shoulders; but if we proceed, as somebody proposed to do with Mount Athos, and carve him into the distinct features of a man, the charm is gone. Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic, incredulus odi. The old extravagances of the metaphysical school of poets, illustrate the failure of any attempt to please by such analogies as run for miles together, not merely upon all fours, but like centipedes upon fifty feet a side.

Upon the same principle, a hot and cold project, such as Darwin's in his Botanical Garden, for making personification a vehicle of systematic science, is in its very conception hopeless and contradictory; though we are all the better for the accomplished railery of the Loves of the Triangles, to show us its full absurdity. Such efforts may be permitted for a very short period to glitter as the frostwork of fancy; but, having neither warmth nor durability, they are unfit either for long or for lofty compositions.

THE chief corner-stone suddenly found wanting in the glittering fabric of Mr Titmouse's fortune, so that to the eyes of its startled architects, Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, it seemed momentarily threatening to tumble about their ears, was a certain piece of evidence which, being a matter-of-fact man, I should like to explain to the reader before we get on any farther. In order, however, to do this effectually, I must go back to an earlier period in the history than has been yet called to his attention. If it shall have been unfortunate enough to attract the hasty eye of the superficial and impatient novel-reader, I make no doubt that by such a one certain portions of what has gone be. fore, and which could not fail of attracting the attention of long-headed people, as being not thrown in for nothing, (and therefore to be borne in mind with a view to subsequent explanation,) have been entirely overlooked or forgotten. Now, I can fancy that the sort of reader whom I have in my eye, as one whose curiosity it is worth some pains to excite, and sustain, has more than once asked himself the fol. lowing question, viz.

How did Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, first come to be acquainted with the precarious tenure by which Mr Aubrey held the Yatton property? Why, it chanced in this wise.

Mr Parkinson of Grilston, who has been already introduced to the reader, succeeded to his late father, in one of the most respectable practices, as a country attorney and solicitor in Yorkshire. He was a highly honourable, painstaking man, and deservedly enjoyed the entire confidence of all his numerous and influential clients. Some twelve years before the period at which this history commences, Mr Parkinson, who was a very kindhearted man, had taken into his service

an orphan boy of the name of Steggars, at first merely as a sort of errand-boy, and to look after the office. He soon, however, displayed so much sharpness, and acquitted himself so creditably in any thing that he happened to be concerned in, a little above the run of his ordinary duties, that in the course of a year or two he became a sort of clerk, and sat and wrote at the desk it had formerly been his sole province to dust. Higher and higher did he rise, in process of time, in his master's estimation; and at length became quite a factotum as such, acquainted with the whole course of business that passed through the office. Many interesting matters connected with the circumstances and connexions of the neighbouring nobility and gentry were thus constantly brought under his notice, and now and then set him thinking whether the knowledge thus acquired could not, in some way, and at some time or another, be turned to his own advantage; for I am sorry to say that he was utterly unworthy of the kindness and confidence of Mr Parkinson, who little thought that in Steggars he had to deal with a rogue in grain. Such being his character, and such his opportunities, this worthy made a practice of minuting down, from time to time, any thing of interest or importance in the affairs which thus came under his notice even laboriously copying long documents, when he thought them of importance enough for his purpose, and had the opportunity of doing so without attracting the attention of Mr Parkinson. He thus silently acquired a mass of information which might have enabled him to occasion great annoyance, and even inflict serious injury; and the precise object he had in view, was either to force himself, hereafter, into partnership with his employer, (provided he

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could get regularly introduced into the profession,) or even compel his master's clients to receive him into their confidence, adversely to Mr Parkinson, making it worth his while to keep the secrets of which he had become possessed. So careful ought to be, and indeed generally are, attorneys and solicitors, as to the characters of those whom they thus receive into their employ. On the occasion of Mr Aubrey's intended marriage with Miss St Clair, with a view to the very liberal settlements which he contemplated, a full abstract of his title was laid by Mr Parkinson before his conveyancer, in order to advise and prepare the necessary instruments. Owing to enquiries suggested by the conveyancer, additional statements were laid before him; and produced an opinion of a somewhat unsatisfactory description, from which I shall lay before the reader the following paragraph :

"There seems no reason for supposing that any descendant of Stephen Dreddlington is now in existence: still, as it is by no means physically impossible that such a person may be in esse, it would no doubt be important to the security of Mr Aubrey's title, to establish clearly the validity of the conveyance by way of mortgage, executed by Harry Dreddlington, and which was afterwards assigned to Geoffry Dreddlington on his paying off the money borrowed by his deceased uncle: since the descent of Mr Aubrey from Geoffry Dreddlington would, in that event, clothe him with an indefeasible title at law, by virtue of that deed; and any equitable rights which were originally outstanding, would be barred by lapse of time. But the difficulty occuring to my mind on this part of the case is, that unless Harry Dreddlington, who executed that deed of mortgage, survived his father, (a point on which I have no information,) the deed itself would have been mere waste parchment, as the conveyance of a person who never had any interest in the Yatton property-and, of course, neither Geoffry Dreddlington, nor his descendant Mr Aubrey, could derive any right whatever under such an instrument. In that case, such a contingency as I have above hinted at-I mean the existence of any legitimate descendant of Stephen Dreddlington-might have

a most serious effect upon the rights of Mr Aubrey."

Every line of this opinion, and also even of the Abstract of Title upon which it was written, did this quick sighted young scoundrel copy out, and deposit, as a great prize, in his desk, among other similar notes and memoranda, little wotting his master the while of what he was doing. Some year or two afterwards, the relationship subsisting between Mr Parkinson and his clerk Steggars, was suddenly determined by a somewhat untoward event; viz. by the latter's decamping with the sum of £700 sterling, being the amount of money due in a mortgage which he had been sent to receive from a client of Mr Parkinson's. Steggars fled for it-but first having bethought himself of the documents to which I have been alluding, and which he carried with him to London. Hot pursuit was made after the unfortunate delinquent, who was taken into custody two or three days after his arrival in town, while he was walking about the streets, with the whole of the sum which he had embezzled, minus a few pounds, upon his person, in bank-notes. He quickly found his way into Newgate. His natural sagacity assured him that his case was rather an ugly one; but hope did not desert him.

"Well, my kiddy," said the grimvisaged, greyheaded turnkey, as soon as he had ushered Steggars into his snug little quarters; "here you are, you see isn't you?"

" I think I am," replied Steggars, with a sigh.

"Well-and if you want to have a chance of not going across the water till you're a many years older, you'll get yourself defended, and the sooner the better, d'ye see. There's Quirk, Gammon, and Snap-my eyes! how they do thin our place, to be sure! The only thing's to get 'em soon; 'cause, ye see, they're so run after. Shall I send them to you?"

Steggars answered eagerly in the affirmative. In order to account for this spontaneous good-nature on the part of Grasp, (the turnkey in question,) I must explain that old Mr Quirk had for years secured a large criminal practice, by having in his interest most of the officers attached to the policeoffices and Newgate, to whom he gave, in fact, systematic gratuities, in order to get their recommendations to the persecuted individuals who came into their power. Very shortly after Grasp's messenger had reached Saffron Hill, with the intelligence that "there was something new in the trap," old Quirk bustled down to Newgate, and was introduced to Steggars, with whom he was closeted for some time. He took a lively interest in his new companion, whose narrative of his flight and capture he listened to in a very kind and sympathizing way, and promised to do for him whatever his little skill and experience could do. He hinted, however, that, as Mr Steggars must be aware, a little ready money would be required, in order to fee counsel-whereat Steggars looked very dismal indeed, and, knowing the state of his exchequer, imagined himself already on shipboard, on his way to Botany Bay. Old Mr Quirk asked him if he had no friends who would

raise a trifle for a "chum in trouble," -and on answering in the negative, he observed the enthusiasm of the respectable old gentleman visibly and rapidly cooling down.

"But I'll tell you what, sir," said poor Steggars, suddenly, " if I haven't money, I may have money's worth at my command; - I've a little box, that's at my lodging, which those that got me knew nothing of-and in which there is a trifle or two about the families and fortunes of some of the first folk in Yatton, that would be precious well worth looking after, to those that know how to follow up such matters." Old Quirk hereat pricked up his ears, and asked his young friend how he got possessed of such secrets.

"Oh fie! fie!" said he, gently, as soon as Steggars had told him the practices of which I have already put the reader in possession.

"Ah-you may say fie! fie! if you like," quoth Steggars, earnestly; "but the thing is, not how they were come by, but what can be done with them, now they're got. For example, there's a certain member of parliament in Yorkshire, that, high as he may hold his head, hath no more right to the estates that yield him a good ten thousand a-year than I have, but keeps some folk out of their own, that could pay some other folk a round sum to be put in the way of getting their own:" and that was only one of the good things he knew of. - Here old

Quirk rubbed his chin, hemmed, fidgeted about in his seat, took off his glasses, wiped them, replaced them; and presently went through that ceremony again. He then said that he had had the honour of being concerned for a great number of gentlemen in Mr Steggars' "present embarrassed circumstances," but who had always been able to command at least a fivepound note, at starting, to run a heat for liberty.

"Come, come, old gentleman," quoth Steggars, earnestly, "I don't want to go over the water before my time, if I can help it; and I see you know the value of what I've got! Such a gentleman as you can turn every bit of paper I have in my box into a fifty-pound note"

"All this is moonshine, my young friend," said old Quirk, in an irresolute tone and manner.

"Ah! is it, though? To be able to tell the owner of a fat ten thousand a-year, that you can spring a mine under his feet at any moment eh? and no one ever know how you came by your knowledge. And if they wouldn't do what was handsome, couldn't you get the right heir and wouldn't thatLord! it would make the fortunes of half-a-dozen of the first houses in the profession!" Old Quirk got a little excited.

"But mind, sir-you see"- said Steggars, "if I get off, I'm not to be cut out of the thing altogether-eh? I shall look to be taken into your employ, and dealt handsomely by"

"Oh lord!" exclaimed Quirk, involuntarily adding quickly." Yes, yes! to be sure! only fair; but let us first get you out of your present difficulty, you know!" Steggars, having first exacted from him a written promise to use his utmost exertions on his (Steggars') behalf, and secure him the services of two of the most eminent Old Bailey council-viz. Mr Bluster and Mr Slang-gave Mr Quirk the number of the house where his precious box was, and a written order to the landlord to deliver it up to the bearer: after which Mr Quirk shook him cordially by the hand, and, having quitted the prison, made his way straight to the house in question, and succeeded in obt obtaining what he asked for. He faithfully performed his agreement with Steggars; for he retained both Bluster and Slang for