philosophy is of the Rochefoucauld school: but he is graceful in his expressions, most musical in verse, playful, with occasional exquisite touches of poetry, which seem to speak a higher power than he shews, and a manner almost his own. He gives us the idea of one of the French writers, with their wit and sparkling neatness, touched with a rich English spirit of poetry. To express our meaning by a metaphor (fit criticism for a poet), he is a French epigram and an English stanza blended into

one.

"The knights are dust,
Their good swords rust,

And their souls are with the saints, we trust"

so says Coleridge: Praed's is a livelier picture -a modern antique.

"Sir Isumbras was ever found

Where blows were struck for glory;
There sat not at the Table Round
A knight more famed in story.

The king on his throne would turn about
To see his courser prancing,
And, when Sir Launcelot was out,

The queen would praise his dancing.
He quite wore out his father's spurs,
Performing valour's duties-
Destroying mighty sorcerers,
Avenging injured beauties;
And crossing many a trackless sand,
And rescuing people's daughters
From dragons that infest the land,

And whales that walk the waters.
He throttled lions by the score,
And giants by the dozen;
And, for his skill in lettered lore,

They called him Merlin's cousin.'
A score of steeds, with bit and rein,
Stood ready in his stable;
An ox was every morning slain,
And roasted for his table.
And he had friends, all brave and tall,
And crowned with praise and laurel,
Who kindly feasted in his hall,

And tilted in his quarrel;
And minstrels came and sung his fame
In very rugged verses;
And they were paid with wine and game,
And rings, and cups, and purses.
And he loved a lady of high degree,
Faith's fortress, Beauty's flower;
A countess for her maid had she,

And a kingdom for her dower;
And a brow whose frowns were vastly grand,
And an eye of sunlit brightness,
And a swan-like neck, and an arm and hand
Of most bewitching whiteness;
And a voice of music, whose sweet tones
Could most divinely prattle

Of battered casques, and broken bones,

And all the bliss of battle.

He wore her scarf in many a fray,

He trained her hawks and ponies,
And filled her kitchen every day
With leverets and conics:
He loved, and he was loved again-
I won't waste time in proving,
There is no pleasure like the pain
Of being loved, and loving."
Dame Fortune is a fickle gipsy,
And always blind, and often tipsy.
Sometimes, for years and years together,
She'll bless you with the sunniest weather,
Bestowing honour, pudding, pence,
You can't imagine why or whence;
Then in a moment-presto, pass!
Your joys are withered like the grass;
You find your constitution vanish
Almost as quickly as the Spanish;

The murrain spoils your flocks and fleeces,
The dry-rot pulls your house to pieces,
Your garden raises only weeds,
Your agent steals your title-deeds,
Your banker's failure stuns the city,
Your father's will makes Sugden witty,
Your daughter, in her beauty's bloom,
Goes off to Gretna with the groom,
And you, good man, are left alone,
To battle with the gout and stone.

Ere long, Sir Isumbras began
To be a sad and thoughtful man.
They said the glance of an evil eye
Had been on the knight's prosperity:
Less swift on the quarry his falcon went,
Less true was his hound on the wild deer's scent,

And thrice in the list he came to the earth,
By the luckless chence of a broken girth.
And Poverty soon in her rags was seen
At the board where Plenty erst had been;
And the guests smiled not as they smiled before,
And the song of the minstrel was heard no more.

And a base ingrate, who was his foe,
Because, a little month ago,

He had cut him down, with friendly ardour,
From a rusty hook in an ogre's larder,
Invented an atrocious fable,

And libelled his fame at the royal table;
And she at last, the worshipped one,
For whom his valorous deeds were done,
Who had heard his vows, and worn his jewels,
And made him fight so many duels-
She, too, when Fate's relentless wheel
Deprived him of the privy-seal,
Bestowed her smiles upon another,
And gave his letters to her mother.
Fortune and fame-he had seen them depart,
With the silent pride of a valiant heart;
Traitorous friends-he had passed them by
With a haughty brow and a stifled sigh.
Boundless and black might roll the sea,
O'er which the course of his bark must be;
But he saw, through the storms that frowned
above,

One guiding star, and its light was Love.
Now all was dark; the doom was spoken!
His wealth all spent, and his heart half-broken,
Poor youth, he had no earthly hope,
Except in laudanum, or a rope."

I saw thee in thy beauty, with one hand among her curls-
The other, with no gentle grasp, had seized a string of
pearls;
[smiled,
She felt the pretty trespass, and she chid thee, though she
And I knew not which was lovelier, the mother or the
child.

I saw thee in thy beauty! and a tear came to mine eye,
As I pressed thy rosy cheek to mine, and thought even
thou could'st die!
[made;
Thy home was like a summer bower, by thy joyous presence
But I only saw the sunshine, and I felt alone the shade!
I see thee in thy beauty! for there thou seem'st to lie
In slumber resting peacefully; but, oh! the change of
finore,
That still serenity of brow-those lips that breathe no
Proclaim thee but a mockery fair of what thou wert of

eye

yore.

I see thee in thy beauty! with thy waving hair at rest,
And thy busy little fingers folded lightly on thy breast:
But thy merry dance is over, and thy little race is run:
And the mirror that reflected two, can now give back but

one.

I see thee in thy beauty! with thy mother by thy side-
But her loveliness is faded, and quelled her glance of
pride;

The smile is absent from her lip, and absent are the pearls,
And a cap, almost of widowhood, conceals her envied

curls.

I see thee in thy beauty! as I saw thee on that day—
But the mirth that gladdened then thy home, fied with
thy life away.
I see thee lying motionless upon the accustomed floor-
But my heart hath blinded both mine eyes-and I can see

no more!"

For our prose specimen we choose “ The Lovers of Vire," by the clever author of Riche

lieu.

A very beautiful and imaginative tale by William Howitt, "the Last of the Titans," deserves our warm praise the deserted hall is a Martin-like picture. "The Lottery Ticket" is a lively sketch in the Rowlandson style-the comic of common life. "The Toorkoman's Tale" is an oriental landscape, with figures: Mr. Frazer has thrown much interest into the story. "The Lady Olivia's Decamarone" is "The sun was shining as fair as the sun a mystery without an explanation-a very easy could shine in a beautiful May morning; method of cutting a Gordian knot, by the by; still, it is excitingly worked up, and the style bright, yet gentle; warm, but fresh; midspeaks, we think, of Mr. Praed. We do not way between the watering-pot of April and the warming-pan of June, when in the beautilike "the Smuggler's Last Trip" so well as the tale last year: it is a gratuitous horror, lul valley of Vire-every body knows Vireand, like such gratuities, unnecessary. The but, lest there should be any body in the wide Palace of the Rajah Hurchund" is a fine in- world who does not, dearly beloved reader, I will tell you all about it. Get into the stagecident, spiritedly told in parts, in others disfigured by the common-places of abuse which coach, which journeyeth diurnally between bespeak vulgarity of feeling-the greatest of London and Southampton; enjoy the smoothness of the road, bless Mr. M'Adam, put up at offences against taste: for example, "he contented himself with hoarding up his resent- the Dolphin, and yield yourself to the full dements for another day, after the manner of lights of an English four-post bed, for no such kings;" "and as princes, like lions and other sweets shall you know from the moment you set your foot on board the steam-boat for fierce and destructive animals." Wit" is very lively in manner of narration Havre, till the same steam-boat, or another, but the story is familiar to every child who has it matters not which, lands you once more on read a volume of Turkish or Persian tales: in the English strand. Supposing you then arspite of the reference to the French author, rived at Havre-get out of it again as fast as whence "the idea of the story" is stated to you can; rush across the river to Honfleurs: have been taken, it has already worn several from Honfleurs dart back to Caen; and after English dresses. The history of Miss Curran you have passed five minutes to think about is very interesting. Some of the poetry in the Souvenir is very beautiful. There are three charming poems of L. E. L.'s, and a fine ballad of Mary Howitt's. "The Union Flag of England" is one of Mr. Hollings' most successful pieces. There is one by Mr. Hervey, some of the images in which are equally poetical and

beautiful. For example:

"Woman's

"Where hopes, like fairies, used to play-
Hopes that, like fairies when they part,
Left withered rings about the heart!"

We so like the following little poem by Mrs.
Watts, that we quote it even in preference to
two very sweet poems of the editor's own.

"Lines suggested by the sight of a beautiful Statue
of a dead Child.

I saw thee in thy beauty! bright phantom of the past;
I saw thee for a moment-'twas the first time and the last;
And though years since then have glided by of mingled

biiss and care,

I never have forgotten thee, thou fairest of the fair!
I saw thee in thy beauty! thou wert graceful as the fawn,
When, in very wantonness of glee, it sports upon the

lawn;

I saw thee seek the mirror, and when it met thy sight,
The very air was musical with thy burst of wild delight!
I saw thee in thy beauty! with thy sister by thy side-
She a lily of the valley, thou a rose in all its pride!
I looked upon thy mother-there was triumph in her eyes,
And I trembled for her happiness-for grief had made me

wise!

William the Conqueror, put yourself into the
diligence for St. Malo, and when you have tra-
velled just twelve leagues and a half, you will
come to a long steep hill, crowned by a pretty,
airy-looking town, whose buildings, in socie
parts gathered on the very pinnacle, in others
running far down the slope, seem as if coque
ting with the rich valleys that woo them from
below. Go to bed; and if
you bathe your feet
beforehand, which if you are of my faction you
will do, walk over the tiled floor of the ina
bed room, that you may have a fit opportunity
of cursing tiled floors, and of relieving yourself
of all the spleen in your nature before the next
morning. Then, if both your lover and the
day be favourably disposed, sally forth to the
eastern corner of the town, and you will have
a fair view over one of the loveliest valleys
that nature's profuse hand ever gifted with
beauty. The soft clear stream of the Vire
winding sweetly along between the green slop-
ing hills and the rich woods, and the fiets
and châteaux, and hamlets, and the sunshine
catching upon all its meanderings, and the
birds singing it their song of love, as its calc
waters roll bountifully by them. Look upan
it, and you will not find it difficult to imagine
how the soul, even of an obscure artisan in a

6

The Violet.

"Why better than the lady rose

Love I this little flower?

Because its fragrant leaves are those
I loved in childhood's hour.

Though many a flower may win my praise,
The violet has my love;

Literature, in a Chronological Arrangement of Authors and their Works, from the Invention of Alphabetical Characters to the Year of our Lord 1445. Vol. I. Part I. by Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.A.S., &c. Part II. by J. B. B. Clarke, M.A., &c. 8vo. pp. 502. London, 1830. T. S. Clarke; Simpkin and Marshall.

remote age, warmed into poetry and music in for misery makes sad misanthropes-he the bosom of that valley, and by the side of sought the cottage of Madame Duval. The A Concise View of the Succession of Sacred that stream. It was, then, in that beautiful cottage was gone; and on inquiring for MaVale of Vire, some twenty years agone, that dame Duval, he was directed to a fine farmFrançois Lormier went out to take his last house by the banks of the stream. He thought May walk with Mariette Duval, ere the re- there must be some mistake, but yet he dragged lentless conscription called him from his happy his heavy limbs thither, and knocked timidly home, his sweet valleys, and his early love. It against the door. • Entrez !' cried the goodwas a sad walk, as may well be imagined; for humoured voice of the old dame. François though the morning was bright, and nature, to entered, and unbidden tottered to a chair. Maher shame be it spoken, had put on her gayest dame Duval gazed on him for a moment, and ADAM CLARKE is well known as a theological smiles as if to mock their sorrow; yet the sun- then rushing to the stairs called loudly, Come writer: his present work is one upon which no shine of the scene could not find its way to down, Mariette, come down; here is François man would have ventured, unless conscious of their hearts and all seemed darkened and returned!' Like lightning, Mariette darted indefatigable industry and weariless perseverclouded around them. They talked a great down the stairs, saw the soldier's old great ance. Indeed, many hours of a long and ladeal, and they talked a long time; but far be coat, and flew towards it-stopped-gazed on borious life, devoted, as our author tells us, it from me to betray their private conversation. his haggard face and empty sleeve; and gasp-"to the glory of God, and the good of his I would not, for all the world-especially as I ing, fixed her eyes upon his countenance. church," were inadequate to the completion of know not one word about it-except, indeed, 'Twas for a moment she gazed on him thus, in a task of such overwhelming magnitude. Dr. that François Lormier vowed the image of silence; but there was no forgetfulness, nor Clarke states in his preface" I have been Mariette should remain with him for ever-coldness, nor pride about her heart-there was obliged to seek that help in others, once found should inspire him in the battle, and cheer sorrow, and joy, and love, and memory, in her in myself, of which length of days and imhim in the bivouac; and that Mariette pro- very glance. O François, François!' cried paired sight have now deprived me;" and he tested she would never marry any body except she, at length, casting her arms round his has, consequently, transferred the continuance François Lormier, even if rich old Monsieur neck, how thou hast suffered!' As she did of his labours to his son. The second part of the Latoussefort, the great Foulan, were to lay so, the old great coat fell back, and on his present volume warrants us in saying, that the himself and fortune at her feet; and, in short, breast appeared the golden cross of the legion "full conviction" expressed by Dr. Clarke, of that when his seven long years were out,' of honour. 'N'importe !' cried she, as she the abilities of his successor, has not been disFrançois would find her still a spinster, and saw it, voilà ta récompense.' He pressed her appointed; but that the son has walked in the very much at his service. 'Mais si je perdrois fondly to his bosom. 'My recompense is here,' ways of his father. The labours of these schoune jambe?' said François Lormier. Qu'est said he, my recompense is here.'' lars will be sufficiently estimated, when it is ce que c'a fait?' replied Mariette. They We must quote the following slight poem of considered, that the undertaking was no less parted and first to follow the lady. Mariette L. E. L.'s: there is such a strain of simple, than the analysis of all works connected with wept a great deal, but soon after got calm again, natural feeling, that it were injustice to omit it. sacred literature, for the space of about thirty went about her ordinary work, sang her song, centuries, down to the invention of printing. danced at the village fête, talked with the In addition to the extensive period of time the talkers, laughed with the laughers, and won design embraces, the nature of the writings to the hearts of all the youths in the place, by be analysed should be taken into account; and her unadorned beauty and her native grace. we should remember, that in the days of " the But still she did not forget François Lormier; fathers," octavos and quartos were looked upon and when any one came to ask her in marwith becoming contempt; and the reputation riage, the good dame her mother referred them of no writer stood very high whose works did directly to Mariette, who had always her annot exceed some ten or a dozen elephantine swer ready, and with a kind word and a gentle folios. In those times, indeed, the weight of look sent them away refused, but not offended. an author's argument seems to have been At length good old Monsieur Latoussefort preappreciated proportionately with the weight of sented himself with all his money-bags, dehis volume. Neither the admeasurement nor claring that his only wish was to enrich his numbers of these formidable tomes have been gentille Mariette; but Mariette was steady, sufficient to daunt Dr. Clarke, or divert him and so touchingly did she talk to him about from effecting his design. On the prominent poor François Lormier, that the old man went utility of such a work as the present, we leave away with the tears in his eye. Six months him to make his own remarks. afterwards he died, when to the wonder of the whole place, he left his large fortune to Mariette Duval ! In the meanwhile François joined the army, and from a light handsome conscript, he soon became a brave, steady soldier. Attached to the great Northern army, he underwent all the hardships of the campaigns in Poland and Russia, but still he never lost his cheerfulness, for the thought of Mariette kept his heart warm, and even a Russian winter could not freeze him. All through that miserable retreat, he made the best of every thing. As long as he had a good tender piece of saddle, he did not want a dinner; and when he met with a comfortable dead horse to creep into, he found board and lodging com. bined. His courage and his powers of endurance called upon him, from the first, the eyes of one whose best quality was the impartiality of his recompense. François was rewarded as well as he could be rewarded; but at length, in one of those unfortunate battles We wish Mr. Watts had omitted parts of by which Napoleon strove in vain to retrieve his Introduction: we think that recrimination, his fortune, the young soldier in the midst of complaint, and angry assertions, are ill-judged his gallant daring was desperately wounded in in a literary man, whose exertions seem to us the arm. Pass we over the rest. Mutilated; to have always met their deserved success; sick, weary, and ragged, François approached and out of keeping, as prefatory to this very his native valley, and, doubtful of his reception beautiful little volume.

I did not pass my childish days
In garden or in grove:

My garden was the window-seat,
Upon whose edge was set

A little vase,-the fair, the sweet,-
It was the violet.

It was my pleasure and my pride;—
How I did watch its growth!

For health and bloom, what plans I tried,
And often injured both.

I placed it in the summer shower,
I placed it in the sun;
And ever, at the evening hour,

My work seemed half undone.

The broad leaves spread, the small buds grew,
How slow they seemed to be!
At last there came a tinge of blue,-
'Twas worth the world to me!

At length the perfume filled the room,
Shed from their purple wreath;
No flower has now so rich a bloom,
Has now so sweet a breath.

I gathered two or three,-they seemed
Such rich gifts to bestow;
So precious in my sight, I deemed
That all must think them so.

Ah! who is there but would be fain
To be a child once more;

If future years could bring again
All that they brought before?

My heart's world has been long o'erthrown,
It is no more of flowers;
Their bloom is past, their breath is flown,
Yet I recall those hours.

Let nature spread her loveliest,

By spring or summer nurst;
Yet still I love the violet best,
Because I loved it first."

"In producing the following work, I had two objects in view :-first, to shew that, from the time in which it had pleased God to begin to reveal his will to man, there had been such an uninterrupted succession of additional revelations till the whole of the sacred canon was completed, and such constant reference made to this revelation by learned men (both enemies and friends) in all ages, that it was impossible that any part could be lost or any added, without the fact being noticed by some of those who were interested in its destruction or preservation. From this, the antiquity of the Scriptures may be fairly deduced; they are no forgery, nor of late date-they can be traced up to the very time and persons of which they treat, and can be proved to be the same now they were then; and thus the integrity of the sacred oracles may be ascertained, as well as their authenticity and antiquity. This, if I mistake not, forms no mean argument in vindication of the Divine authenticity of the Bible; and it must afford genuine pleasure to the intelligent reader to find, that He who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,' and has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,' took care that, in all collateral and suc

ceeding times, these revelations of himself | Painter," by T. Roscoe, has either been pub-most audacious company of beggars that ever should be acknowledged and witnessed by a lished before, or is almost a copy of a tale we infested a civilised country. Their celebrated great variety of writers in different nations of remember to have read, though we know not citadel, the Cour des Miracles, bade defiance to the earth. Secondly, I wished to make my exactly where. We have never met with a king, prevôt, and police. It consisted of a readers, especially those designed for the sacred more pleasant and lively story than that of large area and a muddy unpaved alley, sur. ministry and those engaged in it, no matter of" Green Stockings," by the Author of Sel- rounded on every side by huts built of earth what denomination, acquainted with ecclesias- wyn; but it is too long to extract; and we and mud, situated at the end of filthy winding tical antiquity, by not only giving them a view must keep a few columns for the amusing streets, and approached by a crooked, rugged of the successive writers in a chronological sketch of old Parisian times in " the Revenu," declivity. Here the beggars, who of course series, with an epitome of their lives, drawn by Miss Jewsbury. were thieves also, congregated to the incredible from the most authentic sources, but also an "The Revenu. Rue Saint Dominique, to- number of thirty thousand-had their own account of their works, with a faithful and wards the middle of the sevententh century, leader and laws a particular language, which distinct analysis of each; so that in a few afforded, even in the day-time, no very inviting is still spoken by the inhabitants of the Bicêtre pages might be seen the substance of immense specimen of the capital of the grand monarque. -and were divided into classes under the survolumes. The labour that this has occasioned, The project of lighting Paris, at the splendid veillance of principal officers. These frequently can only be appreciated by those who consider allowance of three lanterns to a street, had consisted of abandoned priests and scholars, the ponderous volumes of writers in different already been formed, and, as a preparatory who, by virtue of their rank and knowledge, languages, which, in order to compose this step, a medal bearing a Latin legend was al- were exempt from paying contributions to the work, it was necessary not merely to read in ready struck at the mint-but the progress of head of the establishment. By day, the mem their titles or indexes, but in most cases to illumination had not yet reached Rue Saint bers of this fraternity followed, under various examine in every page, that a true synopsis of Dominique; and pedestrians and their purses denominations, their profession of deceiving or the author's opinions might be laid before the were entirely dependent on the moon, unless frightening the citizens out of their property, reader. As proofs of this, I may refer to what they chose to carry lanterns at their own cost. and at night returned to the Cour des Miracles is written on the articles-Justin Martyr, Ire- The more prudent generally did so-but the most the orphans to find their parents, the denæus, Theophilus, Clemens Alexandrinus, Ter- prudent of all generally stayed within doors after ranged to recover their senses, the maimed tullian, Origen, Gregory Thaumaturgus, Cy- dusk. If, in the former case, safety was en- their limbs, and the blind their sight; so that prian, Arnobius, Lactantius, Eusebius, and sured, (a thing not by any means to be reckoned the scene which in the morning resembled a Athanasius; under each of which, may I not on beforehand,) cleanliness was out of the hospital, at night was changed into a fair. venture to say, that the intelligent reader will question; for in the early part of his reign, Availing himself of the bad character of the find something to amuse, much to please, and Louis le Grand had, by all accounts, the dirtiest beggars, M. de Nogaret made a conscientious not a little to profit him? It is a matter of no capital in Europe;-witness the proverb which vow against charity. In common with those small utility, to be able to tell with little or no made the crot of Paris and an ill name equally who have much to lose, he was a great adlabour, what the subjects were on which so indelible. Rue Saint Dominique therefore, mirer of the laws, and considered the bons many eminent men in various ages have em- belonging as it did to the fag end of the city, pauvres as a national disgrace, whilst he would ployed their pens." was by no means what-under its own, or some have regenerated the mechans pauvres by mak. To those upon whose attention and study other name it probably is now, a genteel re- ing one huge bonfire of them and their haunts. sacred literature has peculiar claims and obvi- sidence for persons of taste and condition. It Gorgotte, from the fear that whilst receiving a ous demands, a work like Dr. Clarke's does was, however, the very place for Monsieur mendicant she might entertain an assassin, not need our recommendation. If duty does Nicolas de Nogaret, and Gorgotte, his aged was equally inaccessible to pity. The francsdictate, or inclination lead to research, the and only servant. M. Nicolas being a miser, mitieux might swoon till even medical men Taxa μadnois supplied the theological student starved himself from a sense of duty; and were deceived;--the sabouleur, by the aid of by the present work will, we doubt not, ope- Gorgotte, partly because she could not avoid it, soap in the mouth, might imitate epilepsy to rate both duly and beneficially. We are aware and partly because she looked forward to an perfection; and the coquillarts, or pilgrims, that the voluminous profundity of the fathers eventual legacy, suffered herself to be starved covered with shells, might relate the holiest rendered general acquaintance with their works too. She was poor, and old, and stupid, and tales concerning the holiest saints: but Gorwell nigh impracticable, or, at least, attended superstitious-but she was not ill-natured; gotte's heart was like her master's adamantwith inordinate difficulty; and moreover, with and had she possessed money, would have spent ine. Nevertheless, both were destined to be many, furnished an excuse for total neglect. and given it (the greater the pity that she over-reached, and both through a movement of This can no longer be pardonable. The pre- had none); but our miser was a real miser. humanity. A child, who, though poor, was sent work shews the various topics discussed, He did not, like the Cauzee in the Arabian free from the usual signs of being an orphelia and points out where the opinions of the Nights, unite the contradictory taste of a love appertaining to the beggars, very pretty, sweet. learned men, of all ages, on subjects vitally of shew to a love of money; he never ordered spoken, and crying bitterly for the loss of its important, may now be gathered, at a trifling the fringed table-cloth' to be spread for the father, who had, it said, been run over by 3 sacrifice of time: and we would, in conclusion, feast of six onions;'-nor did he hanker mousquetaire, was one day brought out of the suggest, that the next best thing to being in after traffic and increase of wealth. No; his street and comforted with a dry crust in the possession of knowledge ourselves, is to know avarice appeared in the simplest of all possible house of Monsieur Nicolas. The child's heart where it may be readily acquired. forms, a mere delight in counting over his warmed to the kindness; innocent apparently No father was ever so beyond the innocence of childhood, the orphe proud of his child-no subject so loyal to his king fondled Gorgotte-flattered the miser with the -no slave so submissive to his master, as Mon- title of father-followed him about the house sieur Nicolas to his iron chest, which, filled with without rebuke, and finally departed with THIS is a very elegant volume-a word which gold coins of every mintage from the time of something like permission to call again some. really seems made to describe its contents;-Louis XI., was hidden in the wall at his bed's time. That day sealed the fate of the iron the poetry is smooth, flowing, correct, but head. Three times a-day he counted over its chest. The child was a noviciate of the Cour cold and the tales are prettily told, without contents; during the intermediate hours he des Miracles, sent out by one of the leaders! much in them :-there is a want of character, walked about, thinking on the same subject; The chink of M. de Nogaret's money reached and that energy which gives character, through- and at night it formed the stock subject of his the quick ear of the infant marauder; through out. It partakes of that Italian style which dreams. With all this, M. Nicolas de Nogaret him the report travelled to his instructor, who Lord Surrey gave our early literature-polished considered himself a very worthy son of the arranged his plans accordingly. Most forts and graceful, but utterly without the force, church. He fasted-not two days, but every nate of men!' ejaculated our friend Nicolas, freshness, and riches of the after-dramatic day in the week; he prayed-if not for the one morning about a week after the charity of writers. There is not throughout the book a safety of his soul, yet incessantly for that of the dry crust- most fortunate of men! Here single piece positively bad nothing to deserve his money; and he reckoned Gorgotte's yearly have I thought for the last five years that my decided reprehension: but we think we could wages of two écus blancs (present money, rich old aunt Clarice was a religieuse among compound for a few faults, if there were two about ten shillings) under the head of alms- the dames du Calvaire, and, behold! she is or three more striking merits. "The Chapel giving. He attended mass, too, very regularly. living in Rue-Rue-Gorgotte, where did of the Lyre" is a very gracefully told legend, Paris, at the date of this most the good monk who brought me the summons by the editor of the work: and there is both veracious narrative, had (if the pun may be to attend her sick bed, say her house is situated?" truth and feeling in a little poem called permitted) a horde too-but by no means so 'Just no where at all, Maitre Nicolas; he "the Fallen," by William Howitt. Love's valuable as the miser's; it consisted of the said, you must repair straightway to the Halle

The Winter's Wreath, for 1831. 12mo. pp. 372.
London, Whittaker and Co.: Liverpool,
Smith.

accumulations.

*

6

aux Veaux, where he would meet you again, of the power of the person in whose presence mised me the furniture- and'- 'O my and conduct you to her abode. Well, if this she believed herself to be standing, not to Henris d'or! my Louis d'or! demi-Louis! is to be her last sickness, Heaven send Madame mention the effect produced by the prevôt's double-Louis! Thieves! murder! How long Clarice a happy ending. Ah! we can carry side hints, did as she was desired. She saw this altercation might have lasted is uncertain; nothing out of the world with us!' But we the iron chest carried off by the two sergeants, but the outcry made by our friend Nicolas can leave something behind us, Gorgotte; and and finally beheld the prevôt himself depart, brought several neighbours forth into the this is the duty of relations towards each other.with many assurances of favour and protection, street, or Gorgotte, acting under the sincere It does very well for kings and cardinals to without once scrupling the correctness of their impression that the person claiming admittance found churches and hospitals; but the case is conduct or her own. Nevertheless, she really was an impostor, would probably in a few different in private life a father should leave regretted the catastrophe, and dropped some more seconds have fulfilled her threat, and his crowns to his son.' And a master to his few natural tears to the memory of her old rendered her master as dead as she believed servant,' thought Gorgotte; but she only said, master; but then, when she looked around, him to be. Hurrying on her clothes, and deAn aunt to her nephew.' May it prove so,' she found comforters in every chair and table,termined to make her neighbours drive the replied Nicolas. O, she must have good store which she now regarded as her own. A cer-intruder away, or give him in charge to the of moneys laid up by this time. Silver plate tain curious carved cabinet completed the cure; guet, she descended, and, opening the housetoo, and stuffs figured over, no doubt, with and by bed-time Gorgotte was convinced that door, joined the circle in the street. But gold and silver. Gorgotte, put out the fire, the first duty of a Christian is-resignation! when, by the light of the lanterns that the get half the quantity of salad, and mind the Unfortunate M. de Nogaret!" (He kicked half-dressed assembly had collected together, house till I return.' So saying, M. Nicolas his heels all day in the Veal Market, and she confronted the assumer of her master's took his old cloak about him,' and set out for at night crept home weary and disappointed :) name, his loud lamentations over his money the calf market, on what was destined to prove here" all his bold knocking went for no- were fully equalled by her horrible outcries at the a fool's errand. Two hours afterwards, the thing: no answer was returned. Gorgotte, idea that she beheld a spectre; for on the prindomestic labours of Gorgotte were interrupted who, as the reader knows, had passed a ciple that a man must be like himself, he was by the approach of three very awful personages very harassing day, was fast asleep in her of course the very image of Nicolas de Nogaret. -the prevôt of Paris, who then filled a very pallet, and, when awakened to consciousness, O my moneys! my darling moutons d'or à la multitudinous office for the benefit of the good was no ways disposed to admit the cause of grande laine!' groaned the miser. 'Avaunt! city, and two of his sergeants bearing wands. the uproar into the house. It is,' thought avaunt, I say!-thou art a messenger from the Such important visitors had seldom been seen she, some affray with the guet (a kind of evil one-I spit at thee,' cried the old woman, in Rue Saint Dominique; and though the watchman on horseback). Save the good city! suiting the action to the word, and crossing prevôt's gold sash was rather tarnished, his what between peace-breakers and peace-herself withal. Let me tear her to pieces for velvet somewhat faded, and the short coats of makers, there is no getting a comfortable having stolen my iron chest,' screamed M. his attendants fearfully rusty, not to mention night's rest. My poor master! he was no Nicolas. Fetch a priest with holy water and a certain sinister cast of countenance incident great defence, to be sure; but he was better relics,' clamoured Gorgotte. Will that prove to all the three worthies, Gorgotte curtsied than just none at all-well, rest his soul now that I am your real master?' cried the supreverentially low. The prevôt returned the he sleeps soundly if I can't!' and so mutter-posed ghost, giving his handmaid such a degreeting with more than municipal condescen-ing, Gorgotte became again oblivious. Mon- cided box on the ear, that, partly from pain, sion, addressed her as the dame de la maison, sieur Nicolas now waxed wroth, as the mildest and partly from fright, she fell to the ground and grieved to be the bearer of evil tidings to of men might, at being kept out of his own in a swoon. 'Come, come, neighbour Nicolas so worthy a lady. Though not in the pillory, house by his own servant; and to blows on the-for I believe it is you yourself-we can't be Gorgotte felt her senses make a pirouette at door he began to add very hard words against kept shivering here all night to see you fight flattery coming from such a distinguished his housekeeper-for such Gorgotte was now your servant; get you into your house, and my quarter. The dignitary resumed: Madame in the most literal sense of the word. Fairly wife here shall take Gorgotte home with her; was the wife of M. Nicolas de Nogaret? No, roused at last, she was constrained to look out-come, follow me, and let us see whether indeed, she was nothing of the kind. Was it of the window, and then very high words en- your treasures are really gone.' The person possible that madame was only M. de Nogaret'ssued on both sides. You rogue you!-you who now spoke was an honest, good-natured servant? His servant only. Eh bien, that vagabond!-What do you mean by fetching an boulanger, a man of sense too; so after packing rendered the communication which he the honest woman out of her bed?' You lazy, off Gorgotte, whose tongue was at last pretty prevót had to make, less painful to his feelings, insolent hussy, what do you mean by keeping well silenced, he entered the dwelling of the and to the sensibility which he doubted not an honest man out of his house?'I'll send bereaved miser, to render him what consolation was possessed by madame in the most acute for the prevôt of Paris, that I will,' vociferated the circumstances of the case rendered pracdegree. Gorgotte admired this speech not a Gorgotte. Noble gentleman, he shall settle ticable. Alas! searching only confirmed the whit the less because it was unintelligible; and you and all such rubbish from the Cour des truth of Gorgotte's statement. The rooms the civic reynard resumed. Her worthy mas- Miracles.' Prevôt of Paris-Cour des Mira-were all sealed!-the cupboard at the bed's ter the most excellent of citizens-how should cles,' echoed the bewildered miser. You are head was quite empty! Monsieur Nicolas he break the tidings but M. Nicolas de No-mad, I say-open the door this instant-open wrung his hands-and had he worn his own garet, whilst walking in the Halle aux Veaux, it to me, your master, Monsieur Nicolas de hair, would have torn it from his head; as it had that very morning dropped down dead in Nogaret.' It is you are mad then,' replied was, he wreaked his frenzy upon his wiga fit, and had been carried to the abode of the scornful housekeeper. My master, worthy but fortunately it was a very shabby one." Madame Clarice de Bourse, who resided hard man, died this morning in the Halle aux Veaux; by. He, the prevôt, was, in consequence, begone, I say.' Poor Monsieur Nicolas, come, in his public capacity, to Rue Saint finding that hard words gained him no creDominique, to place seals on M. de Nogaret's dence, now had recourse to soft ones. 'Goreffects, remove his money to the tribunal of gotte, you have awaked out of a dream, I perthe Grand Châtelet, and watch over the inte-ceive; believe me, I really did not die this rests of those who might have claims upon the morning, but wandered about the Halle all deceased. Would madame's feelings allow her day; that villain of a monk over-reached us to shew the way to the place where the excel-both: come down like a good creature, and lent M. Nicolas was accustomed to keep his get me some supper ;-besides, I want to look gold?—and since the suddenness of his death at my iron chest. Ha! ha! now won't you precluded the possibility of making a will, believe that I am M. Nicolas de Nogaret?' would she consider the furniture and other Man! man!-get away before I break your household trifles her own? Such, doubtless, head with this three-foot stool. Your iron would have been the previous wish of M. Nico-chest, forsooth! I tell you it is gone to the las; and the prevôt of Paris was bound to Châtelet.' This intimation was received by protect the defenceless. Meanwhile, as other our friend in the street with a deep groan, public duties required his presence elsewhere, followed by heart-broken exclamations of would madame lead him to the cash without O my sols d'or!-O my florins d'or!-my delay? Poor silly Gorgotte, never dreaming moutons d'or à la grande laine!-my moutons of fraud in the guise of law and justice, and d'or à la petite laine !' And seals are placed pity nor attention; whilst poor Gorgotte was having, from her ignorance, extravagant ideas on all the room doors, and the prevôt has pro-half threatened with a visit to le Paradis (a

་

The boulanger tries to comfort him in vain ; and the next morning the scene shifts to the Châtelet.

"The prevôt was beyond measure indig nant at the liberty which had been taken with his office and his robes. It was an offence, he declared, at the end of a very long speech, that ought to be punished like high treason; a declaration echoed by the two lieutenants of the long, and the four lieutenants of the short robe-by the fifty-five counsellorsthe two hundred and sixty sergeants - the twelve commissaries-and the hundred and forty ushers, priseurs, and audienceurs--by all, in short, interested in the prevôté. The chef de la justice et de la police was so occupied in sympathising with his own insulted dignity, and in regretting the manifest impossibility of getting hold of the offenders, that M. de Nogaret, the real sufferer, could obtain neither

6

pretty name for a prison that), for not having | Sir Walter also denies the application of per- nected with the family of Avenel by one of known by intuition that the prevôt of Paris sonals to any living prototypes; and he says those mystic ties, which, in ancient times, were never took treasure in person! Are you "I have often observed, that the lighter and supposed to exist, in certain circumstances, bereally quite ruined, Maitre Nicolas ?' inquired trivial branches of antiquarian study are singu- tween the creatures of the elements and the the friendly boulanger, as he accompanied the larly useful in relieving vacuity of such a kind, children of men. Such instances of mysterious slow, sad steps of his neighbour from the and have known them serve many a Captain union are recognised in Ireland, in the real Châtelet are you really now a sans denier ?' Clutterbuck to retreat upon; I was, therefore, Milesian families, who are possessed of a Ban'Not-not just exactly so,' replied M. Nicolas a good deal surprised, when I found the anti-shie; and they are known among the traditions but what then? My gold that I never quarian captain identified with a neighbour of the Highlanders, which, in many cases, atused to touch except to count, is gone-But and friend of my own, who could never have tached an immortal being or spirit to the serhow fortunate, Maitre Nicolas, that you had been confounded with him by any one who had vice of particular families or tribes. These two hiding-places instead of one, and that read the book, and seen the party alluded to. demons, if they are to be called so, announced Gorgotte did not know of both.' Miserable This erroneous identification occurs in a work good or evil fortune to the families connected comforter! are francs, and écus blancs, like entitled, Illustrations of the Author of Wa- with them; and though some only condethe Henris d'or-sols d'or-moutons d'or-that verley, being Notices and Anecdotes of real scended to meddle with matters of importance, I shall feast my aged sight with no more;-I Characters, Scenes, and Incidents, supposed to others, like the May Mollach, or Maid of the am bereaved-desolate-heart-broken! I must be described in his works, by Robert Cham- Hairy Arms, condescended to mingle in ordilive on my silver-my gold was to look at! bers.' This work was, of course, liable to many nary sports, and even to direct the chief how to Alas! alas !' Well, neighbour Nicolas, I errors, as any one of the kind must be, what- play at draughts. There was, therefore, no am heartily sorry for the loss; but as I can ever may be the ingenuity of the author, which great violence in supposing such a being as be of no further service, and can't for the life takes the task of explaining what can be only this to have existed, while the elementary spirits of me understand how a man can be poorer known to another person. Mistakes of place were believed in; but it was more difficult for losing what he only looks at, or richer for hav- or inanimate things referred to, are of very to describe or imagine its attributes and prining what he makes no use of, I'll give you good little moment; but the ingenious author ought ciples of action. Shakespeare, the first of auday' having said which, the boulanger marched to have been more cautious of attaching real thorities in such a case, has painted Ariel, off, whistling, Toutes les bourgeoises de Char- names to fictitious characters. I think it is that beautiful creature of his fancy, as only ap tres. Since we are compelled to admit that in the Spectator we read of a rustic wag, who, proaching so near to humanity as to know the in default of the recovery of his gold, M. de in a copy of The Whole Duty of Man,' nature of that sympathy which the creatures of Nogaret was constrained for the rest of his wrote opposite to every vice the name of some clay felt for each other, as we learn from the days to count his silver, and that poor Gor- individual in the neighbourhood, and thus con- expression- Mine would if I were human.' gotte, instead of falling heir to the furniture, verted that excellent work into a libel on a The inferences from this are singular, but seem was constrained to be content with her yearly whole parish." |capable of regular deduction. A being, howand hard-earned wages of two écus blancs, we ever superior to man in length of life-in are glad to be able to state that political and power over the elements-in certain perceptions poetical justice at last reached the Cour des Machinery remained the introduction of respecting the present, the past, and the future, Miracles. The Parisians being kept in con- the supernatural and marvellous; the resort of yet still incapable of human passions, of sentistant fear by the audacious vagabonds who distressed authors since the days of Horace, ments of moral good and evil, of meriting made it their domicile, the king at length but whose privileges as a sanctuary have been future rewards or punishments, belongs rather diminished the prevôt's power and grandeur, disputed in the present age, and well-nigh ex- to the class of animals than of human creatures, and created a new officer of police, who, in the ploded. The popular belief no longer allows and must therefore be presumed to act more person of M. de la Reynie, established a much the possibility of existence to the race of myste- from temporary benevolence or caprice, than more rigorous system than had previously been rious beings which hovered betwixt this world from any thing approaching to feeling or reaenforced. By whipping, branding, sending to and that which is invisible. The fairies have the galleys, &c., he succeeded at length in abandoned their moonlight turf; the witch no bringing the beggars and thieves inclusive into longer holds her black orgies in the hemlock better order and more reasonable compass; and dell; and as his appointment took place before the death of our friend M. Nicolas, both he and Gorgotte were somewhat comforted for the loss of the iron chest!"

The following account of another part of the design is of general interest.

Even the last lingering phantom of the brain,

soning. Such a being's superiority in power can only be compared to that of the elephant or lion, who are greater in strength than man, though inferior in the scale of creation. The partialities which we suppose such spirits to The churchyard ghost, is now at rest again.' entertain must be like those of the dog; their From the discredit attached to the vulgar and sudden starts of passion, or the indulgence of more common modes in which the Scottish su- a frolic, or mischief, may be compared to those perstition displays itself, the author was indu- of the numerous varieties of the cat. All these ced to have recourse to the beautiful, though propensities are, however, controlled by the Waverley Novels, Vol. XVIII. The Monas- almost forgotten, theory of astral spirits, or laws which render the elementary race subortery, Vol. I. Edinburgh, 1830, Cadell and creatures of the elements, surpassing human dinate to the command of man-liable to be Co. London, Whittaker. beings in knowledge and power, but inferior to subjected by his science, (so the sect of GnosEVERY thing from the pen of Sir Walter Scott them, as being subject, after a certain space of tics believed, and on this turned the Rosicruis interesting; and the present volume con- years, to a death which is to them annihilation, cian philosophy,) or to be overpowered by his tains more to render it so than almost any of as they have no share in the promise made to superior courage and daring, when it set their its more recent precursors. In the first place, the sons of Adam. These spirits are supposed illusions at defiance. It is with reference to the frontispiece, Abbot Boniface, a full and to be of four distinct kinds, as the elements this idea of the supposed spirits of the elements, jolly length by E. Finden, after Newton; and from which they have their origin, and are that the White Lady of Avenel is represented the vignette, the exode of the Avenel family, known, to those who have studied the caba- as acting a varying, capricious, and inconsist a group displaying old Martin and the gal-listical philosophy, by the names of sylphs, ent part in the pages assigned to her in the loway Shagram, by Engleheart, from a very gnomes, salamanders, and naiads, as they be- narrative; manifesting interest and attachclever and characteristic painting by A. Chis- long to the elements of air, earth, fire, or ment to the family with whom her destinies holm, are such embellishments as must please water. The general reader will find an enter- are associated, but evincing whim, and even the purchasers of this series. In the second taining account of these elementary spirits in a species of malevolence, towards other morplace, there is (besides some notes at the ends the French book, entitled, Entretiens de tals, as the Sacristan and the Border robber, of chapters) a very agreeable Introduction, of Compte du Gabalis." The ingenious Compte whose incorrect life subjected them to receive about thirty pages; in which the author ex-de la Motte Fouqué composed, in German, one petty mortifications at her hand. The White plains his conception of the work, and very of the most successful productions of his fertile Lady is scarcely supposed, however, to have good-humouredly criticises it, to shew in what brain, where a beautiful and even afflicting possessed either the power or the inclination and how it failed to meet the extended popu- effect is produced by the introduction of a to do more than inflict terror or create embarlarity of its elder brethren. There is in this water-nymph, who loses the privilege of immor- rassment, and is always subjected by those morsomething so amusing, that we offer no apology tality, by consenting to become accessible to tals, who, by virtuous resolution, and mental for quoting a few passages. After stating that human feelings, and uniting her lot with that energy, could assert superiority over her. In no locality particularly in view, of a mortal, who treats her with ingratitude. these particulars she seems to constitute a being In imitation of an example so successful, the of a middle class, between the esprit follet, who White Lady of Avenel was introduced into the places its pleasure in misleading and torment following sheets. She is represented as con- ing mortals, and the benevolent Fairy of the

there was

as the scene of the Monastery (though it bore a resemblance to the glen of the brook Allen, near Melrose) was almost entirely fanciful,