age of eighteen, I had secured a handsome provision for the remainder of my life.

Often, indeed, during my abode in the western world, had my thoughts reverted homeward; but I had formed a resolution never to revisit England till I could do so with at least some degree of triumph; nor to behold again the place of my nativity till fortune should have put it in my possession to purchase my welcome home with a liberal hand.

This period I considered was now arrived; and after having executed a few necessary arrangements respecting my newly acquired property, I hastened to set out on my pleasing voyage.

After a favorable passage I landed at Liverpool; from whence I proceeded, across the country, to Norfolk; but halted at a small town about five miles from Cringleford, in order to refresh myself, and to reconnoitre; when, in passing down the high street, my attention was attracted to a little huckster's shop, by observing the name of "Susannah Howard" inscribed over the door; this was my mother's Christian name; the coincidence struck me; and a feeling of something like curiosity prompted me to enter. A beautiful blue-eyed flaxen-haired girl, about ten years of age, was behind the counter; I seated myself, purchased some trifle; and having banished, by the kindness of my manner, her childish bashfulness, I gathered from the innocent prattle of the sweet cherub, that her name was Phoebe Howard, and that she was indeed my sister!

THE LADIES.-GOD BLESS THEM.

What better can be,

When our feelings agree

In bumpers all round to express them,
So fill to the toast,

Here's those we love most,

The Ladies for ever, God bless them!

Ev'ry nation on earth

Knows their virtues and worth,

And love to proclaim and confess them,

So fill up the glass,

Round, round let it pass,

Here's a health to the ladies, God bless them!

From youth up to age

Our love they engage,

We're proud to defend and caress them,
Then as we are met,

O let's not forget

The ladies, dear creatures, God bless them!

Their names we revere,
Our homes they endear,

And gladden all those who possess them.
We love them with zeal,

So let's drink as we feel,

Here's a health to the ladies, God bless them!
A bumper of wine

Is indeed the best shrine

For those who have vows to profess them :

So never let's shrink

In bumpers to drink

The ladies for ever, God bless them!

Oxford. 1833.

HESPERUS.

PRODIGIES.

BY MISS M. L. BEEVOR.

I have been in society-perhaps I might say much society -on the fashionable average of three parties per night, in very excellent seasons, but in almost every house where there were children, I have found that these "younglings of creation" have taken the lead in, and given the tone to, the assembly; now, if one child only were the phenomenon, this might perhaps be excused, for in one pet, be it puppy, puss, parrot, or pug, liberties are tolerated, which in a plurality would be deemed, especially by a stranger, horrible annoyances. To elucidate my meaning, I shall present my readers with an account of a visit which, not long since, I had the pleasure of making to my esteemed friends Mr. and Mrs. West, who have ten children.-"PRODIGIOUS!" I

was asked, as usual, to a small party, which turned out, as usual, a large one; but, according to the quaint observation, they are a large party of themselves." All the children were in the drawing-room, very noisy and riotous, and jumping about the well dressed visitors of my fiends, to their evident secret dread and annoyance; an elderly maiden lady was dandling the baby in ecstasies, and an elderly single gentleman seemed much enraptured with one of the senior girls. "Sweet little creature!" cried a lady, rather imprudently I thought, before the face of the really beautiful child she was noticing, "how very lovely she is, and how like you, Mrs. West!" "Do you think so?" "I do indeed; and how old is she?" Scarcely had the flattered mama replied, when a dozen voices at least asked the same question, concerning all the other children, in a breath.

Ay," said the elderly bachelor, "how happy are you, madam, in such a family! O! that I were married, and that it were mine!" "Then," observed the elderly spinster, 'why, Mr. Gresley, do you not marry? I'm sure you'd make a most excellent husband and father of a family." Because, Miss Merrion," retorted, gravely and pointedly. the old gentleman, "no young lady would have me, and I wouldn't have an old one! My dear," addressing the little girl, his favorite, "you'll be my wife, won't you?" "Yes," said the child, " you'll give me a gold chain, and a ruby heart, and still let cousin Henry kiss me." This answer excited some merriment from all but the abashed Miss Merrion, who hastily putting back "the dear babby" into his nurse's arms, sailed to a distant and unoccupied card-table in the back drawing-room, beside which she sat down, and with laudable philosophy began to play at Freise, since she had succeeded so ill at couples.

"Well my little wife," said Mr. Gresley, "we'll arrange those natters another time; but I must know what you are able to do, because I've heard that you are extremely clever," "So are all Mrs. West's children, I assure you!" exclaimed another of Mrs. West's well-judging friends- -a Mrs. Osborne, who was rather remarkable for her good nature than good sense or brilliant parts-an't they, my dear?" The appeal was made to her husband, who, being rather deaf, answered-"A sad stupid set, indeed, Mrs. West; 'tis impossible to put brains into them; and, indeed, time and

expense, patience and perseverance, governesses and masters, are at present quite thrown away.' 66 'My dear?" said his wife, and looked-n'importe; for Mrs. West, proudly conscious that Mr. Osborne's censure was intended upon his own family not hers, replied to the deaf gentleman-" O no! no! Mr. Osborne, you must not say so! (meaning all the while, pray do, for I devoutly believe every word of it) that cannot be quite true! pardon me if I think it is only your parental anxiety, which makes you imagine your little people not so brilliant as those of others: as to my children, it is positively ridiculous to call them clever: I am just satisfied with what they do for their ages, but that is all; however you shall judge for yourself. Maria!"-Mr. Gresley's favorite stepped forwards-"do you think you can play some quadrilles for your sisters and brothers to dance to?" Quadrilles!" answered the child, in a tone of mingled pertness and contempt, "I think I can indeed! and truly I should be extremely sorry if I couldn't play something better, too, than a quadrille !”

The quadrille was formed, played by the scornful little lady, and got through, I cannot say danced, by sundry dumpy girls and boys, who looked like a set of Dutch tumblers. The children next waddled a waltz; and then came the school-room routine of Minuet de la Cour et Gavotte; a hornpipe by a couple of young gentlemen; a shawl dance by a couple of young ladies; and, as a finale, a grand fancy dance of eight; which however was not finished by the panting tyros, owing to the triting circumstance of M. Grenouille not having yet given them, to learn, the remainder. After this exhibition, the prodigies were, as may be surmised, rather exhausted, so one "sweet dear" was seized by a lady, and another" elegant little creature" hauled on his knees by a gentleman, till the whole were disposed of amongst partial friends, and, as a matter of course, plied to satiety with strong coffee, tea, and rich cakes. Mr. and Mrs. West were deluged with compliments and felicitations upon their extraordinary children, and there seemed to be no finale to Mr. Gresley's Wonderful!" and Mr. Osborne's "Astonishing!"

But these raree-shows had, alas! lost almost entirely the engaging simplicity of childhood; they had become, in toto,

ARTIFICIAL; pertness was by them mistaken for wit; affectation had usurped the place of nature: the girls assumed the manners and confidence of women old in the world; the boys were ludicrous apes of men: their every movement and every word seemed to have an aim at effect, and betrayed a nervous consciousness that all eyes were upon them, and all ears eager to catch their lightest accents. In nothing did they show themselves children but the relish and appetite with which they ate! I asked the second girl, whose age might be about eleven years, whether she liked dolls? and shall not soon forget the scornful expression of countenance, and superior toss of the head, with which she replied"Dolls indeed! they are very well for babies; but,"-and she again shook the fashionable curls from her forehead"but we are more scientific than to waste our time on any TOYS; and nobody has a doll in this house but baby!" And," thinks I to myself," the greater the pity

66

,

A vehement vociferation for "silence," with intimations that something superlative required it, prevented me from inquiring into the particulars of this scientific little lady's education; and silence was at length sufficiently procured for me to hear from Mrs. West-Come, my dear Robert, do now, to please mamu." I won't, was the dutiful Robert's reply. Then spoke Mr. West-"What d'ye mean, sir, by I won't? do it directly.' "I can't," said the boy, beginning to whimper from the severe tone in which his father reproved him. "And why can't you, love?" said a lady. Cause my mouth's full," replied the spoiled prodigy, opening it at the same time to certify the fact. "Fie! fie! Robert!" cried his mother, really annoyed by the urchin's vulgarity; "finish your cake, and then do as I bid you." "I want some more tea." You shall have some if you'll sing; will you dear?" said Mrs. West, coaxingly. Robert's answer was lost in the tea-cup now handed to him if he made one; but after a long, deep, luxurious, though by no means silent draught, be condescended to raise his head, and, panting for breath, reply-"Yes. old woman, can sing now!" "Pretty dear! spirited little fellow! cunning rogue! charming boy!" &c. &c. chorussed Mrs. West's judicious friends; and that flattered mama, insisting that her pet should stand to sing, not sit on a lady's knee,