most of the ladies; neither will I betray the petites confidence of the two whom I divided, and who were so kind as to allow me full participation therein, by talking across me; neither can I proclaim the angry despair of Mrs. Osborne concerning her children, nor the exulting vanity of Mrs. West, touching her sweet precocities; nor how she was every five minutes tormenting the obsequious master, to let them dance this little thing, -or-only that,—whilst Mrs. Linsay, the draper's haughty helpmate, at the other end of the apartment, imperiously demanded for her talented progeny a similar op portunity of display. No! these little delicacies in the picture of human life, manners, and character, I leave to be touched by a pencil finer and truer than my own, whilst, in conclusion, I proceed to consider the dancing master in the abstract:He is an anomaly, a nondescript, combining in himself the opposite qualities of the awful and absurd. Aw ful, decidedly he is, being next of kin to the drill sergeant, who makes the stoutest hearts quail, and, like him, possessing over our limbs such an unlimited authority, that, when "the honorable gentleman is on his feet," we had rather behold him on his head at once, than encounter his critical glance, and metamorphosing grasp; he is awful, inasmuch as I do not believe that the most elegant being in the universe would, in such a presence, find himself perfectly at ease, as to figure, easy motion, and graceful carriage. But the dancing master is, or rather has been, accounted absurd, because his soul is asserted to lie in his toes, or any where but in his cranium. To this opinion I do not exactly assent-dancing is, or may be, an effort of mind, as well as of the body, though this is not so apparent in a ball-room, as on the boards of a patent theatre; but intellect is assuredly required, and generally displayed, by the teacher of this art, be he a simple Maître du Danse of the provinces, or Grand Ballet Master of the Italian opera house. Yet we may, I think, decide, that the dancing master is really absurd, when he shews himself but a mere machine; or when his instructions, by the mere habit of repetition, become mechanical. On the whole, the art of dancing, and its professors, are necessary evils in the present state of the world; we must attend a little to the adornment of the outer as well as of the inner man : and the dancing master make take from me a similar consolation to bat which the celebrated Conte Carlo Gozzi gave to the poor bookseller, when a stranger entering his shop, endeavoured to prove that books were of no use, but made men ather than better: Trash PAK worse does it signify who loves you or your profession. Do you not teach it, at all times and seasons, and at the commencement of every year, find yourself alive, well, and in good circumstances? Believe me, more desire to learn to dance than you are willing to suppose; and whilst daneing proves to all classes so agreeable a recreation as it does at present, take courage and console yourself, that your method of obtaining a livelihood is by no means likely to go out of fashion." Great Marlow, Bucks. THE FATHER. A FRAGMENT. I've seen the father, mother, and the child The stream glist'ning with heav'n's gems, threw back Iv'e seen the infant playing on his knee To his devoted heart. Oxford. HESPERUS. An Italian, whose works (chiefly dramatic) are but little known in England. Blackwood has recently noticed some of them; and the writer has elsewere published a translation of his dialogue with a bookseller, here alluded to. BY MRS. CHILD, AUTHOR OF "THE MOTHER'S BOOK, No. 13, GERTRUDE VONDER Wart, wife OF BARON VONDER WART. In the fourteenth century, the Baron Vonder Wart, was accused by John of Swabia, of being an accomplice in the murder of the Emperor Albert. There is every reason to believe that the unhappy man took no part in the assassination. Hey was, however, bound to the torturing wheel, where his sufferings ended only with his life. The devotion of his wife, during these heart-rending hours, is described by herself, in a letter to her friend Margaretha Freianstien; it was inserted in a book published at Harlem in 1818, under the title of ** Gertrude Vonder Wart, or Fidelity till Death. A True History of the Fourteenth Century." "I prayed under the scaffold, on which my husband was fastened alive upon the wheel, and exhorted him to fortitude. I then arose, and with thick pieces of wood built myself a kind of steps by means of which I could mount up to the wheel, laid myself upon his trembling limbs and head, and stroked the hair from his face, which the wind had blown over it. I beseech you, leave me! Oh, I beseech you!' he exclaimed continually. When day breaks, if you should be found here, what will be your fate? and what new misery will you bring upon me? Oh, God! is it possible that thou canst still increase my sufferings." I will die with you; 'tis for that I come, and no power shall force me from you,' said I; and I spread my arms over him, and implored God for my Rudolph's death. "The day broke slowly, when I saw many people in motion opposite us: I replaced the thick pieces of wood where I had found them. It was the guard, who had fled on my appearance, but had remained near the spot, and, as it seemed, caused a report to be made of what had passed; for at day-break all the people, men, women, and children, came flocking out of the town. Among these people, I recognised the gaoler, who had given me up the preceding evening to Von Landenberg. The report must also have reached him, that I had been with my husband; for he approached, shaking his head, and said: Woman! this was not the intention when Landenberg fetched you yesterday!' As more people approached, I saw also several women of my acquaintance, among whom was the wife of the bailiff Hugo Von Winterthur: I saluted her, and begged her intervention with her husband, that he might order the execu tioner to put an end to my husband's cruel sufferings. "He dare not do anything for me,' sighed Wart, upon the wheel, again moving his head at this moment, and looking down upon me with his swollen eyes-' He dare not do anything; the queen pronounced the sentence; and the bailiff must therefore obey: otherwise I had well deserved of him that he should do this last kindness.' "Some persons brought me bread and confectionary, and offered me wine to refresh me; but 1 could take nothing. The tears that were shed, and the pity that animated every heart, and was kindly expressed, was to me the most agreeable refreshment. As it grew lighter, the number of people increased; I recognised also the sheriff Steiner Von Pfungen, with his two sons, Conrad and Datlikon; also a Madame Von Nefteubach, who was praying for us. "The executioner came also; then Lampucht the confessor; the first said, with a sigh, God have compassion on this unhappy man, and comfort his soul!' the latter asked Rudolph if he would not yet confess? Wart, with a dreadful exertion of all his strength, repeated the same words that he had called out to the queen before the tribunal at Brugk. The priest was silent. "All at once I heard a cry of make way!' and a troop of horsemen approached with their vizors down. "The executioner kneeled, the confessor laid his hand upon his breast, the horsemen halted. Fathers and mothers held up their children in their arms, and the guards with their lances formed a circle, while the tallest of the knights raised himself in his stirrups, and said to the executioner, Whither are the crows flown, that he still keeps his eyes?' and this was the duke Leopold. "My heart ceased to beat, when another knight with a scornful smile said: 'Let him writhe as long as he has feel ing; but then people must be gone. Confounded wretches! shis sighing and crying makes me mad! No pity must be shown here; and she, who so increases the howling, who is the! what does the woman want? away with her!' "I now recognised the voice of the queen. It was Agnes, in the dress and armour of a knight. I remarked immedi ately that it was a woman's voice, and it is certain that it was Agnes. "It is Wart's wife!' I heard a third knight say. • Last night when the sentence was executed, we took her with us to Kyburg. She escaped from us; and I must find her here then! We thought that in her despair she had leaped into the moat of the castle, We have been seeking her since this morning early. God! what faithful love! Let her alone; nothing can be done with her.' "I here recognised the mild tempered youth, Von Landenberg. How well did he now speak for me! I could have fallen at his feet. "Well, Gertrude!' cried a fourth tone, will you not yet take rational advice? do not kill yourself! save yourself for the world! you will not repent of it.' "Who was this, Margaretha? I trembled; it was she who wanted to persuade me at Brugk, to leave the criminal Wart to his fate, and pass days of joy with her. Then I too could almost have exclaimed, God! this is too much!' Agnes made a sign to an esquire to raise me up, and bring me away from the scaffold. He approached me, but I threw my arm round it, and implored my own and my husband's death. But in vain! two men dragged me away. I besought assistance from Heaven; it was granted me. "Von Landenberg (otherwise a faithful servant of Austria) once more ventured to speak for me. Cease to humble her; such fidelity is not found on earth: angels in heaven must rejoice at it; but it would be good if the people were driven away.' "They let me loose again; the horsemen departed; tears flowed from Lamprecht's eyes; he had acted strictly according to his duty, and executed the will of the queen: he could now listen to the voice of nature and weep with me. hold out no longer, noble lady! I am vanquished! your name shall be mentioned with glory among the saints in 'I can |