10 [The 'other spirit" is Francesca's lover, Paolo. It is the poet himself who swoons with pity, and he can hardly have exaggerated his emotion when we consider that he had probably been acquainted with Francesca.]

THE BLUES:

A LITERARY ECLOGUE.

"Nimium ne crede colori."-VIRGIL.

O trust not, ye beautiful creatures, to hue,

Though your hair were as red, as your stockings are bluc.

INTRODUCTION TO THE BLUES.

THE term "blue-stocking" took its origin from the blue stockings of Mr. Stillingfleet, a prominent member of the literary coterie who assembled frequently at the house of Mrs. Montague. The title was first applied in pleasantry to the whole society, which consisted of both sexes, and was afterwards appropriated to the bookish ladies, who formed so conspicuous a part of it. Had choice instead of chance presided at the naming, Lord Byron's term "blue-bottle" might have deserved the preference. With the sarcastic eye which he cast over society, and his hatred of false pretension, it was impossible that the learned airs of unlearned ladies should escape the rebuke of his biting pleasantry. In "Beppo" and "Don Juan" he has brushed laughingly but not tenderly, the blue down besprinkled over the wings of these butterflies, and, in 1820, he amused himself with pinning in this "Literary Eclogue" a few specimens of the azure beings who fluttered about the fashionable world during his London life. He called the jeu d'esprit "a mere piece of buffoonery never meant for publication," and it was solely owing to the entreaties of Mr. Hunt that it appeared in "The Liberal." With some little liveliness, this trifling effusion was not, it must be acknowledged, the product of a witty or poetic hour. In comparison with the keener strokes in "Don Juan," it was like stabbing with the hilt instead of with the point of the sword. Much of the amusement, however, depended upon a knowledge of the originals from whom the characters are drawn, and no traditionary information can enable a later generation to apprehend fully the force of the allusions. If the satire seems tame, it is for the most part good-humoured, and even the sketch of Lady Byron, under the name of Miss Lilac, is devoid of bitterness. Had his spleen been really roused, the gaiety of his mocking-mood would have been mingled with many a "glittering shaft of war."

But the benches are cramm'd, like a garden in flower,
With the pride of our belles, who have made it the fashion;
So, instead of "beaux arts," we may say "la belle passion"
For learning, which lately has taken the lead in

The world, and set all the fine gentlemen reading.

Tra. I know it too well, and have worn out my patience
With studying to study your new publications.

There's Vamp, Scamp, and Mouthy, and Wordswords and Co.
With their damnable-

Ink.

Whom you speak to?

Tra.

Hold, my good friend, do you know

Right well, boy, and so does "the Row:"1

You're an author-a poet

Ink.

And think you that I

1 [Paternoster-Row-long and still celebrated as a very bazaar of booksellers. Sir Walter Scott "hitches into rhyme" one of the most important firms-that

"Of Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown,

Our fathers of the Row."]