an example too valuable to be altogether lost. I will sketch for study one or two of the agreeable features in her character. When I was living alone with her as already stated, I used occasionally to go out to dinner in the neighbourhood, and afterwards to walk home late, sometimes very late. By the way, I will remark, that I have never felt my mind so vigorous, as frequently when walking home in the country after a dinner party. The excitement of company and good cheer, heightened by exercise in the refreshing cool of the night, produces an effect on the spirits, according to my experience, unequalled at any other time; and it seems to be something the same with horses, which never go with such alacrity as when returning home after a good feed, and in company, at night. But to resume:-at whatever hour I arrived, I always found my mother sitting up for me alone. Not a word of reproach—not a question. If it happened to be cold or damp, I was greeted with a cheerful fire, by which she had been sitting, reading or netting, as her eyes would permit, and with a colour on her cheek, at seventy, which would have done no discredit to a girl of eighteen. She had always the supper-tray ready, but not brought in, so as neither to tempt me if I did not want any thing, nor to disappoint me, if I did. When a man throws himself into a chair, after the fatigues of the day, he generally feels for a period a strong propensity to silence, any interruption of which has rather a tendency to irritate. I observed that my mother had always great tact in discovering the first symptoms of revival, till which she would quietly go on with her own occupation, and then inquire if I had had an agreeable party, and put such questions as showed a gratifying interest, equally removed from worrying curiosity and disheartening indifference. I recommend the same course generally to female consideration and adoption. If, from any engagement, I wished to breakfast earlier than usual-however early, she was always ready, and without taking any credit for her readiness. If I was down before the hour, I

was almost sure to find her seated at table; or, if the morning was fine, walking composedly before the windows, with breakfast prepared. If I desired to have a particular dinner, it was served up just as I asked for it-no alteration-no additional dish, with the very unphilosophical remark,—“ You have no occasion to eat it unless you like." She seemed to be aware that needless variety causes a distraction destructive of perfect contentment, and that temptation resisted, as well as temptation yielded to, produces, though in an inferior degree, digestive derangement. I will mention only one other trait, and that is, that though she was unremitting in her care and attention when any of her family were ill, yet her own indispositions she always concealed as long as she could, for it seemed to give her pain to be the cause of the least interruption to the pleasure of those she loved.

GOOD FEELING.

Soon after the battle of Waterloo, when so many maimed and wounded officers were to be seen in the streets, a gentleman passing along Bond Street, was somewhat forcibly pushed against the wall by a porter. In the irritation of the moment he raised a small cane he had in his hand, and gave the porter a smart cut across the shoulders. The man instantly turned round and threw himself into an attitude of attack; but perceiving his adversary had recently lost his right arm, he took off his hat, and without saying a word, passed on his

way.

SAYINGS.

Many people have a great horror of the purse-proud. I cannot say that I have; for I am always perfectly at my ease

"Poverty

with them. It is the purse-empty that I dread. is no crime," is a common saying in the mouths of the indolent and the improvident; nine times out of ten, I believe, it approaches very near. But poverty proper is a disease nearly worn out in this country, and its place is supplied by pauperism, or the spirit of dependence, on which I have remarked in a former publication. "Of all taxes upon means—of all clogs to self-advancement-of all drawbacks upon enjoyment, assuredly the dependence of those who ought to depend upon themselves, is the heaviest and most irksome. No station in life is too high-none too low-to escape this scourge. The peer of princely fortune, the frugal tradesman, and the industrious labourer,-each in his degree, is haunted, threatened, importuned, and preyed upon. To avoid this fate, how many are afraid to accumulate! how many give up in despair!-how many, seeing ruin inevitable, prefer to ruin themselves, and plunge into that state it would have been the labour of their lives to avoid!" The most accurate description of English poverty I ever heard was from a beggar-boy in Italy, who accosted me at the door of a post-house, whilst I was waiting for horses. He made some observation, which led me to ask him if he thought there were no poor in England to which he replied, "Oh! yes, yes; but in England they are all rich poor--in Italy we are poor poor."

Complaining of adverse fortune, keeps fortune adverse. A happy disposition to improve opportunities, sooner or later, I believe, never fails of success.

True courage is that which is not afraid of being thought afraid; the rest is counterfeit. Such for the most part is duelling courage.

LONDON:

IBOTSON AND PALMER, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.

BY THOMAS WALKER, M.A.

TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

BARRISTER AT LAW, AND ONE OF THE POLICE MAGISTRATES OF THE METROPOLIS

PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 12 O'CLOCK BY H. RENSHAW, 356, STRAND, NEARLY OPPOSITE WELLINGTON STREET.

No. IX.] WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1835. [PRICE 3d.

DEAR READER, whether gentle or simple, male or female, young or old-for I am happy to say I have of all sorts.

I do not know whether you find yourself in any degree wiser, or better, or happier, for my labours so far as they have gone, but I am sure I do. At least from the very frequent testimonies I meet with, I cannot doubt but that I have contributed to your amusement; and I consider that to be a great point gained, if I can maintain it; because, with amusement, you cannot fail in the end, considering the sources I draw form, to derive considerable profit. In my first address I told you it was an alterative diet of sound and comfortable doctrines, blended with innoxious amusement, that I proposed to set before you, and I hope so far I have kept my word. Like all alteratives, it is only by perseverance that mine can produce much effect, and you must learn from my desultory

K

writings, what is to be learnt, as you would from other people's conversation, by habitual attention.

I have been much amused with the progress of opinion as to my undertaking. When I first mentioned it, I was told I should never begin, or that I should never go on, or that I should involve myself in dangerous expense, or that there was something startling and improper in a man in a public situation like mine, conducting a periodical, and that to put my name to it was out of all question. Well, I did begin, and I feel no diffidence of being able to go on, but the contrary. I am in no danger from expense, and, so far as I can judge, the balance will turn in my favour. After my early numbers appeared, the idea of any impropriety in my being the avowed author of them, was deemed quite ridiculous ; but still objections were made, though all of the most compli mentary kind, as that my writings were too good to last, that it was impossible an individual could alone sustain such a weight, and that, considering my other avocations, I was tasking my time beyond all bounds. Whether these objections are valid, time will show. As to the first, that my writings have been too good to last, I beg, gentle reader, to inform you, that the reception they have met with will induce me to redouble my efforts and attention to prevent any deterioration; and that, after this number, I shall dedicate myself with additional earnestness to your service. The general observation now made to me is, that my work is not sufficiently known, and that I do not take pains to puff it, as the phrase is. It is true I have abstained from some of the usual channels of notoriety, and have given my publisher positive directions to do the same: being anxious, in the first instance, to deserve success, from confidence, that in that case, if it comes slowly, it will come surely; and, secondly, independently of personal feeling, I am actuated by what I consider a due regard to my station. I will tell you, however, that, both in society and in the streets, I am constantly