Oh! yes,' said I, 'the word tael is strictly Chinese. He laughed at hearing you mention it.' It not only means money,' said Chafferwell, but in the Mandarin's country the chief rent is paid by it.' Hum Fum winked. Guy said he was delighted to hear he was right. I proposed the health of our guest, Wildgoose; who, in return, assured us that, wide as the earth was, and with most parts of it he was familiar, and countless as were the varied sympathies of its inhabitants, it was not more capacious than his heart, or so full of the mingled feelings of joy and gratitude at their kindness. He stated his intention of making four more tours round the world, and then of sitting down to write an imperishable volume. He should be most happy to undertake any commission, for any one present, to any part, and would most particularly feel honoured by carrying one from the Mandarin to his native land: and sat down with the earnest hope we should all meet again when he had completed his peregrinations. In conclusion, he begged to drink the health of Hum Fum O'Ho! and may the war in China be cemented securely by a speedy peace. A very phil-phil,' hiccuped Pooks, Phil-anthropic toast-' For tea, and for one in his cups,' said Chafferwell, who saw Pooks was getting on. On interpreting the sentiment to the Mandarin, he performed an extraordinary manual evolution, placing his left thumb on his third. and little fingers, and covering them in his palm, he elevated his hand, and extended perpendicularly his fore and middle fingers, placing their divided tips on each side of his nose; he then inserted between them, underneath his nose, the fore finger of his right hand, which said finger he mysteriously wagged for a minute or two, winking all around. The solution of this movement being desired by Guy, I informed him that it was in lieu of a speech which I had notified was expected, and that the meaning of the action literally expressed, I wish you may get it! Did you tell him that I would be happy to take any commands to China for him to his family?' said Guy. I made signs, and the Mandarin put his arm over his left shoul der. What does he mean by that?' said Guy. His mother doesn't know he's out,' said I. Beau-beau-beau-tifully expressive!' hiccupped Snody Pooks; Fitzdoldrum gave a loud snore; upon which Chafferwell gave e 'our absent friends; and the Mandarin took a burnt cork and buzzeď (blacked his face) Fitzdoldrum with great seriousness, and wished to do the same to Guy, who declined, until I told him that to mark a sleeping man in that manner was the custom in China. Ditheroo whack!' said Hum Fum when he had finished. 'What's that?' said Guy. ! It means "You're another," said I. 6 Ha ha! true.' Chafferwell said that he would go and see what had become of the Count, who had been missing some time, and, after speaking in an undertone to the Baron, left. In a few moments in rushed the Count, with a cap stuck full of fea thers on his head, flesh-tights, tiger-skin cloak, spear and shield in hand; he gave the New Zealand war-whoop, dancing, and whirling, and jumping in a most terrific style. Order being in some degree restored, I proposed a bowl of punch; carried nem. dis., and Chafferwell proceeded to mix. The Count then accounted for his sudden appearance in his New Zealand attire, which he said was, first of all, to amuse the Mandarin; and, secondly, he intended to go in it to the masquerade at Vauxhall; and, as the evening was fine, suggested a universal adjournment to that gay and motley scene,' after the discussion of the fragrant fluid, a proposition which was vociferously cheered, especially by Wildgoose. Indeed, this explanation of the Count came opportunely; for Guy, malgré his state of elevation, began, I thought, to look rather incredulously at the Baron and Hum Fum, after the entrance and exploits of the New Zealand chief. Wildgoose declared his delight, remarking, How the people would be taken in with the real Mandarin!' The punch was rapidly quaffed, coaches were cal.ed, and off we rattled, to the seat of merriment. It happened, by some unaccountable neglect of the clerk of the weather, to be an uncommonly fine night, and the gardens were tolerably filled. It is unnecessary to describe a masquerade; suffice it, our party studiously made the Mandarin the especial object of attention, and Wildgoose's serious questions, put through me, with O'Blarney's gestures and my interpretation, though amusing enough, would fill too much space. If not the observed of all observers, at least we were the best made up' masqued party. Pooks met some young cits, who, as the phrase goes, 'chaffed' the delicate and refined littérateur of Clapton upon his appearance at such a gathering; but he seriously assured them, with many asseverations of truth, of the circumstances of the evening, and that the Chinese was a real Mandarin, come to visit our sports and pastimes. All this flew quickly about, and we were followed by a motley mob of funless gapers the oi polloi of such scenes. Hum Fum whispered in my ear, Musha! but this is cruel dhry work, Jack!' throwing a glance of the tenderest affection after a bowl of punch fuming fragrantly in the hands of a waiter. I took his hint, and we installed ourselves in the first vacant box, and ordered a magnum of the exhilarative liquid and adjuncts. About this time I missed Spanker; but Chaffer well said he had left him waltzing with a sylphide of about fourteen stone weight, at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, in the Rotunda. Our opinion had hardly been passed upon the first glass round, when a figure, dressed à merveille as a mandarin, came up to our box, and hitting Hum Fum O'Ho! a hearty slap on the back, composedly filled a glass, and, bowing round, looked the astonished Hum Fum full in the face, saying, Never did it better in your life, Tim, ha! ha! Begad, O'Blarney, you would make a capital aide-de-camp to Commissioner Lin! You would astonish the natives!' Wildgoose stared hard at the speaker, then at me, then at Hum Fum, whom I pinched significantly. Hum Fum with great composure gave him a salutation, to the great amusement of all present. ་ By Very good! excellent! keep it up!' said the new Mandarin. Jove! you Irish fellows are the best humbugs in the world.' And here he pulled Hum Fum's tail. This was rather too inuch for O'Blarney, who started a glassful of hot punch in the speaker's eye, a signal for a general uproar. Wildgoose rushed out, and collared the masqué Chinese, and demanded fiercely to know why he insulted his friend, the Mandarin Hum Fum O'Ho. I was anxious to know who the deuce had found us out, and did my best to pacify O'Blarney. 'Oh!' said the mask, if he is a Mandarin, I'll soon find that out; -I'll give him his revenge on the spot by a Chinese duel-fight for our tails!' Wildgoose declared he believed Lord Amherst told him that was the mode of settling disputes in China, and submitted. We were all too far gone in fun for consideration, and a ring was formed, and the combatants placed opposite to one another; who, with great solemnity, proceeded to the fight, the achievement being the seizure and tug of one another's tails. This was, after a round of manoeuvring, productive of fun, adroitly accomplished by the mask, who lugged Hum Fum, roaring lustily, round and round, amidst extravagant shouts. At last, O'Blarney bellowed out, Och! bad luck to yees, Tom Spanker! lave go of me tail! ye'll not lave me three hairs to comb-och! murther!' Tom (for he it was), shaking with laughter, let go. Wildgoose, on hearing Hum Fum deliver his speech, appeared paralysed, and looked unutterable things at me. 'Come,' said I, Guy, let's to our bowl; the play is finished; and we'll discuss and explain the plot and characters of this evening's farce, entitled "The Irish Mandarin."'" 'Ha! ha!' said the good-humoured Guy, I see it all-capital!— But it must be my turn next, my lads!' A night, or rather morning, of course, of rare merriment ensued; the only unfortunate consequence upon our adventure being the exile of Pooks from town for a couple of months, to escape the relentless jokes of his civic friends upon his real Mandarin, 'pon his honour!' J. B. O'M. LINES ON LORD VIVIAN'S DEATH. BY MISS FOX. WITH eager wrench, as thirsting for his prey, O'er the spent frame asserts his stern control, Kilmurry, November 27th. SIR ARCHIBALD!! A WINTER'S TALE. BY DALTON. 'A sad tale 's best for winter I have one of sprites and goblins.'-SHAKSPEARE. PICTURE to yourself, imaginative reader, a gloomy, old-fashioned apartment-the wainscoting is of oak, which, after the fashion of ladies who put their trust in Kalydor and carmine, has been painted and varnished in tolerable imitation of itself; the ceiling is dingy, and intersected by roughly-hewn beams; the floor uneven, and covered with a carpet of apocryphal pattern. Adorn the walls with a tolerable allowance of pictures, such as sketches of eminent figurantes, a subscription portrait of Dr. Smith, head-master of &c., &c., another of the celebrated dog' Billy' in the act of destroying rats, a Smuggler on the look-out,' and a couple of Old-English interiors: add thereto a sofa, chairs of various descriptions, most of which, together with the tables, are covered with promiscuous heaps of sporting magazines, examination-papers, cigar-boxes, books, gloves, pamphlets, and spurs, and you have a view of the 'rooms' in College, where, as the Oxford men say, Mr. Macdonald 'kept '-what he kept it would be difficult to discover; certainly neither his tea nor his sugar, his wine nor his candles, nor, indeed, any article, long, of portability and general consumption. The tenant, enveloped in a gay dressing-gown, occupied an easy-chair on one side of the grate. He was a tall, handsome youth, but with somewhat of a foppish and dissipated air,-visible through the unusual seriousness which seemed now to oppress him. His lips were compressed, and his eyes fixed earnestly on the mouldering white ashes. Opposite to him reclined a gentleman, a bachelor, some years his senior, and of a very different appearance. He was stout-built, short-necked, and high-shouldered; had a vulgar, flushed complexion, relieved with light wiry whiskers. His costume was of a local nature, rarely to be met with beyond the boundaries of Alma Mater,' and consisted of a sporting-coat of strictly academical cut, fastened below the chin with a small brass platter, or large button, above which protruded a tumor of blue satin, furnished with a couple of gold knobs; his vest was wonderful; and his lower limbs were encased in trousers of rainbow-patterned plaid. His figure, upon the whole, might have suggested to a fanciful view the idea of a pouter-pigeon clothed in a 'cut- away.' He, too, like his host, was regarding the dying embers with very considerable gravity. "What in the name of Heaven is to be done?' exclaimed the latter, at length, in a desponding tone. 'Done?-hand over the claret, and a "principe," and I'll tell you,' replied his friend. As the tin must be raised, what do you think of a voyage to the Baryatides, or whatever they call them ?-Well, don't look disgusted.-I've another notion-one not so original, perhaps, but more to the purpose. Write to our sovereign lady, the Governess.' 'My mother?' said the young man. 'Of course-my mother,' returned his Mentor, adding, in pleasing parody, Oh! thou must come down with the dust, oh !-my Mother!' 'Hold, Asgill-hold! To send me here she has already made such sacrifices as I shudder to think of; has denied herself the comfortsay, almost the necessaries of life. She would not have me see it—but no matter-not one word of my mother. Even now,' he added, after a pause, even now, while we are pouring this costly poison down our throats, her fare may, for aught I know, be bread and water.' Then why the devil don't you mix it, and make negus for the family?' asked Mr. Asgill. Nay, never bend your brows, man! If the mother won't do, haven't you got such a thing as a melodramatic Uncle, all rage and rhino, who 'll knock you down, pay your debts, and talk about his extravagant dog of a nephew?' Macdonald shook his head. And yet,' said the other, more seriously, I think I have heard you speak of a certain Sir Gilbert as a near relation.' 'We are but distantly allied moreover, he has sons of his own,is a stranger, and, if report speaks true, churlish and miserly to boot.' * Offer him ten per cent. and a corner in your will.' 'No!' exclaimed the young man bitterly. My own folly has left me no hope-no prospect but a jail, disgrace, and ruin! That it is to live "fast" at Oxford !' Very good, indeed,' remarked Mr. Asgill, emptying his tumbler at a draught. In the mean time, let's have one more pull at the cruet, and then we'll try the pasteboard. The hell is at Beauchamp's rooms to night.' 'I will not go. I have not a guinea left to hazard.' What of that?' returned the other with a laugh. Your I. O. U. passes current yet; so my advice is, sport it freely-raise what you can on your books and "thirds"-go the pace till the vacation, and then -emigrate. Hush!-a knock. Do you encourage duns at this hour?' The knock was repeated, and though no permission was given, the door opened, and in walked a short, stout individual in top-boots. The countenance of the intruder, though ample, was not prepossessing, being overgrown with thick, black, bushy hair, set off with a complexion of many hues, among which crimson and purple appeared to preponderate. His costume was of the same class as Mr. Asgill's, but of a graver and more business-like character; the coat was greener, the waistcoat larger, the buttons bigger. He looked the very grandfather of all cut-away-coated gentry, and was, 'ay, every inch, a' horse-dealer. Ah! Grizly,' said Macdonald, with a very unsuccessful attempt at a smile, how do, old fellow? Take a glass of claret.' No, sir, no,' replied Mr. Grizly in a deep, husky tone, the result partly of cold, partly of cold without;'-'I don't want no claret. I have come, sir, about my small account-175l. 10s. 6d.; and, as I have a heavy bill to make up to-morrow, it would be convenient if you would settle at once.' So, 'Impossible!' returned the other. Well, sir, as the whole is unpossible, I must be content with a part; if you will just hand over eighty or a hundred pound on accountMy good Grizly, just at this time I really happen to be singularly short of cash; but I expect remittances, and before the end of term-' 'Now, ain't this a pretty go? interrupted the horse-dealer, straining fearfully at pathos: I only ask you, Mr. Asgill. Here am I, vith a vife and family and two twins, put off in this manner by a gen'l'man as calls hisself a gen'l'man. Why, s' help me! I've mouths |