Mr. Leach

Made a speech,

Angry, neat, but wrong;

Mr. Hart,

On the other part,

Was heavy, dull, and long;

Mr. Parker

Made the case darker,

Which was dark enough without;

Mr. Cooke

Cited his book,

And the Chancellor said-'I DOUBT.'

This jeu d'esprit, flying about Westminster Hall, at length reached the Chancellor, who was much amused with it, notwithstanding its personal allusion. Soon after, Rose having to argue before him a very untenable proposition, the Chancellor gave his opinion very gravely, thus: "For these reasons, the judgment must be against your clients; and here, Mr. Rose, the Chancellor DOES NOT DOUBT.'

168. THE MYSTERIES OF MEDICINE.

There was a notorious charlatan at Paris, some years ago, named Mantaccini, who, after having squandered his patrimony, sought to retrieve his fortune by turning quack. He started his carriage, and made tours round the country, pompously professing to effect cures of all diseases with a single touch, or a simple look. Failing in this bold essay, he attempted another yet more daring-that of reviving the dead at will! To remove all doubt, he declared that, in fifteen days, he would go to the churchyard, and restore to life its inhabitants, though buried fifteen years. This declaration excited a general rumour and murmur against the doctor, who, not in the least disconcerted, applied to the magistrate, and requested that he might be put under a guard to prevent his escape, until he should perform his undertaking. The proposition inspired the greatest confidence, and the whole city came to consult the clever empiric, and purchase his baume de vie. His consultations

на

were most numerous, and he received large sums of money. At length, the noted day approached, and the doctor's valet, fearing for his shoulders began to manifest signs of uneasiness. 'You know nothing of mankind,' said the quack to his servant; 'be quiet.' Scarcely had he spoken the words, when the following letter was presented to him from a rich citizen :—' Sir, the great operation you are about to perform has broken my rest. I have a wife buried for some time, who was a fury, and I am unhappy enough already, without her resurrection. In the name of heaven, do not make the experiment. I will give you fifty louis to keep your secret to yourself.' Soon after, two dashing beaux arrived, who urged him with the most earnest entreaties not to raise their old father, formerly the greatest miser in the city, as, in such an event, they would be reduced to the most deplorable indigence. They offered him a fee of sixty louis; but the doctor shook his head in doubtful compliance. Scarcely had they retired, when a young widow, on the eve of matrimony, threw herself at the feet of the quack, and, with sobs and sighs, implored his mercy. In short, from morn till night he received letters, visits, presents, and fees, to an excess which absolutely overwhelmed him. The minds of the citizens were differently and violently agitated: some by fear, and others by curiosity, so that the mayor of the city waited upon the doctor, and said: 'Sir, I have not the least doubt, from my experience of your rare talents, that you will be able to accomplish the resurrection in our churchyard, the day after to-morrow, according to your promise; but I pray you to observe that our city is in the utmost uproar and confusion, and to consider the dreadful revolution your experiment must produce in every family; I entreat you, therefore, not to attempt it, but to go away, and thus restore tranquillity to the city. In justice, however, to your rare and divine talents, I shall give you an attestation, in due form, under our seal, that you can revive the dead, and that it was our own fault we were not eye-witnesses of your power.' This certificate, our authority continues, was duly signed and delivered. The illustrious Mantaccini left for other cities, to work new miracles and In a short time he returned to Paris, loaded with gold, laughing at the credulity of his victims.

manœuvres.

169. AN EASTERN APOLOGUE.

Jesus arrived one evening at the gates of a certain city, and He sent His disciples forward to prepare supper, while He Himself, intent on doing good, walked through the streets into the market-place. And He saw at the corner of the market some people gathered together looking at an object on the ground; and He drew near to see what it might be. It was a dead dog, with a halter round his neck, by which he appeared to have been dragged through the dirt; and a viler, a more abject, a more unclean thing, never met the eyes of man. And those who stood by looked on with abhorrence.. Faugh!' said one, stopping his nose; 'it pollutes the air.' 'How long,' said another, 'shall this foul beast offend our sight?' 'Look at his torn hide,' said a third; 'one could not even cut a shoe out of it.' 'And his ears,' said a fourth, 'all draggled and bleeding!' 'No doubt,' said a fifth, 'he hath been hanged for thieving '' And Jesus heard them, and looking down compassionately on the dead creature, He said: 'Pearls are not equal to the whiteness of his teeth!' Then the people turned towards Him with amazement, and said among themselves: 'Who is this? this must be Jesus of Nazareth, for only He could find something to pity and approve even in a dead dog;' and being ashamed, they bowed their heads before Him, and went each on his way.—Mrs. Jameson.

170. SWEDISH LEGEND OF THE LAPWING, THE STORK, AND THE SWALLOW.

It was on that fearful Friday when our Saviour hung in His agony upon the cross, when the sun was turned into blood, and darkness was upon all the earth, that three birds, flying from east to west, passed by the accursed hill of Golgotha. First came the lapwing, and when the bird saw the sight before him he flew round the cross, crying in his querulous tone, 'Torment him! torment him!' For this reason the lapwing is for ever accursed, and can never be at rest; it flies round and round its nest, fluttering and uttering a plaintive cry; in the swamp its eggs are stolen. Then came the stork, and the stork cried in its sorrow and its grief for the ill deed done, 'Give Him

strength! give Him strength!' Therefore is the stork blessed, and wherever it comes it is welcome, and the people love to see it build upon their houses; it is a sacred bird, and for ever unharmed. Lastly came the swallow, and when it saw what was done, it cried, 'Refresh Him! cool Him!' So the swallow is the most beloved of the three; he dwells and builds his nest under the very roofs of men's houses; he looks into their very windows and watches their doings, and no man disturbs him, either on the palace or on the houses of the poorest peasant. For this reason, as you travel in Denmark, you will observe the swallows' nests remain undisturbed; no one would dream for a moment of scratching them down or destroying them as we do in England.

171. WARSAW TO ENGLAND.

I, the City steeped in the blood of my children; I, a widow in mourning, with chains on my hands; I, a slave in a living tomb, send these words of thanks to thee, English people. The voice of the members of thy much esteemed House of Commons, the voice of the workmen of thy towns, has raised the lid of the tomb in which violence and indifference have precipitated Poland. To my call of blood and tears God has replied by the mouth of an honoured people. Glory to God! and thanks to thee, O England! With all that remains to me of life and immortality, after a long martyrdom, I bless thee, thy old men, thy men, women, sons, and daughters, wishing them eternal liberty and beatitude. May thy patrons ever pray God for thee, because thou, venerable and happy England, hast advocated the cause of abandoned, mutilated, and crucified Poland.

172. A TOAST BY THE POET CAMPBELL.

This celebrated, but irritable, poet, whose political bias is no secret, having been invited to a bookseller's dinner, shortly after the legal murder of Palm, the German bookseller, was called upon for a literary toast or sentiment. To the astonishment of the company, Campbell stood up and gravely pronounced 'Bonaparte.' 'What,' said his host, 'did we understand you rightly? Do you really propose Bonaparte? We asked you for a literary

toast or sentiment.' Campbell laughing replied: "Yes, I give you Bonaparte; he has performed one good service for literature he shot a bookseller.' The whole company relished the joke, and Bonaparte's health was drunk as it deserved.-Cunningham.

173. THE SUPERIORITY OF OUR FOREFATHERS.

I know an old gentleman, who declares that the English were fifty years ago a stronger race than they are now. A modern boatswain's mate, he asserts, could not hit half so hard as the terrific carnifex with a pigtail who, in the heroic era, scarified the backs of our seamen. The very scourged ones were stronger. No modern soldier could endure eight hundred lashes. No modern community could tolerate the spectacle of fifteen human beings strangled in front of the debtor's door on a single Monday morning, for such offences as uttering a forged one-pound note, counterfeiting a hat stamp, returning from transportation, or stealing a silver toast-rack. We were, says my old gentleman, a stronger, braver, more lion-hearted generation. Look at the port we drank at night, and the brandy we swal. lowed the next morning to 'set ourselves right.' Look at the beefsteaks we ate, the wagers we laid, the coaches we drove, the watchmen we beat, the cocks we fought, the bulls we baited, the prize-fighters we patronised, the pickpockets whose ears we nailed to the pump! Cigars, seltzer-water, thin claret, and light literature have made us a degenerate and effeminate race. Well, I think we were stronger fifty or sixty years ago.D. T.

174. THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON ON FRENCH GENERALS.

The Duke spoke with great respect, or rather admiration, of the skill of Soult in organising troops, and combining their movements; but with this faculty his praise stopped, and for genius in war he gave the palm to Massena, in this criticism of personal experience :-'When Massena was opposed to me, I could not eat, drink, or sleep. I never knew what repose or respite from anxiety was. I was kept perpetually on the alert. But, when Soult was opposed to me, I then could eat, drink, and en