THE JUBB LETTERS.

From LADY JUBB to MRS. PHIPPS, Housekeeper at the Shrubbery, Shrewsbury, Shrops.

MRS. PHIPPS:

You will prepare the house directly for the family's return, not that our coming back is absolutely certain, but events have happened to render our stay in Portland-Place very precarious. All depends upon Sir Jacob. In Parliament or out of Parlia ment his motions must guide ours. By this time what has happened will be known in Shropshire, but I forbid your talking. Politics belong to people of property, and those who have no voice in the country ought not to speak. In your inferior situations it's a duty to be ignorant of what you know. The nation is out of your sphere, and besides, people out of town cannot know the state of the country. I want to put you on your guard; thanks to the press, as Sir Jacob says, public affairs cannot be kept private, and the consequence is, the ignorant are as well informed as their betters. The burning of both Houses of Parliament I am afraid cannot be hushed up-but it is not a subject for servants, that have neither upper nor lower members amongst them, and represent nobody. I trust to you, Mrs. Phipps, to discourage all discussions in the kitchen, which isn't the place for parliamentary canvassing. The most ridiculous notions are abroad. I should not be surprised even to hear that Sir Jacob had lost his seat, because the benches were burnt, but we have been deprived of none of our dignities or privileges. You will observe this letter is franked; the fire made no difference to your master, he is not dissolved, whatever the Blues may wishhe is still Sir Jacob Jubb, Baronet, M. P.

The election of Sir Jacob at such a crisis was an act of Providence. His firmness at the fire affords an example to posterity; although the bench was burning under him he refused to retreat, replying emphatically, "I will sit by my order." As far as this goes you may mention, and no more. I enjoin upon all else a diplomatic silence. Sir Jacob himself will write to the bailiff, and whatever may be the nature of his directions, I desire that

no curiosity may be indulged in, and above all, that you entertain no opinions of your own. You cannot square with the upper circles. I would write more, but I am going to a meeting, I need not say where, or upon what subject. I rely, Mrs. Phipps, on your discretion, and am, &c.,

ARABELLA ANASTASIA JUBb.

To T. CRAWFURD, junior, Esquire, the Beeches, near Shrewsoury,

DEAR TOM:

Shrops.

Throw up your cap and huzza. There's glorious news, and so you'll say when I tell you. I could almost jump out of my skin for joy! Father's dismembered! The House of Commons caught fire, and he was dissolved along with the rest.

I've never been happy since we came up to London, and all through Parliament. The election was good sport enough. I liked the riding up and down, and carrying a flag; and the battle, with sticks, between the Blues and the Yellows, was famous fun; and I huzza'd myself hoarse at our getting the day at last. But after that came the jollup, as we used to say at Old Busby's. Theme writing was a fool to it. If father composed one maiden speech he composed a hundred, and he made me knuckle down and copy them all out, and precious stupid stuff it was. A regular physicker, says you, and I'd worse to take after it. He made us all sit down and hear him spout them, and a poor stick he made. -Dick Willis, that we used to call Handpost, was a dab at it compared to him. He's no better hand at figures, so much the worse for me. Did you ever have a fag, Tom, at the national debt? I don't know who owes it, but I wish he'd pay it, or be made bankrupt at once. I've worked more sums last month than ever I did at school in the half year,-geography the same. I had to hunt out Don Carlos and Don Pedro, all over the maps. I came in for a regular wigging one day, for wishing both the Dons were well peppered, as Tom Tough says. I've seen none of the sights I wanted to see. He wouldn't let me go to the play, because he says the theatres are bad schools, and would give me a vicious style of elocution. The only

pleasure he promised me was to sit in the gallery at the Commons and see him present his petitions. Short-hand would have come next, that I might take down his speechifying-for he says the reporters all garble. An't I well out of it all—and a place he was to get for me besides, from the Prime Minister? I suppose the Navy Pay, to sit on a high stool and give Jack Junk one pound two and nine pence twice a year. I'd rather be Jack himself, wouldn't you, Tom? But father's lost his wicket, and huzza for Shropshire! In hopes of our soon meeting, I remain, my dear Tom,

Your old chum and school fellow,

FREDERICK JUBB.

P. S.-A court gentleman has just come in, with a knock-medown-again. He says there's to be a new election. I wish you'd do something; it would be a real favor, and I will do as much for you another time. What I want of you is, to get your father to set up against mine. Do try, Tom-there's a good fellow. I will ask every body I know to give your side a plumper.

To MR. ROGER DAVIS, Bailiff, the Shrubbery, near Shrewsbury. DAVIS,

I hope to God this will find you at home-I am writing in a state of mind bordering on madness. I can't collect myself to give particulars-you will have a newspaper along with this-read that, and your hair will stand on end. Incendiarism has reached its height like the flaming thing on the top of the Monument. Our crisis is come. To my mind--political suicide-is as bad as felo de se. Oh Whigs, Whigs, Whigs-what have you brought us to! As the Britannic Guardian well saysEngland is gone to Italy-London is at Naples-and we are all standing on the top of Vesuvius. I have heard and I believe it-that an attempt has been made to choke Aldgate Pump. A Waltham Abbey paper says positively that the mills were recently robbed of 513 barrels of powder, the exact number of

the members for England and Wales. What a diabolical refinement to blow up a government with its own powder! I can hardly persuade myself I am in England. God knows where it will spread to-I mean the incendiary spirit. season is frightful-I suppose the springs are all dry. engine locked in the stable, for fear of a cut at the pipes. I'll down two more. Let all the laborers take a turn at

The dry

Keep the

send you them, by way of practice. I'm persuaded the Parliament houses

were burnt on purpose. The flue story is ridiculous. Mr. Cooper's is a great deal more to the point. I believe everything I hear. A bunch of matches was found in the Speaker's kitchen. I saw something suspicious myself-some said treacle, but I say tar. Have your eyes about you—lock all the gates, day as well as night-and above all, watch the stacks. One Tiger is not enough-get three or four more, I should have said Cæsar, but you know I mean the house-dog. Good mastiffs,the biggest and savagest you can get. The gentry will be attempted first-beginning with the M. P.'s. You and Barnes and Sam must sit up by turns—and let the maids sit up too—women have sharp ears and sharp tongues.—If a mouse stirs I would have them squall-danger or no danger. It's the only way to sleep in security-and comfort. I have read that the common goose is a vigilant creature-and saved Rome. Get a score of them—at the next market-don't stand about price—but choose them with good cackles. Alarm them now and then to keep them watchful. Fire the blunderbuss off every night, and both fowling-pieces and the pistols. If all the gentry did as much, it might keep the country quiet. If you were to ring the alarmbell once or twice in the middle of the night, it would be as well-you would know then what help to depend upon. Search the house often from the garret to the cellar, for combustibles— if you could manage to go without candles, or any sort of light, it would be better. You'd find your way about in the dark after a little practice.

Pray don't allow any sweethearts; they may be Swings and Captain Rocks in disguise, and their pretended flames turn out real. I've misgivings about the maids. Tie them up, and taste

their liver, before they eat it themselves-I mean the housedogs; but my agitation makes me unconnected. The scoundrels often poison them, before they attempt robbery and arson. Keep the cattle in the cowhouse for fear of their being houghed and hamstrung. Surely there were great defects somewhere. The Houses could not have been properly protected-if they had been watched as well as they were lighted-but it is too late to cast any blame on individuals. A paltry spirit of economy has been our bane. A few shillings would have purchased a watchdog; and one or two geese in each house might have saved the capitol of the constitution! But the incendiary knew how to choose his time-an adjournment when there were none sitting. I say, incendiary, because no doubt can exist in any cool mind, that enters into the conflagration. I transcribe conclusive extracts from several papers, the editors of which I know to be upright men, and they all write on one side.

"We are confidently informed," says the Beacon, “that a quantity of tar-barrels was purchased at No. 2, High-street, Shadwell, about ten o'clock on the morning of the fire. There was abundant time before six a. M., for removing the combustibles to Westminster. The purchaser was a short, squat, downlooking man, and the name on his cart was I. Burns."

Trifling circumstances," says the Sentinel, "sometimes point to great results. Our own opinion is formed. We have made it our business to examine the Guys in preparation for the impending anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, and we affirm, that every one of the effigies bore a striking resemblance to some member or other of assemblies we need not name. These are signs of the times."

"We should be loth," says the Detector, "to impute the late calamity to any particular party: but we may reasonably inquire what relative stake in the country is possessed by the Whigs and the Tories. The English language may be taken as a fair standard. The first may lay claim to peri-wig, scratch-wig, tie-wig, bob-wig, in short, the whole family of peruques, with whigmaleery. The latter, not to mention other good things, have a vested right in oratory, history, territory, and victory.