Riding the managed horse and fencing are noble and manly exercises. They give an elevation of mind that only belongs to a polished gentleman. Be abstemious two days in a week. This is a good catholic doctrine, and most useful in a country where animal food is abundant. Men who are prodigal of their promises are mostly misers of their per formance. Never attempt to execute anything in public, unless you can perform it well in private. Out of a great number of bare elbows, not above one pair in ten ought to make their appearance in public. When you are in doubt about a thing, sleep one night upon it, and probably you will awake with a clear determination. When you are disposed to be serious, you will often find your thoughts disturbed by an Invisible Power. Repel that Power, and, in time, you will gain a victory. When you have seen other countries, you will then know what value to affix to your own. When you find yourself out of humour, drink three glasses of wine; but, if your bad humour be occasioned by wine, then drink as many draughts of cold water. A young man who has gamed away his fortune is not without his use; he stands as a guide-post, that with an extended finger directs the road to ruin. Take away your expensive follies, and you will have little reason to com, plain of hard times. Of all men a lounger is least to be envied. His mind has lost all activity, and he is never happy but when he goes to bed. A woman should never take a lover without the consent of her heart, or a husband without the approbation of her reason. Long habits reconcile us to every thing. A criminal, when liberated, finds it difficult to sleep without his fetters. Apostates are anxious to prove the sincerity of their conversion by the violence of their conduct. A wise man, who marries a fool, dines alone all the days of his life. Nothing can be so truly uncomfortable as an old bachelor, who has not a maiden sister to take care of him. When you have the misfortune to get drunk, go quietly to bed, and do not venture into sober company, to show how sober you are. Forget nothing but the injuries done to you. Never borrow money to pay the expenses of a country excursion. If you have not the cash, stay at home. "Mind what I say, and not what I do,” is not the doctrine of an apostle. If Solomon had meant his song as a representation of the church of Christ, he would have sung a more decent one. Green and blue are the two colours that are the most pleasant to the eye of man. VOL. IL. F f It is hard upon a reviewer to be obliged to wade through the mud of Grub-street every month in the year, though he now and then has a pleasant walk in Kensington Gardens. The more exalted you are, the more you will be observed. Your conduct should therefore be correct, to bear its being viewed on all sides; but if you be determined to care for nobody then nobody will care for you. A merry man at table brings as many good things out of his mouth as he puts into it. If a literary man can prepare a work in twelve months, he should bestow two months of the time in polishing it. You may employ any man to buy a horse for you, but choose a wife for yourself, When you suspect a man to have a bad heart, avoid him as you would a mad dog. If you be a young man of abilities, though you may not, at first, succeed in your profession, you may boldly look forward to better times. Gentleness on the part of the husband, and obedience on the part of the wife, fills the house with love and harmony. There is as much to be gained by thinking as by reading. In northern countries, snow is sent by Providence as a great coat to the earth. There is no character so truly respectable as a benevolent clergyman. Accustom yourself to the readiest method of finding out passages in particular books. Hearing and seeing are so necessary to our happiness that Providence has bestowed upon us a double set of organs for that purpose. When a mountebank and his fool are surrounded by a gaping crowd, they are perhaps the only two wise men in the company. Call off your mind from too much attention to serious subjects, and refresh it now and then with a country excursion. The great art of living is to know how to time things well. It is a study, and not to be acquired in a moment. Avoid being of a captious temper; and never think yourself affronted, but when the affront, or slight, is apparent. Booksellers are the midwives of the Muses. Authors are the worst judges of their own works, and so are physicians of their own complaints. Irresolute people always find a lion or a bear in their way. Expel a factious man from his own country and he will still continue to be the same creature wherever he goes. A man who cannot govern himself is but ill qualified to govern others. A man, who vainly attempts to please every body, will at last find that he has pleased nobody, Be faithful to your God, be loyal to your Prince, be affectionate to your family, be honest in your dealings, be kind to your friends, and you will stand firm as a rock in the midst of a tempestuous ocean. If you search diligently after Truth, you may be sure of her meeting you half way. If you can once bring your mind to a due observance of Sunday, you may safely leave the regulations of the other days to themselves. Never take a thing for granted, when it is in your power to reduce it to absolute certainty. That system of logic, which consists not in abstruse terms, or argumentative subtlety, but in the manly exercise of the rational powers, justly claims an important place in every system of education. If a great man look down upon you, dont look up to him. (To be continued.) FOR THE PORT FOLIO. ON THE CHARACTER OF POLONIUS. In the last number of The Port Folio (page 135) appeared a short critique on the character of Polonius, which will not fail to arrest the attention of the lovers of the drama. It was published under the title of "An Author's Evenings." With the general style and manner of that paper, no judge of composition can be otherwise than pleased, for the pen of the chaste scholar and the man of taste is discoverable in them to every eye. But of the sentiments which the paper contains, and the principles which it advocates, we think no judge of Shakspeare can possibly approve. The general, we might almost say the uniform opinion of players, commentators, and critics, appears to have hitherto been, that Pololonius, though a favourite courtier, and an officer of the royal household, was notwithstanding a dotard in thought, and a buffoon in action. And such he has been universally represented on the stage. The avowed object of our "Author," in one of his evening exercises, has been, to vindicate the character of the "good old man" from these heavy and humiliating charges, and to prove, in opposition to the whole 'school of Shakspeare, that he was "a sage, a scholar, and an accomplished statesman," a courtier, not only possessing, but richly meriting the car and confidence of Claudius, the profligate usurper of the throne of Denmark, who is declared, in the same page, to be a man of “taTents and discernment." An enterprize by a solitary individual, so difficult and hazardous in itself, and directly in the face of such a host of opponents, whatever its fate and issue may be, has something in its character gallant and chivalrous. Our "Author," though no doubt a man of great candour, has certainly, in the present instance, thought proper, cavalier like, to come forward as the partial and decided champion, rather than the rigid analyser of the character of Polonius. To this he may have been led by that instinctive and reverential regard for grey hairs, which the noble and generous mind is proud to cherish. And if so, we honour his motive, however glaring the errors into which it may have led him. It will not, we think, be denied, even by our "Author" himself, that he has treated the subject in a manner altogether ex parte-that, like an experienced counsellor, he has selected his evidence, carefully keeping out of view every thing except what he considered well calculated to promote the interest of his client. He cannot, therefore, take it amiss, should we, in imitation of his example, endeavour to make an unmingled display of the principal evidence on the other side of the question. As he has tasked his whole ingenuity in emblazoning the lights, he will suffer us to expose the shades of the picture. It is in this way that the public will be best enabled to judge for themselves, and ultimately to act the part of an impartial and a competent umpire. The first proof we shall offer from Shakspeare, that there was something very strikingly defective in the character of Polonius, is the very line, which our "Author" has chosen for the motto of his paper. "Follow," says Hamlet to the players, when about to dismiss them, "Follow that lord, (pointing to Polonius) and look you mock him not.” Now, whence, we beg leave to ask, is the necessity-where, indeed, is even the propriety of this admonition to civility and respectful treatment, had there not been, in the character of Polonius, something worthy of mockery? Something calculated to call forth the sneers of ridicule, and give keener points to the shafts of satire?-something greatly beneath the dignity of the venerable sage, the profound scholar, the polished courtier, and the accomplished statesman? Had Polonius been distinguished for either of these attributes of character, much more for all of them, as our "Author" alleges to have been the case; surely the players could have needed no admonition from Hamlet, not to assail him with ridicule or mockery. Enlightened, polished, and dignified old age, is a never-failing guaranty for respectful treatment throughout the world. Hamlet's caution, then, to the players. in rela tion to Polonius, may be thus correctly paraphrased. "Although that lord, to whose attentions I have recommended you, is superannuated, garrulous and weak; and although the style of his manners by no means corresponds to the elevation of his rank; yet, as you will be in the constant reception of civilities from him, and as his proximity to the throne gives him weight in society, it will be most becoming, as well as most prudent in you, to treat him with respect." On many occasions in the course of the drama, do we find the "good old man," as the queen styles him (for in no instance, we believe, does any one venture to call him either wise or great) on many occasions, do we find him engaged in weaving a puerile and low-bred web of words, alike inconsistent with manly sense and dignity of deportment. A most memorable instance of this kind occurs, where he undertakes to make known to the king and queen of Denmark, the important and profound discovery, which he fancies he has made, relative to the cause of Hamlet's madness. While their majesties are almost consuming under a feverish anxiety to be made acquainted with the longwished-for and interesting secret, the Lord Chamberlain appears before them, and foolishly prefaces his communication with a harangue more oppressively and impertinently circumlocutory, than anything to be found in the English language. Instead of promptly telling them that Hamlet's madness arose from the vehemence of his passion for the fair Ophelia, he accosts them in the following irrelevant and fulsome string of flourishes. My liege, and madam, to expostulate What majesty should be, what duty is, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,- Mad call I it; for, to define true madness, Queen. (Impatiently) More matter, with less art! And pity 'tis 'tis true, a foolish figure; But fare well it, for I will use no art. Mad let us grant him, then and now remains, Or, rather say, the cause of this defect; For this effect, defective, comes by cause: Thus it remains, and the remainder thus perpend. I have a daughter; have, whilst she is mine; Who, in her duty and obedience, mark, Hath given me this: (producing a letter from Hamlet to Ophelia Now gather and surmise, |