USURY OR NO USURY.

Driginal.

AUBRINGTON was the only child of the wealthy Sir Clement Aubrington, a baronet well known to the sporting gentry in the southern counties of Eng land; and equally respected by his numerous and happy tenantry, for the affability of his manners, and the unaffected generosity of his heart. But Aubrington his son, from being reared in the courts of refinement, had little taste for either thepleasures of the chace, or such sports as a country gentleman most delights to participate in; consequently, he was seldom seen at the abbey, the seat of his ancestors, and the beloved home of his respected parents: the latter having given up his capacious mansion in town, to his son, occasionally visited it, as he observed his boy had grown so neglectful of late, that he appeared to have forgotten he had still a father in existence, was he not at stated intervals to present himself to his wandering regards. It happened that Sir Clement having business of particular moment to transact, and which required his personal attendance in London, ordered his post-chariot, and with his usual activity arrived in square before his son had actually quitted the confines of his dressing

room.

«Metbioks, man, you are a stranger here," said the baronet, addressing the attendant footman, " for 1 never recollect having seen you before: I hope," he added, your master has not transplanted the faithful props of his ancient house, to a less genial soil; if he has-"

"Oh, no, sir," replied the man, somewhat awed by his threatening aspect, and understanding the baronet in a literal sense; "oh, no; for your honour can see from this window, that the pillars have never been removed, otherwise the house must have fallen if they had."

Sir Clement smiled at the man's simplicity, and next enquired at what hour his son dined, and trusted it was near at hand, for, after the fatigues of his journey, he could sit down to the hospitable repast with an excellent appetite.

The servant looked all astonishment, and imagined he could not have rightly understood the baronet, till on the latter's repeating his question, he ventured to remind Sir Clement it was but just two o'clock, and that his master seldom breakfasted before that hour.

"By my faith, though," cried the baronet, "but Ned shall have no breakfast to-day; so inform your master, that his father requests the favour of his company to dinner, at three precisely."

The footman bowed as he retired; and Sir Clement, now left to muse on his own reflections, tortured his mind with a variety of conjectures respecting the pursuits and avocations of a son dear to him as his own life. To remove the the venerable steward of the household; suspicions he entertained, he sent for implicit confidence. Closely questioning a man in whom he could place the most him, he admitted, with considerable hesita tion, while the tear stole down his aged cheek, that Aubrington was, indeed, sacriticing his health, happiness, and character, at the shrine of false pleasures; seldom returning home before three or four in the morning, and he apprehended his nights were not always passed in nocturnal dissipation, but too frequently at the gaming-table. "Alas! sir," continued the faithful steward, "it is a painful, but called on me to discharge, for I love an imperative duty, which you have your son with the affection of a father; he is still the generous and noble-hearted individual, that would scorn the bare idea of dishonour, and revolt at the comhave I wished, Sir Clement, that you mission of premeditated vice; and often would fix your habitation within the precints of Mr. Edward's residence, for I do consider that your presence would act siderate follies as those to which his as a salutary check upon such incon

open nature, and unsuspecting youth, are at present addicted."

"No, no," said the baronet, with a thoughtful air, "I will never act the part guided boy; I know his disposition well, of a spy over the conduct of my misand cannot do him an injustice; I will pave the way to his heart, which is enabled to resist the solicitous counsel of possessed of too much sensibility to be viction to his mind; I shall have regained a doting parent; affection will plead cona son, and he possess an unalienable friend in the person of his father; let me see him then!"

The steward shook his head, as he re plied, that Aubrington was ill prepared morning conveyed home in a state in to meet his father, having been that which he was never before seen; “and I trust, sir," headded," from the contrition and shame he has since expressed, that he will not a second time compromise his name, fortune, and reason, at the shrine of a few designing individuals."

:

CHARING CROSS, &c.

The steward paused, and Sir Clement became more particular in his interrogations and he learnt, with pain, that two or three individuals of high name, but indifferent character, had called that morning on Aubrington, claiming from him large debts of honour, which he had unconsciously contracted in a state of inebriation: in this pressing emergency, Aubrington had been obliged to have recourse to a noted usurer in the neighbourhood, and whose attendance was now hourly expected.

"Oh, the desiging creatures," cried Sir Clement, "would they not spare the honour of my only child, but they must also deprive him of his health; ab, Wilton," continued he, addressing the steward, there is not a doubt, but what the individuals in question infused aportion of some stupifying draught into his wine, so as to deprive my poor boy with better effect of his paternal property. But Edward must be reclaimed, or his father is undone! How shall I act; for I am aware the commands of parental authority would. miss the mark; no, rather let it be by the expression of friendship and affection, for all other means would fail to convince him of the errors of his past conduct."

In short, Sir Clement had so well concerted measures with his steward, that Aubrington had not the least idea he had been actually introduced to his father, disguised as the usurer, and with whom he had been so much pleased, as to request the favour of his company to breakfast on the following morning; for the usurer had told him his money was ever at his command, and for which he would neither receive interest or security.

Aubrington, on his return home, could think of little or nothing else: the usurer and his generosity occupied his sole thoughts. But who can express the shame and gratitude which alternately took possession of his mind, when, on taking up the papers given him to peruse, he beheld the signature of Sir Clement! The soul of Aubrington was inspired with the most enthusiastic sentiments, at the knowledge of the magnanimity of his father's conduct. In short, he hastened to throw himself at the feet of the rejoicing baronet, who, while his son vowed to renounce the errors of which he had been guilty, raised him with tears of affection, as he exclaimed, "that he should remember with feelings of heartfelt satisfaction that hour in which he had acted the part of a disinterested usurer, to reclaim a son in whom were centered the pride and future hope of his family.

CHARING CROSS.

167

To the Editor of The PORTFOLIO. SIR,-The following, I believe, is original, excepting the anecdote of the Cutler, and, if suitable to your excellent work, you are heartily welcome to it.I remain,

Your would-be Correspondent,
D. F.
Many are the opinions of the deriva-
tion of the word Charing. Some sup-
pose it to be corrupted from Chairing,
and it is described as a place where the
Members for Westminster were chaired
or carried away after their election in a
chair. Probably it might have been
Sharing Cross, from the Sharing or
Dividing of two roads. But it is most
probably derived from the French words
chere reyne (dear queen), from the fond-
ness of Edward the First to his wife Elea-
nor. Having now given my opinion as
to the derivation of the word Charing, I
shall proceed to give an account of the
Cross. When Eleanor died, Edward
erected a Cross at every place where the
body was rested on its way to interment,
and this being one of those places, a Cross
was likewise erected here, which occa-
sioned it to be called Charing Cross. It
remained till the Civil wars in the reign
of Charles the First, when being consi-
dered by the Fanatics as a monument of
superstition, they destroyed it, and the
present equestrian statue of Charles the
First erected in its stead. It was cast in
1633, at the expence of the Howard-
Arundel family. Soon after it was set
up the Parliament sold it at a low price
to a cutler in Holborn, who advertised
that he would melt it down, and make
handles for knives of it, and accordingly
caused knives with bronze handles to be
exposed for sale in his shop, by which he
soon made a fortune, the Republicans
who opposed the king being all desirous
of having part of his statue debased into
a knife handle. The cutler, however,
buried it under ground, and at the time
of the Restoration of Charles II. made a
present of it to that prince, who ordered
it to be re-erected upon a new pedestal,
in the place where it formerly stood,
which was accordingly done, in 1678.
As it is finely executed, it still continues
to be an ornament to the place.

THE RATTLE-SNAKE.
Lucia, beauteous, gay, and young too,
Has many charms, but has a tongue too,
With which she still will prattle:
Thus, like the fascinating snake,
She bids us timely warning take,
By shaking of her ratile.

in a different sense of the word. Mine

To the Memory of Robert BurNS. Host was in the act of drawing a jug of

HEBDOMADARY OF MR. SNOOKS.

The Spirit of the Magazines.

HEBDOMADARY OF
MR. SNOOKS, THE GROCER.

(Concluded from page 141.)

Tuesday-Went to Capel Court immediately after breakfast--all in a bustle--Poyais Stock rising every minute,all buyers no sellers; the knowing ones laying bets that it will be up 10 per cent. this week; price already 2 per cent. higher. Two per cent.on my fifty is a thousand pounds profit. Wear an apron, indeed! A clever fellow has no occasion for any such appendage. Resolved to take time by the forelock, and make my fortune at once, now that my hand was fairly in. Met my neighbour Mr. Dry, and asked his opinion of South American Securities, when he observed they might be excellent things to purchase, but doubted whether they were so good as the Chinese Turnpike Bonds, which had been lately introduced into the market; and as it was whispered there was shortly to be a general election in China, which by the additional travelling would prodigiously increase the toll-money, he had no doubt prices would rise considerably. He recommended also to my attention the new Patagonian Loan, of which I had heard nothing, informing me that the agent whom they had sent over was nearly nine feet high, that the contract was drawn up on a sheet of foolscap, above two yards square, that the Scrip Receipts were nearly three feet long, and that of course the profits would be proportionably large. Made a Mem. to speak to Mr. Mordecai on the subject. Asked his opinion about the tunnel under the Thames, when he told me he doubted whether the scheme would hold water, and that to wait for your profits till a hole was burrowed under the river, must at all events be a great bore. Said the Thames would serve the contractors right if it gave them a good sousing, adding, that he would do the same if they got under his bed.

Wednesday.-Capel Court againgreater hubbub than ever-The Bears all frightened out of their wits, and the Bulls quite cock-a-hoop. Four per cent. on my fifty is two thousand pounds profit. Recommended by a friend to

sell;
not such an ass. No doubt they
will be up twenty per cent. before the
account, and twenty per cent. upon my
fifty will be ten thousand pounds. Went
upon the Royal Exchange, and saw the
great man said to be worth two millions,

169

higgling with a broker for an eight per cent. upon a bill of a hundred pounds. Looked up to him with suitable reverence, and thought him quite handsome enough for a great capitalist. Don't see why I should not ultimately be as rich as he is, and come to have a house myself in New Court, Swithin's Lane, since I have begun with a much better start than he did. On my return home met Mr. Alderman Dewlap, who saluted me with his usual condescension, "Good morning, Snooks;" but instead of taking off my hat, and bowing with my customary "Thank ye, Mr. Alderman," I was determined to let him see that times were altered; so egad! I gave him a familiar nod, and exclaimed, "How goes it, Dewlap?" Saw he was offended, but what do I care?

A fellow with ten thousand pounds in his pocket is not to have his hat perpetually in his hand, like the city Afterwards met my old Sir Walter. acquaintance Jerry Fayle, who I suppose had got some inkling of my successes, for he touched his hat as he accosted me and called me Sir, which I thought quite unnecessary, for after all I am still nothing more than a plain citizen. Thank God! I have no pride, though I am perfectly aware that a man with ten thousand pounds in his pocket is not to be addressed with the same familiarity as a common shopkeeper.-Jerry told me he had just been ruined, completely cleaned out by an unsuccessful speculation in the funds. Serve him right!— It requires some talent to make a hit in this manner. Such simpletons as he is, had much better stick to the shop, and work hard to support their wife and family, and so I told him. Thought he looked as if he wanted to borrow money, so pretended to see a friend, and bolted down Finch Lane.

Thursday.-Dreamt last night that I saw the Cacique of Poyais, a dignifiedlooking copper-coloured personage, with a bow and arrow in his hand, golden shoes, silver gloves, and a tall plume of peacock's feathers upon his head, who, after giving me an order for a pound of eight penny Muscovado sugar, and a quarter of eight shilling souchong, made me a grant of twenty thousand acres of land, the surface of which was so rich in gold and silver ore that it perfectly dazzled my eyes. A customer came into the shop while I was pondering upon my dream, and inquired whether I had any r ce, when I replied, "Yes, sir, a rise of "Psha!" five per cent. already." continued the gentleman, " I mean Carolina rice, Have you any ground? 66 yes, sir, "Ground!" I ejaculated,