"JUST AS I SAID" FOLKS. BY J. J. REYNOLDS. “Tush, man! mortal men, mortal men!” FIRST PART KING HENRY IV. Most people have their peculiarities; in fact, it is useless denying it, we all have. With some they are sage ones; with others, ridiculous: with some, comic; and with others, truly absurd: while there are three distinct kinds, under which every peculiarity may be classed-namely, those of action, thought, and speech. It is to a branch of these latter I now wish to draw the reader's attention. I have named its members by the rather irregular title figuring at the head of this page, from the frequent use each makes of those four monosyllabic words in course of conversation. Still they possess other marked peculiarities, in number not a few; for instance, they are very wise according to their own idea of things, as well as very deliberative and chary in their speech-on the principle, it may be presumed, of "deep waters flowing silently.' Leading, for the most part, retired lives, they are looked upon by a certain knot of intimates as oracles-people whose opinions are worth having, and are therefore often sought. When one is consulted on some matter of private importance, he will in the first place, by a series of cunningly devised questions, and with much apparent candour, sift his opinion-seeker's mind on the subject thoroughly, and then "with hesitation admirably slow," and many preliminary hums and haes, pronounce a dubious judgment; always leaning to the side the other takes-unless the case be as clear as noonday-and taking especial care to frame a "loophole" of escape, should that view of things prove an incorrect one. When, in the fulness of time, the event is communicated to him, if it coincides with his doubtfully expressed opinion, he becomes as positive as before wavering; winding up with a significant "Ha! ha! you see, sir, right as usual; just as I said-just as I said." If it ends otherwise, he will avail himself of his loophole, and argue out, in a most logical manner, that it is just as he said, and from the first expected. They will never "To the fascination of a name, Surrender judgment hoodwinked," or be dazzled by first appearances. A facility in "seeing through these things" (as they themselves express it), is what they pride themselves on; it is "the immediate jewel of their souls." Such an extraordinary amount of wisdom which "just as I said" folks lay claim to, could not, of course, be concentrated in a youthful brain, precocious though its owner might be. A long acquaintance with the world and its manifold wants, can alone give it. No man, therefore, should attempt to set himself up as one of these Sir Oracles until forty-five summers, at the least, have flown over his head; otherwise he will be scouted the body, and exalt himself only to be abased. When the "tale-telling grey threads" intermingle with youth's bright locks, when the wrinkle deepens round the eye-then, if a person has an ambition this way, he may satiate it, with little chance of discomfiture. Plenty of shrewdness, a little perspicacity, and a dash of impudence, will carry him through well; and, if he possess these qualifications, it will be his own fault if he do not earn fame and honourable distinction among “just as I said" folks. Half-pay officers, retired tradesmen, bald-headed gentlemen with small independencies and gaiters, à la Pickwick, are the individuals who form the majority of the class. All these evince a remarkable attachment to newspapers: the daily press is the ever-bubbling spring whence they imbibe their ideas on foreign and domestic affairs, "the mould in which they form every opinion on past, present, and coming events." Does any political revolution occur abroad, they do not express any surprise, as other uninitiated creatures would; no, no-it happens exactly as they prognosticated long ago (when, by the bye, is best known to themselves). Does any popular commotion take place at home, "it is as they predicted to the letter;" if questioned closely on it, they only become the more positive in the assertion. How useless combatting with their word! Doth not the poet say that "A noisy man is always in the right?" In short, nothing takes them aback. If all Europe were to declare war immediately against our devoted island, I firmly believe none of the class would display the least astonishment; one and all would describe it as a storm which had long been brewing around us, which they had often hinted at, and which, in fact, falls out just as they said. A person would imagine, from their talk, that they are "infallible," and set them down as such, did he not recollect that they are but dull, helpless sons of clay at last; and, consequently, fallible beings like their fellows. I have remarked above that "just as I said" folks have other peculiarities beside the prevailing oneamong the rest is a remarkably knowing way of shaking the head. Those who have read Sheridan's laughable farce of "The Critic," may remember, that one of the characters in the rehearsal of Mr. Puff's tragedy, walks slowly to a chair, demeans himself very sedately, and after a little while, much to the surprise of the lcokers on, comes forward, shakes his head, and exits. On being asked what the mummery means, Puff explains to his friends, how that the individual represents Lord Burleigh; that a vast deal was implied by the shake of his head, and that his part was to think, and not to talk; it being, as Puff says, a likely thing indeed that a minister, in his situation, should have any time to talk. Just so with our friends; they also give people to understand a "pretty considerable deal” by a single motion of the head-as much as to say, "Interrupt us if you dare: don't you see we are in deep thought?" There are those who call these folks "foolish old dotards," "ridiculous twaddlers," and other epithets, more plain than genteel. Whether they are too harsh, or the description I have here given be correct, I leave every reader to determine-and now humbly make my bow. THE POET AND THE SWALLOW. (A Lay for September) BY GRACE AGUILAR. РОЕТ. Oh, fly not yet, sweet bird! From flow'r, and breeze, and rill. Still full of leaf the tree; Still glows the sun on high; Has the light breeze a tone And chilling days are near? SWALLOW. Poet, yea; fair Summer flies Silently from sky and earth, Passing swift from mortal eyes, In a flood of sunlit mirth. Beautiful may be the flowers, Bidding still the earth rejoice; But no scent breathes from their bow'rs, Hush'd and mute that spirit-voice. Full of leaf the forest is, Robed in raiment rich and gay, Blushing 'neath pale autumn's kiss, Fraught with death and dull decay. Miss ye not the twilight hour, When sweet spirits walk abroad, Sending thoughts of thrilling power Softly o'er each household board? These were Summer's-they are gone; Darkness nears for earth and sky: Wherefore should we linger lone, When such fair things fade and die? No; we follow Summer's track, Wheresoe'er his path may be: Vainly wouldst thou call us backVainly tempt to dwell with thee! Over earth and over seas, Up amidst yon sunny sky, Onwards, through the rushing brecze And the gathering clouds, we fly. Poet, make our pathway thine; Upward wing thy soaring flight, Till thy rich aspirings shine, Touch'd by Heaven's own azure light. SONG OF THE RAMBLER. BY B. D. BUTLER. Wouldst thou stay the blithe lark When soft breezes blow by? Through this wide world of wonders to fly? The alluring gay town Other hearts may content, And the city's foul frown May have charms to present; If on errands of enterprise bent. From the bonds of town life I would bound like the fawn, At the bursting of dawn. O'er the ocean, by blue dolphin's drawn! Where the echoes shout glee, And the regions spurn care, In the free fav'ring air, Oh, what rapture, methinks, would be Like the wild birds I'd roam, Until age forge a chain, Or my youth meets its tomb, Where no cry could complain : Then to meet those I love, In that best land above, Where the tear never trickles to pain! Schiller was a man of rare genius, and of perfect sincerity these two qualities ought to be inseparable, at least in a man of letters. Thought can be only placed on an equality with action when it awakes in us the image of truth. Falsehood is still more disgusting in writings than in conduct. Actions, though deceitful, still remain actions; and one knows what method to take to judge or to hate them but works are only a tiresome pile of vain words, when they spring not from a sincere conviction. COURT NEWS DURING THE PROTECTORATE. BY THE LATE MISS JEWSBURY. knightings; state coaches and gold lace; how great men dressed, how little men flattered them; how great men and little meu all died-verily, there is nothing new under the sun, and old newspapers prove it. Excepting the religious pretence or reality (whichever it might be), night not the fol leon put an end to all its three hundred and sixtyfive constitutions, and kindly offered HIMSELF as a substitute? I fell in the other day with a collection of news-lowing have transpired in France, when Napopapers, published during the troublesome times prior to the Restoration. To increase their quaintness, there were bound up with these old-fashioned chronicles sundry wood-cuts, illustrative, or more properly speaking, caricaturive of the persons and places treated of. that a council of godly, able, and discreet persons should be named, consisting of twenty-one, and that his excellency should be chosen Lord Pro tector of the three nations. Dec. 12, 1653. The late Parliament having upon their dissolution delivered up the power which they received from his excellency the Lord Old Oliver himself figures in a variety of atti-vised with a council of officers how this great burGeneral Cromwell, his excellency thereupon adtudes, and appears equally ugly in all; but as King Charles is drawn quite as ill-favoured, the then of governing England, Scotland, and Ireland, artist has at least the merit of being impartial. the armies therein, and the navies at sea, should be Here too appears the effigy of "the right worborne, and by whom. After several days of seekshipful Sir John Hotham," with his horse's tailing God and advising therein, it was resolved, streaming like a meter over Hull and Humber. A little farther on is depicted another "right worshipful," brandishing a battle-axe; whilst his steed, with all the grace of a cow rampant, prances in four-footed glory. "The illustrious and high-born Prince Rupert" only wants the Geneva cloak to be mistaken for a preacher; the gallant Montrose resembles an armed kangaroo; and the "right Valiant and expert commander, Sir William Waller, knt.," looks like a little boy on a great rockinghorse. Places are not more favoured. "The exact ground plot of the City of Worcester, as it stood fortified in 1651" would supply materials for a dozen pictures; as it is, it resembles a Turkey carpet. The Severn foams in front, a tolerable mimicry of the ocean; the city with the houses lying" heads and thraws" occupies the centre; a fearful delineation of the battle, with trumpets like bed-posts, and banners like blankets, engrosses the corners; whilst corn-fields and coats of arms divide the distance between them. Charles the Second concludes the series, in a peruke that resembles two horses' tails tied together in the centre. Laughable studies in perspective these said wood-cuts; but the newspapers are not to be lightly spoken of. Change the names and the dates, alter the spelling, add a few flowers of rhetoric, take away a few common-place repetitions, and some of them might now issue from the press as leading journals. That tendency in human nature to exult in and exalt the present, to consider the events and persons with which we are conversant supremely important to posterity as well as to ourselves, is seen in as full force in the "perfect diurnalls" of the seventeenth century as in this the nineteenth, and sometimes with more Then the trifling news resembles ours in spirit-processions and reviews; civic dinners and reason. * The editress has received the kind permission to reprint this, and several other papers, which originally appeared in a publication of very limited circulation, from an intimate and valued literary friend of the lamented Miss Jewsbury. Dec. 16. This day his excellency the Lord General Cromwell, about one of the clock in the afternoon, passed from Whitehall to Westminster in his coach, foot soldiers being on both sides the streets all the way along; and in the palace at Westminster were many soldiers, both horse and foot. His excellency was attended by the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, the Judges and Barons in their robes, and after them the Council of the Commonwealth, and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London in their scarlet gowns, with the Recorder and Town Clerk, all in their coaches; last of all came his Excellency in a black suit and cloak, and many of the chief officers of the army with their cloaks and swords, and hats on. In this equipage his Excellency and attendants came to Westminster-hall, where, in the High Court of Chancery, was a chair placed, in which, when the rules for the new government had been read and subscribed, the Lords Commissioners invited his Excellency to sit down as Lord Protector of the three kingdoms, the which he did with his head covered, all the court remaining bare. Then, after further ceremonies significant of delivering up the government to his Highness, the Court rose, and departing from Westminster-hall-gate, returned to Whitehall in their former state and order; the purse and seals, and the four maces of the City, the Chancery, the Council, and the Parliament being borne before his Highness, and the Lord Mayor of London riding in the boot of the coach holding the city sword. There were great acclamations and shoutings all along the streets as they passed; and his Highness, on reaching Whitehall, went with his attendants to the banqueting house, where they heard an exhortation by Mr. Lockier, chaplain to his Highness; which being ended, they were dismissed with three vollies of shot by the soldiers between four and five at night. There is more than ordinary joy in and about London for this happy day. Dec. 29. The Portugal ambassador came to Whitehall, to congratulate the Lord Protector; fore has been my astonishment, at the incidental notices in these newspapers, of his Highness "in a musk-colour suit and cloak very richly embroidered with gold"-"his Highness's led horse very rich"-his Highness's life guard, their coats and their trimmings, and a continual assumption of state, that proves a hankering after the trappings as well as the power of royalty. Witness the following: the ambassador's brother is committed prisoner to the Tower. This day his Highness with the officers of the army kept a day of fast and humiliation. March 4. This day the Lords Ambassadors of the seven united provinces of Holland, &c., had audience of his Highness in the banqueting room, which was hung with extraordinary rich hangings, divers lords, knights, officers, and gentlemen, besides thousands of people, being in the said room present, and in the galleries round. At the upper March 29. This day the Lord Ambassador end of the banqueting house were set, first, a chair Bourdeaux, from the king of France, was brought of state, very rich, for his Highness; and by it, on in great state through the cities of London and the right hand, three rich high stools for the Lords Westminster. In the first coach, which was the Ambassadors, and a place railed in, covered with Lord Protector's rich coach, was the Lord Amcarpets, wherein the chair and stools were set. So bassador Bourdeaux, and five or six of his chief soon as the ambassadors were come into the room, gentlemen; next went the French ambassador's a lane was made for them to come up from one own rich coach, with others of his gentlemen; then end to the other; and they having put off their hats went the chief coach of the Lord Ambassador of to salute his Highness the Lord Protector, his the king of Portugal, the coachman and postilion Highness the Lord Protector did the like to them; riding in crimson velvet coats, laid thick with rich and so again a second and a third time as they silver lace. After them followed about twenty came nearer to the place, wherein were the chair, coaches more with six horses apiece, the foremost the stools, and the carpet; then after a low salute of which was the Lord Protector's second coach; made by the noble parties to each other, the Lord and then about twelve more with four horses Protector put on his hat, and the Lords Ambas- apiece; and last of all, some twenty more with sadors put on their hats also. Then the Lord two horses apiece, forming altogether a well orYongstall made a speech to his Highness, and dered commonwealth of coaches. There had like, presently his Highness made another speech to the however, to have been a fatal mistake, ending in ambassadors, both he and they ofttimes putting off battle and bloodshed, for some of the French gentheir hats in the course of the speeches, when any tlemen thinking that their Lord Ambassador's words occurred declaring the affection of the one second coach should have gone before the Porcommonwealth for the other, and of their mutual tuguese Ambassador's first coach, this mistake did desire of peace and alliance. When both speeches occasion drawing of swords; but the soldiers stepwere ended, the ambassadors returned, three times ping in, disarmed the combatants on both sides, turning back to salute his Highness, and his High- and so harmony being restored, and the precedency ness, staying also for that purpose, three times of the coaches settled, the procession passed on saluted them, and afterwards with his council in friendly order, and safely sat down the Lord departed by the door through which he had Bourdeaux, to make his congés to the Lord entered. Protector. Can anything be more modish than the following bit of party spleen and party flattery? Since the Lord Dublin, March 18, 1654. Henry Cromwell's departure for England, we have nothing further of news, but that about 1,200 Tories are shipped away from Limerick, and 1,700 more are ready for transportation, which renders the whole nation more free than in times of the greatest peace this land hath enjoyed. A notorious obstinate cavalier that had a journey to go from London, who so soon as he heard of the late fast for rain, appointed by the Lord Protector, he sent presently to have his horse ready, and called for his boots, for he would away into the country whither he was to go. And being asked why he made such haste, his answer was, that he knew there would be great rain, and the ways would be dirty, because whatsoever this present power prayed for, they had; and therefore he would be gone before the rain came. It may be very impolite, but I cannot help fancying, that some of his Majesty's lieges may have been as ignorant as myself with regard to the change which the Protectorship wrought in Oliver Cromwell's outer man. Up to the present period I had always fancied him a strong-minded, coarsebodied, ill-dressing, elderly gentleman; great there April 1. The Lord Henry Cromwell is returned from Ireland, and is (blessed be God) safely arrived at the cock-pit. Corporation of Guildford was on Tuesday last April 20. A declaration and petition from the brought by the Mayor and four Aldermen to Whitehall. of very great and exceeding becoming civility, They were received by a gentleman who conducted them where his Highness stood, and some of his heroes and divers other gentlemen of quality attending on him in a handsome and somewhat awful posture, fairly pointing towards that which of necessity, for the honour of the English nation, must be observed towards him that is Protector. And the Mayor of Guildford and his company, by what they then observed, do declare and say, that they are confident “his Highness is pleased with those phylacteries and fringes of state." "His Highness the Lord Protector kept a fast hall." this day privately with his own family at White A private fast publicly notified! ple going a Maying than for divers years past, Monday, May 1, was more observed by peoand indeed much siu was committed by wicked meetings with fiddlers and the like. Great resort came to Hyde Park, many hundreds of rich coaches, and gallants in attire, but most shameful powdered hair. Some men played with a silver ball, and some took other recreation; but his Highness the Lord Protector went not thither, nor any of the Lords of the Council, but were busy about the great affairs of the commonwealth. Advertisement. "Whereas several persons have presumed, without any authority or declaration of the state, to set the commonwealth of England's arms on a piece of pewter, of the weight of about a quarter of an ounce, and do daily vend these unauthorized pewter farthings to the great deceit and damage of this nation; these are to give notice, that if there be not a sudden stop to the making and vending of these pewter farthings, the Commonwealth will be greatly deceived by the mixing the pewter with lead, and also every tinker and other base person will get moulds and make | the said pewter farthings in every corner. Therefore all people ought to take notice that no farthings are to pass, but such as shall be authorized by his Highness and the Council." Query. Were the monasteries or these pewter farthings suppressed with most pomp and circumstance? Now for a little private news. | nobility of France, landed at the Tower, where entering his Highness's coach, and other coaches being prepared for their company, and being followed by a large train of coaches with six horses, they were very honourably conducted to Brook House, in Holborn; and this afternoon they were conducted to the audience which his Highness gave them, standing under a cloth of estate. They also expressed their great respect to her Highness, and in like manner they made addresses to the illustrious ladies (her daughters), the lady Mary and the lady Frances. But in the midst of these successes and dignities, this enjoying of kingliness without the title of king, there came another ambassador to solicit an audience with his Highness, and this ambassador was DEATH, whose demands, after a struggle of fourteen days, poor Oliver was constrained to admit; and on the third of September, the day of his most signal successes, he departed this life, and was in effigy laid out in Somerset House in all the trappings of royalty, which, if we are to believe the newspapers, were bedewed with more tears than ever royalty inspired or deserved. To toil through "the particular and exact relation how March 27, 1656. A notable highwayman hav- Somerset House was prepared for the reception of ing been apprehended according to order, by some his late Highness," would baffle any one but a of the messengers of the Council, was this morn-master of the ceremonies in league with an uping examined before his Highness. His name is holsterer. The roof of the state room ceiled with William Francis, and he is said to have been chief | velvet-the effigy itself apparelled in a rich suit of of that company which robbed the carrier of York uncut velvet-the kirtle robe of purple velvet of 1,500l.; and it is reported that he and his laced with gold-the royal large robe of the like companions have, in a little more than a twelve- purple velvet, laced and furred with ermine-a month's time, robbed to the amounts of 11,000l. rich embroidered belt-a fair sword richly giltSo great sums of money at a time, that instead of the golden sceptre--the globe-the cap of royalty counting it, they shared it by the quart-pot. He the rich suit of complete armour representing was apprehended this morning at an alehouse in generalship-the bed of state encompassed with Old-street, just as he was ready to pull on his rails covered with velvet-the pillars at the corners boots and take horse to go out on some new de- supporting crowned banners the eight great sign, and he now stands committed to the prison candlesticks, five feet high, bearing tapers three of Newgate. The Lord Ambassador of France feet long-the four great standards-the guidons, had also private audience of his Highness. the banners, and banrolls, all gilt and painted-a majesty scutcheon here, a majesty scutcheon every where over the room-who amidst all this tissue and taffety, this feather and finery, can realize Death? The funeral corresponded in magnificence, and the narrator having exhausted all terms of eulogy, at once on the hearse and its plumes, the multitudes of coaches, and multitudes of mourners-the canopy of state, and the Knight Marshall's "black truncheon tipped at both ends with gold"-the noble worth of his serene Highness Oliver, deceased, and the noble worth of his serene Highness Richard, yet living— ends by consigning all their descendants, to the remotest generation, to universal honour and the government of Great Britain. What a splendid thief! What an Arabian-night style of doing business! When will a magis-there-scutcheons on the velvet hangings, and trate now-a-days have such "a notable highwayman" brought before him, measuring the money "by the quart-pot !" apprehended by order of the Council! examined before "his Highness!" and his examination followed by the audience of " the Lord Ambassador of France!" What a magnificent rogue! By comparison the Lord Ambassador appears of very inferior consequence! The "alehouse in Old-street" subtracts a little from the ideality of William Francis and his deeds; but then, the just "ready to pull on his boots, and take horse to go out upon some new design," carries one back to Poins and Prince Hal-gives an air of chivalry to cheating-places a feather in the cap of crime-and, for a moment, puts poor honesty out of countenance, as a rusty old gentleman admitted on sufferance ! But, alas! the climax of "stands committed to the prison of Newgate" there is no gainsaying that homily. June 15. The Duke of Crequi, first gentleman of the bed-chamber to the King of France, and Monsieur Mancini, nephew of the most eminent Cardinal Mazarin, accompanied by divers of the Unfortunately a few contradictory documents on hand remain to be noticed. Thus, ten months after the preceding narrative, we come to the following ominous passages :-- Whitehall, July 4, 1659. It is referred to the Council of State to receive from Colonel Henry Cromwell, an account of the affairs of Ireland, and after such account given, he hath liberty to retire into the country, whither he shall think fit, upon |