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Truly some of our Annuals are like mild days in Fe-lowing published his celebrated work, entitled "De bruary they bring into precocious existence a swarm l'Auscultation Médiate, ou Traité du Diagnostic des Maof insects (far be it from us, Mr Brougham, to call them ladies des poumons et du cœur fondé, principal ment sur ce paltry insects") who dance about through nearly three nouveau moyen d'exploration." This work soon commanded yards of infinite space, and then immediately die, until the attention of the profession, both on the continent and the next fine day, like a new Annual, calls them once in this country. It received a final revision from the more into being, once more to resume their dance through author in 1826, in which year the illustrious Lænnec died three yards of infinite space. of consumption,-thus falling a victim to the ravages of that disease which he had taken so much pains to illus trate.

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A Treatise on Auscultation; Illustrated by Cases and Soon after the death of Lænnec, Dr Forbes published Dissections. By Robert Spittal, lately Physician's Assistant, and now House Surgeon, Royal Intir-cultation." Besides which, we have treatises on the use an English translation of his work on "Mediate Ausmary of Edinburgh, President of the Plinian Na- of the stethoscope by Drs Stokes, Williams, Corrigan, tural History Society, and Member of the Hunterian &c., to say nothing of numerous essays which are scatSociety of Edinburgh. Edinburgh. R. Grant and tered through various medical journals. In this, as in Sons. 1830. other branches of science, in the progress of time and experience, improvements were to be expected; and we accordingly find, that since the death of Lænnec, much additional information has been thrown on the causes and nature of some of the stethoscopic signs. The author of the treatise before us has had, during his residence in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, abundant opportunities of witnessing diseases of the lungs and heart; and having paid considerable attention to the use of the stethoscope in these diseases, he submitted a treatise on this subthe Harveian prize. In consequence of this honour, having been conferred on him, he has been induced to lay the prize essay before the profession. The first part of the work is devoted to the pathognomic signs obtained by the stethoscope in various diseases of the chest; and the second part to those which are observed in diseases of the heart. It is to be considered rather as a compilation on the subject of auscultation, than as a work containing much new or original information ; but it must be allowed that some of the views of the author possess a certain degree of novelty, and the cases adduced are all very interesting, and deserve the attention of practitioners.

WHEN the stethoscope was introduced into this country, It produced a sort of schism in the medical profession, for one sect lauded it to the skies as the greatest discovery of modern times, whilst another as vehemently contended that the invention was utterly useless, and not worthy of a moment's consideration. One disciple of Æsculapius, who had just attained the "summos honores medicinæ,” was daily seen perambulating the wards of the Royal Infirmary with the stethoscope, like the wand of a magician, ever in his hand; whilst another physician,ject to the Harveian Society, for which he was awarded equally confident but a little older in years, and suspected withal of being a little deaf-was observed a few paces off, curling his upper lip with ineffable disdain, and ever and anon was heard to vent in gentle tones of sarcasm bis hostility to the new instrument. Then succeeded a little wordy war in the leading medical journals, and a few paper bullets" were fired across the Tweed, and from one side the coast to the other. But time and experience have at length sobered the judgments of these medical Spartans, and each party, consenting to disturb no longer the peace of Europe, has agreed to a general armistice, the terms of which are, that it is mutually allowed that the stethoscope may, in a vast number of cases, be applied with great advantage; but nevertheless, that it sometimes fails to detect disease where it does exist, and occasionally, although very rarely, its signs are not to be depended on.

Ackermann's Juvenile Forget-Me-Not, a Christmas, New-
Year's, and Birth-Day Present, for Youth of both
The New-Year's Gift; and Juvenile Souvenir.
Sexes. 1831. Edited by Frederick Shoberl. London.
Edited
by Mrs Alaric Watts. London. Longman, Rees, Orme,
& Co. 1831.., "

We are obliged to speak thus generally concerning the merits of this "Treatise on Auscultation," as our limits will not allow us to analyse, so fully as we could wish, the views of its author. We recommend it, however, conscientiously to the medical profession. It is throughout But what is this stethoscope?" enquires an intelligent very well written; and, in discussing the conflicting non-professional subscriber, half inclined to discontinue opinions of others, the author displays much critical the perusal of our present article. Our explanation acumen. We have only to add, that the work is illusshall be brief. Hippocrates, that princeps medicorum, | trated by tabular views and a number of plates, which, very long ago, made trial of immediate auscultation, i.e. we understand, are executed by Mr Lizars. he endeavoured, by applying his ear to the chest, to ascertain the existence and nature of the disease which he suspected to exist in that region. But Lænnec, recollectin the simple fact in acoustics, that sound may be very distinctly conveyed to the ear through certain solid bodies, rolled together a quire of writing paper, and applied it, as Hippocrates had done his naked ear, to the chest. He rested one end opposite the heart, and brought his ear in contact with the other. He thus found that he could hear distinctly every action of the heart; he then applied it to other regions of the chest, and heard as clearly the air passing through the air tubes of the lungs. Having, by repeated observation, ascertained what sounds accompany the healthy action of these organs, he proceeded to examine what modifications and varieties of sound arose from them when in a state of disease. The first instrument he used was a cylinder of paper, formed of three quires, compactly rolled together, and kept in shape by paste; but his subsequent experiments induced him to employ a cylinder of wood, an inch and a half in diameter, and a foot long, perforated longitudinally by a bare three lines wide, and hollowed out in a funnel shape to the depth of an inch and a half at one of its extremities Lennec, two years afterwards, explained this method of muscultation, in a memoir which he communicated to the Academie des Sciences, and the year fol

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We think both of these works improvements upon last year. The embellishments and the contents are such as especially suit them for the young people for whom they are intended. Among the illustrations of the Juvenile Forget-me-not, we are particularly pleased with the head of the " Infaut Samuel," which is full of life and spirit, and "Who'll serve the King?" where two jovial little fellows are “playing at soldiers," in a manner most true to nature and amusing to see. The other embellishments are all interesting. Among the contributors, we find W. H. Harrison, William and Mary Howitt, Miss Jewsbury, Mrs Hofland, the Ettrick Shepherd, Thomas Hood, and others. On the whole, the prose is better than the verse; but little boys and girls, whom the gods have not made critical, will no doubt like both equally well.

Among the embellishments in Mrs Watts' pretty volume, we recommend to particular attention the "Wooden Leg," " An Indian Scene," "Little Savoyards,” and “I

am far, far from Home," though none of these please us quite so much as the two we have mentioned above. The prose of the New-Year's Gift is fully equal to that of the Juvenile Forget-me-not, and the poetry is superior. The "Conversation on Mineralogy and Geology" is excellent, and we should be glad to see papers that contain real information, in a garb adapted to the understanding of the young, more frequently introduced in works of this kind. We extract the following poem by an American contributor, because it is one of the best in the volume:

THE SOLDIER'S WIDOW.

By N. P. Willis.

"Woe! for my vine-clad home! That it should ever be so dark to me,

With its bright threshold, and its whispering tree! That I should ever come,

Bearing the lonely echo of a tread,

Beneath the roof-tree of my glorious dead!

"Lead on! my orphan boy!

Thy home is not so desolate to thee!
And the low shiver in the tender tree

May bring to thee a joy;

But, eh! how dark is the bright home before thee
To her who with a joyous spirit bore thee!

"Lead on! for thou art now

My sole remaining helper; God hath spoken,
And the strong heart I lean'd upon is broken;
And I have seen his brow,

The forehead of my upright one and just,
Trod by the hoof of battle to the dust,

"He will not meet thee there,
Who bless'd thee at the eventide, my son;
And when the shadows of the night steal on,
He will not call to prayer;

The lips that melted, giving thee to God,
Are in the icy keeping of the sod!

"Ay, my one boy! thy sire

Is with the sleepers of the valley cast,
And the proud glory of my life hath past,

With his high glance of fire.

Woe! that the linden and the vine should bloom,
And a just man be gather'd to the tomb!

"Yet hear thee proudly, boy!

It is the sword he girded to his thigh,
It is the helm he wore in victory!

And shall we have no joy?

"For thy green vales, O, Switzerland, he died! I will forget my sorrow-in my pride!"

It would be very difficult for us to say whether we should award the preference to the Juvenile Forget-me-not, or the New-Year's Gift. Uncles and aunts who have more than one nephew or niece, and parents who have more than one child, should buy both.

A Treatise on Les Gallopades and Mazourkas, giving a minute Detail of the Manner in which these fashionable Dances should be performed. Illustrated by Six Dancing Attitudes; also a few Music Plates, arranged for the Piano-forte. By James Thomson. Glasgow. Richard Griffin and Co. 1831.

66

THERE are certainly "more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy." Who would have expected a pretty little brochure of this sort from the great mercantile city of the west? Mr Thomson must be a man of mettle, and entitled to all encouragement. He informs us in his preface, that, Having heard so much respecting Les Gallopades and the Mazourkas during the last season, I determined on making a professional tour to the continent, for the purpose of becoming thoroughly acquainted with them; and having studied under the celebrated Mons. Coulon, and the other masters of L'Academie Nationale à Paris, besides attending such assemblies and private parties as offered themselves during my

residence there, it is with confidence I now submit this small treatise to public notice." "Misery," says the preverb, "makes us acquainted with strange bedfellows;" and, in like manner, editorship makes us acquainted with strange books. It is taken for granted that we must be acquainted with every art and science under the sun, and we are expected to pronounce a definite judgment upen all sorts of works. Far be it from us to deny the truth of this popular belief, or to belie the expectations that may be formed of us. In the present instance, we are happy to be able to say, that though we never danced the gallop. ade at the Duke of Devonshire's, nor the Mazourka in Poland, or at the ambassador's assemblies in London, we nevertheless have performed an unworthy part in both; and are therefore able to declare, upon the honour of an editor and a gentleman, that Mr James Thomson of Glasgow is no unworthy pupil of the celebrated Mons. Coulon, and that his work reflects credit on the other masters of L'Academie Nationale à Paris." The instructions which the treatise contains are simple, correct, and useful.

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To all who feel an interest in the recent outrages which have disgraced the capital of Belgium, these views will afford an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the localities in which the revolutionary struggles have taken place. Colonel Batty's celebrity as a draughtsman is sufficient to guarantee their distinctness and accuracy. The points of view he has selected are, the Botanical Garden and Conservatory, the View from the Rue Royale, the Palace of the States-General, the Avenues in the Park, the King's Palace, and the Place Royale. They are all light etchings, done with the pen, but are happily and spiritedly executed.

The Duty and Advantages of Early Rising, as it is favourable to Health, Business, and Devotion. Fourth Edition. James Robertson, Edinburgh. 1831. P

152.

WE are ashamed to confess that we have never been much in the practice of early rising—and we are afraid that all argument in its favour is thrown away upon us. There may be some of our readers, however, with whom it is not too late to mend, and to such we beg to recommend this little work, where they will find much good advice upon the subject. The essay contains many interesting extracts from some of our most eminent writers, and may be placed with advantage in the hands of the young.

...

Fifth

Ralph Gemmel: A Tale for Youth. By Robert Pollok,
A. M., Author of "The Course of Time."
Edition. James Robertson, Edinburgh. 1830. Pp.
207.

The Persecuted Family: A Narrative of the Sufferings of the Presbyterians in the Reign of Charles L. By Robert Pollok, A.M. Fifth Edition. James Robertson, Edinburgh. 1830. Pp. 217.

THESE two little volumes are of a very unpretending character, but of real merit. They are valuable principally, as proceeding from the pen of a highly-gifted young man, whose name ranks among the distinguished poęts of the nineteenth century-but they are also entitled to considerable praise, on account of the good principles which they inculcate, and their own literary merits. They likewise contain a short but interesting biographical emoir of the author.

With the

Narrative of the French Revolution in 1830.
Occurrences preceding and following. Accompanied with
State Papers and Documents. Paris; A, and W.
Galignani. London: R. J. Kennett, Edinburgh:
Henry Constable. 1830.

In point of paper and typography, this volume is un-
exceptionable. It is of the same size as the Family
Library," to which," says the preface, "it is presumed,
t will form a not unsuitable addition." It appears,
however, rather a hasty compilation, and is not the work
of any one who has had access to the best sources of in-
formation. It is nevertheless temperately written, and
is a fair enough chronicle of the events it records. The
author is Mr Colton, known by his book entitled “Lacon,
or Many Things in few Words.”

MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE.

JANE MALCOLM.

A Village Sketch.

EVERY town or village in Scotland has its character, in the shape of some bedlamite, innocent, or odd fish. There is something interesting about these out-of-the-way beings. Every thing they do is a kind of current chapter of biography among their neighbours ;-what they say is regarded as the words of an oracle-more worthy of memory than the enquiries of the laird, or the advice of the parson. They are in a manner immortalized.

Having, in the course of different summers, taken up a short residence in some of the smaller borough towns and villages scattered through Scotland, I took no small delight in observing the peculiarities of many of those objects of compassion, and in tracing the source of that dismal malady which laid prostrate the edifice of reason, and put arrest upon the harmonious mechanism of an organized mind. The task was sometimes of a melancholy nature; I found histories-real histories-turning upon incidents the most tragical, and only wonder they are so little known, and meet with such slender sympathy. The crisis of a well-written romance brings out more tears than were ever shed for the fall of man, but never have I read of any thing so pathetic as was developed in the following sketch-a sketch, the pen of Sir Walter could do little to adorn. The naked truth of the story is a series of catastrophes, a parallel to which imagination seldom produces. It was told me by a sister of the unfortunate female who figures so conspicuously in it.

Jane Malcolm was the daughter of a lint-mill proprietor in the small town of K- -n. Her father, being a wealthy man, held for a long time the provostship of the place a Scottish borough. His family consisted of two daughters and a son. Jane was the youngest of these, and her father's favourite. There was something about the girl extremely attractive; she possessed all the advantages of personal beauty, combined with a gentleness of disposition and quickness of understanding that wrought upon the affections of all she knew. At the manse she was peculiarly beloved; the good old minister recognised in her the image of one he had lost; the illusion strengthened as she grew up, and Jane Malcolm was as much the inmate there, as she was in the house of her father. A few years saw her removed to Edinburgh, to finish an education imperfectly carried on under the superintendence of a village governess. She returned graceful and accomplished, to be looked up to by all her former companions. But Jane was not proud-her early friendships she disdained to supplant by a feeling so unworthy so unlike herself. Her over-bending nature was her fault it brought the vulgar and undiscerning mind into too much familiarity with her own. It became the eatise of all her misery.

But he overlooked the

Among the most intimate with her, was one Margaret Innes, a young and lively girl, but far below Jane's rank in life. The daughter of an aged fisherman, it was not uncommon for Jane to find her employed in offices the most servile;for all this she loved her not the less. The affection and humble virtues of Margaret amply repaid Jane for her condescension. Mr Malcolm himself saw no harm in this growing friendship, marked, as it was, with such a strong disparity of situation. circumstance that Margaret Innes had a brother, a handsome, fearless lad. A sailor by profession, it is true he was seldom at home, but though seldom, he was often enough for Jane to discover that his every return brought with it a stronger impression in his favour. When very young they were play-fellows together, and now, when both grown up, she could not refuse a smile or a word, whenever, after a long voyage, the light-hearted sailor looked in upon his native home. Sandy felt vain of her notice, but by no means attempted more familiarity than was consistent with his station. Without daring to love, he would have done any thing to serve Miss Malcolm, and his readiness was not unfrequently put to the test. Nothing Jane loved better than a short excursion upon The boat of the old fisherman the neighbouring sea, was often in request for this purpose, and he himself, accompanied by his daughter Margaret, made up the party on these occasions. When Sandy was at home, he supplied the place of his father, and his active and skilful hand directed many a pleasant voyage-made more pleasant by a fund of amusing anecdotes and adventures picked up in the course of his travels. One afternoon, on the day after his return from the coast of Norway, this little group had embarked to enjoy the delightful freshness of the sea-breeze, after a noon of intolerable heat. Standing up to gaze at a flock of sea-birds, collected for the purpose of devouring the small fry of the herring which at that season visited the coast, Jane Malcolm accidentally fell into the water. The boat receded rapidly from the spot-its sail being filled by the wind. Immediately, however, Sandy Innes swam towards the terrified girl. She clung to him for support. It was no easy matter to reach the boat, carried along as it was by the breeze, and not till Margaret had recovered from her first alarm, was she able, by turning the helm, to give them the required assistance. They were soon safe. This adventure called forth the liveliest feelings of gratitude on the part of Jane Malcolm. She regarded the youthful sailor as her preserver, and thought no recompense too liberal for the service he had rendered. Imprudently she revealed to his sister the history of her growing attachinent. Margaret was too generous all at once to give her brother the She reasoned with Jane on the imadvantage offered. propriety-the unsuitableness of such a union as was hinted at; and, to render it impracticable for the present, she induced Sandy to engage with a ship bound for North America. Accordingly, he again left the country.

Miss Malcolm was not to be deterred. She upbraided Margaret for her want of feeling; and, in short, took it so much to heart, that the poor girl, on Sandy's return, was, out of self-defence, obliged to communicate to bim To be brief, the tidings she willingly, would have hid, they were married without Mr Malcolm's consent. This was a blow the old man never got over; he died a few days after the ceremony. His only son had just returned from England, a lieutenant in the army, alas! it was to lay in the grave the remains of a heart-broken father. Enraged at the cause of this melancholy blow, he vowed revenge against the innocent intruder into his domestic peace. The feelings of his unhappy sister he thought no sacrifice to win retaliation ;-the step she bad already taken showed them, in his eye, to be blunted, and incapable of injury. To have challenged one so much his inferior, never entered into his mind;—he brooded over a purpose more dark and sanguinary, though less consistent with his honour. His design was to have the hus- !

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band of his sister murdered, and he appears to have an ash-tree, and flanked by a hawthorn, called Las formed it without a moment's hesitation. Professing cairn, so named, in all probability, from a cairn of stories, regard for his new brother-in-law, he pretended to be almost in the centre of which this simple habitation was reconciled to the unfortunate marriage, and even divided placed, in which, even within the period of my remenwith him and his other sister the patrimony of the de- brance, three maiden veterans kept rock and reel, bleeceased. This show of friendship had the effect of pro- zing hearth and reeking lum. They were uniformly ducing a seeming intimacy between them. Many a time mentioned in the neighbourhood as "the lasses o' Lassthey went out for a few hours upon fishing excursions, cairn;" though, their united ages might have amounted without any discovery being made by Sandy Innes of to something considerably above threescore thrice told. the growing hostility harboured by young Malcolm. One Janet, however, of whom I am now speaking, had been evening, however the latter having, by various excuses, married in her teens, and her husband having lost his delayed their return to shore till after sunset-as the boat life in a lime-quarry, she had been left with an only was lying quietly at anchor, about a mile from harbour, child, a daughter, whom, by the help of God's blessing, the unsuspecting sailor leant over to recover an oar which and her wee wheel, she had reared and educated as far Malcolm had purposely dropt, when he found himself as the Proofs and the Willison's. This daughter having suddenly precipitated into the sea. In attempting to re- attained to a suitable age, had been induced one fine sumgain the vessel, he was driven back, and violently struck mer evening, whilst her mother was engaged in her with the boat-hook, which his villainous brother-in-law evening devotion under the shadow of the ash-tree, to had seized, with intent to put the finish to his murderous take a pleasure walk with Rob Paton, a neighbouring treachery. In this, however, he was disappointed. Sandy ploughman, but then recently enlisted, and to share his Innes, with strong presence of mind, caught hold of the name and his fortunes for twenty-four months to come. instrument-managing, at the same time, to overset the At the end of this period, she found her mother nearly boat, and thus involve Malcolm in the same fate with in the same position in which she had left her, praying himself. Both had a hard struggle for life; but, alas! earnestly to her God to protect, direct, and return her without success. The next morning discovered the bodies" bairn." There were, however, two bairns for the of the two young men lying upon the beach. They were good old woman to bless, instead of one, and the young carried into Jane's habitation without her knowledge" Jessie Paton" was said to be the very picture of her the unfortunate girl having gone out to a different part mother. Be that as it may, old Janet, now a grannie, of the shore in quest of the boat, which she fancied, by loved the bairn, forgave the mother, and, by the help of the wish of her brother, had harboured all night at Inch- an additional wheel, which, in contradistinction to her keith. When she returned, the first object that met her own, was designated "muckle," she, and her brokea, eyes was the corpse of her own husband-a cold corpse, hearted deserted daughter, contrived, for years, to earn with the long black hair hanging down over his once such a subsistence as their very moderate wants required. noble brows, and the dark eyes wide open, as if fixed in At last a severe fever cut off the mother, and left a somedeath upon her and heaven. A few days after, and the what sickly child at about nine years of age, under the young men were buried, not side by side,-for a fearful sole protection of an aged and enfeebled grandmother. It story was whispered of Malcolm's guilt-how he was seen was at this stage of old Janet's earthly travail, that, in the by the crew of a boat that had landed, without notice, character of a schoolboy, I became acquainted with her upon a neighbouring rock-at the moment he attempted and her daughter,-for ever after the mother's death, the the atrocious deed. Their assistance, though instantly child knew her grandmother by no other name, and offered, was too late, for both had gone down ere they under no other relation. reached the spot.

After that sad catastrophe, Jane was never herself. A fever carried away her intellects, and left her mind in ruins. Though possessed of a competency, it has never been used. The same weeds, though now reduced to rags, still cover her in her long and sorrowful widowhood. The last time I saw her, I saw a fearful picture,-a beautiful female altered to a revolting spectacle of squalidness and deformity. The body was sunk into itself. About her wan visage hung a long sweep of grey hair, which the breeze lifted like torn streamers on the wreck of some stately vessel. She was gathering the shell-fish from among the brown layers of tangle, far out at the farthest ebb of the tide. Now and then she broke the shells with her teeth, muttering," We shall find him here we shall find him here;" and then she threw the shells round about her, with a sad sigh, as if her heart was longing to break, but felt chained up in a lone and weary prison. As I passed, I called to her," Jane, this is a cold day, and you seem at cold work."" Ay! ay!" she replied," and so are the worms! But did ye see him?-Bonny Sandy!—If ye be gaun into the toon, tell Meg Innes to come; for he's a wild laddie, and maybe she'll ken whar he's hidden himsell!" Poor creature! thought I, she will find rest in the grave.

RECOLLECTIONS OF A PARSONAGE.

THE PROPS OF THE PULPIT.

"6 JANET SMITH,"

OLD Janet Smith, of whom mention was made in my last " Recollections," lived in a cottage overshadowed by

Janet had a particular way, still the practice in Dumfries-shire, of dressing or preparing her meal of potatoes. They were scraped, well dried, salted, beetled, buttered, milked, and ultimately rumbled into the most beautiful and palatable consistency. In short, they became that first, and, beyond the limits of the south country, least known of all delicacies, "champit potatoes." As I returned often hungry and weary from school, Janet's pot presented itself to me, hanging in the reek, and at a con siderable elevation above the fire, as the most tempting of all objects. In fact, Janet, knowing that my hour of return from school was full two hours later than hers of repast, took this method of reserving for me a full heaped spoonful of the residue of her and her Jessie's meal. Never whilst I live, and live by food, shall I forget the exquisite feelings of eager delight with which that single overloaded spoonful of beat or champit potatoes was des voured. There are pleasures of sentiment and imagina tion of which I have occasionally partaken, and others connected with what is called the heart and affections; all these are beautiful and engrossing in their way and in their season, but to a hungry schoolboy, who has devoured his dinner "piece" ere ten o'clock A.M., and is returning to his home at a quarter before five, the presentiment, the sight, and, above all, the taste and reflection connected with the swallowing of a spoonful--and sach a spoonful of Janet Smith's potatoes, is, to say nothing flighty or extravagant, not less seasonable than exquisite. As my tongue walked slowly and cautiously round and round the lower and upper boundaries of the delicious load, as if loath rapidly to diminish that bulk, which the craving stomach would bave wished to have been in creased, had it been tenfold, my whole soul was rapt in Elysium; it tumbled about, and rioted in an excess of

delight, a kind of feather-bed of downy softness. Drink ing is good enough in its season, particularly when one is thirsty; but the pleasures attendant on the satisfying of "the appetite" for me!-this is assuredly the great the master gratification. ***

tendency of Janet's address to her Maker. She was manifestly engaged in asking a blessing on her daily meal; and was proceeding to enumerate, with the voice of thanksgiving, the many mercies with which, under God's good providence, she and hers had been visited. After an extensive enumeration, she came at last to speak of that ample provision on which she was now imploring a blessing. In this part of her address, she dwelt with peculiar cheerfulness, as well as earnestness of tone, on that goodness which had provided so bountifully for her, whilst many, better deserving than she, were worse circumstanced: the whole tenor of her prayer tended to impress the listener with the belief that Janet's board, though spread in a humbler hut, must be at least amply supplied with the necessaries of life. But what was Lord W.'s surprise, on entrance, to find that a round oaten banwhey-the gift of a kind neighbour-composed that ample and bountiful provision for which this humble, but contented and pious woman, expressed so much gratitude. Lord W was struck with the contrast between his own condition and feelings and those of this humble pair; and, in settling upon Janet and her inmate L.6 a-year for life, he has enabled her to accommodate herself with a new plaid and black silk hood, in which she appears, with her grandaughter, every Sabbath, occupying her It was, however, after all, on Sabbath that Janet ap- well-known and acknowledged position on the lowest peared to move in her native element. It was on Sab-step of the pulpit stair, and paying the same respect to bath that her face brightened, and her step became ac- the minister in passing, as if she were entirely dependent celerated-that her spectacles were carefully wiped with on her own industry and the good-will of her neighbours the corner of a clean neck-napkin, and her Bible was as formerly. T. G. called into early, and almost uninterrupted use. It was on Sabbath that her devotions were poured forth-both in a family and private capacity-with an earnestness and a fervency which I have never seen surpassed, in manse or mansion-in desk or pulpit. There is, after all, nothing in nature so beautiful and elevating, as sincere and heart-felt, heart-warming devotion. There is

But Janet did not only deal in potatoes, she had like wise a cheese, and on pressing occasions, a bottle of beer besides; the one stood in a kind of corner press or cup board, whilst the other occupied a still less dignified position beneath old Janet's bed. To say the truth of Janet's cheese, it was not much beholden to the maker. It might have been advantageously cut into bullets or marbles, such was its hardness and solidity-but then, in those days, my teeth were good-and, with a keen stomach, and a willing mind, much may be effected even on a "three times skimmed sky-blue!" The beer for which I have often adventured into the "terra incog-nock, toasting before a brick at a peat fire, with a basin of nita" already mentioned, even at the price of a prostrate person and a dusty jacket-was excellent-brisk, frothy, and nippy-my breath still goes when I think of it. And then Janet wove such long strings of tape, blue and red, white and yellow, all striped and variegated like a gardener's garter! I shall never be such a beau again, as when my stockings on Sabbath were ornamented with a new pair of Janet's well-known, much prized, and admired garters.900

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a poor, frail creature, verging on threescore and ten years,
with an attendant lassie, white-faced, and every way
'shilpy" in appearance, Around them are nothing more
elevating or exciting than a few old sticks of furniture,
sooty rafters, and a smoky atmosphere. Surely imbe-
cility has here clothed herself in the forbidding garb of
dependence and squalid poverty! The worm that crawls
itito light through the dried mole-hill, all powdered over
with the dust from which it is escaping, is a fit emblem
of such an object, and such a condition. But over all
this, let us pour the warm and glowing radiance of ge-
nuine devotion! The roots of that consecrated "ash"
çan bear witness to those half-articulated breathings,
which connect the weakness of man with the power of
God the squalidness of poverty with the radiant rich-
ness of Divine grace. Do those two hearts, which, under
one covering, now breathe forth their evening sacrifice in
hope and reliance-do they feel-do they acknowledge
any alliance with the world's opinions, the world's arti-
ficial and cruel distinctions? If there be one object more
pleasing to God, and to the holy ministers of his will,
than another, it is this-age uniting with youth, and
youth with age, in the giving forth into audible, if not
articulate expression-the fulness of the devout heart!
Lord W whose splendid residence stands about
fifteen miles distant from Lasscairn, happened to be en-
gaged in a bunting expedition in the neighbourhood of
this humble and solitary abode, and having separated from
his attendants and companions, he bethought him of rest-
ing for a little under a roof, however humble, from
which he saw smoke issuing. But when he put his
thimb to the latch, it would not move; and, after an
effort or two, he applied first his eye, and lastly his ear, to
the keyhole, to ascertain the presence of inhabitants. The
solemn Voice of fervent prayer met his ear, uttered by a
person evidently not in a kneeling, but in an erect posi-
tiber; he could, in short, distinctly gather the nature and

THE LONDON DRAMA.

Regent's Park, London,"
Monday, Nov. 1, 1830."

To the honour both of the management and the public, we have this week to record the very successful revival. of Sheridan's" School for Scandal” at Drury Lane, with a cast so strong, as even to include Sinclair to sing the celebrated drinking song in the dinner scene; which we recollect, however, that Braham, for a benefit, we believe, once did before him. With Farren, Dowton, Macready, and Wallack, as Sir Peter, Sir Oliver, Joseph, and Charles, and all the subordinate characters equally ably represented though of the ladies, we can say only, that Miss Chester's Lady Teazle looked admirably, and that Mrs Glover's Mrs Candour was excellent-the comedy could not but be effective; which opinion has already been ratified by two most crowded audiences. On Thursday last their Majesties visited this Theatre for the first time since the King's accession, when their welcome was enthusiastic, and the numbers who endeavoured to gain admission were large enough to have filled the house half a dozen times over. "God save the King," with two new verses, one by Planché, and the other by an anonymous Mr W. B., and “ Rule Britannia," were both ably sung on the stage, and right loyally and vociferously chorussed by the audience; and, judging from his Majesty's evident enjoyment of the whole evening, our Sovereign and his subjects must have been both equally gratified. So eager, indeed, was the desire to see the King and Queen at the Theatres, that at Covent Garden, where the evening of the Royal visit was not fixed until some days after that to the other house, the boxes, for every probable night, were taken and paid for long before the announcement, so that a very few back seats only, and those upstairs, were left, when the time was actually advertised.

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