a calm keen features, and gentlemanly church being wide open, the congrefigure. 'Twas, of course, Gammon; gation beheld three gentlemen smokwho, with the utmost decorum and ing cigars, and laughing and talking solemnity, having stood for near a together, approaching the porch. minute with his hat covering his face, They were dressed very finely induring which time he reflected that deed; and were supposed to be some Miss Aubrey had sate in that pew on of the great friends of the new squire. the last occasion of his attendance at They stopped when within a few yards the church, turned round, and behaved of the church ; and after whispering with the greatest seriousness and re. together for a moment, one of them, verence throughout the service, pay- having expelled a mouthful of smoke, ing marked attention to the sermon. stepped forward to the door, holding Gammon was an unbeliever, but he his cigar in one hand, and with the thought Dr Tatham a very sensible other taking off his bat. There was man, who was most probably in ear- a faint smirk on his face, (for he did nest; and he felt disposed to admit, not catch the stern countenance of as his eye glanced round the atten. Gammon anxiously directed towards tive and decent congregation, that the him,) till he beheld Dr Tatham's sort of thing was not without its ad. solemn eye fixed upon him, while he vantages. Almost all present took made a momentary pause. Titmouse him for Titmouse, and watched every blushed scarlet ; made a hesitating but turn of his countenance with intense most respectful bow; and, stepping interest ; and, in their simplicity, they back a few paces, replaced his hat on rejoiced that Mr Aubrey's successor his head, and lit his cigar from that of was, at all events, so grave and re- MrFitz-Snooks,perhapsunconsciously, spectable-looking a man; and they within view of more than half the fancied that he frequently thought of congregation. Then the three gentlethose whose seat he was occupying men, after Mr Titmouse bad spoken with kindness and regret. About the a word or two to them, burst out into middle of the service, the doors of the a laugh, and quitted the churchyard, a Edinburgh: Printed by Ballantyne and Huglies, Paul's Work. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, 45, GEORGE STREET, EDINBURGH: AND T. CADELL, STRAND, LONDON. To whom Communications (post paid) may be addressed. SOLD ALSO BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND HUGHES, EDINBurgh. BLACKWOOD'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE No. CCC. OCTOBER, 1840. VOL. XLVIII. TEN THOUSAND A-YEAR, PART XII. "FORTUNA Sævo læta negotio, et Nunc mihi, nuuc alii benigna. AUBREY'S sudden plunge into the cold and deep stream of trouble, had -the first shock over-served, as it were, to brace his nerves. 'Tis at such a time, and on such an occasion, that the temper and quality of the soul are tried; whether it be weak in seeming strength, or strong in seeming weakness. How many are there, walking with smiling complacent con. fidence along the flowery bank, who, if suddenly bidden to strip and enter, would turn pale and tremble as they reluctantly prepared to obey the stern mandate; and, after a convulsive shudder, a faint shriek, a brief struggle, disappear from the surface paralysed, never to be seen again! In such a point of view, let me hope that the situation of Aubrey, one of deepening difficulty and danger-the issue of which, hid in the darkness of the future, no earthly intelligence can predict-will excite in the thoughtful reader an anxiety not unmingled with confidence. The enervating effects of inactivity upon the physical structure and ener gies of mankind, few can have failed to observe. Rust is more fatal to metal than wear. A thorough-bred racer, if confined in stable or paddock, NO. CCC. VOL. XLVIII. Hor. Carm. Lib. iii. 49. What or a boxer, born of the finest muscular make, if prematurely incarcerated in a jail, will, after a few years, become quite unable to compete with those vastly their inferiors in natural endowments and capabilities; however, they may, with careful training, be restored to the full enjoyment and exercise of their powers. Thus is it with the temper and intellect of man, which, secluded from the scenes of appropriate stimulus and exercise, become relaxed and weakened. would have become of the glorious spirit and powers of Achilles, if his days had all melted away in the tender, delicate, emasculating inactivity and indulgence of the court of Lycomedes? The language of the ancient orator concerning his art may be applied to life, that not only its greatness, but its enjoyment, consists in action-action-ACTION. The feel, ings, for instance, may become so morbidly sensitive, as to give an ap pearance of weakness to the whole character; and this is likely to be specially the case of one born with feelings of superior liveliness and delicacy, if he moves only in the regions of silent and profound abstraction and contemplation-in those refined re 2 E 66 "Sir ticular glad to see the ladies-(applause)-often heard of the beauties of Yatton-never believed it-nobeg pardon, mean I now see them(applause.) Am fond of horses-(ap plause) racing, hunting, and all that." (Here Sir Harkaway, extending his hand, publicly shook that of the eloquent speaker.) "Sorry to turn out the-the-old bird-tutnest not his-mine all the while(emotion)-bear him no ill-will-(applause.) Political principles-(profound silence)-good old Whig principles-(loud applause)-rights of the people-religious liberty and all that (vociferous applause)-found at my post in the hour of danger-enemy stole a march on me-(great laughter and applause.) Won't detain youladies and gentlemen-drink your good healths, and many happy returns of the day.' Down sate Mr Tit mouse, exhausted with this his maiden speech; and quite overpowered, moreover, by the extraordinary applause with which he was greeted at its conclusion. In due course many other toasts were drank. Lady Wildfire and the married ladies." "Miss Wildfire and the single ladies." Harakway Rotgut Wildfire." "Religious Liberty," (to which Mr Mudflint responded in a very eloquent speech.) "The Liberty of the Press;" "Messrs Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, the enterprising, skilful, and learned professional advisers of Mr Titmouse." Dancing was now loudly called for; and the hall was speedily prepared for it. By this time, however, it was past eleven o'clock: the free potations of all the men, and indeed of more than one of the ladies, were beginning to tell, and the noise and confusion were very great. Fierce confused sounds issued from the servant's hall, where it proved that a great fight was going on between Pumpkin the gardener, and a man who insisted on shouting "Titmouse for ever-down with the Tory Aubrey!" Pumpkin had much the best of it, and beat his opponent, after a severe encounter, into silence and submission. Then there were songs sung in all the rooms at once-speeches made, half-a-dozen at the same time; in short, never before had such scenes been witnessed, or such uproar heard, within the decorous, the dignified, and venerable precincts of Yatton. Scenes ensued which really baffle description. Mr Titmouse, of course, drank a great quantity of wine, although Mr Gam. mon never left his side, and checked him fifty times when he was about to fill his glass; and the excitement produced by wine, will I trust, in some measure, mitigate the reader's indignation at hearing of a little incident which occurred, in which Titmouse was concerned, and which, about halfpast three or four o'clock in the morning, served to bring that brilliant entertainment to a somewhat abrupt and rather unpleasant termination. Scarcely knowing where he was, or what he was about, I am sorry to say, that while standing, as well as he could, beside Miss Wildfire, to dance for the fifth time with her-a plump, fairfaced, good-natured girl of about nineteen or twenty-he suddenly threw his arms round her, and imprinted half-a dozen kisses on her forehead, lips, cheek, and neck, before she could recover from the confusion into which this extraordinary assault had thrown her. Her faint shriek reached her father's ears, while he was, in a distant part of the room, persecuting Miss Quirk with his drunken and profligate impertinences. Hastily approaching the quarter where his daughter's voice had issued, he beheld her just extricated from the insolent embrace of the half-unconscious Titmouse, and greatly agitated. With flaming eye and outstretched arm, he approached his unfortunate little host, and seizing hold of his right ear, almost wrung it out of his head, Titmouse quite shrieking with the pain it occasioned. Still retaining his hold, uttering the while most fearful impres cations he gave him three violent kicks upon the seat of honour, the last of which sent him spinning into the arms of old Mr Quirk, who was hurrying up to his relief, and who fell flat on the floor with the violent concussion. Then Miss Quirk rushed forward and screamed; a scene of dreadful confusion ensued; and at length the infuriated and half-drunken baronet, forced away by his wife and his daughter, quitted the Hall, and got into his carriage, uttering fearful threats and curses all the way home; without once adverting to the circumstance, of which also Lady Wildfire and her daughter were not aware, that |