And not metaphysi
cal, learn'd or busy
In party polemics, which turn your head dizzy.
She knows her department, which never need clash
With other young ladies who dictate and dash,
And opines that it argues a love of dominion
When Misses assert a decided opinion.
Her maiden good name is unsullied-and yet
She passes, I fear, for a rampant coquette;
That flirts unrestricted with Tories and Whigs,
And is only exclusive to prosers and prigs,
Who run their dull rigs
When they ought to be laughing, or dancing Scots jigs,
And bore you with matters they don't understand,
As if there were not plagues enough in the land.
Yet Missy, I ween, can be grave on occasion.
And tell a sad tale with such gentle persuasion,
That the Blues all agree, neither Tasso nor Monti
Are better adepts in the "art de bien conter."
And as for the children, why, bless their young hearts!
They run to the door from their playthings and tarts,
When tripping as gaily
With flowers in her hair, like Serena, in Hayley,
She comes once a-month to one's house on a visit ;
And Laura cries out, "Is it Missy? Oh, is it?
Dear Missy, pray take me the first on your knee;
Don't talk to mamma, but take notice of me,
And tell me, oh! tell me the ending, do, pray,
Of the beautiful tale you began t' other day;
That wicked man Bumble !—and Fagin the Jew !—
Is it all your own fancy, or actually true?”
While Alfred in petticoats stands all attention,
And swallowing for gospel each vivid invention,
Looks grave as a lion, and doubles his fist
To thrash the oppressors of Oliver Twist.
Then her style of narration (the best thing of all)
Bears not the least mark of peculiar locale.
Whate'er she considers as worth noting down
Comes equally welcome from country or town;
And thus she's as honour'd a guest in the counties
As the members themselves, with their smiles and their bounties.
The Countess at breakfast observes to her Earl,
"She has really no tinge of a cockneyfied girl;
And so very au fait in our legends! Remember,
My Lord, we must ask her down here in December.
She is so amusing,-such anecdotes brings
Of very equivocal persons and things,
Yet worded in language so pure and well-bred,
And the moral so good, that the heart and the head
Are mended alike."- "How exactly she traces
The site," says my Lord, "of those pick pocket places,—
Jacob's Island, to wit, and that horrible Mint !
As if the fair lady had really been in't!
Her names, too, are always well-chosen and good;
The Traffords, I know, are high Lancashire blood:
So write by this post, and inform her, my dear,
I shall be quite delighted to welcome her here."
In the evening, my lord's jolly tenant at tea
Rolls chuckling about in his chair, and says he,
"As sure as a gun,
This is 'nation good fun
As I ever yet read or heard under the sun.
This Missy must come down to see us,
Why, wife, 'tis but poor thirty shillings a-year.”
'Tis strange, brother Rookwood, I really can't say
Why I scribbled this lay
Upon April Fool's day;
But yet, as it cannot appear before May,
Esteem it a votive May garland, intended
For Missy's fair brow, to whom hold me commended,
And tell her from me she's the Ariel, the Peri
Of all the Peri-odicals-are you not, Deary?
Chapter XVI. Jonathan Wild's House in Capter XVIII. How Jack Sheppard
Chapter XVII. The Night Cellar.
LOVE IS LIKE THE CISTUS FLOWer,
VINCENT EDEN, OR THE OXONIAN;
Chapter V. Sunday Morning
RAMBLES AMONG THE RIVERS.
broke out of the Cage at Willesden.
Chapter XIX. Good and Evil.
BY MRS. TORRE HOLME 582
ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE CRUIK-
BY QUIP 583
Chapter VI. A Morning Call.
NO. III. THE THAMES AND HIS
THE VETERANS OF CHELSEA HOSPITAL,
64 BY THE AUTHOR OF THE SUBALTERN" 614
Chapter I. Showeth how accident may determine both the place of a man's birth, and
his occupation in life.
Chapter II. Wherein various changes of fortune are set forth, and various events re-
corded.
ELEGIAC TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THOMAS HAYNES BAYLY,
Chapter VII. Though short, would yet be found, could it be measured by time, nearly
fifteen years long. Colin Clink's boyhood and character. A trap is laid for him by
Mr. Longstaff, into which his mother lets him fall; with other matters highly essen
tial to be told.
Chapter VIII. Mr. Longstaff rides over to Snitterton Lodge to obtain Colin a situation.
Miss Maria Sowersoft and Mr. Samuel Palethorpe,-his future mistress and master
Chapter IX. Enhances the reader's opinion of Mr. Palethorpe and Miss Sowersoft still
higher and higher; and describes an interview which the latter had with Mr. Long-
staff respecting our hero.
Chapter X. A parting scene between Colin and Fanny, with the promises they made to
each other. Colin sets out for his new destination.
Chapter XI. Describes the greeting which Colin received on his arrival at Snitterton
Lodge; together with a very serious quarrel between him and Mr. Palethorpe ; and
its fearful results.
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