nection with reality. The first can never become influentially interesting to human nature, save only as the means and the material of imaginative combination. The last is without any substance to give it consistency and power. Realities, uninfluenced by the imagination, never work upon the heart. Imagination not exercised in realities benefits not the mind. The former of these propositions accounts for, and is also partly evidenced by the avidity with which, from our youth, we seize on imaginative works; the latter of them teaches the importance (and the instances we have given show the practicability) of blending the imaginative with the real.

These reflections were in some measure produced by a little incident, of a rather curious nature, which occurred to us in our late tour. Arrived in the small town of Oakhampton, in Devon, we sallied out (as we were wont) at the close of the day, to discover a library which could amuse us for the evening. Two out of the three which the modest locality afforded, were filled, as usual even now in the country circulating libraries, with the despicable trash of the sentimental and the sickening, the ghostly and the ghastly school. We left them loathingly, and tried the lasta little place, half miscellaneous shop, half library. We heard the sounds of a piano-the proprietor of the concern came outhe had been playing-we instantly drew him out'-found he had a taste for music, and love for literature-looked at the few bookshelves called his library-found them filled with such works as Simson's Euclid, Keith's Geometry, several classic volumes, standard works of history, some good poetry, as Milton, &c.; and with pride he said, he had not " many novels," but those he had, reflected no disgrace: they were of a healthy, and somewhat of the historical school, nought savouring of sentimentality. Now that this man was a man of imagination, is evidenced by his taste for music. All taste has to do with imagination; but what accounts for the difference of its character? What gave it the healthy superiority of tone which it had, compared with those of the contented readers and enjoyers of foolish fictions? The reason may be found in the fact, that he was well read in mathematics, classics, history, and Miltonian poetry. His imagination had been soundly and healthily trained. The mathematics and the classics, though as mere matter of learning, especially the former, they appear utterly dissevered from imagination; yet, when pursued as a matter of pleasurable taste, as in this case, and by a man possessed of a good imaginative faculty, and exercising and nourishing it on works more closely connected with it-though naturally and healthily so-they serve to discipline, to elevate, to improve that, with all other faculties of the mind: and the mind which receives a lofty pleasure from contemplating high problems, or communing with classic authors, will experience, when it unbends to softer and more tasteful relaxations, the most

delicious delight. Thus was a poor country shop-keeper (would we could recollect his name,) raising his intellect by reading Euclid, and gratifying his taste by music.

Why is not this more general? Why do not men thus learn to make their nobler faculties raise and elevate each other? Why are not thus the sterner and the stronger blended in salutary union with the softer and the sweeter? The union of their exercise thus, would produce a valuable reciprocation of advantage. The hard discipline of the one would brighten and enhance the blissful enjoyments of the other.

THE OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN.

I'LL sing you a good old song

That was made by a good old pate,
Of a fine old English gentleman,
Who had an old estate;

And who kept up his old mansion
At a bountiful old rate,

With a fine old porter to relieve

The old poor at his gate;

Like a fine old English gentleman, all of the olden time.

IDEM GRÆCE REDDITUM.

Νῦν σοὶ παλαιόν, ὦ φίλ', ᾄσομαι μέλος,
κεφαλῆς παλαιᾶς κομψὸν ἐξεύρημά τι
πρέσβυς γὰρ ἦν τις ̓Αγγλικὴν ναίων χθόνα,
ἀρχαιοπλούτων κτημάτων ἐπήβολος

ὃς δὴ τὸν οἶκον πολυτελῶς ἠσκήσατο,
πάντων ἀφειδὴς ἄφθονός τ' οἰκουρὸς ὤν
γέρων δ ̓ ἐπ' αὐλείοισιν ἱδρύνθη πύλαις,
πτωχοῖσι πρεσβύταισι πορσύνων τροφήν.

τοῖος ἦν ὅδ', εἷς Βρεταννῶν τῶν πρὶν εὐγενής τ' ἀνήρ.
Παλαιὸν ἀμφὶ δῶμα πανταχοῦ κύκλῳ
λόγχας ἂν εἶδες τόξα τ ̓ ἐξηρτημένα
ξίφη, σάκη τ' ἄρρηκτα, γηραιὰν σάγην,
πολλαῖς ἅ πληγαῖς πολεμίων ἀντήρκεσαν.
ἐνταῦθα σεμνὸς ἕζετ ̓ ἐν σεμνῇ στολῇ,
πάντων δικαστής πραγμάτων ἐπήκοος
πίνων τ' ἀρίστης βότρυος ἀρχαῖον γάνος
τὴν καλλιφεγγή ῥῖν ἐθέρμαινεν ποτῷ.
τοῖος ἦν, κ. τ. λ.

Χειμὼν ὅτ ̓ ἤδη χιόνα καὶ κρύος φέροι,
φιλοξένους ἅπασιν ἀνέωξεν δόμους·
ἔτη δὲ καίπερ ἑπτάκις γεγώς δέκα,
εἰσῆλθε πρῶτος εἰς χορὸν νεανικώς
οὐ μὴν ἀλήτης γ ̓ ἐκ δόμων ἐφθαρμένος
αὐλῆς ἀπωστὸς νηλεῶς ἐξηλάθη,

τοὺς γὰρ μεγίστους ἑστιᾷν πάντας θέλων,
ὅμοιον αἰὲν εἶχε τῶν σμικρῶν λόγον.
τοῖος ἦν, κ. τ. λ.

Πλημμυρίδος δὲ τῆς παλιρρόθου δίκην, (Μοίρα βροτοῖς γὰρ πᾶσιν ἔσθ ̓ ὑπεικτέον) σιγῇ πελάζων ἥσυχον τύμβῳ βάσιν, γέρων ὁ κεδνὸς ἐξαπηλλάχθη βίου. ἦ πόλλ ̓ ἐκείνου ψυχρὸν ὕγραινεν τάφον Χηρῶν τε παιδῶν τ ̓ ὀρφανῶν δακρύματα· ποῦ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἀξίωμ ̓ ἄλλου τινὸς θανάτου τὸ λυγρόν ξύμβολον δείξειεν ἄν, οἷος ἦν, κ. τ. λ.

Χρόνος δ ̓ ἁπάντων εἰ φέρει μεταλλαγήν, φθίνουσί θ' ὥραι καὶ μεθίστανται νόμοι, αἱ τῶν Βρεταννῶν χεῖρες ἢ τ' εὐψυχία σώσουσιν ἀεὶ τὸν Βρεταννικὸν λεών. καὶ μὴ τανῦν ἑστᾶσιν αἱ χῆλοι πλέο ὅσων τὸ πρόσθεν χρημάτων ἐπλήθυον, ὅμως ἔτ ̓ εἰσὶ χεῖρες εἰς χρείαν μάχης, καὶ φρὴν φίλοικτος τοὺς πένητας ὠφελεῖν, οἷος ἦν, κ. τ. λ.

9

THE LONDON SUICIDE COMPANY.

[IN Bentley's Miscellany for November 1839, the following prospectus appeared or rather ought to have appeared, for previously to its publication in that work, it went through some chemical analysis, by which its component parts were disunited by the editor. The author's only motive for now printing it in its entire form, is not from the presumption that it is worthy of a better fate than being soldered up in a leaden coffin; but that without it, most of the allusions contained in the succeeding article, "The Report," would be nearly, if not entirely, unintelligible.]

PROSPECTUS OF A NEW JOINT-STOCK COMPANY.

TO BE CALLED

THE LONDON SUICIDE COMPANY,

(In connexion with the Metropolitan Cemeteries).
CAPITAL, ONE MILLION.

The CORONERS for London and Middlesex and the adjacent counties.
BANKERS:-Messrs HAN-BURY & Co.

SOLICITORS:-)
-Messrs SKULL & CROSS-BONES.

The well known propensity amongst the natives of this highly enlightened and religious nation, (particularly since the march of intellect has made such rapid strides amongst us, to put an end to themselves); and the great increase of suicides, have suggested the formation of a society having for its objects the encouragement and facilitation of this truly national amusement.

The Company have the gratification of announcing that they have already made arrangements for the exclusive use of the Monument (which has recently become so attractive a place for suicidal purposes), and alterations are already in progress, by which the very slight impediments now existing will be entirely removed, and that noble pillar rendered one of the safest and securest means of exit this metropolis affords.

For the convenience of West-end subscribers, similar arrangements have been entered into with the proper authorities, for the use of the Duke of York's Column, near St. James's Park,-to which fact they particularly invite the attention of those creditors, who some years since proved their debts under the estate of a Royal Insolvent.

Those interested in DROWNING, will feel particularly interested in the fact that the proprietors and shareholders of Waterloo Bridge have entered into an arrangement with the Company on most advantageous