And all this, in a sense, is applicable to illustrated literature. What may be said of the one, may be said of the other. Painters and artists, and illustrators not merely dwell in the world of fancy, not merely see what no mortal eye hath seen, and hear what no mortal ear hath heard; not merely suggest pleasant ideas to the mind; not merely idealize the present age, and hand down to-morrow the thoughts and feelings and inspirations of to-day, but they elicit what is noble, and often wean us from what is base. Undoubtedly Hogarth was the truest moral teacher of his age. They were poor Dutch tiles in the fire-place when Dr. Watts was a little child, but did they not teach him Sacred history, and thus pave the way for his "Divine and Moral Songs? " Do not we at this day learn many lessons of wisdom as we gaze on the engravings of Cruikshank or of Doyle, and is it not to its illustrations rather than its letterpress that Punch owes the immense power he generally wields on the side of right and truth. Bunyan, in' that most wonderful of allegories, the "Pilgrim's Progress," makes Christian, when he arrives at the Interpreter's house, first contemplate the picture of a very grave person hung up against the wall. The ancient men felt how much might be done, what an impulse might be given, to the mind merely by looking at a portrait. Atticus, we are told, had a gallery adorned with the portraits or images of the great men of Rome, under each of which he had inscribed their principal acts and honours in a few concise verses of his own. Another story in point is that of a dissolute Athenian woman, who in the midst of a riotous banquet, accidentally casting her eyes on the portrait of a philosopher hanging on a wall opposite, was so charmed by the appearance of temperance and virtue, that she at once abandoned her dissipated career, and became a reformed character. A portrait of Petrarch, when Leonard Aretin was in prison, was said to be a source of inspiration to the latter; and a portrait of Newton we are told had a similar effect on Buffon. The use of illustrated literature is manifest then; but now comes an important question-that of its honesty. How am I to know that what I see is the vera effigies? Honesty is a rare gift in these days; and we do know that strange tricks are played in these days of universally and cheaply illustrated publications, I have seen many a portrait do double duty, just as the view of a shipwreck may one year represent the loss of the Royal Charter, and the next some similar catastrophe in quite a different part of the world. Not always does the painter give a correct likeness, and sometimes the engraver misses it in his copy. We have often heard one of the most popular artists of the day grievously complain of the wrong done him in this respect; Goldsmith was a short thick man, with wan features and a vulgar appearance, but looks tall and fashionable in a bag wig; Boyle's, as one of his friends writes, does not resemble him; Rosseau, in his worsted cap, as the elder Disraeli says, is in a similar predicament; Winchelman's portrait does not preserve the striking physiognomy of the man. The faithful Vertue refused to engrave for Honbraken's set, because they did not authenticate their originals, and some of these are spurious as that of Ben Jonson, Edward Coke, and others. The following anecdote now going the round of the papers shows what deceptions are practised with regard to portraits:-An eminent artist in London lately received a visit from a gentleman who was evidently a man of wealth, but at the same time what the Romans would call a novus homo. After some hesitation he asked the artist if he could retouch a gallery of family portraits. The artist agreed, and next day the visitor arrived with four cases filled with what seemed veritable family portraits. The artist, however, was rather surprised to recognize them as a lot that had been knocked down at a West-end sale three years before, and still more to hear the gentleman claim them as relics of his family. The gentleman still further

astonished the artist by asking when he should "sit," in order that the artist might give the portraits the true family cast of countenance which the ravages of time had destroyed. The artist hid his smiles, as we are informed, behind a large canvas, and then proceeded to carry out the wishes of his visitor, which were performed with so much satisfaction that the gentleman left the heaviest golden souvenir the artist had received for many a day. The Manchester man was thus provided with a series of original family portraits. But sad tricks are played even with original portraits by people who ought to know better. Pope had an original picture of Bishop Atterbury painted by Knelier. Of this picture he used to make a painter called Wasdale paint copies for three or four guineas; and whenever he wished to pay a particular compliment to one of his friends, he gave him an original picture of Atterbury. Of these originals Wasdale had painted five or six. I knew an artist who was once called on to restore, or touch up, a picture, which the proprietor assured him was the work of an old master, and for which he had given no less a sum than £4,000. My friend, on a closer inspection, found it to be a copy which he had painted for a dealer for a very small trifle. Not long back an extraordinary case of fraud appeared in the reports of the London police-courts. A gentleman had, it appears, gone to a shop not many miles from St. Paul's-churchyard, and laid out two or three thousand pounds in the purchase of pictures, which were found to be copies by inferior hands of well-known originals. To make the imposture more complete the pictures were said to be the property of a lady left, by the death of her husband, in circumstances of distress. And the wife of the picture-dealer actually waited on the gentleman purchaser with a piece of plate, which it was stated the bereaved widow had caused to be sent for the purpose of expressing her gratitude. The case was settled out of court otherwise we should have had some startling revelations as to the manufacture of paintings from anceint and modern masters.

An

I have just seen an illustrated edition of the celebrated Yelverton case; the pamphlet was published at a shilling, and I think a more impudent fraud was never attempted to be imposed on the public. The publisher who allows such a thing to appear with his name to it ought to be prosecuted for obtaining money under false pretences. The pamphlet I speak of was full of illustrations, but they were every one old, and were drawn and engraved long berore the Yelverton marriage case had ever been heard of. The portraits consequently were most strikingly unlike. In one case the Hon. Mr. Yelverton was a middleaged man, in the next he had dwindled down almost into a boy. In one case he had a mustachio, in the next he was bereft of that adornment. engraving of a fashionable evening party at Belgravia, with its dowager duchess and other West-end appendages is made to represent an evening at General Straubenzie's hut in the Crimea. Mr. Augustus Mayhew, it seems, has been writing a tale, "The Finest Girl in Bloomsbury." Well, an engraving of her a regular bouncer, married to a most diminutive male-is passed off as a portrait of Mrs. Yelverton, a very different kind of lady. In one case I admire the tact of the concocter of this miserable catch-penny publication. A portrait that had previously done duty in connection, I believe, with Palmer's trial is given as a portrait of leading counsel. Mr. Whiteside's face is too familiar to the public, otherwise his name would have most undoubtedly been placed underneath. Occasionally the parties appear in the costume of the days of Pitt and Fox, and if picturesqueness is gained, at the same time it must be confessed it is at the expense of pictorial truth. At the conclusion, a lady is represented as being drawn in a carriage by a triumphant and rejoicing mob of men. Something of the kind happened to the Hon. Mrs. Yelverton, but the men have the appearance of Italians, and the lady bears a striking resem

L

blance to a celebrated performer at the opera, who in one of the Italian cities was actually compelled to submit to a demonstration similar to that with which the citizens of Dublin treated the Hon. Mrs. Yelverton. A portrait also of a leading manager is added, though from the evidence, I fail to see that he is in any way connected with the case. Now, what can be the good of such a method of illustrating works; leaving quite out of question its honesty? If I remember aright, during the Palmer trial a portrait of Mr. Cobden did duty for that distinguished criminal. Very pleasant this must have been to Mr. Cobden and his friends; but the general public got no truer notions than they had before. Such things as these destroy all faith in pictorial representation, and yet pictorial representation is a great help to the understanding men and things. At any rate as supplementary to verbal representation it is of the highest worth; yet with our present mode of illustration we sow the seeds of a scepticism which must paralyze all historical inquiry. Our posterity, I fear, will have but a poor opinion of us. They will feel inclined to attribute to us universal dishonesty, as they read how our food and drink, our raiment and furniture, all that we buy and sell, even silver and gold, were doctored and made up to appear as other than they were. Great fun on one occasion was made of Sidney Smith and Wordsworth, who, in praising the bust, as they deemed, of some great sage of antiquity, discovered in it all the cardinal virtues. The bust was not that of a sage, but a rogue. But we are making our posterity liable to a repetition of such blunders on the most gigantic scale. The truth is, we are living too much for appearance and effect. In all society the evil exists; but it seems to have reached its climax amongst bookmakers and artists. The Times correspondent, on the marriage of the Princess Royal, drew a most touching picture of the tears and sobs, at a certain moment, of the royal mother and daughter. The picture was touching, and only required one thing to make it effective, and that was-truth. Actually nothing of the kind was visible. Thus is it the columns of what used to be the best conducted critical journal in the world, are enlivened with slang, and that we have a whole herd of writers, seemingly subject to severe spasms. They err greatly who think to gain any end in art of any kind by the sacrifice of truth. Honesty is the best policy" in art as well as in life; but how can the art be honest, in which everything is sacrificed to smartness, or how can the painting a picture he so when the one thing aimed at is effect? Men who in dark ovens in Westminster tone down modern paintings into genuine Corregios and Titians are great rascals; and so are they who publish representations of events and persons, or criticisms on men and books on a similar principle. The present feverish taste cannot, it is to be hoped, last long. Already we see indications of returning good sense. There are but few men who care to practise roguery when they find it does not pay.

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One effect of illustrated literature must not be lost sight of in its tendency to break down sectarianism in politics, or literature, or religion. An illustrated periodical to be successful requires a very large circulation; consequently, on all subjects it must take the broadest possible tone, and avoid the utterance of what is narrow and one-sided. We have advanced in Catholicism wonderfully during the last few years. Sibthorpe was the last Tory extant, and as to Chartism no one now ever breathes its name. Fifteen years ago how fierce were newspapers; how bitter were political opponents! What ranting demagogues moved the public mind! Now one is puzzled to tell the difference between a Conservative-Liberal or a Liberal-Conservative, and their organs on either side are either dead or dying. Partly this better state of things is the result of education, and chief amongst educational influences is Illustrated Literature.

Life Assurance.

BY GEORGE FREDERICK PARDON.

GREAT as is the value of life-assurance, it is, unfortunately, too much neglected. The wealthy and well-to-do have generally the forethought to provide for their families; but the struggling clerk, who lives up to his income, and strives to make his wife and daughters keep up a genteel appearance-who endeavours, flimsy as the artifice usually is, to make a salary of one hundred a year look like two, and always fails in the attempt-and poor professional men and tradesmen, who are obliged, positively obliged, by the exigencies of their various callings, to appear richer than they really are,these are the people who neglect Life Assurance; and these are the people for whom it is more especially needful, and to whom it proves of most real advantage. Mechanics, and the better sort of labourers, are usually more provident in this respect than the class immediately above them; for they have their clubs and benefit societies, their Odd Fellows' and Foresters' lodges, their Druids', Old Friends', and Birmingham Brothers' meetings ;--in fact, the whole economy of these excellent institutions, imperfect though some of them may be, have for their end and object the helping each other in sickness, and providing a decent funeral for a deceased member, or member's wife. Besides, the wives and children of the artizan class are more apt at "getting their own living ;" and the sudden misery and destitution which occurs upon the death of a so-called "independent" and "respectable" clerk, or professional man, seldom happens with them. Nevertheless, life-assurance is as valuable to the artizan as to the clerk; and we propose drawing the attention of both to some of the advantages offered by the system.

The cases in which Life Assurance is attended with beneficial results are too numerous to need more than the slightest reference. If a man has a wife and children dependent upon him for support, a small sum set aside from his regular income will secure to them a provision at his death; where married persons have a jointure, annuity, or pension, depending upon either of their lives, by insuring the life of the one entitled to such annuity, the other may secure a competency after death shall have taken him on whom the interest depended; an individual desirous of borrowing money may insure his life, and thus give the lender security for the sum obtained; if a creditor be in danger of losing his debt, he may insure the life of the debtor, and thus render repayment certain; a person possessed of an annual income only may, on marriage, secure such a sum by way of settlement upon his wife as shall render his loss less severe than if he left her to the chances of poverty and the world. A man may commence business with the fairest prospects, but a few years may find his wife a widow, and his children fatherless: Life Assurance almost remedies the evil. These are a few of the instances in which Assurance upon Life may be rendered of incalculable advantage. In fact, to all those who wish to make a provision for their wives and families-professional men, merchants, tradesmen, and mechanics-Life Assurance offers a cheap, safe, and most certain method. How many helpless and destitute would have been rescued from misery-how many a widow would have been saved the pain of blaming her dead husband-how many daughters would have blessed, instead of reproached, the memory of their dear father in the grave-had that husband and father been more mindful of the day when he should be parted from them.

The experience of men is daily convincing them of the necessity which exists for obtaining this security for the benefit of those they leave behind; and when we examine the principles on which it is based, and scrutinize their bearings upon the moral and social condition of mankind, we are unable to discover any reasons which ought to prejudice the mind against it, or observe the slightest tendency it possesses towards the introduction of fraud or evil practices.

In a disordered state of society, where the administration of the law is too feeble and ineffective to provide perfect safety to life and property, Life Assurance, unless confined to very narrow limits, might be dangerous; but in a community like ours, where stern justice is certain to overtake the wrong. doer, and where the laws are respected and observed, and the passions and feelings governed and controlled by considerations of morality and the public good, it is eminently calculated to insure the most important benefits. The prejudices which exist-or rather did exist-against it, on the ground that it trifles with the decrees of Providence, by setting a price upon the solemn event of death, are without the least foundation in reason or good sense, and hardly deserve serious consideration. These prejudices arise from a want of due deliberation and reflection of the true principles on which the world is governed. What infringement of morality or religion is committed by an individual who pays a small yearly sum, that his family may enjoy a humble competence at his death? Is it any presumption towards his Maker, if a man endeavours to make an event, which must inevitably produce mourning and unhappiness, fall on his dear wife and children as lightly as possible? Can there be any impiety in his looking forward to his dissolution, and "setting his house in order" against the day when it shall arrive ?-or will it be pretended that he shows less love to those who are near and dear to him in life by rendering his death less painful, and taking, as it were, the sting out of grief? We think not.

Where is the moral distinction between insuring a ship for a voyage, with a hundred souls on board, and insuring the life of an individual? In either case the loss may depend upon equally uncertain and contingent circumstances: the lightnings of heaven, the billows of the sea, or the rocks that lurk beneath it, may destroy the vessel, and death may be the portion of every person on board. The event thus insured against is productive of the most dreadful consequences, while insurance upon the life of a single individual contemplates a result in which the safety of that one person only is involved.

Another objection is, that a man may realize a larger sum by laying by the surplus profits of his trade. So he may, if he live to carry out his intentions: but he may die before he has added a year's surplus to the fund; whereas, if he insure his life, he is by so much the richer, in fact, as soon as he has paid the first premium. The advantage of the assurance system becomes, therefore, at once apparent. There is no certainty in life; there is no stability in trade; the one may decline, and the other may pass away as a shadow, ere the ultimatum be reached-ere the necessary means may be set aside; who shall say, then, that a man does his duty to his family who leaves them to the mercy of chance ?

Again, many persons decline to assure their lives on the ground that they are young, strong, and healthy, and may live to amass a sufficiency for the decent maintenance of their families. A few words will settle this part of the question. When any man can guarantee to himself health, long life, and the power of resisting temptation, contagion, and "the thousand ills that flesh is heir to," then, and then only, can such an argument be available. There is no time like the present; a good should not be delayed too long. A young man