I still cultivated music, principally because no better employment presented itself; but then, from my connexion with him, I took to visiting the barracks a great deal too often, to hear the music, see the parade, and to practice the broadsword with one of the corporals, from whom it was, lucky probably that I learned nothing worse. Indeed, if I had been left at this period to choose for myself, I should have thought it the finest thing imaginable to enlist as a dragoon. But, as soon as this was known at home, my visits to the barracks were put a stop to, and then my military mania soon went off of itself. I was allowed, however, occasionally to spend my evenings in the orchestra of the theatre, by the side and under the eye of Herr Schuster, who earnestly begged this favour for me, and whose situation allowed him the opportunity of affording me this amusement. In the mean time, I spent my time, as time is generally spent by lads without occupation, and who, though not old enough to do much good abroad, are quite old enough to do a great deal of mischief at home. I played the most unlucky pranks, and gave way to the most whimsical freaks; I was in strict league with the maid to day, and at open enmity with her to-morrow; I kept canary birds and guinea pigs; then I was day dreaming, and desiring nothing so much as to be wrecked on a desolate island, like Robinson Crusoe, where I was to find all the necessaries and luxuries of life, with plenty of gunpowder to shoot savages; this set me to letting off fireworks; then I mounted the stilts of tragedy, during which time, being much stage-struck, I used to array myself like a Tom o' Bedlam, in bed curtains and table cloths, and spout passages of plays; then, as if to emulate the degradation of the drama, I descended to juggling and tumbling. In a quieter mood I reared silkworms and spiders, and did much to increase civilization and industry amongst the race of mice, by teaching them to draw carts and work on little treadmills; I took hideous deathlike caricatures in plaster of Paris, from the faces of the very few companions I was allowed to have, in the course of which I nearly blinded one, and almost suffocated another; till at last, giving way to an irresistible ardour for the cause of science, I resorted to chemistry, in the pursuit of which I burnt my clothes with vitriol, frightened the maid out of her wits with phosphorus, poisoned the cat, blew a saucepan up the chimney, and nearly set the house on fire in endeavouring to manufacture water. If any one doubts whether I procured sufficient money to enable me to put all these vagaries in practice, I should say that such a person must either have been an orphan at a very early age, or else never had a mother.

In the midst, however, of all these follies, my mother was

deeply, nay, intensely interested that I should preserve a proper pride. "My dearest boy," she would say, "although fortune has frowned upon your father and myself, there is no reason in the world why you should not in time regain your proper station in society. Only be particular in your associates and habits; do not forget the honourable principles that have been instilled into your mind, and above all, never lose your self-respect; and the cloud which now hangs over you, will be so far from leaving a trace of its shadow, that though like an angry breath upon a mirror, it may dim its lustre for a moment, it will eventually pass away, and leave the surface as bright as before." This was united with much excellent advice to avoid idleness-a counsel which circumstances rendered it easier to listen to than to act upon; and for a considerable period I still continued in that condition of human life, which perhaps of all others is the most susceptible of mischievous impressions, I mean the condition of a hobbledehoy without employment.

During this time, our worthy neighbours doubtless had good reason, as they thought, to observe, for to observe was so easy, that it was all very well, they dared to say, for Mr. Morgan to keep a great hulking fellow at home doing nothing. If they were in Mr. Morgan's place, they said, they would do this, and they would do that; but as it happened that they were not in his place, they suffered things to go on as they did. At length, however, a plain, respectable middle-aged man, named Sewell, who used occasionally to make small purchases at our shop, and have a chat with my father over the counter, spoke to more purpose. " I say, Mr. Morgan," asked he in a plain, blunt way, "dont you mean to do something with that son of yours? He ought to be employed by this time: he is quite old enough." "Ah! Mr. Sewell," replied my father, "we desire nothing better; but when one has not money to spare, it is very difficult to find a youth employment. I cannot afford, as I could have wished, to bring him up to a profession, and even tradesmen require a greater premium than it is in my power to afford." "Well," said Sewell, "what is he fit for as it is? Can he write a good hand and keep accounts?" Upon this, my father went into a detail of the favourable auspices under which I had commenced this branch of my education, preparatory to my entering the bank; to which Sewell listened attentively, but soon went away without making any further remark.

Two or three days after this conversation, he again made his appearance, and said at once, "I think, Mr. Morgan, I know of something that would suit your young man. To be sure you must not expect much money, if any at all; but any thing, you know, is better than his being idle. The situation I have in

D

26

A Winter's Day and Night.

view for him, if agreeable to you, is that of clerk in a wine merchant's office. The lady's name is Macfarlan; I say the lady's name, because her husband is nobody. You understand'the gray mare is the better horse.' Their clerk has just quitted them for some discontent; and, so, if you like, your son may be settled to-morrow."

This offer was deemed worthy of consideration; and, after some discussion, my father being satisfied of the respectability of the proposer, decided that I should accept it. As for myself, my feelings were partly repugnance, partly apprehension; but, on the whole, I was excited by the novelty. I did not sleep very well that night, and when I did, I dreamt that I was the Duke of Clarence drowned in a butt of malmsey.

The next morning, a little before nine o'clock, Sewell called for me, and we walked till we arrived at a tall house, in the neighbourhood of Knightsbridge, the door of which was opened by a dingy footman, with a considerable assumption of grandeur, by whom we were ushered into a large, high pitched room, very scantily and ill furnished, and without any drapery to the windows. In the middle of this room, just in front of the fire-place, we were aware of a tall bony woman, not very far from fifty, with a quantity of sandy hair tossed up together in great confusion, under a rumpled cap, with a blue striped gown hanging about her, loosely gathered in round the waist by a band. From her hand was swinging a vast newspaper, and, as she stood with her arms a-kimbo, and her feet wide apart, she looked, but for her petticoats, like a dismounted dragoon just about to go through the cavalry sword exercise.

(To be continued.)

A WINTER'S DAY AND NIGHT.

AS SUPPOSED TO BE DESCRIBED BY A LANCASHIRE RUSTIC.

First comes the white bearded frost at morn,
Next comes the red sun, bald and shorn,
Then comes the sleet, and then comes the snow,
And then, o'er the winter-fields howling doth go,
The dark cold wind forlorn.

What do I see at the broad mid-day?.
Wild birds a flocking to fly away;
Brown hare is sitting close under the fern,
Pheasants in cover feed, fowls by the barn;
Calf doth in crib lie, the kine in their bay,
Dickon is thrashing that weary wet day;
Dame is at spinning wheel, Mal butter makes,
Betty brews Kesmus ale, Dorothy bakes;

Cross-mark the dough, and the cream, and the malt,
So that if witch should come, back she must halt.
Heigh then for jannocks o' barley and rye!
Heigh for a smoking hot potatoe pie!

Heigh for the brewing of humming brown ale!
Where there's good meat and drink, work will not fail.

What do I mark at the waning of day? Sun, like a truant, goes roundabout way, Down by the south he hangs cloudy and shy, As if heaven's mid arch were too wide, and too high. But 'ere he meet the sea's weltering streams, Will he not turn again with his bright beams? Purple and molten gold 'neath him are spread; Ruby and amber-light gleam over head. Oh! what a deluge of splendour he flings, Thousands of miles from his burning wide wings!

Now, as I gaze on that glory-lost sky,
Shadows of darkness around me do fly,

And witches are spanning the dolesome black clouds,
To rend into palls, and to shape into shrouds;
I'd better home again, lest it should be
That some of the hags begin spanning for me.
Goodly old psalm tune I'll hum by the way,
For strange things may hap at the close of the day.

Day hath departed, and here comes the night,
Clouds are fast riding, and stars glitter bright;
Some ope and twinkle, like eyes of fair gold,
Some are a ruby red, some pale and cold.
Oh! what a strewing of diamonds sheen
Spangles the robe of the night-walking queen!
Oh! what a path-way the Maker hath trod!
Stars are but dust in the footsteps of God.

Hark! what is sounding adown the broad sky?
From the blue-star regions cometh a sigh,
Voice of the troubled wind 'gins to bewail;
Wings of the mighty wind hitherward sail.
Now he comes howling, like ocean's sad roar,
On the lone verge of some desolate shore;
Now he is calling, both loud and forlorn,

For havock to mount and ride with him till morn.

Now he goes crying, like cradle-reft child;
Now whistles shrill, like a night-prowler wild;
Now doth he scream, like an eagle for prey;
Now, like a myriad of steeds, rush away.

I'll get me timeously over the moor;
Shut close my casement, and fasten my door.
Warlocks and night-hags may come on the blast;
I've a good horse-shoe they cannot get past.
Safe there, I'll ponder each notable sight,

I marked at morning, noon, evening, and night.

SAMUEL BAMFORD.

ANIMAL MAGNETISM.

A few months ago, we should have agreed in the description of Magnetism, which has been given, with more force than elegance, that "it was a piece of miserable humbug," but, within that period, we have witnessed phenomena, which have compelled us to pay to this supposed science a degree of respectful attention. We shall endeavour, therefore, with all due caution and candour, to give, first, the results of our own personal observations; and, next, the deductions, which may, we think, be legitimately drawn from them: our object being, not so much to express or enforce our own opinions, as to enable our readers, who may not have enjoyed our advantages, to form opinions for themselves, upon the fair and reasonable basis of well attested observation.

We shall not be surprised, if those, to whom the subject is new, should suspect, that, in asking their credence to our statements, we are making large demands upon their credulity. We are quite aware, that correct observation is the most difficult, as well as the most important part of every investigation; we are fully alive to the easiness of self-delusion, and have taken every precaution to guard ourselves against that, as well as against deception; and, as a further security against inaccuracy, have submitted our description of the phenomena to other observers, so that we feel more sure, that we have not overstated, than that we have not understated the real facts of the case.

Most of the experiments, which we have witnessed, have been those exhibited by M. Lafontaine in Manchester; we have seen others, but

NOTE. Our medical readers will perceive, that, in this article, we are indebted to the writings of Good, Eliotson, Abercrombie, Fletcher, and Naemist. We ought also to acknowledge hints, taken from remarks made during public and private conversations in Manchester, by M. Lafontaine, Mr. Braid, Mr. Catlow, Dr. Satterthwaite, Dr. Cantor, and others.