short of regeneration could have made him otherwise. He had a code of laws, & code of proprieties, a code of delicacies, all his own, and he had long languished for subjects to execute them upon."

But the flower of the flock is a cer

tain old maiden, by name Miss Pratt, a distant relation, and intolerable hanger-on, of the Rossville family. This is a portrait of the most exquisite merit-quite new-fresh-completeperfect-the best old maid, without exception, that has been drawn since the days of our never-to-be-forgotten friend Mrs Western, in Tom Jones. We have no hesitation in saying, that we look on Miss Pratt, take her all in all, as quite as good as that most masterly delineation; and having said this, we apprehend we have said enough. The whole brood of modern spinsters are dwarfed into insignificance by the appearance of this glorious specimen. So sharp, so selfish, so cunning, so straight-forward in the midst of everything that is crooked; so easily seen through, and yet so impossible to be put down-there never was such a gem and jewel in the whole race of the Sorners and the Bores.

"Good Heavens !' exclaimed one of the ladies, who had stationed herself at a window, Do look at this, Colonel Delmour!'

"And at the piercing exclamation, the whole party hastened to ascertain the cause. The phenomena appeared to be a hackney-chaise of the meanest description, which was displacing the splendid barouche, to the manifest mirth of the insolent menials who stood lounging at the door.

"Who can that be, I wonder?' asked Lady Betty.

"Mrs St Clair turned pale with terror lest it should be any of her bourgeois relations forcing their way.

"I conclude it must be our cousin Miss Pratt,' said the Earl, in some agitation, to Lady Millbank; and, while he spoke, a female head and hand were to be seen shaking and waving to the driver with eager gesticulation.

"And Mr Lyndsay, I vow!' exclaimed Miss Jemima Mildmay, throwing herself into a theatrical attitude of astonishment.

"The hack-chaise, with its stiff rusty horses, had now got close to the door, and the broken jinglings steps being lowered, out stepped a young man, who was immediately saluted with shouts of laugh

ter from the party at the window. He looked up and smiled, but seemed nowise disconcerted, as he stood patiently waiting for his companion to emerge.

"I hope they are to perform quarantine,' said Colonel Delmour.

ventry,' said Miss Augusta. "I vote for their being sent to Co

sive,' said Miss Maria, as she seized a "I prepare to stand upon the defensmelling-bottle from off the table.

"At length, Miss Pratt appeared, shaking the straw from her feet, and having alighted, it was expected that her next movement would be to enter the house; but they knew little of Miss Pratt, who thought all was done when she had reached her destination. Much yet remained to be done, which she would not trust either to her companion or the servants. She had, in the first place, to speak in a very sharp manner to the driver, on the condition of his chaise and horses, and to throw out hints of having him severely punished, inasmuch as one of his windows would not let down, and she had almost sprained her wrist in attempting it—and another would not pull up, though the wind was going through her head like a spear; besides having taken two hours and a quarter to bring them nine miles, and her watch was held up in a triumphant manner in proof of her assertion. She next made it a point to see with her own eyes every article pertaining to her (and they were not a few) taken out of the chaise, and to give with her own voice innumerable directions as to the carrying, stowing, and placing of her bags, boxes, and bundles. All these matters being settled, Miss Pratt then accepted the arm of her companion, and was now fairly on her way to the drawing-room. But people who make use of their eyes have often much to see even between two doors, and in her progress from the hall door to the drawing-room door, Miss Pratt met with much to attract her attention. True, all the objects were perfectly familiar to her, but a real looker, like a great genius, is never at a loss for subject-things are either better or worse since they saw them last-or if the things themselves should happen to be the same, they have seen other things either better or worse, and can, therefore, either improve or disprove them. Miss Pratt's head, then, turned from side to side a thousand times as she went along, and a thousand observations and criticisms about stair carpets, patent lamps, hall chairs, slab tables, &c. &c. passed through her crowded brain. At length, Miss Pratt and Mr Lyndsay were announced, and thereupon

suppressed sonorous hems, bespoke him as follows:

"Although I have not given much of my time or attention to the study of physiognomy, as I do not conceive it is one likely to be productive of beneficial results to society; yet I do not hesitate to admit the reality of those analogies of feature which may be, and undoubtedly are, distinctly'

"But there was no one to whom Miss Pratt was so unequivocal a pest as to Lord Rossville, for his lordship was a stranger to ennui-perhaps cause and effect are rarely combined in one person, and those who can weary others, possess a never-failing source of amusement in themselves. Besides, the Earl was independent of Miss Pratt, as he possessed a wide range for his unwearying wearying powers in his own family; for he could weary his steward—and his housekeeper -and his gamekeeper-and his coachman-and his groom, and his gardener, all the hours of the day, by perpetual fault-finding and directing. Perhaps, after all, the only uncloying pleasure in life is that of finding fault. The gamester may weary of his dice-the lover of his charmer-the bon-vivant of his bottle-the virtuoso of his vertu-but while this round world remains with all its imperfections on its head, the real fault-finder will never weary of finding fault. The provoking part of Miss Pratt was, that there was no possibility of finding fault with her. As well might Lord Rossville have attempted to admonish the brook that babbled past him, or have read lectures to the fly which buzzed round his head. For forty years Lord Rossville had been trying to break her in, but in vain. Much may be done, as we every day see, to alter and overcome nature: Ponies are made to waltz-horses to hand tea-kettles-dogs to read-birds to cast accounts-fleas to walk in harness; but to restrain the volubility of a female tongue, is a task that has hitherto defied the power of man. With so much of what may be styled dissonance in similarity, it may easily be imagined that Lord Rossville and Miss Pratt, even when most in unison, produced anything but harmony. Yet they only jarred-they never actually quarrelled, for they had been accustomed to each other all their lives-and while she laid all the rebuffs and reproofs she received to the score of bile, he tolerated her impertinence on account of blood."

We have not done with Miss Pratt yet; but in the meantime be pleased to contemplate for one moment the pendant which our authoress has furnished for this rich portraiture. Another old maid!-another entirely lusus naturæ-another creature whom we all know, and yet whom nobody ever dreamt of alluding to as in rerum natura until now.

"Miss Becky Duguid, as a single woman, had vainly expected to escape the cares and anxieties of the married state. She had heard and seen much of the indifference or the ill-humour of husbands

of the troubles and vexations of children and she thought, From these evils I am at least free;-1 can go where I like, do what I like, and live as I like. But poor Miss Becky soon found her mistake. Brothers and sisters marriednephews and nieces sprung up on all hands, each and all expecting to be distinguished by Aunt Becky's bounty, while every parent levied the most unconscionable taxes upon her time and capabilities. "Aunt Becky will give me this,' said one; you know she has no use for money.'

"Aunt Becky will do that,' said another, for she has always plenty of time.' "Aunt Becky will go there,' cried a third; she likes a long walk.'

"But even the labours imposed upon her by her own relations, were nothing compared to the constant demands made upon her by the world in general, i. e. by the whole circle of her acquaintances ;all under the idea, that, as a single woman, she could have nothing to do but to oblige her friends. When in town, her life was devoted to executing commissions from the country-inquiring the character of servants-hiring governesses and grooms

finding situations for wet nurses-getting patterns of pelisse cloths from every shop in town-trying to get old silks matched with new-gowns made-gauzes dyed-feathers cleaned-fans mended, &c. &c. &c. The letters always beginning, As I know you do not grudge your trouble, and will be walking about at any rate, I must beg the favour, when you are quite at leisure,' and so and so; and ending with, As I find I am really in want of the things, and the carrier leaves town on Thursday, I trust you will contrive to have everything ready by that time.' But one of the letters, dropped by Miss Becky in the course of her perambulations, will best illustrate this part of her personal narrative.

"MY DEAR MISS BECKY, "I take this opportunity of letting you know we are all tolerably well at present, and trust you continue to enjoy your usual good health. I return the tea you sent last, as we all think it very inferior to that you sent formerly; and as there has been rather a fall upon the price of teas, there can be no reason for such a falling off in the quality; and unless Candytuft can give something very superior at the same price, I would just return it, and try some other shop, and have nothing more to do with Candytuft. Eliza and Jane, with their best love, take this opportunity of sending in their old black velvet pelisses, which they wish you to consult Yellowleys the dyer about; they have been told that black velvet can be dyed either grass green, or bright crimson, and if Yellowleys can warrant their standing, they would prefer having them done a good rich crimson; but if not, they must just put up with a full green, as much on the grass, and off the bottle, as possible.

"I am sorry to tell you your protegée, Jenny Snodgrass, has turned out very ill. I find her lazy and idle, dirty, disobliging, and insolent, and not at all the person I was led to expect from your character of her. I must, therefore, trouble you to be on the look-out for another. You know it is not much I require of my servants; but there are some things it is impossible to dispense with, and which I must make a point of Of course, she must be perfectly sober, honest, conscientious, and trust-worthy, and in every respect unexceptionable in her morals. She must be stout, active, cleanly, civil, obliging, quiet, orderly, good-tempered, neat-handed, and particularly tidy in her person. All that I require of her is to be an excellent worker at her needle, a thorough washer and ironer, and a generally useful and accommodating servant. Margaret sends her affectionate remembranee, and when you are at leisure, requests you will order a pair of stays for her from Brisbane's as soon as possible, as she is in great want. She sends a pair of old ones for a pattern, but they don't fit; you must tell him, they are both too tight and too short, and shoulder-straps too narrow by a full strawbreadth. The old busk, she thinks, may do, or if it should be too short, perhaps you may be able to get it exchanged for one longer. As Flint the gun-smith's is no great distance from Brisbane's, John would be much obliged to you when you are there, if you would step to him, and tell him that he is going to send his gun to have the lock mended, and to be sure VOL. XV.

to have it done in the most complete manner, and as soon as he possibly can, as the shooting season is coming on. When done, he may send it to you, with a couple of pounds of gunpowder, and a bag of small shot, No. 5. As the holiday time is coming on, we may look for the boys some of these days, and, (if it is not putting you to any inconvenience,) as the coach stops, you know, at the Blue Boar, perhaps you will have the goodness to have your Nanny waiting at the office for them; and if you can manage to keep them till Monday, it will be adding to the favour; but they will require constant watching, as you know what romps they

are.

I do not expect to be confined before the 29th at soonest; so if you can manage to come to us betwixt and the 20th, it will be very agreeable to us all, I assure you. I was in hopes I should not have had any more to trouble you with at present, but upon hearing that I was writing to you, Tom begs me to say, that he wishes very much to get some good fly-hooks for trout-fishing, four red cocks' hackle-body, four black green plover's-tuft, with a light starling's-wing body, and four brown woodcocks'-wing, and hare's-foot body. I hope you will be able to read this, as I assure you it has cost me some labour to write it from Tom's diction. He desires me to add you will get them best at Phin's, fishingrod-maker, at the east end of the High Street, fifth door up the second stair on the left hand; you will easily find it, as there is a large pasteboard trout hanging from the end of a fishing-rod for a sign. He also wants a pirn of fishing-line, and a few good stout long-shanked bait-hooks. If you happen to see your friend Miss Aitken, you may tell her the turban you ordered for me is the very same of one she made for me two years ago, and which I never liked. I have only worn it once, so perhaps she will have no objections to take it back, and make me a neat, fashionable cap instead. I am afraid you will think us very troublesome, but I know you do not grudge a little trouble to oblige your friends. Mr Goodwilly and the young people unite with me in best wishes; and I remain, my dear Miss Duguid,

"Yours most sincerely,
"GRACE GOODWILLY.

"P. S.-Eliza and Jane beg you will send them some patterns of summer-silks, neither too light nor too dark, both figu red and plain, with the different widths and prices, and also that you would inquire what is the lowest price of the hand4 R