conceived a disgust of her own person, when she beheld the lovely model. "You have, Sir," said she, "preserved my likeness, and at the same time given me the perfections of a Venus: there are fifty louis d'ors for your trouble."

The painter gone, she gazed on the picture with a jealous admiration. Why has nature denied me the gifts of beauty, and not the gifts of fortune? What blooming cheeks are those! What an immaculate skin is there! What vigour and health are seated in that countenance!" But she soon recollected, that the most pathetic exclamations would not avail to the removal of their causes; she therefore resolved to remedy these defects by artifice, by female artifice. The first thing she went upon was to conceal her deformity, by stuffing her stays: she next had recourse to rouge and lake; and having quickly procured a tête, and a set of artificial teeth and eyebrows, she spent many anxious days at her toilet, in hopes to rival her shadow, and to cut a figure in the beau monde. Well, she exceeded beyond her expectation, appeared at the places of public resort, was complimented by people of rank and fortune, as a young lady of exquisite sense and beauty, some of whom gave her frequent invitations to their houses, where she never failed to gain admirers; and if she had had the discretion to keep her coquettish airs within due bounds, might have linked any of them with Hymen's band, particularly the Marquis of was enamoured with her to the highest degree.

who

Whilst she was in this career of glory, a most. unfortunate accident cut it short, and exposed her to the most consummate ridicule for being at a card assembly, in which her dying swain was present, a gnat, had the cruelty to perch itself just over her eyebrow. She inconsiderately raised her hand to brush it off, and in so doing turned one of her eyebrows topsy-turvy, so that it formed an angle with the other. Nobody at the table had the presence of mind to fling a handkerchief over her face, and whisper her to withdraw. The report spread as instantaneously as lightning, not only throughout the assembly, but the town.Peals of laughter shook the house for an hour; the power of speaking seemed lost, and she was the only one who knew not the cause of this sudden confusion: though she desired to be informed, no one would satisfy her. At last, finding she could not force herself to partake of the general joy, she prudently retired home, for fear of appearing singular or ridiculous.

Lines by Addison. Not printed in his Works. Secluded from the world, oh! let me dwell,

With contemplation—in this lonely cell;

By mortal eye unseen.

I will explore

The various works of Nature's bounteous store;
Revisit oft each flower, whose blossoms fair,
With fragrant sweets, perfume the ambient air;
Pry into every shrub, and mark its way,

From birth to growth, from growth to sure decay;

Or else, with humble thoughts, my eyes I'll bend,
And view the near resemblance of my end.
Then think of death, and of eternal days,
Learn how to die, my Maker how to praise!
All ways despise that draw my mind from this;
Here strive to gain an endless age of bliss.

Disappointment.

On the lone, solitary strand,

The shipwreck'd wanderer oft does listless stray, Pondering upon his friends and native land,

Now from his eyes remov'd far, far away; And in the shifting clouds, at close of day, Fondly imagines forms of succour nigh, Deluded by the mists that idly play

Amid the fervour of the evening sky.

So I, sad pilgrim, in life's dreary scene,

Goaded by Disappointment's keenest stings, Still trust in the flatterer, Hope;-still trust, nor ween, She but her gaudiest tints and colours brings To warm some glowing scene of distant joys— Some picture rich in sunshine prospects fair, Which sad reality too oft destroys,

Dissolves each golden vision into air,

And leaves, ah, me! her dupe--a victim still to care.

Anecdote relative to Tom Jones.-When Fielding had finished his novel, being much distressed he sold it to an obscure bookseller, for 25l. on condition of being paid on a certain given day. In the mean time, he shewed the

MS. to Thomson, the poet, who was immediately struck with its great merit, and advised Fielding by all means to get free from the bargain, which he did without much difficulty, as the bookseller was not capable of estimating the value of his purchase. Thomson recommended the work to Andrew Millar, and the parties met at a tavern over a beef-steak and a bottle. Millar began by saying, "Mr. Fielding, I always determine on affairs of this sort at once, and never change my offer. I will not give one farthing more than two hundred pounds." "Two hundred pounds!" cries Fielding. "Yes," says the other," and not one farthing more." Fielding, whose surprise arose from joy, and not disappointment, shook him by the hand, sealed the bargain, and ordered in two bottles of wine.

Millar got a very large sum by the sale of the book. He at different times during his life, assisted Fielding with 2500l. which debt he cancelled in his will.

Epigram.

Our life is but a winter's day;

Some only breakfast, and away.

Others, to dinner stay, and are full fed;
The oldest man, but sups, and goes to bed.
Large is his debt, who lingers out the day;
Who goes the soonest, has the least to pay.

Extemporaneous Effusion, on seeing the Birth-place of Robert Burns, the Ayreshire Poet.

A painted monitor* now meets the eye,

Where Ayrshire's gifted bard his breath first drew;
The sight, like magic, caught me passing by,
And caus'd sensations exquisite as new.

"Blest be the spot, where Scotia's choicest flow'r
"Its charms unfolded to the light of day!"
My soul exclaim'd-" upon whose natal hour
"The sun of genius shed its brightest ray!"

I paus'd-and then, with reverential awe,
Enter'd the cot where once the wonder dwelt;
And while his pictur'd semblance there I saw,
My heart successive strong emotions felt.
Enchantment's chain awhile my senses bound:
Aerial forms around me seem'd to float;
Methought I heard his past'ral pipe resound,
Sweet as the warbling woodland's vernal note.

Coila, adorn'd in beauty's green attire,

Attended by her nymphs and Naiads fair; Lugar's weird sisters, Cassillis' fairy choir,

And those that haunt the banks of Doon and Ayr;

Kirk-Alloway's witches, Tam O'Shanter's bale,
In fleet succession rise before my view;
And as Illusion's plastic powers prevail,

Death, Hornbook, and Auld Nick were present too.

* In the little village of Alloway stands the cottage in , `which Burns was born. It is pointed out to the notice of travellers, by an inscription painted on a board, which is affixed to the wall. The cottage itself is now converted into an ale-house; and there is a painted likeness of the poet in the parlour.