do even now really manage publick affairs, and may as well have the credit of it, for many of them in most respects govern their husbands, who have the controul of political matters only ostensibly.

All the aforesaid considerations, and a multitude of others, Mrs. Busybody urges with extraordinary violence and positiveness of manner and language, accompanied by a pettishness and surliness of look rarely equalled, the general expression of the countenance being at the same time such as not to give the by-stander a very favourable idea of the exuberance of her charity towards the unhappy wight who is so unfortunate as to differ in sentiment from her own dear self. She is sometimes however put into a somewhat ludicrous situation by such of her opponents as are aware of her peculiar iritability of disposition. Their first effort when they find her rather warmly engaged is to worry her a little, that her temper may become ruffled, which is always accomplished in a few moments. Then after spluttering and stammering a while, she is completely unable to proceed; and her waggish opponent makes off in triumph, convulsed with laughter.

Mrs. Busybody, as is usually the case with such personages, is so taken up by public matters, that she is entirely unable to attend to the concerns of her family, even to her own clothes -to say nothing of those of her husband and children. This readily accounts for the general slovenliness of her dress, particularly of her stockings, the usual appearance of which forcibly reminds one of the consequences of neglecting that home、 ly proverb, a stich in time saves nine.

"Her toes perchance are out her shoe,
Yet she's a patriot through and through;
Her lungs can for her party roar

As loud as twenty men or more."

So extensive is her interest in political affairs that the concerns of little Connecticut are insufficient to Occupy her voracious Charybdian attention. She is in a constant worry about the measures of neighbouring governments. Her mind has been much occupied and harassed during the last spring by the election campaign in New-York. I shal

never forget her mortifying predicament a short time since : After a long period of the most agonizing suspense about the success of the aforesaid election-her spirits having already been several times alternately elevated and depressed by contradictory accounts as to its result-she had just discovered a newspaper, that gave the first certain intelligence on the subject. The paper and a pinch of snuff in her left hand, with her right she snatched up the candle, threw herself into the nearest chair, and her eyes were instantaneously fixed on the interesting paragraph:-her attention is riveted-her mind completely absorbed-when behold! volumes of smoke and flame burst forth from her rich but tarnished head-dress

Lambit flamma comas et circum tempora pascitur

The fire attacks her greasy cap and curls

And round her pate in smoky eddies whirls

Away'she scampered-down went the paper, snuff, candie, curls, and all; and the poor woman came well nigh being burnt to death, and actually would have been burnt to death, had it not been for a friendly pail of water standing hard by, which was in a twinkling emptied upon her head.

This unlucky event has already considerably cooled her political ardour, and will probably, as is sincerely to be hoped, be of permanent benefit to her.

Gentle reader! if you are a single man; would you be wil ling to marry such a woman? If you are married; do you desire your partner to possess a character like this? I anticipate your reply: Then my fair readers, both married and single! let me intreat you to beware of the ugly bewitching subject of politicks; and whenever you feel the least tendency that way, remember, I pray you, Mrs. TABITHA BUSYBODY, the she-politician.

It was our intention to sketch, by way of contrast, the character of Mrs. Tidy, the good housewife, who discharges with dignified ability, the duties appropriate to her station; but our limits will not permit. We shall therefore conclude, by solemnly averring that what we have said is meant for no individual, or individuals in particular; but for all politicians in general, male and female. Consequently, if any appropriate it to themselves; it is their doings-not ours.

THE EYE-LID.

Soft velvet lid, that shades the living spring
Where flows the stream of sensibility-
Where meek-ey'd loves in gentle ambush lie
And graces flutter round on glittering wing!
Why o'er that sparkling fount thy curtain fling?-

Why hide the lustre of that ebon eye,

While Sylphs on filmy pinions hover nigh

And fairies trip around in frolic ring.

C.

***Timothy Steadfast shall have place.

Peter Keen shall appear as soon as our present engagements are discharged.

MICROSCOPE,

EDITED

BY A FRATERNITY OF GENTLEMEN.

"Tros Tyriusque mihi nullo discrimine agetur."Virg.

VOL. II.

NEW-HAVEN:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY

A. H. MALTBY & CO.

No. 4, Glebe-Building

1820

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