whom they betray for emolument, may be compared to one species of vermin destroying another, and thus removing a nuisance.

In describing notorious characters, the young satirist must not only be circumspect while dwelling on the peculiarities of the individual, but even sparing in the use of asterisks. They are the galaxy of an Attorney General, and by throwing light on the subject may turn a mere scintillation of the imagination into a most false and malicious libel. Indeed, such is the opulence and luxury of the English nation, that in sketching the foibles or vices of one extravagant personage, the satirist may be said to be describing a thousand. For instance, the fashionable rage for driving, notwithstanding the dissolution of the ridiculous Whip-Club, may be censured with propriety in the disastrous exhibition of one of their successors, Sir John Hairbrain, Bart. Not long since, Sir John drove his sociable, four in hand, through Bond-street, in the afternoon, when that thoroughfare of vanity was thronged by the gay, the fashionable, and the proud sons and.. daughters of opulence. His servant sat at Sir John's left hand, with his arms folded, enjoying a comfortable day-dream; while Lady Hairbrain appeared in the vehicle with a majestic air of superiority. One of the handmaids of Pomona, fresh

from sweet St. Giles's with her wheelbarrow laden with the produce of the English orchard, and the foreign orangery, suddenly crossed the street; the horses took fright at her discordant screams, and set off at full speed over the poor woman, ran against a scavenger's cart, and pitched the beautiful and accomplished Lady Hairbrain into the accumulated filth of several streets;. while Sir John himself fell on the pavement, and broke both a leg and an arm; and the agreeable dream of his unfortunate servant was interrupted by a fall into the street. It is to be hopeds that such a deplorable accident, which had nearly been the death of a whole family, will make gentlemen who are ambitious to shine as dexterous charioteers, somewhat more circumspect in the display of talents which may cost them their lives. A few days practice on Wimbledon Common, or in Hyde Park, would be an excellent preparative; as a fall on the turf would be unattended with any danger, except, perhaps, a trifling dislocation of the neck, or the rupture of a blood vessel; while, on the other hand, the loss of the equilibrium in the streets of London, might be attended with several concomitant and incidental dangers; such as being dashed to pieces on the pavement, or trampled on while down, by the horses of some hackney coachman.

M

The student in satire, by observations on real life, will soon perceive the general prevalence of false pretences to merit, which are supported in London by various modes of imposition on popu lar credulity. In this great capital, where every art seems to have nearly reached the zenith of excellence, the art of Puffing has been more generally and successfully practised than any other. The art of commendation is always employed as the harbinger, and often as the handmaid, of all the fine and polite arts which embellish society. Yet, however convenient or pleasing its blandishments may prove; like other flatterers, its deceptive praises prevent the exertion of those latent qualities in the individual, which if properly developed, might have realized that merit with which it endeavours to decorate vanity and indolence. The deception of puffing is often fraudulent, and sometimes dangerous. Like the shameless quack who presents his high priced and inefficacious potion to the lips of infirmity, under the imposing name of cordial balm of Gilead, or vegetable syrup, false praise deludes its dupe into fatal security, and certain error. This general deceiver of the public, eventually deludes even the impostor, who avails himself of the false praise circulated by the medium of a venal press; yet the player, the artist, and even

the author, are too apt to indulge the security of indolence, and entrust their reputation to this false dispenser of temporary fame.

That inferior performers on the public stage, daubers in the art of painting, and poetasters and compilers, should avail themselves of the aid of puffing is natural, for their pretensions, like the charms of a painted lady, daily require cosmetic aid; but when we see persons of genius and enti nence stoop to such low, and it may even be said such dishonest expedients to beguile the public, the evil strikes at the root of future improvement. The buffooneries of a posture-master, the capers of a dancer, and the persuasions of an auction eer, or a vender of lottery-tickets, may require the deceptious aid of a puff; but science and native genius ought never to descend from their real elevation, to decorate themselves with the rainbow hues of evanescent glory, and purchase able praise.

Yet it may be proper here to inform the young student in satirical composition, that most, if not all the pretensions of our successful versifiers, and some of our prose writers too, depend upon the reiterated puffs by which their publications have been ushered into the world.

Novelty has been the principal attractive in Scott's poetical productions; who with a dext terity seldom equalled, availed himself of the

daring adventures of border robbers, and Highland assassins; and by a judicious intermixture of Erse names with old English, occasionally gave an air of original obscurity to his style and ideas, which was mistaken for sublimity. His rhymes are frequently dissonant or harsh; many of them that are tolerable to a Scottish ear, will not bear the test of English pronunciation; and many of the exclamations are at once barbarous, ludicrous, and absurd. His principal merit consists in animated sketches of rural scenery; nor is he deficient in the art of occasionally gratifying his reader, by a description of an affecting incident. He owes much of his popularity to the revival of those ideas of adventurous heroism, which prevailed in the days of chivalry; even the terms connected with ancient fortification, the Tower-the Dungeon-keep-the Halland all the accompaniments of the feudal ages, are brought into play; and the author artfully, and successfully, introduces scenes of courtly pomp, and amorous as well as chivalrous gallantry into his pieces. Thus he keeps up that pleasing illusion of the fancy, in which consists the excellence of descriptive poetry.

Such are the principal merits and demerits, of the most popular poet of the day; but whoever shall look for a moral in his voluminous ballads,. will be disappointed. Morality seems to be a very