we magnify in importance, and at last regard as indispensable. To confound what may happen, in certain circumstances, to be of collateral value, and give contingent aid, with what is inseparable from a due estimation of a matter, is an error men are prone to commit. To confuse the moisture which may cling to the side of a vessel with an estimate of its cubic capacity, is a blunder the most stupid will hardly commit in physics; but its equivalent is often fallen into in the measurement of nearly balanced capacities, for the decision of a controversy. But go on, Sir." "On other points even of opinion," I resumed, "and as regards almost all that comes under the head of actual observation, after making a due allowance for the difficulties under which you laboured, I have met with Highlanders, even in the course of my present journey, who did homage to your acuteness and love of truth, often, indeed, expressing wonder that in so short a time, and in a rainy season— -[and you so unwieldy, aside,]-and without any knowledge of the language of the people, you should have seen so much-listened so well-and described so faithfully. They candidly admitted that, Until recently, the meaning of the word comfort was not known in the Highlands, and the body of the people were not more than half fed-a dram and a bit of cake serving a shepherd on the hill till the evening meal.'” Ha, ha! It is well, Sir; but you hesitated and grumbled, Sir, in the middle of your sentence. What would you have said, Sir? Out with it." I confess at this I eyed the oak stick with some degree of suspicion, and would gladly have preferred that the Dr. had been then seated in his old quarters, which we were then passing, in the island of Raasay, or, still farther from me, even in "Boyd's Inn, head of the Canongate," or "The Saracen's Head," Glasgow; * but I stammered out something about the state of the roads, and the difficulty of procuring Highland horses of bulk sufficient to sustain one of his weight.

66

He seemed highly diverted at my having thought it necessary to allude to these in Sotto voce, and, eyeing his jolly rotundity, he seated himself upon one of the sofas in the apartment, and resumed, "I will not say, Sir, that I am glad to hear such statements as those you have just made. More unlooked for circumstances

* See Boswell's Tour.

than the eventual predominancy of correct views and well-founded opinions, can hardly elevate me above the level of self-satisfaction. Yet, Sir, it pleases me. He who can be insensible to the value of justice, even if it has been long delayed, has ceased to be aware of the evils of either having it refused to himself, or of denying it to others. But, Sir, you would have me to believe that you have written down your observations on these coincidences between recorded opinion and presently prevailing sentiments. Let us have them, Sir; let us have them. That mind must be weak indeed which cannot impart to the daily interest and variety of a journal something that may repay the trouble of glancing over its pages, Sir. They who have traversed the route may have pleasure in retracing their steps, and those who would wish to do so, feel a pleasure in the anticipation the illusion of thus travelling at second hand seems to embody and sustain. Let us have it, Sir. Let us have it, you dog!'

was so delighted, odd as it may appear, with the concluding expressions of this command-recollecting the pleasure such a phrase would have imparted. to Jemmy Boswell's little soul-that, without waiting to ascertain the precise extent of this mandate or request, or even to inquire whether the ex cathedra plurality of number in the expression of it was meant to embrace more than the worthy Doctor himself, who, if any individual was ever entitled to use the impersonal, "we," of authoritative opinion, was surely the man,-I huddled on my drawers, and ran up stairs to bring out from my knapsack the written memorandums to which he did me the honour to allude. I had placed them there when preparing to embark for the vessel I now was on board of, else they would have been close beside the copy of his own Journey," and so within reach of my hand without leaving the apart ment. That I did so must ever be a subject of regret, for, on returning in a minute or two at most, with the Journal in my hand, I found that the sofa upon which the venerable if unwieldy figure of the " Great Rambler" had reposed, was empty, and I thus was alone, and, what was worse, left in an uncertainty as to whether he wished me to print, or only desired individually to glance over my Journal. This dubiety-such is my modesty, while there remains a shadow of doubt as to his meaningmust withhold me from committing it to the press. Should I, in another dream, however, be honoured with his

presence and commands, I shall not hesitate to avail myself of the one to solve my doubts, and, when these are set at rest, to obey the other.

THE DISINHUME D.

["The body of a man has been found in a bog, in the county of Galway. The bog was about ten feet and a half deep, and the body lay about nine feet below its surface. It had all the appearance of recent death when first discovered. The face was that of a young man of handsome features and foreign aspect; and his hair, which was long and black, hung loosely over his shoulders. His dress was composed of the skin of some animal. He had no weapon; but near him, at each side of the body, was found a long staff or pole which, it was supposed, he had used for the purpose of bounding over the streams. It is conjectured that the body was that of one of the Belgic inhabitants of Ireland."—Glasgow Mechanics' Magazine.]

Long lost!-lamented, too-there needs no doubt,

When thou wert lapped in earth's cold shroud unseen,
Which now is first stripped off, and thou'rt without
The covering that these thousand years hath been
Thy hiding-place; first from the searchings keen
Of wailing love that sought thee oft untold;

Then from the eyes of wearied time, I ween,
Which, since thou wert, hath felt itself grow old,
Whilst thou unwrinkled slept, as centuries unrolled !
And now, like an inscription which hath lain
In the dry desert of the Arab's land,
Without one letter lost-one weather-stain-
In chiseled freshness from the workman's hand,
So long that even tradition's flexile wand

Can trace no meaning in its mystic lines

The tongue forgot whose symbol these did stand,— That thou wert man is all our skill divines,

And that thy natal sun on us undimmed still shines.

These agile fashioned limbs-those tresses long,
Dark as thy destiny, bespeak thee young;

Though millions have grown old since with the strong
Thou leaped and wrestled: "and these nerves were strung
To their last tension, while in air high sprung
Thou thought'st in safety o'er this stream to bound;
But only deeper dug the grave which clung

So close around its tenant, that no mound
Marked the lone spot decay hath not yet found.

What do men call that madness which but asks
Payment of debt now due, when they are dead
For which they labour at all thankless tasks,

To wrap dry leaves around the fleshless head

;

Whose brow throbbed painful, and whose lips lacked bread, That piles up masses of misshapen stone,

To wear inscriptions that are never read?

The love of fame!

That chance that makes thee known,

Gave more to thee than monuments,-thou art thine own!

Kings, whose rank flesh hath festered in perfumes,
Beneath their mouldering tombs to rags have shrunk,
Since thou wert laid in all thy youthful bloom,
Where it decayed not, though thy name hath sunk
In deep oblivion; while, the world made drunk
With lies, forgets all but that they have been.

On thy skin-clad, and still unwithered trunk,-
That thou art fair and manly may be seen:
Thy history's not fame-'tis here, before our een!
What would the slave of unbegotten tribes,
The thrall of years yet unconceived of time,
Give to be like thee? Monarch's have no bribes
Costly enough-not even the thrilling rhyme
Or soaring thought, that wings to the sublime,
Can buy thy privilege; then how poor the aim

That seeks-no matter though it touch no crime

To fling far on the skittle-ball called fame?

Do good and be forgot-aught else is but proud shame!

TRAVELS INTO THE VULGAR PARTS OF THE CITY.

BY A FINE GENTLEMAN.

Garden-Square, 27th August, 1827. LAST night I was obliged to consent to show the lions of the place to an antiquarian friend, whom I was foolish enough to invite to spend a week in Glasgow. N. B. Never expected that the gout and Dr. Paris would permit him to come. Gave my female dog, Vesta, in charge to this morning. Couldn't trust my man, Jacob, with it, as he has been bribed, I suspect, by some wretches who wish a pup of the same breed. Breakfast over at eleven; toilet at twelve. Sir Oriel Normancourt anxious that I should take him to the chief remains of antiquity, as he calls them; and his nephew equally desirous of

Mrs.

seeing "the phenomena of population operating in manufacturing masses in suburban congeries of animated machines," to use what he says is a quotation from Mill: Query. Professor M.? At one am ready to set out. Get to the Trongate, I leading the way, and enabling them to surmount the barriers which in Queen-Street separate the polished from the populous portions of Glasgow. 1 had previously pointed out at Mrs. -'s house Blythswood Hill, the eastern boundary of fashion, civilization, and French cookery. Young Measure-value now began his observations. Mrs. Clery's was the first manufacturing establishment we visited. Sir Oriel noticing an indented inscription above Sydney-Court, I assured him that it must be very old, although I did not know its date; I had heard one Angus-a Scottish king, I suppose -had built the tenement. At two, after having taken half an hour's repose at the foot of Virginia-Street, we reached Hutcheson-Street, where I drew Sir Oriel's attention to some curious carved heads beside a Quaker's warehouse, whilst I ate some fruit-pies within. His nephew employed himself in investigating the details of straw-hat manufacture in the adjoining shops, which are filled with young girls engaged in it. Directed his attention to the great establishment of Mr. Dodd, opposite, which I had never before seen; but by report and at table knew the excellence of his Tongue and double Glo'ster. We now consulted whether it would be possible for us to investigate the heads upon the key-stones of the piazza arches of the Exchange, which, I had heard, were very old; I was not able to tell the distance to them, having only passed it once-on my way west from London. On reaching Candlerigg-Street, felt fatigued; and on seeing Lord -'s and the Marquis -'s carriages at Mr. Baxter's door, resolved upon reposing there a short time. Singular that such a fine establishment should be in a street whose name I do not know the meaning of. Mr. Measure-value was here carried off by young Mr. B. to examine the vast premises of the great house whose name, I think, is the same as that of two Scottish peers-a Duke and an Earl. Sir Oriel, at my suggestion, explored his way up to St. David's Church, which was seen in the distance, whilst I sipped an ice. On our afterwards reaching the spire, opposite to a great coach-stand, I assured Sir Oriel that he saw the Cathedral, although I had some suspicions that I might not be quite correct. He said it was of the Indescribable order. His nephew stepped into the