Of choirs celestial to attune my voice
Accordant to the golden harps of saints
To join in blest hosannas to their king!
Whose face to see, whose glory to behold,
Alone were heaven, though saint or seraph none
Should meet our sight, and God alone were there! .
This is to die! Who would not die for this?
Who would not die, that he might live for ever?

MRS. H. MORE

XL. - THE QUALITY OF MERCY.

THE quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed :
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings:
But mercy is above his sceptered sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.

SHAKSPEARE.

Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,
That make ambition virtue! O, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner, and all quality,

Pride, pomp, and circumstance, of glorious war!
And, O! ye mortal engines, whose rude throats
The immortal Jove's dread clamors counterfeit,
Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone!

IB.

PART NINTH.-HUMOROUS PIECES.

I. AN ORATOR'S FIRST SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT.

THE virgin member takes his honored place,
While beams of modest wisdom light his face :
Multum in parvo * in the man you see;

He represents the people's majesty!

Behold their choice! the pledged, midst many a cheer,
To give free trade, free votes, free bread and beer!
Blest times! He sits at last within the walls
Of famed St. Stephen's venerated halls!

O, shades of Pitt and Fox! is he within

The House of Commons? How his senses spin!
Proud man has he then caught the Speaker's eye?
No, not just yet; but he will, by and by.

I wonder if there are reporters here!

In truth there are, and hard at work; don't fear.
O, happy man! By the next post shall reach
Your loved constituents the maiden speech.
The Press (great tell-tale!) will to all reveal
How you have spoken for your country's weal !
In gaping wonder will the words be read,

“The new M. P.,† Lord Noodle, rose and said!”
This pillar of the nation rises now,

And toward the Speaker makes profoundest bow.
Unused to so much honor, his weak knees
Bend with the weight of senate dignities.

He staggers—almost falls. - stares - strokes his chin-
Clears out his throat, and ventures to begin.

Sir, I am sensible "

“I am, sir, sensible"

(some titter near him)

Now bolder grown, for praise mistaking pother,
He lifts one arm, and spouts out with the other.

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I am, sir, sensible

I am, indeed

That, though I should - want words

And, for the first time in my life, I think
I think that

*Much in little.

†M. P. is the abbreviation for member of Parliament; but the letters here are to be spoken.

Will speak out freely - Sir

I, for one
I've not yet done.

Sir, in the name of those enlightened men
Who sent me here to speak for them

To do my duty—as I said before -
To my constituency

why, then

I'LL SAY NO MORE."

ALEXANDER BELL.

II. YORKSHIRE ANGLING.

Ir happened once that a young Yorkshire clown, but newly come to far-famed London town, was gaping round at many a wondrous sight, grinning at all he saw, with vast delight; attended by his terrier Tyke, who was as sharp as sharp may be; and thus the master and the dog, d'ye see, were very much alike.

After wandering far and wide, and seeing every street and square, the parks, the plays, the Queen, and the Lord Mayor, with all in which your "Cockneys " place their pride; - and, being quizzed by many a city spark for coat* of country cut and red-haired pate, he came at length to noisy Billingsgate. He saw the busy scene with mute surprise, opening his ears and wondering eyes at the loud clamor, and the monstrous fish, hereafter doomed to grace full many a dish.

Close by him was a turbot on a stall, which, with stretched mouth, as if to pant for breath, seemed in the agonies of death. Said Lubin, "What name, zur, d' ye that fish call?” "A turbot," answered the sarcastic elf; "a flat, you see—so something like yourself." "D'ye think," said Lubin, "that he'll bite? "Why," said the fishman, with a roguish grin, "his mouth is open; put your finger in and then you'll know." Why, zur," replied the wight, "I should n't like to try; but there's my Tyke shall put his tail there, an' you like." Agreed," rejoined the

man, and laughed delight.

Within the turbot's teeth was placed the tail, and the fish bit with all its might. The dog no sooner felt the bite, than off he ran, the dangling turbot holding tight. The astonished man began most furiously to bawl and rail; but, after numerous escapes and dodgings, Tyke safely got to Master Lubin's lodgings. Thither the fishmonger in anger flow. Says Lubin, "Lunnon tricks on me won't do! I'ze come from York to queer such flats as you; and Tyke, my dog, is Yorkshire, too!" Then, laughing at the man, who sneaked away, he had the fish for dinner that same day.

*Give the oa, in this word, the full sound of long o, in note, &c. Speakers are apt to shorten it.

BEAUTIES OF THE LAW.

III.

277

A KNIGHT and a lady once met in a grove,
While each was in quest of a fugitive love;
A river ran mournfully murmuring by,
And they wept in its waters for sympathy.
O, never was knight such a sorrow that bore!"
O, never was maid so deserted before! "
"From life and its woes let us instantly fly,
And jump in together for company."

They searched for an eddy that suited the deed,
But here was a bramble, and there was a weed;
"How tiresome it is!" said the maid, with a sigh ;
So they sat down to rest them in company.
They gazed on each other, the maid and the knight ;
And they did not seem very averse to the sight:
"One mournful embrace," said the youth,
So, kissing and crying, kept company.

"ere we die!"

"O, had I but wooed such an angel as you!

66

O, had but my swain been one quarter as true! "To miss such perfection how blinded was I!” Sure, now they were excellent company.

At length spoke the lass, 'twixt a smile and a tear :
"The weather is cold for a watery bier.

When the summer returns we may easily die;
Till then let us sorrow in company."

BISHOP HEBER.

IV. BEAUTIES OF THE LAW.

I. -BULLUM versus BOATUM.

WHAT a profound study is the law! How shall I define it? Law is law. Law is- law; and so forth, and hereby, and aforesaid, provided always, nevertheless, notwithstanding. Law is like a country dance; people are led up and down in it till they are tired. It is like physic; they that take the least of it are best off. Law is like a homely gentlewoman; very well to follow. Law is like a scolding wife; very bad when it follows us. Law is like a new fashion; people are bewitched to get into it it is also like bad weather; most people are glad when they get out of it. We shall now mention, in illustration, a case that came before us, the case of Bullum versus Boatum. as follows:

It was

There were two farmers-farmer A and farmer B. Farmer A was seized or possessed of a bull; farmer B was seized or possessed of a ferry-boat. Now, the owner of the ferry-boat, having made his boat fast to a post on shore, with a piece of hay twisted rope-fashion, or, as we say, vulgo vocato, a hay-band, after he had made his boat fast to the aforesaid post (as it was very natural for a hungry man to do) went up town to dinner. Farmer A's bull (as it was natural for a hungry bull to do) came down town to look for a dinner; and, observing, discovering, seeing, and spying out, some turnips in the bottom of the ferry-boat, the bull scrambled into the ferry-boat, ate up the turnips, and, to make an end of his meal, fell to work upon the hay-band. The boat, being eaten from its moorings, floated down the river with the bull in it: it struck against a rock, beat a hole in the bottom of the boat, and tossed the bull overboard; whereupon, the owner of the bull brought his action against the boat for running away with the bull. The owner of the boat brought his action against the bull for running away with the boat. And thus notice of trial was given, Bullum versus Boatum, Boatum versus Bullum.

The counsel for the bull began with saying, "My lord, and you, gentlemen of the jury, we are counsel in this cause for the bull. We are indicted for running away with the boat. Now, my lord, we have heard of running horses, but never of running bulls before. Now, my lord, the bull could no more run away with the boat than a man in a coach may be said to run away with the horses; therefore, my lord, how can we punish what is not punishable? How can we eat what is not eatable? Or, how can we drink what is not drinkable? Or, as the law says, how can we think what is not thinkable? Therefore, my lord, as we are counsel in this cause for the bull, if the jury should bring the bull in guilty, the jury would be guilty of a bull."

The counsel for the boat observed, that the bull should be nonsuited, because, in his declaration, he had not specified what color he was of; for thus wisely, and thus learnedly, spoke the counsel: 66 My lord, if the bull was of no color, he must be of some color; and, if he was not of any color, what color could the bull be of?" I over-ruled this motion myself, by observing the bull was a white bull, and that white is no color; besides, as I told my brethren, they should not trouble their heads to talk of color in the law, for the law can color any thing. This cause being afterwards left to a reference, upon the award, both bull and boat were acquitted, it being proved that the tide of the river carried them both away; upon which I gave it as my opinion, that, as the tide of the river carried both bull and boat