you or me being obliged to black shoes and warm beds, and all them sort of things like common errand boys. I could'nt help pitying 'em, 'pon my honour,

We were all on the key vive next day when we were to go down to see Eton itself. As soon as we had breakfasted we bought some cigars, and walked down to the school, and I could see we made a considerable sensation. In fact I heard one of the boys say I was Lord Snobham, and you may be sure I did'nt undeceive him. We walked at once into the court-yard in which most of the boys were standing, in the middle of which was a fine statue clearly of great antiquity, and to judge from the attitude, representing one of the first head masters. There was an inscription at the bottom, but it being so long since I left school I could not understand it, so I asked one of the boys, who told me it was erected to the memory of Provost Godolphin by King Henry the Sixth. A pleasing and instructive proof this of the interest that monarch took in the welfare of his subjects! This young gentleman was very obliging and attentive, and offered to shew us the lions if we had not already been introduced to them. We accordingly followed him up some stairs to an odd kind of room which he called the Long Chamber, the use of which I did not quite understand. At one end however there was a remarkable fine picture, which he told us represented Windsor Castle in the year of the great flood, when the water rose fourteen feet in the cellars of the College; the consequence of which is I hear that the beer has tasted of it ever since. The castle was entirely surrounded by water, and a frigate is sailing up to the walls to convey the Royal Family away. He then pointed us out_a_guide who would shew us the school-rooms, in one of which he told us we should see a representation of the

procession of the Eton boys at Montem,

He warned me

at the same time that I should probably be rather surprised at the dresses, adding, that something was to be allowed for poetic license, which was reasonable enough, you know. Well, up we went, and there sure enough was the whole procession, beautifully sculptured it must be owned, but such dresses! I could not help remarking to the attendant that they were somewhat extraordinary, and he, thinking perhaps that I was one of the illiterate fellows so often brought down by the railway, wanted to persuade me it was a antick procession (antick it certainly was, to judge by the way they threw their arms and legs about) but thanks to my friend the Etonian, I had been beforehand with him there, as I soon let him know much to his astonishment.

We next made for the Chapel, and by great luck found an old man at the door of a very venerable appearance, who took us in and shewed us all that was to be seen. When we got in what was my surprise and indignation to find, that instead of the regular respectable Church I had expected to see, I had set foot in the most heathenish, uncomfortable looking place I ever saw. Instead of Christian-like warm pews to induce people of refinement and education to come to church, and by keeping out the vulgar to preserve those salutary distinctions without which the pillows of society would soon be snapped asunder like sticks, there was nothing but bare seats of the most uncomfortable description. In fact there was not a chance of going to sleep for anybody but quite the nobs who have seats round the walls. Then for a pulpit there was a great stone building with saints all over it, which I was afterwards told was little Collegers set up there for public washup, a sort of thing which I certainly should not

have expected to see there. There was less to blame certainly in the spare pulpit on the other side, which however was large enough to swing a cat in, if it was as big as a Smithfield ox. Altogether I was much disappointed, so we made the best of our way out again. As we were going the old man held out his hand to us, and I being willing to gratify him, shook hands with him most cordially.

As we came down the steps from the Chapel our ears were assailed by the most extraordinary noises I ever heard, coming apparently from the long room I have before mentioned. At one time it was like an old Jew calling Clo' Clo' several times successively, and then it would rise by degrees to something approaching the squeak of an engine when rather at a loss for breath; in short there was no describing or understanding it. And this I was told was a music lesson. I was told too that the weaker members of the school complain that these musicians come up and beat them on the back, or stave in their hats on pretence of beating time; one even told me that his head had been cleft in consequence. The masters too I believe have found the classical compositions of their pupils very scaly of late, the boys attending more to Mr. Hullah's exercises than their own.

It was now getting late, so we went into the street to wait for the bus which was to take us to Slough, A great crowd of boys had assembled to see us off; so not to disappoint their pardonable curiosity we mounted outside; I had just pulled out my pocket pistol to fortify myself against the cold, when, unfortunately, some one threw a damp upon my spirits by accidentally hitting me with a rotten egg. How it could have happened I cannot imagine, I am quite sure that they cannot have meant it

for me, from the respectful behaviour I met with the whole time I was there.

Thus ended our trip to Windsor, which but for the unlucky incident just mentioned would have been as amusing as it has been instructive.

Sept. 20, 1842.

Yours, till extinction,

Peter Pillbocks.

A RESTLESS NIGHT.

Where dwellest thou, still, droning under-song,
That hauntingly dost brood upon the ear,
Filling the void of silence stern and drear?

When, as I strain for sleep, and crush the throng
Of rude and obstinate thoughts that in despite
Creep back and multiply, I strive to lose.
Within the mystic labyrinth of night

This clinging wakefulness, and break the clues
That lead me back to dull intelligence,

And evermore that strange pathetic sound,
Born of some bodiless inorganic sense,

And scarce akin to our mortality,

Lives on through awful watches. Would that I
Still, as of yore by spells of childhood bound,
And still enshrined within the peaceful bed
Which smiles of mother-love encompassed ;
Would that I might re-learn my simple creed,
And listen musingly, and think forsooth,
That nothing else than Conscience this could be,
Of whose undying power I wont to read,
Echoing from out the soul-built caves of truth
To peal one ceaseless warning note for me.

LINES

Addressed to a friend on hearing that he was about to leave Eton.

Here, in this much loved spot,
Where a few brief and happy days
Have blinded thee with mid-day blaze
To what the world is not,
Pause ere thou quit'st this spot.

The world is not thy home!
Home is the resting-place of those,
Whose friends are fewer than their foes,
As through life's paths they roam;
No! the world is not home!

The world is not thy rest!

Toss'd by the tempests of the soul,
Which round th' affrighted pilgrim howl,

Say who could there be blest?

No! the world is not rest!

The world will not be sport;

For man can find no holiday;

And if by chance his heart be gay,
That sunny mirth is short!
No! the world is not sport!

Then, ere thou quit'st this spot,

Where boyhood spent its happiest hours,

And deemed the rest all wreathed with flow'rs,

Think what the world is not,

And sigh to quit this spot.