could a Dutch fleet appear in our bay."

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Come, gentlemen," cried Pomeroy, "another bumper to the queen's safe landing-and one cheer more!" so saying, he knocked loudly with the steelmounted scabbard of his sword upon the floor, and the summons was immediately answered by Tobias in person. "Master Smallcraft," said the ardent and generous Pomeroy, "thou art as loyal a man as breaks bread, and happy wilt thou be, that we are, upon the matter, honoured with the presence of the royal queen, who now, in our bay, rides on her subject waves, but not under her own subject flag as she should. Be stirring, master-be stirring, and fetch us goblets-pint goblets, which, to thy knowledge have never been wet with wine, or touched by lip, and forget not thyself."

This command was quickly obeyed, and all in readiness for the ceremonial, Smallcraft standing from the force of habit, and grateful attachment, behind Bunckley's chair.

"Pledge you to the health, Pomeroy," said Bunckley, "you have the true feeling in your heart."

"Our Sovereign Lady, the Queen ! and may she, our King, and old England's constitution triumph over their enemies, the rascally, subversive, Roundhead Commons -Hip! hip!

Softly, Master Pomeroy," said Bunckley, "not so fast. The town of Burlington, small as it is, has its malcontents and factions, and the truest service we can render her Majesty, whom God preserve, is by acting cautiously. Tobias shall go down to the quay, and see how matters are toward, and we will then steer our course as the wind may blow."

"Thou art right,” replied the young Cavalier, "I carry more sail than ballast." Thou hast young and honourable

blood in thy veins," rejoined Bunckley, "and these are stirring times-I will despatch Smallcraft and return."

After a short conference, Tobias donned his hat and cloak, the cut of which, at once determined to which party he belonged, and proceeded to the jettee at the end of the quay, and which, at low tide, afforded the only approach seaward to the town. There he found collected, a groupe of idle boatmen, fish-wives, lookers-on, and a numerous and noisy shoal of ragged amphibious urchins, of both sexes, which an unusual arrival never fails to collect in a sea-port. Among the crowd conspicuously appeared Master Isaac Crabtree, a rigid puritan, who kept the only decent hotel in the place, in the support of which he was now on the look-out, as a boat, which had pushed off from the squadron, was nearing the shore. The boat was brought as close to the pier steps as the fallen tide would admit, and a person wrapt in a boatcloak, and holding a small bag in his hand, prepared to land, when, on the instant, he was assailed in such a manner, that had he not been both active and determined, his reaching shore must have been a matter of no small difficulty. He was approached, as the depth of the water admitted, by great and small; three or four fish-wives contended for him, and one Amazonian endeavoured to catch him in her arms, and had nearly made prize of him, while his cloak-bag was snatched at by a dozen small fry at once, to carry it to the inn. Having at length fought his way through these perils, he ascended the steps leading to the quay, and where, one on one side, and one on the other, stood Isaac Crabtree, and Tobias Smallcraft.

"Seekest thou a tarrying place here to-night, friend, or passest thou on thy way?" drawled out Crabtree with a nasal twang. De Lacy, for such was the stranger, made no reply.

"If thou lackest repose and nourishment," sang forth the chamberlain (or waiter) a thin, black-aviced, lank-haired fellow, "thou wilt meet with it at small cost, and much to thy contentment, under the roof of worthy Master Crabtree, a true man and a pious; and if thou be not one of the ungodly, but visited with grace to abhor popery and episcopacy, he may, perchance, admit thee to family prayer and exhortation.”

Thus good things and bad are confounded to evil purposes, by those who make war upon institutions, and always ally with revolution the subversion of wholesome authority.

"It is not a fitting place for a cavalier to set foot in," whispered Small

craft.

De Lacy, measuring him from head to foot with a scrutinising eye, replied, "I thank you for your caution, friend, and will put you to a little trouble on my account. I pray you conduct me to the house of one Tobias Smallcraft, a worthy and loyal merchant of this town."

"No other man in Burlington answers to that sir-name but myself," said Smallcraft, bowing low, "and my name is also Tobias, of which you may certify yourself from any By-stander.”

"I require no such evidence," said De Lacy, "lead on, I pray you, to your house."

The crowd dispersed when they saw the fish hooked, and as De Lacy and Smallcraft proceeded, the latter stated the circumstance of Sir J. Bunckley and friends being then at his house.

"Young Bunckley at your house," said De Lacy, “this begins well-it is to this gentleman, through you, that I am specially directed."

On arriving at the house, the Colonel was announced, and on his entrance was greeted by the cavaliers with a warmth which bespoke no Janus-faced politics. After brief conference between De Lacy and Bunckley, the latter took upon himself to be the bearer of a despatch to the Earl of Newcastle, then at York, to procure with speed a sufficient escort for the Queen, without which it would have been hazardous for her to land. Bunckley's horse was soon ready, and on the instant he set out for head quarters. After his departure, a conference took place as to where and how her Majesty should be lodged on landing, as her weak state would not permit her proceeding on her journey without rest; nor to go even so far as Sir J. Bunckley's residence, although only seven miles distant. At length it was determined that the Queen should, for the night, be lodged at Smallcraft's, and the cavaliers departed for the purpose of sending such supplies as might lessen the deficiencies of honest Tobias's means of reception for his Royal guest. Little VOL. I.

would have sufficed. Suffering is the best school of philosophy; it brings the peasant and the monarch on the same form of instruction, while the greatest trial to, and proudest consummation of Christian discipline, is to be found in prosperity. O! how beautiful and how powerful an evidence to the perfect composition of our Church Liturgy is the supplication-" In all time of our tribulation, in all time of our WEALTH; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, good Lord deliver us!" The association is all suitable to a state of Christian militancy, and, in the reference to wealth, speaks more than volumes, the most elaborately written, to the corrupting influence of prosperity on the human mind. De Lacy was about to seek Smallcraft, to arrange about his Royal Mistress's reception, when the honest old man entered, bearing in his hand a small silver soup-dish, under which a lamp fed with spirits was burning. "I have made bold, noble Sir," said the worthy Tobias, "to bring you a basin of shellfish soup. It is such as my old master, Heaven rest his soul, and praised be its mercy he lives not in these false times, was wont to say, deprived the Mediciner of his fee." While our hero was discussing the savoury and envigorating cheer, he began also to discuss the matter of the Queen becoming the guest of her humble but eminently loyal subject. "This fair house of yours," said the Colonel, appears the only one in Burlington capable of affording meet accommodation."

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"In blessed hour, then, was it erected," ejaculated the humble colloquist. Little did the good man dream of those adverse chances which unexpectedly prostrate the fabrics of present fortune and happiness, as well as those aerial creations which spring up under the wand of hope. "But," continued Smallcraft, "how her Majesty's proper ease can be consulted here," and he looked about on the apartment, which was the best in the house, as if he would have exclaimed with Macbeth, what a sorry sight.' "Rest content," said De Lacy, "her Majesty will be too happy once more to touch British ground in safety to feel any privation; the sad necessities of her voyage will render the cleanliness and quiet of your house more than equivalent to the greatest luxuries under different cir

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cumstances." Aye, good Sir," observed Tobias, misery makes the best of us acquainted with strange bedfellows;" and," rejoined De Lacy, "remember its advantages with its inflictions-it physics the soul." An immediate want, that of a pilot to guide the ship in, was anticipated by the forethought and zeal of Smallcraft. "Peter Oakshaft," said the humble host, "is married to my dame's kinswoman, and I will 'gage soul and body for him-his bearing, rough though it be, covers a shrewd conduct." "I thank you heartily," returned the Colonel, “thou art an Englishman of sterling stamp." "I have seen days," answered Tobias, "never-to-be-forgotten; days of order, and peace, and respect for authority, and therefore days of happiness-alas! too good to have lasted! To what worse, noble Sir, may evil advisers yet bring this ill-fated land." The old man's eyes became dimmed with the moisture which memory drew from a feeling and a faithful heart, as he continued, "the fountain of my humble prosperity, my late ever honoured master, early taught me to reverence those institutions which, to my poor mind, require what modification they may, if they are thus roughly handled, all will be swept away in one common ruin."

De Lacy and Smallcraft now set forward to the quay, and were met at the door by a stout man wrapt in a seaman's short coat. This is the pilot I spoke of," said Tobias, "you can commune with him as you proceed to the ship, he will do your bidding without fear or question, but I must caution you, under favour, not to speak until you are fairly seaward-these stones we tread on may have ears, and tongues will not be wanting. We know not what cunning device these false knaves may entertain to our discomfiture, though, to my poor mind, they cannot propound much impediment, having no force nearer than Scarboro', and I trust, ere to-morrow's sun be at his height, we shall see our cavaliers from York." "What distance may it be thither?" asked De Lacy. "Thirtynine miles,” answered Smallcraft, "and if he met no mishap, my young master is half way now-we will to work during the night. Meanwhile, honoured Sir,

God give you good speed." There was a small crowd collected about the ship's boat, which brought

De Lacy on shore; and by the starlight he could perceive the peaked hats, short cloaks and staid demeanour of some of the adverse party; he, therefore, loosed his cloak and clasped his sword, but they opened out quietly, to the “ by your fair leave, masters" of Peter Oakshaft, and De Lacy's boat's crew being in readiness, they embarked without molestation.

At ten o'clock that evening, Sir J. Bunckley arrived at the Earl of Newcastle's quarters, having been less than four hours on the journey. The Earl was engaged at play with some of his officers, among whom were Generals Goring and King; the former of whom commanded the horse, and the latter the foot, immediately under him; and he was so deeply interested in the game, that the grave and solemn Chamberlain had to repeat his message, which was whispered to him ere it caught his attention. Bunckley was admitted and received by the Earl as an old and loyal acquaintance. General Goring was appointed to conduct the escort, consisting of three hundred horse; he requested Bunckley's company and guidance through the night, acquainting the gallant Cavalier, that at day-break he might press forward to report to their royal mistress the approach of the escort. The Knight had scarcely time to partake of the remains of a venison pasty, and recruit his spirits with a bottle of Burgundy, when, a fresh steed having been provided for Bunckley, the whole party commenced their joyous march. day-break, by which time General Goring was perfectly ascertained of his further way, Bunckley spurred forward, and, arrived at Burlington, took boat, provided by the provident care of Smallcraft, and was speedily alongside the queen's vessel. Springing up the gang-way, the active and successful partisans, encountered Colonel De Lacy, and grasping his hand exultingly explained the issue of his mission, and the proximity of Goring and his party. Communication of these circumstances was made to the queen. Oakshaft took his station at the helm; two seamen who understood English, were put at the wheel, the capstan was manned, and under Oakshaft's safe pilotage the ship was carried as close to the quay as her draught of water would permit. Every preparation was now made for

At

It might be supposed from the title of this article, that it was our present purpose to enter into a minute detail of the course of policy pursued on each occasion by the Conservative party in the legislature, with an historical survey of the consequences of that policy, to the causes of success or defeat in each particular instance. Such a treatise would certainly tend to afford valuable instruction to the members of this party for the direction of their future efforts, by displaying the errors and omissions of which its leaders were guilty, and by avoiding which, success might be secured on similar occasions in future. But it were impossible to comprise so extensive a subject, involving so many minute parliamentary details, within the bounds of this Magazine, and if it were even possible to do so, few of our readers would be sufficiently interested to read it to the end. Our present design is therefore of a much more limited nature, and we hope that as much, or perhaps more, advantage may be derived from a distant and general view of the line of policy pursued in the defence of the constitution, than could be deduced from any minute historical detail. We are the more strongly induced to form this opinion, as it is well known that nothing is more difficult to persons involved in the daily practice of any given line of conduct, or in the active pursuit of any art or science, than to observe the great and vital advantages or defects of the course which they are in the habit of adopting. As their attention is engaged by, so their observation is confined to, the parts, while they have seldom leisure to survey the whole of a system; and it frequently occurs in consequence, that persons who are not to the same, or nearly the same degree, acquainted with the practice, are much better qualified to estimate the theory of political contests. It is worthy of observation that this remark applies with the greatest force to persons engaged in a defensive war; that the members of a Conservative, are much more liable than those of an innovating party to overlook great defects in the system upon which they act: their attention is engaged more by

the motions of their opponents than by the peculiarities of their own situation. The principles of warfare are the same, or nearly so, whether the scene be laid in the benches of St. Stephen's, or the plains of Waterloo; whether the attack to be resisted, consist in the unprincipled assertions and unconstitutional measures of a Whig Ministry, or the impetuous charge of a body of French dragoons. We may therefore illustrate our observations by a comparison drawn from military affairs, and observe that persons engaged in the defence of a besieged place, are much less likely to observe the advantages or disadvantages of their own situation or that of the enemy, than that enemy is to perceive the wisest and most judicious points of attack; while it is obvious that this advantage possessed by the besiegers will increase as their fears of a sally on the part of the garrison are removed. Thence also results the well-known fact, that it is much more difficult to sustain a defensive than an offensive war; as in the former case it is necessary not only to observe all the actual motions of the enemy, but to calculate and guard against all their probable designs, while in the latter it is merely requisite to plan the method and choose the time for the attack, both of which are at their own disposal. We shall proceed to make a few remarks on the general line of policy pursued for some years past by the Conservative party in Parliament, and to notice some of its chief defects to their consequences. have the less hesitation in stating our opinion on this subject, as we know that no one in any degree acquainted with the individuals composing that party can for a moment suppose that any of these defects, if such exist, can be attributed to a want of zeal, of integrity, or of noble and disinterested attachment to those valuable institutions, to the defence of which they are so faithfully and so steadily devoting their abilities and their time. Nor can these faults in policy be attributed to any defects of talent in those individuals, as although the present display of abilities may be, and certainly is much

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