35.

Then there's thy jumbled stew of goodish, baddish,
Taylor and Hessy, monthly boiling up;
The Lion's toothless; Elia looketh saddish,
Like an old spinster o'er her seventh cup ;-
Poor Leigh, whom Izzard physick'd with horse-radish,
And Bill, on lettuces who loves to sup,

Join with John Clare, and Janus, apt to stutter,
So Bentham says, his mouth's so full of butter.

36.

Well, let them fume away, and let them pass
Onward, and downward, to oblivion's shades,
Quick as the phantom shapes of Banquo's glass,-
Of modern literature the true Jack Cades;
Though pert and beauish-like they be, alas!

Precise, and pinion'd, like a Knave of Spades-
With laughter horse-like, and with goose-quills nimble-
Each head is empty as a tinkling cymbal.

37.

Go to the deuce all others!-but the day
Shall come not I forget thee, Maggie Scott,
Although in anger thou hast thrown away

Thy blue, and ta'en a grass-green petticoat;
Decent old woman!-lovely in decay

Art thou;-though toothless, we forget thee not; We loved thee in our youth, and ne'er another Shall steal our hearts from thee, good grandmother.

38.

Yet we must own (sub rosa) that a nap

We sometimes take amid thy prosing stories; With palsied head, that shakes beneath its cap, Thou tell'st us of thy youth, and youthful glories,—

How many gallant hearts thou did'st entrap,

And how they all did rant and write in chorus ;—
Forbid it, goodness, that we stain our page
With hits against the infirmities of age!

39.

-

Who would find fault with garrulous old age?—
It is a thing to nature's failing common;
On thee let no harsh critic vent his rage,-
The action would be wanton and inhuman;
Although (we speak aside upon the stage)

We doubt you much resemble Duffle's woman—
The weak, weak woman, wearyful, who spoke
All night and day, as regular as a clock;

40.

Who gabb'd, and gazed, and clatter'd without end,
Though in the intellects as weak as water;
Good-natured, but to common sense no friend,
Making of words interminable slaughter:

Oh! Maggie, do not so our ear-drums rend,

You'll deave us all, each mother's son and daughter;

The boon is vain, she vows to table down

More stuff, if folks would proffer half-a-crown.

5

41.

Children, the year hath waned away; a new
Opens before us; we are as a pack
Which Time the pedlar, kindly to a few,

And sour to thousands, carries on his back;
On as he jostles, daily, you may view

Some on death's dunghill downward falling whack,
And others -but we never saw our match!
We are always trolling at some dismal catch.

42.

Well, we intend-our guerdon be our word-
This year to shoulder crutch, and do our best;
All other periodicals absurd

Shall look, when out we sally primely dress'd
In Wisdom's great-coat, richly caped, and furr'd,—
In Learning's small-clothes, and in Humour's vest,
With Eloquence's flour-puff powder'd grand,
And Criticism's stiff rattan in our hand..

43.

Already Europe bows before our nod,

And echoes back our dicta: India, too,
(Land by the umber-colour'd Bramin trod,)
And wide America keeps monthly view
Of us, and loves us dearly; it is odd

That even we please the democratic crew,
Who read, and wish us down to Tartarus hot ;-
We are also relish'd by the Hottentot!

44.

But one thing we have omitted; we are sorry,
That when the northern squadron last set sail,
We did not send out lots, by Captain Parry,
Of Magazines, to civilize the whale,-

The Greenlanders we mean: We now must tarry
Till the spring vessels scud before the gale;
For 'tis a crime laid at the door of Kit,

That these bleak realms in darkness still do sit.

4.5.

Farewell!-a word that hath been, and must be-
Beloved friends, the best of friends must part;
Monthly to all our newest news shall flee,

With comments on life's dim and mazy chart.-
As long as blows the wind, or heaves the sea,
At least as long as life-blood warms the heart,
Believe, oh! gentle reader, among men,
You have no friend, sincerer than

C. N.

VANDERBRUMMER: OR, THE SPINOSIST.

VANDERBRUMMER was a student at Leyden, where he had come to acquire the medical art. He was sober and retired in his habits. Being fond of reading, he often extended his inquiries beyond what pertained to his own department. Metaphysics also drew his attention, and led him to study the ancient writers. But he found them not according to his liking, for he thought them either too cold and definitive, or too devotedly contemplative of the beautiful, and neglectful of human affections. His mind, from the beginning, had inclined most towards thought concerning substantive exist ence, and he often wished to lose all differences of feeling, in the notion of an universal community of being, and relationship with nature. This filled his mind with a sort of absolute tenderness, but with no admiration for the beautiful, and with no aspiring wish; for he delighted to think his moving spirit was internally of the same feeling with the weeds which grew under his window, or the water which stagnated in the neighbouring pool. While his mind was forming these notions for itself, the writings of Spinoza fell into his hands, and shewed him how an endeavour might be made to prove, by logical deduction, what he wished habitually to feel.

But his medical courses being completed, the time came for him to return home to his father, a thriving merchant in Amsterdam. This was not displeasing to Vanderbrummer; for, before coming to Leyden, he had been deeply attached to a young lady in his native city; and his love remained undiminished, and was cherished by him with every probability of success. Therefore, when the term for his departure was at hand, he cheerfully packed up his books, and bestirred his mind in expectation of exchanging the college modes of life, for the dissimilar habits of a physician practising his art in a town. At this time, he received a letter from his father, directing him not to return to Amsterdam, but first to go to England, Scotland, and France, for farther insight into his profession.

Vanderbrummer prepared to obey this order. But, one evening before he left Leyden, he gave a small enterVOL. X.

tainment in his apartment to two other students. One of them was a German named Kroetzer, a man given to the study of the ancient languages and philosophy. The other, whose name was Laet, was educating for a Dutch clergyman. Their conversation turned on the separation of friends and associates, and how it might be regarded by persons of different constitutions or opinions. Vanderbrummer, taking his two companions by the hands, said, "Although I esteem you both, I feel something at leaving you; I am convinced in opinion that such throbbings come altogether from delusive appearances; for nature is one, and whenever, in future, I meet with an affectionate honest clergyman, I meet again with the very being of Laet, the same that now speaks to me, though appearing in another place, and in a different form; and also, whenever I meet with a man of pure intellect, I find again the rest of Kroetzer meeting me there."

Laet replied," Now this is bringing in metaphysics where I would scarcely have expected them; but I do not, on that account, question the truth of your feelings towards me. I never can think of any one of my friends but as remaining always in his individual self; nor can I take any other person for his essence, which, to my feelings, is always his and no other's.'

Vanderbrummer replied," Ah, Laet, I see you will not take the whole of nature as cautioner for its parts."

Here Kroetzer observed," Your doctrine, Vanderbrummer, sounds like an abstraction, but, in truth, is the very reverse. For, when you say that you expect to meet elsewhere with what is here in Laet, you do not speak of similarity of kind, but universality of essence."

To which Vanderbrummer answered,-"Yes, and what I seek after is the feeling of that universality amidst its differences of appearances. But, I fear that Laet, when he has once got settled for life in some country place, or on some milk and cheese giving pasture, will forget any thing general that he has learnt here, and will see nature only in the form of his house, of his wife and children, or his church steeple."

To which Laet replied," Estima3 R

ble is learning, and beyond all price is religion, but dear is true attachment. And if I, as clergyman, were to know and be personally concerned for all of my flock, would not that be enough?" "No," said Vanderbrummer. "Not although you knew the name and concerns of every person in Holland; for, so long as you see nature in the form of individuals, you are as far as ever from what I seek to feel."

Kroetzer then said," I dissent from both of your opinions. For my mind desires most to feel relations which it may always be able to find again, the same as before, since that gives fortitude, confidence and certainty. Therefore, I neither would wish, like Laet, merely to be placed in a situation for enjoying always the neighbourhood of the same individuals, and the same things; nor, on the other hand, would I hope to find contentment by endeavouring to recognise in all nature a fluctuating universality. In parting with friends, I think that 'some regrets of human tenderness are not out of place; but wherever we go, or whoever may be left behind, the love of truth need suffer no change, it being the same everywhere." Such was the general tenor of their conversation with Vanderbrummer, with whom they remained till a late hour.

Next morning, the Student went to take leave of the different Professors whom he knew, and came past the house of the Professor of Mathematics, who had become blind, and was partly superannuated. He was sitting at his door, smoking in a wheeled chair; and on hearing footsteps, he said, "Salve fili, quorsum vadis?" Vanderbrummer answered, “In Angliam.” The Professor, thinking he was going into some of the courts of the college, replied, "In angulum? Immo in quadrangulum, vel aream publicam, et forum doctrinæ dixisses." Vanderbrummer answered, "Minus acute audiveras. Non in angulum, sed in Britanniæ partem dicebam." The tendency of Vanderbrummer's opinions was known in the college, and the Professor, who hated them, recognising the Student by his voice, said, "Vah! Brummerium ex voce. Tuarum sententiarum, fili, haud ignarus sum. Me non sordido auctore, credas, quod Spinosismum omnium angulorum impurissimum invenies. Ranas, etiam, in aqua paludum, sese lavantes, Spi

nosisticas putarem. Et sonos qui, Belgicum concentum, inter nationes, appellari solent, tibi magis gratos crediderim quam verissima harmonia. Si omnia communis substantiæ sint nihil diutius abominandum, vile, aut immundum erit." Vanderbrummer said, with some bitterness, Quæ non munda sunt, mundana tamen erint." The Professor answered, "Apage hæc turpissima, et scientiæ maxime contraria." The Student went away without making any reply; and, every thing being ready for his departure, he soon left Leyden.

66

Vanderbrummer felt mingled sensations of pleasure and regret when he stepped on board the vessel which was to convey him to England. He had not as yet crossed any part of the ocean in the course of his travels, and to the idea of a sea voyage he attached that of a total separation from his native country. Formerly, in travelling through Holland, he had daily met with objects which awakened associations connected with home; and he had found that the chain of local affections which bound him to the place of his birth, extended itself, and acquired additional links in proportion as he moved forwards, and receded from the spot where it commenced. But, on his losing sight of land, its continuity seemed to be suddenly broken, for the heaving expanse of ocean around presented no objects that could restore those ideas to which it had hitherto owed its existence.

The weather was gloomy and boisterous, and Vanderbrummer soon became sea-sick. Every thing then appeared hateful and distorted, and he thought with contempt and aversion on the pursuits he had formerly delighted in. All his opinions seemed erroneous and unfounded; and he began to despise himself and his fellowcreatures, as beings who were incapable of resisting causes of pain, and unable to evade the degrading influence of adventitious circumstances. Before he landed in England, a fit of sea-sickness had given him a sort of insight into his own mind, which he did not previously possess, and with which he would gladly have dispensed..

However, on shore, a good dinner and a comfortable night's rest revived his spirits, and he spent the ensuing day in strolling round the small seaport town where he had disembarked,