Even for such work he felt too nervous, | eye, might long engage him, he spoke
and in a few weeks' time was compelled from the heart, for he had proved himself
to resign his appointment. Before the a devoted son. Mrs. Pope lived happily
close of the year he had to be placed under her son's roof till the age of ninety-
under medical care. The Cowpers made three. She was forty-eight when she gave
the best of a bad business, and succeeded birth to Alexander in the year of the
in placing another of their name - a near glorious revolution. Pope's panegyric
relative of William's in the vacant post. on his father may be described as the
Macaulay speaks of his silver voice and truth well put. Old Mr. Pope was in no
just emphasis, from which one presumes sense a remarkable man; and his son ac-
that the new clerk chanced to be the right cordingly makes the most of his negative
man in the right place.
virtues. Marrying in his own sphere of
The poet has left a sonnet addressed life, he is praised for not having married
to this Henry Cowper, on his "emphat- discord in a noble wife. Then he is de-
ical and interesting delivery" of the described as a stranger to civil and religious
fence of Warren Hastings. "Thou art rage
not voice alone," he assures him, "but
hast beside both heart and head." Cow-
per was happy in his relatives, and re-
warded their care of him in the manner
they must have loved best. Among those
whose memory his verse preserves may
be cited his cousin, Anne Bodham -
Whom heretofore,
When I was young, and thou no more
Than plaything for a nurse,
I danced and fondled on my knee,
A kitten both in size and glee.

The lines on his mother's picture are
not so much poetry as the simple expres-
sion of his thoughts by a poet, which
many will hold to be the same thing.
How fresh and natural are such recollec-
tions as the following!

Thy nightly visits to my chamber made,
That thou might'st know me safe and warmly
laid;

Thy morning bounties ere I left my home,
The biscuit, or confectionery plum;
The fragrant waters on my cheek bestowed
By thy own hand, till fresh they shone and
glowed.

Pope has some equally genuine lines,
in another style, on his own mother.
When he prayed that the tender office of
rocking the cradle of reposing age, of
making languor smile, of exploring the
thought, and of explaining the asking

No courts he saw, no suits would ever try, Nor dared an oath, nor hazarded a lie. Quite so; and for the best of reasons. Mr. Pope was a Roman Catholic, and extremely timid. The only course for honest men of his creed in the days of the penal laws was to keep quiet, if they valued their lands or their necks. There was no choice for them but between selfeffacement and a life of plots and conspiracies. Even Pope's reputation, and the fact that he was only a Catholic in name, might not always have saved him from persecution, as he acknowledges, but for the good nature of the government. Pope senior pushed prudence to such a degree that he was afraid to invest in the funds lest Parliament should one day take to raising money by confiscating all the seizable personalty of Papists. He had amassed a fortune of about 20,oool. as a linendraper, and, in the fashion of a ruder age, locked up this sum in a strong box. The greater part he spent before his death.

"For they said, he is beside himself." Who said?" His kinsmen, of course. Not only is the prophet too often without honor among those who should appreciate him best, but he may find it the hardest struggle of all to persuade them of his honesty or sanity. Mahomet blessed the name of Khadijah because she believed in him when no one else did. In truth he might well have taken heart from the moment he had succeeded in convincing his wife. Had his first spouse been the petulant beauty who made light of Khadijah as old and ugly, the Crescent might never have been reared against the Cross, and history might be an entirely different book. When Joan of Arc determined to accomplish the deliverance of France, the first and most formidable opposition she had to encounter arose from her parents.

They said they would rather see her the crown should persist in the attempt drowned than exposed to the contamina- to raise taxes on its own authority, who tion of a camp. They seem to have would have resisted the writ of shipscarcely had common faith in their daugh- money? If one might hazard a guess, ter. Finally, it was an uncle not her one would answer, Thomas Wentworth. father who consented to take her to Having Hampden on its side, the governVaucouleurs to see the Sire de Baudri- ment might have taken no trouble to win court. The remainder of her task was over Wentworth, or have felt that there comparatively easy. Only the first step was not room for both in one party. And cost trouble the step across her own we may depend upon it, Wentworth was threshold. A homelier instance of the determined to make himself a name. domestic difficulties of genius is found in the life of Mme. d'Arblay. Ere she was sixteen, Frances Burney had written a good deal, chiefly short stories for the amusement of her sisters. Her stepmother, however, disapproved of these literary recreations, and administered some good-humored lectures on the subject. Fanny proved a dutiful child. Not content with relinquishing her favorite pursuit, she burned all her manuscripts. Perhaps the world did not lose so much after all. "Evelina" appeared when the author was twenty-six years of age. Alexandre Dumas the elder long remained sceptical of his son's powers as a writer. He is said to have been finally converted by a perusal of “Les Aventures de Quatre Femmes et d'un Perroquet," published when young Dumas was twenty-two.

Milton's father attempted to dissuade him from the cultivation of poetry.

Nec tu vatis opus divinum despice carmen,

sas.

The old gentleman possibly wished his son to be a good scrivener and no more. But this has been the common fate of bards. A quainter, though by no means an extraordinary, example of mistaken projects for a son is seen in the case of Hampden. His mother pressed him in his youth to ask for a peerage, which no doubt a man of his birth and wealth could have obtained of James I. for the asking and the paying. Hampden could have rendered good service in the House of Lords, but the acceptance of honors from the king must have more or less attached him to the court party. With all his honesty he might have been led to see many things with a different eye. The course of our annals need not necessarily have changed for that; but who knows? Suppose Hampden a peer, and, for his abili. ties and firmness, the trusted minister of Charles as well as James. Suppose Hampden convinced that the power of Parliament required checking, and that

Brougham's mother showed more wisdom than Hampden's. When she heard that Henry was chancellor, she quietly, said, "It's well, but for my part I had rather he had remained Mr. Brougham, and member for the county of York." The peculiar distinction of representing the undivided county of York would have ceased with the passing of the Reform Bill, but Brougham could not have been shelved by the Whigs in 1835 had he retained the facilities for making himself troublesome which a seat in the House of Commons alone could give. It may have been some foreboding of the future which in 1830 caused him to manoeuvre for the mastership of the rolls, then tenable by a member of the Lower House. But it was felt that such an arrangement would have left him too powerful.

John Paul Richter's mother seconded her son in remarkable fashion. While he was yet waiting for fame, working steadily but gaining little, she was not satisfied with making their home as tidy and comfortable as might be, but toiled hard to earn a little money by spinning. Her receipts were duly entered in a book, from which one learns that for the month of March, 1793, they amounted to two florins, fifty-one kreutzers, three pfennigs about four shillings in all. She had her reward. In 1796 came the brilliant success of "Hesperus," and when the widow Richter died (in the following year) she was happy in the knowledge that Germany at length acknowledged John Paul for one of her great men.

It would be difficult to lay down a single proposition on the subject of heredity to which just exception might not be taken, but the fact about which one may feel surest seems to be the influence of the mother, whether consciously or unconsciously exercised. An unpleasant illustration appears in the characters of Letitia Bonaparte and Napoleon. She was sly, not to say given to fibs. He has been described as "the most colossal liar that ever lived." Readers of their Bibles need not go to secular history. Rebekah and

Jacob offer a parallel case. But in nine cases out of ten the influence is for good. About the only mistake in Mr. Reade's delightful novel of "Hard Cash" consists in his making Mrs. Dodd pray that her son might never be a brave man like his father. What true mother would utter such a prayer? "Either this or upon this" has the more genuine ring; and if English women forbear to repeat a modern equivalent of the words to their soldier-sons, it is in the proud consciousness that no such lesson is needed.

From Blackwood's Magazine.
THE LADIES LINDORES.

CHAPTER XVII.

(continued.)

95

young people. For my part, I say there's nothing like the old way. Just to clear out, the rooms, and get the fiddlers, and let them dance. But that would be a daftish thing too, in daylight," the old lady said; for she was not at all up to the current of events.

It was, I believe, the venerable game of croquet which was the "new-fashioned thing" in question, and which all the people outside crowded round to see, while a few highly instructed young persons, who had brought the knowledge from "the south," proceeded, with much modest importance, to exhibit for the benefit of their neighbors. "It's quite easy," they said, each feeling a sort of benevolent missionary. John Erskine was one of these illuminati, and he was the partner of Agnes Sempill, the girl who had trembled for a moment lest Mr. Torrance of Tinto might be going to select her from the many that smiled upon him. She would have married him had this been; but it must be said for her that she was unfeignedly glad to have escaped. This having been the case, it will be apparent that poor Agnes was no longer in her first youth. She was five or six and twentyyoung enough, yet not altogether a girl; and she knew, poor young woman, that she must marry the next man who offered himself, they were so poor! and her mother did not fail to impress upon her that she was losing all her chances. She looked upon John Erskine, accordingly, with more critical interest than is ordinarily felt. He was about her own age, but she decided that he was too young, and she hoped, whatever he was going to do in the matrimonial way, that he would show his intentions at once, and not force her mother into unnecessary efforts. "Too young-but he might do very well for Mary," she said to herself; and then she turned to him to talk about croquet, as if there was no such important subject.

"BLESS me, bless me! where is the general?" cried Lady Montgomery. She was standing in front of the great bowwindow which looked upon the lawn, with her beautiful Indian shawl on her shoulders. Grouped upon the grass were several parties of the younger people, not quite knowing what to do with themselves. Some of the ladies, wrapped in warm cloaks and shawls, were seated round, waiting.for some novelty of amusement, with which they were unacquainted, and wondering when it was going to be gin. It seemed to Lady Montgomery the most dreadful neglect of duty that there was no one to set the young people agoing. "Will anything have happened to Sir James?" she said, in anxious Scotch, and cast a glance back at the pleasant fire, and wrapped her shawl more closely round, with a sense that Providence might require of her the heroic effort of stepping outside. But just then she perceived in the distance that her general had been captured, and was being led back in triumph to the lawn by Nora and Agnes It is such a thing to have something Sempill, two of his chief favorites. John that can be played out of doors!" she followed after them, looking by no means said. Well, not so much in Scotland, triumphant. When Lady Montgomery that is true, but still we want a little varisaw this, she gave a nod of satisfaction, ety. Do you play golf, Mr. Erskine ? and returned to the fire. "Whatever The ladies' golf is very nice; it is only they're going to do, it'll begin now," she putting - but you won't understand what said. "If that's worth looking at, we can that means. At St. Andrews there is the see it from the window; but for my part, Ladies' LinksI'm very anxious about putting folk to sit on the grass at this time of the year. would not wonder to hear of bronchitis or inflammation after it but it's none of my doing. Sir James is just daft about all the new-fashioned ways of amusing

I

66

"Which sound romantic and pictur esque, at least."

Oh, it is not at all romantic picturesque after a sort. Seaside slopes — what you call downs in England; but I can't describe it. Is it my turn? You should

be able to get me nicely through that hoop next stroke you make. Sir James is always the first to get us any novelty that "But you must bestir yourself — you is going. He is always on the outlook for must bestir yourself," cried the old gensomething. This is the very first in the eral. Reflect, my dear; you're one of county. They have not got croquet yet many-you must not mind your own eneven at Lindores." joyment for the moment. Ay, my young "Does Lindores generally set the fash-friend, so you've been telling a lady of ion?" said John indiscreetly, not knowing a place she's dreamed of all her life? what to say.

"The fashion! oh no, certainly not," | cried Miss Sempill. "Of course they are the highest rank, and walk in and out before us all; but for anything else You used to know them, I hear, Mr. Erskine. Tell me something about them. John was not dull to this inducement. Oh, we are neighbors, but not great It was a pretty group which gathered friends. We do not move about very round as spectators, watching every much; we are humble people, without stroke. All the Sempill girls, an eager carriages and horses. I suppose they group of pretty, portionless.creatures, lived very quietly before

This was all the young man knew. Miss Sempi interrupted him with an eager where the Lindores lived. I dare say light in her eyes. "Doesn't it really? it was just as important to them then as Then that is the ideal place I have been it is to us now to be economical, and spend looking for all my life- a place where as little as they could." to be rich or poor makes no difference

"The interest that people take in the Oh, is it my turn again? what a | place where I met the Lindores is aston

ishing," said John. "I had to go through
a catechism at Tinto the other night."
"Ah! then you have been at Tinto.
Do you think, Mr. Erskine, that they are
so very unhappy as people say?"

"I do not know what people say," was all the answer John could make.

"There is nothing they don't say," cried Miss Sempill; "that he beats her -I have heard as much as that. I wonder if it can be at all her fault? I never cared for Pat Torrance myself, but nobody thought that of him before he was married. Do you think, perhaps, if she had taken a little more interest at first One can never tell; he was always rough, but not such a savage as that."

the absent family. The monotony was broken when he was taken into the drawing-room to be surveyed by the old ladies. Old Mrs. Methven, in her old yellow lace and shabby feathers, who looked to him like a superannuated cockatoo, pronounced once more that he was the image of Walter Erskine, who was killed in the French war, and who was the first man she ever saw in his own hair, without even a ribbon. "It looked very naked like," the old lady repeated; "no just decent, but you soon got used to it." When these greetings and introductions were over, Miss Barbara took his arm, and declared her intention of taking a turn on the green and inspecting the new game. But it was not the game which interested the old lady. She had a word of warning to say.

John, my man! at your age you think little of good advice above all from an old woman; but just one word. You must not bind yourself hand and foot to the Lindores. You have your own place to uphold, and the credit of your family. We've all formed our opinion of them; and if you're to be considered as one of them, a kind of retainer of theirs

"I have no opinion on the subject. I am only a stranger, you know," John said. "Ah! but I can see your opinion in your face. You think it is he that is to blame. Well, so he is, no doubt; but there are generally faults, don't you think, on both sides? And then, you see, she was brought up abroad one always feels that is a little risky for a girl. To be sure, you may turn upon me and say, why ask so many questions about it if you hold such an opinion of it? But there is a difference: we are all grown up but Lucy; "Retainer!" cried John, deeply piqued.. and if mamma and five of us cannot take Then he made an effort to recover his care of Lucy Both of the Lindores temper. "You must see how unreasonhave that disadvantage. Don't you think able this is," he said, with a forced Lady Edith is a little high and mighty? smile. "They are the only people I She thinks none of us are good enough know. I have the greatest respect for for her. They are not very friendly, them all, but I have done nothing toneither the one nor the other. They identify myself with the family." don't feel at home among us, I suppose. No doubt it is our fault as much as theirs," this candid critic said.

What

He spoke with some heat, and reddened, much to his annoyance. way but one was there of identifying himself with them? and what hope was there that he would ever be permitted to do that? The mere suggestion in his own bosom made him red, and then pale.

"You take up their opinions - you support their plans; you're a partisan, or so they tell me. All that is bad for you, John, my man! You'll excuse me speaking; but who should take an interest in you if it's not me?

Thus John heard nothing but the same sentiment over and over again repeated. His friends were not popular, and he himself stood in some danger of being reckoned as of their faction. There was no one so bold as to undertake the defence of Torrance; and yet there was a certain toleration accorded to him, as if his case had extenuating circumstances. John did not distinguish himself that afternoon as his friends expected him to do. His "All this is absurd," he cried. "Take play was feeble, and did no credit to his up their opinions! I think the earl is training in "the south;" and as he con- right about a county hospital. I will suptinued to be interrogated by every new-port him in that with all my heart. Your comer about his own antecedents and his favorite minister, Aunt Barbara former acquaintance with the Lindores, it "I have no favorite minister," said was difficult for him to repress all signs Miss Barbara, somewhat sharply. "I of impatience. There was not very much never let myself be influenced by one of variety in the talk of the county, to judge them. You mean the doctor, I suppose? by these specimens. They all asked how he's far too advanced for me. Ay, he liked the north, what he thought of that's just the man I'm meaning. He the society, and something or other about tells me you're taking up all the LinVOL. XL 2035

LIVING AGE.