heard a good deal of what was going on; and knew Many were the conversations and consultations that erelong there would be the copying out and ser-which the partners had had with Messrs. Mortmain ving of the lord knows how many copies of declara- and Frank pledge respectively, upon the interesting. tions in ejectment, motions against the casual ejector, question, whether there were any mode of at once and so forth-he was quite up to all those quaint and securing themselves against the ingratitude of Titanomalous proceedings. Well, it was agreed that mouse, and protecting themselves against the penalthe communication to Titmouse, on his first inter- ties of the law. It made Mr. Quirk's bald head even view, of the full extent of his splendid expectations, flush all over whenever he thought of their bill being should depend upon the discretion of Mr. Quirk. taxed, or contemplated himself the inmate of a priThe reader has seen the unexpected turn which mat- son, (above all, at his advanced time of life,) with ters took upon that important occasion; and if it mournful leisure to meditate upon the misdeeds that proved Quirk's policy to be somewhat inferior in had sent him thither, to which profitable exercise the point of discretion and long-sightedness to that of legislature would have specially stimulated him by a Gammon, still it must be owned that the latter had certain fine above mentioned. As for Gammon, he cause to admire the rapid generalship with which the knew there must be a way of doing the thing someconsequences of Quirk's false move had been retriev-how or another; for his friend Flankpledge felt infied by him--not ill seconded by Snap. What could nitely less difficulty in the way than Mortmain, have been more judicious than his reception of Tit-whom he considered a timid and old-fashioned pracmouse, on the occasion of his being led in again by titioner. The courts, he said, were now setting their the subtle Gammon? faces strongly against the doctrine of Maintenance, The next and greatest matter was, how to obtain as being founded on a bygone state of things, (ces any hold upon such a person as Titmouse, so as to sante ratione cessat et ipsa lex, was his favourite secure to themselves, in the event of success, the re- maxim.) There was no wrong without a remedy, muneration to which they considered themselves en-he said; and was there not a wrong in the case of a titled. Was it so perfectly clear that, if he felt dis-poor man wrongfully deprived of his own? And posed to resist it, they could compel him to pay the how could this be remedied, if the old law of Mainmere amount of their bill of costs? tenance stood like a bugbear in the way of humane Suppose he should turn round upon them, and have and spirited practitioners? Was no one to be able their BILL TAXED-Quirk grunted with fright at the to take up the cause of the oppressed, encouraged by bare thought. Then there was a slapping quiddam the prospect of an ample recompense? If it was honorarium extra-undoubtedly for that they must, said let the claimant sue in forma pauperis: but then they feared, trust to the honour and gratitude of Tit- he must swear that he is not worth five pounds; and mouse; and a pretty taste of his quality they had al- a man may not be able to take that oath, and yet be ready experienced! Such a disposition as his to unequal to the commencement of a suit requiring the have to rely upon for the prompt settlement of a bill outlay of thousands. Moreover, a pretty prospect it of thousands of pounds of costs; and, besides that, was for such a suitor, (in forma pauperis,) if he should to have it to look to for the payment of at least some happen to be non-suited-to be "put to his election, five thousand pounds douceur-nay, and this was not all. Mr. Quirk had, as well as Mr. Gammon, cast many an anxious eye on the following passages from a certain work entitled Blackstone's Commentaries:

a

“MAINTENANCE is an officious interrneddling in suit that no way belongs to one, by maintaining' or assisting either party with money, or otherwise, to prosecute or defend it.** It is an offence against public justice, as it keeps alive strife and contention, and perverts the remedial process of the law into an engine of oppression.** The punishment by common-law is fine and imprisonment, and by statute 32 Hen. VIII. c. 9, a forfeiture of L. 10!

whether to be whipped or pay the costs."* Thus reasoned within himself that astute person, Mr. Frankpledge; and at length satisfied himself that he had framed an instrument which would "meet the well versed in legal matters; but to the best of my case"-that "would hold water." I am not very recollection it was something in the nature of a bond, to Messrs. Quirk, Gammon and Snap, within two conditioned to pay the sum of ten thousand pounds the rents and profits. The condition of that bond months of Titmouse's being put into possession of was, as its framer believed, drawn in a masterly manner; and his draft was lying before Messrs. Quirk, Gammon and Snap, on the Wednesday morn"CHAMPERTY (campi partitio)—is a species of maintenance, and punished in the same manner; ing, (i. e. the day after Titmouse's interview with being a bargain with a plaintiff or defendant campum approbation of Mr. Quirk himself; when-whew!them,) and had succeeded at length in exciting the partiri,' to divide the land, or other matter sued for, down came a note from Mr. Frank pledge, to the efbetween them, if they prevail at law; whereupon fect that, "since preparing the draft bond," he had the champertor is to carry on the suit at his own had reason slightly to modify his original opinion,' expense.** These pests of civil society, that are perpetually endeavouring to disturb the repose of which an instrument precisely similar to the one owing to his "having lit upon a LATE case," in their neighbours, and officiously interfering in other which he had prepared for his admiring clients, had men's quarrels, even at the hazard of their own been held totally ineffectual and void both at law fortunes, were severely animadverted on by the and in equity." I say, Mr. Frankpledge's note was Roman law; and they were punished by the forfeiture of a third part of their goods, and perpetual to that effect; for so ingeniously had he framed itinfamy." so effectually concealed his retreat beneath a little cloud of contradictory authorities, like as the ink * Blackstone, Vol. III. p. 400, where it is stated,

These are pleasant passages.

6

* Blackstone's Commentaries, Vol. IV. pp. 134-5. however, that "that practice is now disused."

"To Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap.
"Gents,

fish, they say, eludeth its pursuers-that his clients had he to enjoy ?-for he had long been a widower,) cursed the law, not their draftsman: and, moreover, the more and more pitiful became his mood-the by prudently withholding the name of the "late more sensitive was he to compassionate suggestions; case," he at all events, for a while, had prevented and by the time that he had finished the decanter, he their observing that it was senior to some eight or ten was actually in tears. These virtuous feelings cases which (indefatigable man!) he had culled for brought their own reward, too-for, from time to them out of the legal garden, and arrayed on the time, they conjured up the faint image of a bond conback of his draft. Slightly disconcerted were ditioned for the payment of TEN THOUSAND POUNDS! Messrs. Quirk and Gammon, it may be believed, at To change the metaphor a little-by the time that this new view of the "result of the authorities." old Quirk had reached his office in the morning, the "Mortmain is always right!" said Quirk, looking heated iron had cooled; if his heart had retained any hard at Gammon; who observed simply that one day of the maudlin softness of the preceding evening, the Frankpledge would be as old as Mortmain then was, following pathetic letter from Titmouse might have by which time (thought he) I also know where you made a very deep impression upon it, and fixed him will be, my old friend, if there's any truth in the in the benevolent and disinterested mind of the old Scriptures! In this pleasant frame of mind were the lawyer, as indeed his "poor neighbour." The partners, when the impudent apparition of Hucka- following is an exact copy of it. It had been written back presented itself, in the manner which has been by Titmouse, all out of his own head; and with his described. Huckaback's commentary on the dis-own hand had he left it, at a late hour on the night gusting text of Titmouse over-night, (as a lawyer before. would say, in analogy to a well-known term, "Coke upon Littleton,") produced an effect upon their minds which may be guessed at. It was while their minds were under these two soothing influences, i. e. of the "Yr Esteem'd Favour his now before Me, which insolence of Huckaback and the vacillation of Frank- must Say have Given me Much Concern, seeing I pledge, that Mr. Gammon had penned the note to Thought it was All Made up betwixt us That was of Titmouse, (surely, under the circumstances, one of Such an Unpleasant Nature on Tuesday night (ultimo) extraordinary temperance and forbearance,) which wh I most humbly Own (and Acknowledge) was all had occasioned Titmouse the agonies which I have alone and intirely of my Own Fault, and Not in the been attempting faintly to describe;-and that Least Your's which behaved to me, Must say, In the Quirk, summoning Snap into the room, had requested most Respectful and superior manner that was possihim to give orders for denial to Titmouse if he should ble to think Of, for I truly Say I never was In the again make his appearance at the office; which in- Company of Such Imminent and Superior Gents bejunction Snap forthwith delivered in the clerk's room, fore In my Life wh will take my Oath sincerely Of, in a tone and manner that were a model of the impe- Gents. Please to consider the Brandy (wh do think rative mood. was Uncommon Stiff) such a flustrum As I Was In A day or two afterwards, Mr. Quirk, (who was a before, to, wh was Evident to All of Us there then man that stuck like a limpet to a rock to any point Assemblid and very natral like to be the Case Seeing which occurred to him,) in poring over that page in I have nevir known what Peas of Mind was since 1 the fourth volume of Blackstone's Commentaries, behaved in Such a Oudacious way wh truly was the where were to be found the passages which have case I can't Deny to Such Gents as Yourselfs that been already quoted, (and which both Quirk and were doing me such Good Fortune And Kindness to Gammon had long had off by heart,) as he sate one me as it would Be a Dreadful sin and shame (such as day at dinner, at home, whither he had taken the Trust I can never be Guilty of) to be (wh`am not) volume in question, fancied he had at last hit upon and never Can Be insensible Of, Gents do Consider a notable crotchet, which, the more he thought of, the all this Favourably because of my humble Amends more he was struck with; determining to pay a visit wh I here Make with the greatest Trouble in my in the morning to Mr. Mortmain. The spark of Mind that I have Had Ever Since, it was all of the light that had twinkled till it kindled in the tinder of Sperrits I Tooke wh made me Go On at such a his mind, was struck by his hard head out of the fol-Rate wh was always (beg to Assure yr respe house) lowing sentence of the text in question:the Case Since my birth when 1 took Sperrits near "A man may, however, maintain the suit of his so little Since I had the Meazles when I was 3 near kinsman, servant, or POOR NEIGHBOUR, out of Years Old as I Well Recollect and hope it will be charity and compassion, with impunity; otherwise, the Born in Mind what is Often Said, and I'm Sure I've punishment is," &c. &c. read it Somewhere Else that People that is Drunk Now, it seemed to Mr. Quirk, that the words Always speaks the Direct Contrarywise of their True which I have placed in italics and small capitals, and Real Thoughts. (wh am Certain never was any exactly met the case of poor Tittlebat Titmouse. He Thing Truer in my case) so as I get the Money or stuck to that view of the case, till he almost began to What not, do whatever you Like wh are quite welthink that he really had a kind of a sort of a charity come to Do if you please, and No questions Asked, and compassion for poor Tittlebat-kept out of his don't Mind saying by The Way It shall Be As Good rights-tyrannized over by a vulgar draper in Oxford as £200 note in The way of your Respe House if I Street-where, too, no doubt, he was half-starved. Get the Estate of wh am much in Want of. Mr. "It's a great blessing that one's got the means-and Gamon (wh is the most Upright gent that ever I the inclination, to serve one's poor neighbours"- came across in All my Life) will tell you that I Was thought Quirk, as he slowly swallowed another glass Quite Cut up when he came After me in that kind of the wine that maketh glad the heart of man-and Way and told him Then how I loved yr Respecte also softens it ;—for the more he drank, (what else House and would do all In My power to Serve You,

which see if I Don't, I was in Such a rage with that Quirk, doubtingly-" I—don't exactly look at it in Fellow (He's only in a Situation in Tottenham Ct that light." Road) Huckaback which is his true name it was an

"My dear sir!" exclaimed Gammon, leaning baek oudacious thing, and have given him such a Precious in his chair, and laughing rather heartily, (at least Good hiding last Night as you never saw when on for him.)

66

"Ay! see how he speaks of me!" interrupted Gammon, with such a smile.

“And doesn't he speak so of me? and all of us?"

"He'll let the House tread on him till he can tread on the House, I dare say.'

"But you must own, Mr. Gammon, it shows we've licked him into shape a bit-eh ?”

his Bendid Knees He asked the pardon of your You can't leave off that laugh of yours," said Respectable House, sayg nothing Of Me wh wd not Quirk, a little tartly; "but I must say I don't see allow because I said I would Not Forgive Him be- any thing in the letter to laugh at so particularly. It cause he had not injured me: But you, wh I wonder is written in a most respectful manner, and shows a at his Impudence in Calling on Professional Gents proper feeling towards the House." like you, if I get The Estate shall never cease to Think well of you and mean While how full of Trouble I am Often Thinking Of Death which is the End of Every Thing And then in that Case who will the Property Go to Seeing I Have never a Brother or Sister Behind me. And Therefore Them That wd Get it I Feel Sure of wd Not do So Well by you (if You will Only believe Me) So Gents. This is All at present That I will Make so Bold to Oh, it's a little vile creeping reptile now, and so trouble you With About my Unhappy Affairs Only it will be to the end of the chapter of our proceedto say That am used most Intolerably Bad now In ings; and when we've done every thing-really, Mr. The Shop quite Tyranicall And Mr Tag-Rag as Set Quirk! if one were apt to lose one's temper, it Them All Against Me and 1 shall Never Get Anoth- would be to see such a thing as that put into posseser Situatn for want of a Charr which he will give me sion of such a fortune." sayg nothg at Present of the Sort of Victules wh give me Now to Eat Since Monday last, For Which am Sure the Devil must have Come In to That Gentleman (Mr Tag-rag, he was only himself in a Situation in Holborn once, getts the Business by marryg the widow wh wonder At for he is nothing Particular to Look At.) I am yrs

Humbly to Command Till Death (always Humbly Begging pardon for the bad Conduct wh was guilty of when In Liquor Especially On an Empty Stomach, Having Taken Nothing all that Day excepting what I could not Eat,)

Your's most Respy

TITTLEBAT TITMOUSE."

P. S. Will Bring That young Man with Tears In his Eyes to Beg yr pardon Over again If You Like wh will Solemnly Swear if Required That he did It all of His own Head And that Have given It him For it in the Way That is Written Above And humbly Trust You Will make Me So happy Once more by Writing To Me (if it is only a Line) to say You have Thought No more of it. T. T. No 9 Closet

Ct. Oxford Street. 14-7-182."

66

"That may be, Mr. Gammon; but I really-trust I've-a higher feeling-to right-the injured"— He could get no further.

"Hem!" exclaimed Gammon.

The parties smiled at one another. A touch, or an attempted touch at disinterestedness!➡and at Quirk's time of life!

"But he's now in a humour for training, at all events-isn't he?" exclaimed Quirk-" we've something now to go to work upon-gradually."

"Isn't that a leaf out of my book, Mr. Quirk? isn't that exactly what"

"Well, well-what does it signify?" interrupted Quirk, rather petulantly-"I've got a crotchet that'll do for us, yet, about the matter of law, and make all right and tight, so I'm going to Mortmain."

"I've got a little idea of my own of that sort, Mr. Quirk," said Gammon-"I've got an extract from Co-Litt. I can't imagine how either of them could have missed it, and, as Frankpledge dines with me to-day we shall talk it all over. But, by the way Mr. Quirk, I should say, with all deference, that we'll take no more notice of this fellow till we've got some screw tight enough.'

66

Why all that may be very well; but you see, Gammon, the fellow seems the real heir, after alland if he don't get it, no one can; and if he don'twe don't! eh?"5

This touching epistle, I was saying, might have brought tears into Mr. Quirk's eyes, if he had been used to the melting mood, which he was not; having never been seen to shed a tear but once-when five sixths of his little bill of costs (L. 196, 15s. 4d.) "There's a very great deal of force in that observwere taxed off in an action on a Bill of Exchange for ation, Mr. Quirk," said Gammon emphatically :L. 20. As it was, he tweedled the letter about in and tolerably well pleased with one another, they his hands for about five minutes, in a musing mood, parted. If Quirk might be compared to an old file, and then stepped with it into Mr. Gammon's room. Gammon was the oil!—so they got on, in the main, That gentleman took the letter with an air of curiosity, very well together. It hardly signifies what was the and read it over; at every sentence [if indeed a sen- result of their interviews with their two conveyancers. tence was in it] bursting into soft laughter. They met in the morning on ordinary business; and as each made no allusions whatever to the "crotchet" of the day before, it may be inferred that each had been satisfied by his conveyancer of having found a mare's nest.

"Ha, ha, ha!" he laughed on concluding it "a comical gentleman, Mr. Titmouse, upon my honour!" "Funny-isn't it rather?" interposed Mr. Quirk, standing with his hands fumbling in his breeches pockets.

"What a crawling despicable rascal !-ha, ha!"

ha,

"I think, by the way," said Mr. Gammon to Mr. Quirk, before they parted on the previous evening, "it may be as well, all things considered, to acknow"Why I don't quite say that, either," said ledge the receipt of the fellow's note-eh? Can't

do any harm, you know, and civility costs nothing-in Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap; and so far hem!" succeeded, that Titmouse returned to his lodgings at "The very thing I was thinking of," replied a late hour, a somewhat happier, if not a wiser man Quirk, as he always did on hearing any suggestion than he had left them. By the time, however, that from Mr. Gammon. So by that night's post was he had got into bed, having once more spelt over the dispatched (post-paid) the following note to Mr. note in question, he felt as despondent as ever, and Titmouse:thought that Huckaback had not known what he had Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap have the been talking about. He also adverted to an apparent pleasure of acknowledging the receipt of Mr. Titly careless allusion by Huckaback to the injuries mouse's polite letter of last night's date; and which had been inflicted upon him by Titmouse on earnestly beg that he will not distress himself about the Wednesday night: and which, by the way, the little incident that occurred at their office on Huckaback determined it should be no fault of his Tuesday night, and which they assure him they have if Titmouse easily forgot! He hardly knew whyquite forgotten. They made all allowances, however but he disliked this particularly-Whom had he, their feelings suffered at the time. They beg Mr. however, in the world, but Huckaback? In comT. will give them credit for not losing sight of his pany with him alone, Titmouse felt that his pent-up interests, to the best of their ability, obstructed as feelings could discharge themselves. Huckaback had they are, however, by numerous serious difficulties. certainly a wonderful knack of keeping up 'Titmouse's If they should be in any degree hereafter overcome, spirits, whatever cause he fancied he might really he may rest assured of their promptly communicating have for depression. In short, he longed for the with him; and till then they trust Mr. T. will not Sunday morning-ushering in a day of rest and inconvenience himself by calling on, or writing to sympathy. Titmouse would indeed then have to them. look back upon an agitating and miserable week, "Saffron Hill, 15th July, 182–. what with the dismal upsetting of his hopes, in the "P. S.-Messrs. Q. G. and S. regret to hear that manner I have described, and the tyrannical treatment any unpleasantness has arisen (Gammon could hard. he experienced at Dowlas and Co.'s. Mr. Tag-rag ly write for laughing) between Mr. Titmouse and began, at length, in some degree, to relax his active his friend Mr. Hicklebagle, who, they assure him, exertions against Titmouse, simply because of the manifested a very warm interest on behalf of Mr. T., trouble it gave him to keep them up. He attributed and conducted himself with the greatest propriety on the pallid cheek and depressed manner of Titmouse the occasion of his calling upon Messrs. Q. G. and entirely to the discipline which had been inflicted S. They happened at that moment to be engaged in upon him at the shop, and was gratified at perceiving matters of the highest importance; which will, they that all his other young men seemned, especially in trust, explain any appearance of abruptness they his presence, to have imbibed his hatred of Titmouse, might have exhibited towards that gentleman. Per-What produced in Tag-rag this hatred of Titmouse? haps Mr. Titmouse will be so obliging as to intimate Simply what had taken place on the Monday. Mr. as much to Mr. Hickerbag." Tag-rag's dignity and power had been doggedly set There was an obvious reason for this polite allusion at nought by one of his shopman, who had since to Huckaback. Gammon thought it very possible refused to make the least submission, or offer any that that gentleman might be in Mr. Titmouse's con- kind of apology. Such conduct struck at the root of fidence, and exercise a powerful influence over him subordination in his establishment. Again, there is hereafter; and which influence Messrs. Q. G. and perhaps nothing in the world so calculated to enrage S. might find it well worth their while to secure a petty and vulgar mind to the highest pitch of maliguity, as the calm persevering defiance of an The moment that Titmouse, with breathless haste, inferior, whom it strives to despise, while it is only had read over this mollifying document, which being hating, which it at the same time feels to be the directed to his lodgings correctly, he of course did case. Tag-tag now and then looked towards Titnot obtain till about ten o'clock, he hastened to his mouse, as he stood behind the counter, as if he could friend Huckaback. That gentleman [who seemed have, murdered him. Titmouse attempted once or now virtually recognised by Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, twice, during the week, to obtain a situation else and Snap as Titmouse's confident] shook his head where, but in vain. He could expect no character ominously, exclaiming" Blarney, blarney!" and a from Tag-rag; and when the 10th of August should bitter sneer settled on his disagreeable features, till have arrived, what was to become of him? These he had read down to the postscript; the perusal of were the kind of thoughts often passing through his which effected a sudden change in his feelings. He mind during the Sunday, which he and Huekaback declared, with a great oath, that Messrs. Quirk, spent together in unceasing conversation on the one Gammon, and Snap, were "perfect gentlemen," and absorbing event of the last week. Titmouse, po would do the right thing, Titmouse might depend puppy, had dressed himself with just as much care upon it;" an assurance which greatly cheered Tit- as usual; but as he was giving the finishing touches mouse, to whose keen discernment it never once at his toilet, pumping up grievous sighs every half occurred to refer Huckaback's altered tone to the minute, the sum of his reflections might be stated in right cause, viz., the lubricating quality of the post- the miserable significance of a quaint saying of Poor script; and since Titmouse did not allude to it, no Richard's, How hard is it to make an empty sack more did Mr. Huckaback, although his own double stand upright!"

beforehand.

ly

misnomer stuck a little in his throat. So effectual, Although the sun shone as vividly and beautiful'y indeed, had been that most skilful postscript upon as on the preceding Sunday, to Titmouse's sadder ed the party whom it had been aimed at, that he exerted eye there seemed a sort of gloom every where. Up himself unceasingly to revive Titmouse's confidence and down the Park he and Huckaback walked, VOL. XXXVIII.—JANUARY, 1840.

"Lord, Tit, you don't really mean-it's deuced dull."

"Hang me if I don't, though! and if any thing should come of it-if I do but get the estate-I wonder now, where Mr. Gammon goes to church. I should like to know!-I'd go there regularly)-—But if I do get the thing-you see if I don't."

towards the close of the afternoon; but Titmouse had not so elastic a strut as before. He felt empty and sinking. Every body seemed to know what a sad pretender he was: and they quitted the magic circle much earlier than had been usual with Titmouse. What with the fatigue of a long day's saunter, the vexation of having had but a hasty, inferior, and unrefreshing meal, which did not deserve the name of dinner, and their unpleasant thoughts, both seemed depressed as they walked along the streets. length they arrived at the open doors of a gloomy- "Ill take my oath you was staring at the gals all looking building, into which two or three sad and the while, Hucky!" prim-looking people were entering. After walking "Ah, Titty!" Huckaback winked his eye, and put a few paces past the door-" D'ye know, Huck," the tip of his forefinger to the tip of his nose, and said Titmouse, stopping, "I've often thought that—laughed.

that-there's something in Religion."

"Ah, I don't know; it's not much use praying for money, Tit; I've tried it myself, once or twice, but At it didn't answer."

"To be sure there is, for those that like it-who doubts it? "It's all very well in its place, no

From Blackwood's Magazine.

PITIATION.,

doubt," replied Huckaback, with much surprise, COLONIAL NEGLECT AND FOREIGN PRO which increased, as he felt himself slowly being swayed round towards the building in question. "Well, but what of that?"

1

"Oh, nothing; but hem! hem!" replied Tit-sideration of which is now brought home to the BriAMONG the various and pressing interests, the conmouse, sinking his voice to a whisper-"a touch of tish Empire, there is none which is of such parareligion-would not be so much amiss, just now. mount and growing importance as the extension of 1 feel uncommon inclined that way, somehow." "Religion's all very well for them that has much nexion with it. The more minutely and anxiously our Colonial Empire, and the securing of our conto be thankful for; but devil take me! what have that our social condition at home is considered, the either you or me to be""But, Huck-how do you know but we might get of our domestic prosperity but of our national indemore it will be found that the maintenance, not only something to be thankful for, by praying-I've often pendence, is entirely dependent upon promoting the heard of great things;-Come." Huckaback stood for a moment irresolute, twirling nies; and that our trade with other countries, so far growth and maintaining the connexion with our coloabout his cane, and looking rather distastefully from being a source of strength, may at once be contowards the dingy building. "To be sure," said he, verted into the greatest cause of weakness on the faintly. Titmouse drew him nearer; but he sud- next occasion in which this country is engaged in a denly started back." No! oh, 'tis only a meeting maritime contest. The facts on this subject which house, Tit! Curse Dissenters, how I hate 'em! No-are to be found in our Parliamentary Reports are of I won't pray in a meeting-house, let me be bad as I the very highest importance, and perfectly decisive may. Give me a regular-like, respectable church, of the vast superiority of colonial to foreign comwith a proper steeple, and parson, and prayers, and merce. Nevertheless, that they are very little known, Titmouse secretly acknowledged the force of these wound up with the subject, appears in the most strikeven by those whose whole fortune and interests are observations; and the intelligent and piously disposed ing manner from the astonishment which the facts couple, with perhaps a just, but certainly a somewhat connected with this subject never fail to excite when sudden regard for orthodoxy, were not long before stated to an intelligent and respectable assembly; they had found their way into a church where and, unless these facts are constantly brought home evening service was being performed. They ascended to the public mind, and come at length to influence the gallery stair; and seeing no reason to be ashamed the measures of Government by the accumulated of being at church, down they both went, with loud force of public thought, it may confidently be preclattering steps and a bold air, into the very central dicted that a catastrophe, at some future and possiseat in the front of the gallery, which happened to be bly not distant period, awaits the British Empire, vacant. Titmouse paid a most exemplary attention greater, perhaps, than has yet befallen any civilized to what was going on, kneeling, sitting, and standing nation.

all that."

with exact propriety, in the proper places; joining We have now been so long in the enjoyment of audibly in the responses, and keeping his eyes pretty profound peace, and in the possession of an export steadily on the prayer-book, which he found lying commerce to every quarter of the globe, that the older there. He even rebuked Huckaback for whispering part of the present generation have forgotten, the (during one of the most solemn parts of the service) younger never have experienced, what it was to have that "there was a pretty gal in the next pew!"-He the export trade of England to nearly all but its own thought that the clergyman was an uncommon fine colonies closed by foreign hostility. Fortunately, preacher, and said some things that he must have however, the experiment has been tried, and a durameant for him, Titmouse, in particular. "Curse me, Hucky!" said he heatedly, as soon result to all classes in this country from such a stopble monument remains of the consequences which as they quitted the church, and were fairly in the page in the vent of our produce. street "Curse me if-if-ever I felt so comfortable- the hostility of Napoleon had closed all the harbours In the year 1811, like in my mind before, as I do now-I'll go next in Europe against our commerce, while the AmeriSunday again." cans, by a non-intercourse Act, shut us out from