6

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tarily to innovate on the established laws of language, writings of Jeremy Taylor, Sir Thomas Browne, or no matter how they came to be established, to be re- Burton-the singular author of that singular book, garded any otherwise than as an indication of a very the Anatomy of Melancholly.' In Jeremy Taylor. depraved taste. A philosophical mind will consider, for example, we find the words funest' for sad;" that whatever deflection may have taken place in the effigiate for conform ;' respersed' for scattered;" original principles of a language-whatever modifica- deturpated' for deformed;' deordination' for 'contion of form it may have undergone, it is at each fusion; clancularly' for 'secretely;' rate' for period of its history, the product of a slow accumu- ratified; ferity' for 'fierceness;' 'correption' for lation and countless multitude of associations, which rebuke;' immorigerous' for disobedient;' flexcan neither be hastily formed nor hastily dismissed; ures' in the sense of compliances;' intenerate' for that these associations extend even to the modes of render soft.' spelling and pronouncing, of inflecting and combining But the learned, powerful as is their influence withwords; and that anything which suddenly breaks in in certain limits, and considerable as are the changes upon such associations impairs for the time at least, they may effect, never have been, and never will be, the power of the language. For this reason, new able to destroy the essence of a language, or to recompounds, such as those we have just referred to, verse the proportions of its principal elements. The though perfectly in analogy with many compounds mass who use it to express ordinary objects, their which still remain in the language, and which are not natural feelings, their daily wants, and for the purmerely expressive, but venerable for their antiquity, pose of transacting the practical business of life, will could not be ventured upon without covering an still determine its character; while the writers who author with ridicule. In a word, a philosophical employ it for popular purposes will chiefly use the mind will consider that languages, as Sir James diction of the people. The pure Saxon, however Mackintosh profoundly observed of political con- inferior the position it might sometimes hold in the stitutions, are not made, but grow;' and will writings of philosophers, has always lived and tribe content that even demonstrated improvements umphed in those of the poets and polite writers, more should not be suddenly introduced, according to the especially in those of the dramatists. Nothing shows judgment, caprice, or whim of the individual writer; the vitality of the Saxon portion of the language but as the fruit of enlightened criticism and discus- more strongly, than the fact of its raving preserved sion, operating slowly and imperceptibly on the con- its ascendency amidst the extraordinary revolutions. victions of the many. When changes are thus of our political and literary history. produced, they are produced not only by a slow 'Look at the English,' says Dr. Bosworth in his process, but are at length almost simultaneously Prolegomena, polluted by Danish and Norman adopted, thus preventing any rude shock to our asso- conquests, distorted in its genuine and noble features. ciations. The old are not destroyed till the new are by old and recent endeavours to mould it after the ready to take their place. French fashion, invaded by a hostile force of Greek To the Latin, we owe a very large portion of ab- and Latin words, threatening by increasing hosts to stract and general terms; especially in the depart- overwhelm the indigenous terms; in these long ments of theology, moral and political philosophy, contests against the combined might of so many and indeed in all the moral sciences: to the Greek, forcible enemies, the language, it is true, has lost very many terms in these departments, and nearly some of its power of inversion in the structure of the whole of the technicalities of physical science. It sentences, the means of denoting the differences of may be said, perhaps that it was the least these lan- gender, and the nice distinctions by inflexion and guages could do for us, to compensate in this way termination-almost every word is attacked by the for the manner in which they had curbed and con- spasm of the accent and the drawing of consonants to fined the original spirit of the English; but it is not wrong positions, yet the old English principle is not to be forgotten, that the great change in its gram- overpowered. Trampled down by the ignoble feet. matical structure took place long before the revival of strangers, its spring still retains force enough to of letters; and, in short, that Latin and Greek had restore itself; it lives and plays through all the veins little to do with it. The Conquerer and his Normans, of the language, it impregnates the innumerable we apprehend, were but scantily furnished with the former language, and if they knew that there was such a language as the latter, it was as much as they did know. It is true, as we have already said, that the extensive study of these languages, and the introduction of a large number of words, abridged the But though we may congratulate ourselves that necessity, as well as discouraged the practice, of the Saxon still maintains its ascendency, we are not moulding the old materials into new forms; but the to suppose that the obligations which the classical great revolution which first led to this result had languages conferred upon our own, are slight. They been accomplished long before. It must be admitted, not only polished and refined it, by inspiring our however, that if divines and philosophers could ever writers with taste, but the contributions they furnished totally destroy the character of a language (which to our vocabulary were in the highest degree valua will never be the case), there was at one time a dan-ble. We are not only indebted to them for the ger lest the infusion of the classical element should greater part of the language of philosophy, and of be carried too far. Reading and writing, perpetually science; but these languages, more especially the and almost exclusively in Latin, these recluse men Latin, have furnished us with duplicates of many at once introduced into their pages, with the slightest words of common objects, which add much to the possible change of termination, hundreds of words variety and harmony of expression.

strangers entering its dominions with its temper, and stains them with its colour, not unlike the Greek, which in taking up oriental words stripped them of their foreign costume, and bid them appear as native Greeks.'

which have since become obsolete. Nobody can be None who are acquainted with the earliest speciignorant of this who is but moderately versed in the mens of English literature, but must have been

.

struck with the fact, that however racy and forcible all their grossness.' In the same manner, we all the expression is, there is often a singular poverty know that it is very possible for a medical man to put and meagerness about it a want of variety and to us questions, under the seemly disguise of sciencompass in the diction, the tedious recurrence of the tific phraseology and polite circumlocution, which, if same word in a single sentence. No doubt that expressed in the bare and rude vernacular, would these defects might have been in a great measure most be quite as nauseous as his draughts and pills. avoided, even without enlarging the capabilities of Lastly, There are many thoughts which gain the language, if writers had attained that taste and immensely by mere novelty and variety of expression. refinement which they had not yet acquired, and This the judicious poet, who knows that the conwhich were to be imbibed from an intense and pro- nexion between thoughts and words is as intimate as longed study of classical literature. No doubt, in that between body and spirit, well understands. that rude age, the most was not made of the language There are thoughts, in themselves trite and commonsuch as it was. Still, after making all allowance place, when expressed in the hackneyed terms of for this, the language abridged of its native power, common life, which if adorned by some graceful or needed this transfusion of fresh blood; it was felicitous novelty of expression, shall assume an materially strengthened by these foreign alliances. unwonted air of dignity and elegance. What was Nor are we indebted to the Latin merely for a vast trivial, becomes striking; and what was plebeian, addition to our vocabulary-for greater compass and noble. variety of expression; there are certain purposes of

To know how to employ, in the due degree and on language, which, generally speaking, our words of the proper occasions, either the Saxon or the classical Latin origin are alone capable of fulfilling. For elements of our language; when to aim at strength example, the Latin contributes most largely to the and when at refinement of expression to be enerlanguage of polite life, as well as that of polite getic without coarseness and polished without literature. To the orator, this portion of the language affectation-is the most conclusive proof of a highly is of less importance, because energy is his great cultivated taste. The false refinement with which object; and indeed, wherever energy is the object, it some avoid the strong Saxon, even when there is is comparatively of little consequence. But where nothing vulgar about it;-when its very homeliness the very object is to soften what would be offensively and strength are the only reasons which induce them strong, impart dignity or novelty to what is trite, or to reject it; in other words, when their only reasons to avoid what is vulgar or hackneyed, terms and for rejecting, are just everybody else's reasons for phrases from the Latin are in a thousand cases most preferring it is perfectly ludicrous. They would valuable resources. For example, it is often neces- sooner employ the most frigid synonyme of Latin sary to convey ideas which, if expressed with that origin, provided it is not common, that is, provided speciality and force which the terms of the Saxon it is powerless, or the most effeminate circumlocution, would be sure to impart, would be highly repulsive, than resort to a nervous, but homely term or phrase. but they may be expressed in the general and less Such writers offend as much by their squeamish vivid terms, derived from foreign sources, without delicacy as others by their grossness. They forget appearing so unpalatable. For this reason, it will be that it is possible for perfumes to be as stiflingly found that a large portion of those expressions, with strong as ill odours; and remind one of that philosowhich every language abounds, to which a man of phic people, of whom Swift tells us that they never sensibility instinctively reverts, and by which we charged each other with lying,' but only with endeavour to throw a veil over what is hideous or saying the thing that is not;' or of that courtly offensive, are in English made up of Latin terms. preacher, who told his congregation that 'if they did Again, it is often necessary to convey ideas which, not mend their manners, they would certainly go to though not truly and properly offensive in themselves, a place-which he could not think of naming in the would, if clothed in the rough Saxon, appear so to ears of so polite an assembly.' the sensitive modesty of a highly refined state of It has often been supposed that great familiarity society-dressed in Latin, these very same ideas with classical literature will indispose a man for shall seem decent enough. Once more, there is a relishing or writing idiomatic English. We are large number of words which, from the frequency thoroughly persuaded of the contrary. If, indeed, with which they are used, and from their being so one who has little imagination-little poetic sensiconstantly in the mouths of the vulgar, would not be bility-will read nothing but Latin and Greek; if he endured in polished society, though more privileged will not keep up his acquaintance with the best synonymes of Latin origin, or some classical circum- specimens of English literature, such a result may be locution, expressing exactly the same thing, shall expected, but not otherwise. It is also doubtless pass unquestioned. There may be nothing dishonest, true, that when Roman literature first began to be nothing really vulgar about the old Saxon word, yet much studied, and when Latin was almost the only it would be thought as uncouth in a drawing-room, language in which the learned wrote or read, there as the ploughman to whose rude use it is abandoned. was for a time a tendency to import Latin terms too Thus the word stench' is lavendered over into largely, just as there was a tendency to adopt an unpleasant effluvia, or an ill odour: 'sweat' diluted involved and highly periodic style, utterly inconsisinto four times the number of syllables, becomes a tent with the genius of English. All this was not very inoffensive thing in the shape of perspiration.' unnatural: classical literature was then doing its To squint' is softened into obliquity of vision; to work, but had not done it-that of purifying and be drunk' is valgar; but if a man be simply intoxi- refining taste. As our language during this period cated or inebriated, it is comparatively venial. In- was still in a great degree unfixed, and the taste of deed, we may say of the classical names of vices, those who wrote it comparatively rude, mere imitawhat Burke more questionably said of vices them-tion, to a certain extent, was the inevitable conseselves, that they lose half their deformity by losing 'quence. There is little temptation now to such folly,

and no apology for it. Accordingly in general the The Italian is pleasant, but without sinews, as a only, as it is the proper, effect of the study of classi-still, fleeting water. The French delicate, but even cal literature on every vigorous mind, is to inspire it nice as a woman, scarce daring to open her lippes with delicacy of taste;-to secure a more exact and for fear of marring her countenance. The Spanish sensitive appreciation of the beautiful. The ambition majesticall, but fulsome, running too much on the o, which will animate such a mind, will be that of pd terrible like the divell in a play. The Dutch transferring the classical spirit into the language and lanlike, but withal very harsh, as one ready, at literature of his own country, not of moulding their every word, to picke a quarrell. Now we, in boroutward forms into conformity with those of Greece rowing from them, give the strength of consonants to and Rome; in a word, of doing that in English the Italian; the full sound of words to the French; the which the ancients did in Greek and Latin. A man variety of terminations to the Spanish; and the molwho should act otherwise, would resemble the learned lifying of more vowels to the Dutch; and so, like doctor in Peregrine Pickle,' who, instead of trans-bees, we gather the honey of their good properties, ferring to English habits and manners and to modern and leave the dregs to themselves. And thus, when cookery, the spirit of elegant luxury which reigned substantial nesse combineth with delightfulnesse, fulover Roman entertainments, turned the stomachs of nesse with finenesse, seemlinesse with portlinesse, his guests with pullets stuffed with assafoetida, and and currentnesse with stay dnesse, how can the landormice pies liquored over with syrup of poppies. guage which consisteth of all these, sound other than full of all sweetnesse?"*

Such, it appears to us, is the genuine and usual effect of studying classical literature. Some few The work which stands at the head of this article, exceptions there will always be; men so perversely is precisely such as the Anglo-Saxon student wanted. constituted in mind, so predestinated to be pedants Not only were the older Dictionaries, as those of and slavish copyists, that nothing can cure them; Somner. Benson, and Lye, out of the market, or high men who will traverse the whole circle of Greek and priced, but they were all marked by great defects. Roman literature, and acquire nothing thereby but At the time when even the most recent of them was the faculty of spoiling English. Upon such, the published, namely, in 1772, the grammatical strucgrace and beauty which pervade the remains of ture of the Anglo-Saxon had been little investigated; classical antiquity are utterly lost; they must and the false principles which pervaded them, or transfer them bodily, and in their actual forms, or not their want of principles altogether, detract most seriat all; and this they foolishly think they have done, ously from their value. Even of Lye, whose great when they have violently torn away some few work reflects the highest honour on his industry and tatters of phraseology, some fragments of the language learning, Rask observes (perhaps too generally) that, of their admired models, and grotesquely stuck them from him scarcely any knowledge of the grammati on their own pages; totally unconscious that their cal properties of a word can be obtained, but of its beauty, like that of the flower plucked from its stem, signification only,' Equally deficient are these withers at once by the very violence which tears it works, considered merely as vocabularies. Since the from its place, and that there is no more resemblance publication of Lye, the study of the Anglo-Saxon (as between classical compositions and such imitations, well as of all the kindred dialects) has been prosethan between the wild hedge-rows and the hortus cuted with ardour. Its grammatical structure and siccus of a botanist. These instances, however, of peculiarities have been developed with extraordinary hopeless bad taste, are comparatively rare.

sagacity by Rask; Grimm's Deutsche Grammatik' That the effect of the study of classical literature has shed much light on the subject; Bosworth has is generally what we have stated, is certainly con- been long occupied in the same field; while the exfirmed, if we examine the list of our principal au- tensive pablication of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts, or thors. It would be no difficult thing to show that a very new editions of what had been already published, by considerable number of our most idiomatic writers Thorpe, Kemble, and Cardale, together with the cri, have been, if not profound classical scholars, yet tical labours of these and other gentlemen, have not early tinctured with classical literature, and through- only facilitated a knowledge of the grammar of the out their lives distinguished by a love of it. Such language, but have brought extensive additions to its were Milton, South, Swift; the first of whom is in-vocabulary. The great desideratum was a good deed as remarkable for his thorough mastery over Lexicon, in which all these results of modern scholthe Saxon portion of our own language, as he is for arship should be applied-in which the new and bethis classical spirit. Again, the bulk of those writers ter principles of grammar should be exemplified, and who have wielded with equal ease all the elements the additions to the vocabulary embodied. This has of our powerful language-giving an undue prefer- been accomplished in the work now before us, which ence to none of them, but employing each just in the is the fruit of ripe scholarship, enlarged views, and degree and on the occasions required-have been many years of severe and patient labour. Dr. Bosdeeply imbued with a love of the Greek and Roman worth seems to have availed himself most diligently, literature. Such, to cite a few examples, were Addi- not only of all the Lexicographical works which son, Pope, Steele, Cowper, Burke; indeed, almost preceded his own, but of the researches of all his conthe only writer remarkably idiomatic, who was to- temporaries both here and on the Continent. The adtally unimbued with this spirit, was Cobbett.

Upon the whole, the English language, in copiousness and variety, as well as in most other qualities, will vie with almost any language, ancient or modern. The words of old Camden are still more applicable to it now than when they were originally written. "Whereas our tongue is mixed, it is no disgrace. VOL. XXXVIII,—JANUARY, 1839,

3

ditional words in the Glossaries to Apollonius,' and to the Analecta Anglo-Saxonica,' by Thorpe-in the Index to Cædmon,' by the same able editor-in the Glossary to Beowulf,' by Kemble, are here embodied; while the utmost use has been made of the

* Camden's 'Remains,'

manuscript collections of Mr. Cardale, generously of- Latin and Saxon Dictionary. At the close of the fered for this purpose. Rask was an intimate friend work extensive indices of English and Latin words of our author; he also seems to have had intercourse are given, and references to the columns of the with most of the other Anglo-Saxon scholars on the Dictionary, where the correspondent Anglo-Saxon Continent; some of whom have rendered most im- words are to be found.

portant assistance, not only in the valuable Prole- Nor is the preliminary matter inferior in value to gomena on the Origin and Affinities of the Germanic that of the Lexicon itself. After illustrating in a Languages,' but in the preparation of the Lexicon it- very concise but perspicuous manner the great docself. One of them,' to use the language of Dr. Bos- trine, that all languages had a common origin, our worth himself, well-acquainted with all the Teuto- author proceeds to consider the origin, history, and nic and Scandinavian dialects, has used his utmost mutual connexion of the Germanic tongues. These efforts to verify every word introduced amongst the he treats in a series of brief but very able dissertaparallels, and to give the orthography and gender tions, illustrated by copious specimens. They emcorrectly. As the eagerness with which our author brace a general view of the Low-German, Highhas availed himself of every source of information, is German, and Scandinavian dialects. Those on in the highest degree creditable to him as a scholar; Anglo-Saxon, Friesic, Dutch, and German, are of so the frankness and the gratitude with which he ac- considerable extent. In that on the Friesic, Dr. Bosknowledges all such assistance, are equally creditable worth expresses his obligations to Mr. Halbertsma, to him as a man. Indeed, the candour which he one of the principal promoters of Friesian literature. every where manifests, is well worthy of the imita- We quite agree with our author as to the extraordition of authors in general. Not the minutest obliga-nary affinities between this dialect and the Anglotions are left unacknowledged, even on points where Saxon; and that it is calculated to shed a stronger some other writers would have appropriated them light on the latter than any other of the sister dialects. without scruple. With a still more resolute candour, One cannot fail to be struck, however, throughout he does not hesitate to modify or abandon early opin- these dissertations, with a strong family likeness ions, whenever more extensive or more accurate re- amongst all the dialects of the Germanic languages; search has suggested the propriety of doing so. Thus and at the ease with which any one acquainted with he frankly acknowledges, in his preface to the Es- English and Dutch, or English and German, might sentials of Anglo-Saxon Grammar,' that 'as infornía- acquire the rest.

tion increased, there has been a gradual approxima- The Dissertations are followed by articles on the tion in grammatical forms and accents to the views affinity of the Germanic languages; a short account of the great etymological systems of modern Germa

of Professors Rask and Grimm.'

The general plan of the Lexicon is this:-The ny, the essentials of Anglo-Saxon grammar; an Anglo-Saxon words are usually followed by the par- abstract of the grammar of Rask, and of that portion allel terms in the cognate dialects; the derivation of of Grimm's Deutsche Grammatik' which relates the word immediately succeeds the synonymes; then to the Saxon.

the meanings are given in English, while to the In fact, this volume contains, within a moderate principal significations, the Latin is also added, thus compass, a complete apparatus for the study of Ansecuring the authority of Somner and Lye, Then glo-Saxon. Copious, accurate, cheap-embodying follow the quotations from Anglo-Saxon writers with the whole results of modern Anglo-Saxon scholaran English translation as literal as possible. The ship-there is no other work of the kind that can be grammatical inflexions are fully given, and the gender put in comparison with it; and we therefore unhesi of the nouns (a matter of immense importance, and tatingly recommend it as a valuable addition to this in which Lye's great work is singularly faulty) mark-department of our literature.

ed with great care. As to the much debated question of orthography, Dr. Bosworth tells us that he has always followed that which he has found in the best authors; while the principal variations in the literal expressions of a word, are added in the order in which they vary from what is deemed to be the correct spelling. No fancy or presumption has been permitted in the orthography; but all authors have been allowed to answer for themselves, and to appear in their own dress, without a wish to dictate the mode in which it is now presumed they ought to have written.

From Blackwood's Magazine.
TEN THOUSAND A-YEAR!

PART II.

Fortuna, sævo læta negotio, et
Ludum insolentem ludere pertinax,
Transmutat incertos honores,

Nunc mihi, nunc alii benigna.
Laudo manentem: si celeres quatit
Pennas, resigno quæ dedit, et mea

Virtute me involvo, probamque
Pauperiem sinc dote quæro.
HOR. CARM. Lib. iii. 49.

Our author originally intended to include none but pure Anglo-Saxon words; none in fact that are found after A. D. 1100. We think he judged wisely in somewhat extending the rule. Most of the words thus added are from the Saxon Chronicle;' and as in every such case the date is added, there can be no fear of confounding pure with impure words. The CLOSET COURT had never looked so odious to Titvaluable system of accents, as developed by recent mouse as it did when, harrassed aud depressed as I scholars has been adopted. We must add that, by have described him, he approached it about one an ingenious contrivance, this Dictionary not only an- o'clock, A. M. He flung himself on his bed for a swers the purpose of a Saxon-English and of a moment directly he had shut his door, intending Saxon-Latin, but of an English and Saxon and presently to rise and undress; but sleep having got

him prostrate, secured her victory. She waved her was evident that they could stand no nonsense-they black wand over him, and he woke not till eight were great lawyers; so he must (if they really would o'clock in the morning. A second long-drawn sigh allow him to see them again) eat humble pie cheerwas preparing to follow its predecessor, when he fully till he had got all that they had to give him. heard it strike eight, and sprung off the bed in a How he dreaded the coming night! Perhaps they fright; for he ought to have been at the shop an hour intended civilly to tell him that they would have ago. Dashing a little water into his face, and scarce nothing more to do with him;-they would get the staying to wipe it off, he ran down stairs, through estate for themselves, or some one else that would the court, and along the street, never stopping till he be more manageable! They had taken care to tell had found his way into-almost the very arms of the him nothing at all about the nature of his pretensions dreaded Mr. Tag rag; who, rarely making his ap- to this grand fortune. Oh, how crafty they werepearance till about half-past nine, had, as the mis- they had it all their own way!-But what, after all, chief would have it, happened to come down an hour had he really done? The estates were his, if they and a half earlier than usual, on the only morning out were really in earnest—his, and no one's else; and of several hundreds on which Titmouse had been why should he be kept out of them at their will and more than ten minutes beyond his time. pleasure? Suppose he were to say he would give "Yours ve-ry respectfully, Mr. Titmouse-Thomas them all he was entitled to for £20,000 down, in Tag-rag!" exclaimed that personage with mock so-cash? Oh no; on second thoughts, that would be lemnity, bowing formally to his astounded and only two year's income! But on the other hand-he breathless shopman. dared hardly even propose it to his thoughts-still, "I-I-beg your pardon, sir; but I was'nt very suppose it should really turn out true! Goodness well, and overslept myself," stammered Titmouse. gracious!--that day two months he might be riding "Ne-ver mind, Mr. Titmouse, ne-ver mind-it about in his carriage in the Parks, and poor devils don't much signify," interrupted Mr. Tag-rag, bitter- looking on at him, as he now looked on all those ly; "you've just got an hour and a half to take this who now rode. There he would be, holding up his piece of silk, with my compliments, to Messrs. Shut-head with the best of them, instead of slaving about tle and Weaver, in Dirt Street, Spitalfields, and ask as he was that moment, carrying about that cursed them if they ar'n't ashamed to send it to a West-End bundle-ough! how he shrunk as he changed its house like mine, and bring back a better piece instead position, to relieve his aching right arm! Why was his of it!"

Very well, sir-but-before my breakfast, sir?" "Did I say a word about breakfast, sir? You heard my orders, sir; you can attend to them or not, Mr. Titmouse, as you please!"

mouth to be stopped-why might he not tell his shopmates? What would he not give for the luxury of telling it to the odious Tag-rag? If he were to do so, Mr. Tag-rag, he was sure, would ask him to dinner the very next Sunday, at his country house at Off trotted Titmouse instanter, without his break- Clapham. Thoughts such as these so occupied his fast; and so Tag-rag gained one object he had in mind, that he did not for a long while observe that view. Titmouse found this rather trying: a five-mile he was walking at a rapid rate towards the Mile-end walk before him, with no inconsiderable load under road, having left Whitechapel church nearly half a his arm, having had nothing to eat since the preceding mile behind him! The possible master of £10,000 evening, when he had partaken of a delicate repast a-year felt fit to drop with fatigue, and sudden appreof thick slices of bread, seared slightly over with hension of the storm he should have to encounter salt-butter, and moistened with a most astringent de-when he first saw Mr. Tag-rag after so long an abcoction of tea-leaves sweetened with brown-sugar, rence. He was detained for a cruel length of time and discoloured with sky-blue milk. He had not at Messrs. Shuttle and Weaver's, who not having the even a farthing about him wherewith to buy a penny required quantity of silk at that moment on their roll! As he went disconsolately along, so many premises, had some difficulty in obtaining it, after doubts and fears buzzed impetuously about him, that they completely darkened his little soul, and bewildered his small understanding. Ten thousand a-year -it was never meant for the like of him. He soon worked himself into a conviction that the whole thing was infinitely too good to be true; the affair was desperate; it had been all moonshine; for some cunning purpose or another, Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, had been-ah, here he he was within a few yards of their residence, the scene of last night's tragic transactions! As he passed Saffron Hill, he paused, looked up towards the blessed abode

having sent for it to one or two neighbouring manufactories; by which means it came to pass that it was two o'clock before Titmouse, completely exhausted and dispirited, and reeking with perspiration, had reached Dowlas and Company's. The gentlemen of the shop had finished their dinners.

"Go up stairs and get your dinner, sir!" exclaimed Tag-rag imperiously, after having received Messrs. Shuttle and Weaver's message.

Titmouse went up stairs hungry enough, and found himself the sole occupant of the long close-smelling room in which his companions had been dining. His "Where centred all his hopes and fears," dinner was presently brought to him by a slatternly servant-girl. It was in an uncovered basin, which attered a profound sigh, and passed slowly on to- appeared to contain nothing but the leavings of his wards Smithfield. The words "Quirk, Gammon, companions-a savoury intermixture of cold potatoes, and Snap," seemed to be written over every shop broken meat, (chiefly bits of fat and gristle,) a little window which he passed-their images filled his hot water having been thrown over it to make it ap mind's eye. What could they be at? They had pear warm and fresh-(faugh!) His plate (with a been all very polite and friendly-and of their own small pinch of salt upon it) had not been cleaned seeking had he affronted them? How coldly and after its recent use, but evidently only hastily smearproudly they had parted with him over-night! Itled over with a greasy towel, as also seemed his knife