The Povkcl Books. [DEC. 



stable, and left me to make my way with his family as well as I could. And, in truth, 

 baslifulr.ess is not my vice, as thou kno.wcst, Tom. Accordingly, after a brief refuge in 

 my dressing-room, 1 descended, and found a mob of indifferent appearance, all prepared 

 to invade the reg'ons where eating and drinking are honoured, borne of our friends (is 

 that not the word, Tom ?) were there, male and female, coupled together like pigeons. 

 One fair hand was, however, reserved for me (by the grace of the countess mother) 

 and it was that of the blooming Cecil ! 



" But I see that thou art dying to know who are my agreeable cotemporaries ; and 

 I will tell thee. 



" In the lint place, then, behold our ' noble' family : The earl, aadull as a drum, and 

 tedious beyond even the privilege of parliament ; the countess, a. line old enamel, as I 

 have said, but a litda cracked, and somewhat out of drawing : Cecil Darticy, always 

 couleur de rose; and her sister Selina, a languid plant; their brother (Bridewell), the 

 son and heir of all the Trumpingtons ; and Colonel hartley, a brother also according to 

 law, but, in other respects, a thing between png and monkey, that is hung round with 

 blue and scarlet, a,nd dances through ' the La,ncers,' or to the tune of ' Money in both 

 Pockets,' till Fanny Dartley is ready to die with admiration. Then cometh Fanny herself, 

 a cousin of the family, who, a la Turc, siaineth her fingers inch deep (with ink), and is 

 a true specimen of that little female indiscretion, an authoress. Thou wouldst expire, 

 my good friend Tom, if thou couYist behold her in her morning garments they are so 

 flowing, so oriental, so scornful of all shape and fashion, and withal so utterly covered 

 with dusky hieroglyphics, that one can scarcely distinguish between the sweep of hey 

 stylus and the broader impress of her thumb. All is in learned confusion, like a country 

 library ; but incomparably less cleanly. Yet, 'tis a goodnatured chit, and laughs and 

 talks (O Gad ! Tom), and invites the women to drink wine ; and argues like a syllo- 

 gism ; and is very odd, and a little tedious. Next to her, was a Sir Somebody Some- 

 thing, the county member ; and his lady, trussed arid tucked up like a Christmas turkey, 

 of the county also, and indigenous ; their son, a apare thing, of six feet high, whose per- 

 son hath outrun his wit ; while by his side sate, full of scorn and languor, the Lady 

 Selina Dartley. Then came Snapwell, the barrister ; one of the young Froths, a pretty 

 thing, but as insipid as plain broth ; old Moidore, the Ministerial merchant, and (an inex- 

 pressible person !) his wife ; descended from the tribe of Levi, but converted. Then 

 followed a Squire Huggins or Higgins, a proprietor of acres in these parts ; then another 

 Froth, not so pretty as the last, but with an exquisite propriety of shape ; then Lord 

 Saint Stephens, the new orator ; and an odious fellow from the most northern part of the 

 north, a Mr. John Mac Flip, an author, a critic, and a reporter, and a politician to boot ; 

 possessing little, however, that need be mentioned beyond an incredible portion of assur- 

 ance, and an appetite that surmounts all fable. By him (well matched) sate a little black 

 female barbarian from Shetland, or the Orkneys ; then came a ' Mac' of some endless 

 descent; then that immoderate simpleton, Garnish, Lady Di. Flarish, and her detest- 

 able sister, and, finally, young Gabbleton, from Oxford, who has travelled in Greece, 

 and what is worse, hath written his travels, and still talketh his travels, till the fish 

 (which he helpeth) is cold. These are nearly all, except our ' ancient' Childers, the fox-> 

 hunter Jack Sitwell (Bridewell's Newmarket chum) a physician, and a Lord of the 

 Admiralty ; a burgess or two from the neighbouring Borough, and a rubicund figure, 

 somewhat like a pipe of wine (called the Vicar of the village), which tolls out grace 

 before dinner as regularly as the clock (but louder) i'faith, and after dinner also, I 

 believe, unless he chance to go to sleep over the entremets. 



" And now farewell, Tom. If thou art but half as fatigued in reading this as I in 

 writing (and I am not without hopes but that thou wilt be) , thou wilt bid me hencefor^ 

 ward discontinue sending thec any more of the adventures of thy most faithful 



" HARRY LEVERTON." 



This letter of Mr. Leverton's takes up more room than ought properly to be given 

 to it; for it compels us to dismiss the two last candidates upon our table briefly. 

 The first, " The Friendship's Offering," has been produced under disadvantages. 

 It was begun late or rather transferred to the present management late but it 

 stands its ground fairly ; and is dedicated, by permission, to the Princess Augusta. 

 The plates may, many of them, challenge comparison with the boldest of their 

 competitors ; and the subjects are all interesting. We may venture to direct 

 attention particularly to the very pleasing picture, " The Orphans," an old 

 fisherman seated at his cottage-door, and watching the features of two beautiful 

 young children. To " The Italian Wanderer" a boy with a dancing-dog the 

 children that are looking on at the shew are very cleverly conceived. " The 

 Sylph," " The Captive Slave," and *' The Cottage Diorama," have also each 



