582 Conversation with the Double Sighted Youth. [MAY* 



with the periodical press. That seems to be now the most influential organ of the 

 public mind. I have little leisure for reading, but I look now and then into the 

 Monthly, which has recently got a transfusion of the true English blood in it. By 

 the bye, you have some intention of communicating this conversation to the editor. 



O'G. M. Merciful heavens, Gordon ! Why, you make me start, man ! I begin 

 to think that it is not altogether pleasant to be near one who reads the thoughts as 

 fast as they are generated. I believe, however, there is some truth in your suspi- 

 cion. I trust that you will not object. 



D. S. Y. I should like to contribute an article upon the Political Prospects of 

 Great Britain. 



O 1 G. M. A double-sighted article,' do you mean? 



D. S. Y. A prophetic paper, if you will. The destiny of this country is spread 

 out before my eyes like an ample chart. Lord Harrowby and his friends, you see, 

 have given in at last. The Duke of Wellington called them to time, but they did 

 not answer. They might have yielded long ago, with a much better grace. Lord 

 Harrowby resembles a chess player, who keeps his hand suspended full five minutes 

 over his king, who is checqued, and has literally only one square to move to. 



O'G. M. What is your opinion of the Rev. Edward Irving and his gift of 

 tongues and prophecy ? 



D. S. Y. The article in the last number of the Morning Watch upon prophecy 

 was written by me. I have been telling Irving some of the questions which will 

 be put to him, by the Elders, at his approaching trial ; this you know will be a 

 great advantage. He relies very much upon one or two extraordinary converts he 

 has recently made, particular a demoralized Pagan, called Maginu, who is not a 

 contrite penitent. 



O'G. M. You were at the palace the other evening, Gordon. How did you like 

 his Majesty? 



D. S. Y. I thought him a nice old gentleman, but he appeared to be very 

 shabbily dressed; this I suppose arose from the reduced state of Royal finances: 

 nothing but the greatest distress could have induced the king to consent to the 

 abolition of the pensions bestowed by George the 4th upon the associates of the 

 Royal Society of Literature. The sum total amounted only to 1000. per annum. 



O'G. M. But his Majesty graciously extended his benefice to another quarter. 

 He gave several gold plates and purses to be ran for at the races ; you know this 

 was very advantageous to the jockeys and the inn-keepers. 



D. S. Y. I thought Lord Brougham was a friend to literature. 



O'G. M. Why, he's the President of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful 

 Knowledge. Can you afford me any insight into the changes which will take 

 place in this year ? 



D. S. Y. That would, indeed, be a tedious occupation. I will, however, give 

 you a few hints. Fraser's Magazine is to be incorporated with the Morning Watch, 

 and to be under the guidance of Spencer Percival, Edward Irving, and P. Maginn. 

 The Quarterly and Westminster Reviews are to change editors, Bo wring takes the 

 Quarterly, and Lockhart the Westminster. 



O'G. M. These are changes, indeed, which render almost any thing possible. 

 After this we may expect to see the Keepsake brilliant, and the Souvenir not scur- 

 rilous. Talking of the Keepsake, what will become of all the annuals ? 



D. S. Y. With the exception of one or two, they will be discontinued. 



O'G. M. Right glad am I to hear you say so. A few years ago they were 

 desirable, so far as they adapted themselves (or rather were adapted) to the hum- 

 blest capacity, and young ladies, by a diligent perusal of them, were in process of 

 time considerably improved in the difficult science of spelling. But Murray's Family 

 Library and the Penny Magazine have superseded the necessity. I hate an 

 ' Annual ' with its everlasting insipidity, reminding you of that sort of woman 

 whom Byron describes as being made out of a rainbow. Reading the Keepsake, 

 for instance, is like wandering along the Cordillera of Catorce, which Mr. Ward 

 speaks of in his " Mexico" in 1827. In both, the unhappy Pilgrim has nothing 

 but a few mule-prints to vary the monotonous colouring of the surface. 



D. S. Y. Your application of the mule -prints is excellent. 



O'G. M. I have been frequently surprised that persons so distinguished as the 



