1831.] ^ The Speculator'. 353 



interesting ; one glance at her mild face told yon that her intellect was 

 not of a high order ; but there was something better even than talent 

 about her — there were indications of an affectionate^ tender heart, and a 

 self-sacrificing spirit. She looked at the first glance the personification of 

 domestic virtue. She was seated on the grass, binding with her scarf 

 the wing of a large swan, which was evidently much injured : the poor 

 bird's entire side had been dreadfully lacerated ; and though her fingers 

 trembled in the performance of her kind task, they shrunk not from it 

 — the partner-bird stood at the water's edge, gazing with an interest that 

 one would suppose belonged only to creatures of a higher order ; and 

 as the suffering object writhed under her well-intended care, it emitted 

 a low moaning sound, telling powerfully of its agony. Mrs. Ryland 

 looked up, but as I was behind her husband she did not see me. " Do, 

 Ryland, come here, I am sure it is dying — it was so tame, and knew my 

 voice so well even in this little time." While she spoke the object of 

 her attention rolled from her side, and expired after one or two struggles, 

 which brought it close to its mate. It was affecting to observe the 

 widowed bird stretch its long neck, and move awkwardly round its 

 companion ; and I honestly confess that I liked the lady all the better 

 for seeing more than one tear steal down her cheek. 



" A fragment of the rock you have been excavating struck it," she 

 said. " I would not be superstitious, but I cannot think the omen a 

 good one." Her husband laughed, and turning to me, observed, " You 

 have infested the very air with your scepticism, Tom ; my wife even 

 becomes contaminated." 



Day afler day during my visit I heard of nothing but the wonders of 

 the mine, the riches o£ the mine, and the extraordinary purposes to 

 which the wealth acquired from the mine was to be devoted. On the old 

 principle, that "one fool makes many,'' Ryland seemed determined 

 that one speculation was to be the founder of others : and I confess that 

 when I looked upon the gentle helpless woman, whom my friend had 

 chosen, and thought of the probability there was of his having children 

 who would cry unto him for bread, when he would have none to give, 

 my heart sickened within me, and I bitterly cursed the infatuation 

 which had besotted him. You must not imagine, Leslie, that this mine 

 was the only experiment my friend engaged in — no such thing — it was 

 the principal, but not the only one. An outhouse, that, " in the good 

 old time," had been a noble barn, where many a harvest-home had 

 been joyously celebrated, was fiUed with long-backed pigs, which 

 Ryland declared should be fattened on — sea- weed ! Note — we were 

 eighteen miles from the sea. Query — what did the sea-weed cost? 

 One comfort was that the expense was not of long continuance, for all 

 the pigs were dead in a month. Was Ryland convinced of the absur- 

 dity of his experiment .-' No, he only remarked, that the weed collected 

 was not of the right kind ! Then rabbits — a particular breed of rabbits 

 was obtained — and these creatures, in three months, were, by a still 

 more particular course of feeding, to attain the weight of twenty-two 

 pounds each. To be sure the meat so produced would cost somewhat 

 about fifteen-pence a pound — but what then ? — think of a rabbit weigh- 

 ing two-and-twenty pounds ! In looking over .some horrid old volume 

 " On the Art and Practice of Gunnery," he took it into his head that a 

 cannon could be constructed so as to contain three charges at once, and 



