412 But! [Oct. 



to him for whom, perhaps, there shall only be another to-morroivr ; and 

 with it comes the dreaded certainty of the worst. His intercessors are 

 told that all their representations have been deliberately weighed — that 

 the particular circumstances which were considered as discriminating 

 the case of the prisoner from that of others doomed to a similar punish- 

 ment, had been attentively reviewed — that they did, indeed, constitute 

 a strong ground for the extension of mercy — that the learned judge 

 who tried the case had been applied to, to refer to his own notes of it — 

 and that great hopes were entertained of such a report upon all the cir- 

 cumstances submitted in behalf of the prisoner, as would have justified 

 the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in advising his Majesty 



to extend his gracious clemency, but " 



What a dismal consequence was here to be gathered ! In the whole 

 vocabulary of the English language, was there a word, or a combination 

 of words, capable of conveying a sharper pang to an already lacerated 

 and bleeding heart, than this little but, which said to the living — thou 

 art to die — and to the afflicted — thou must mourn ? 



These are some of the darker scenes of human life connected with 

 this important monosyllable ; but we find its unwelcome face staring 

 upon us from a thousand nooks and corners. The author takes up the 

 Quarterlj^ Review, or the IMonthly Jlagazine, to read the criticism upon 

 Ills last work. His eye sparkles with delight at all the positive excel- 

 lencies that are enumerated ; and though they outnumber, ten to one, the 

 drawbacks that are brought up, in tlie rear, as a corps dc reserve, under 

 the command of this same " but " — the very appearance of the work 



gives a shock to his nerves, worse than that of the torpedo. " Mr. 



is a vastly clever writer — great imagination— a fertile invention — con- 

 siderable power of language, &c. &c. — but" — Why it is like one of 

 Grimaldi's trick in a pantomime, who bows and scrapes to the fine 

 gentleman, puts his hand to his heart, shakes his head, and looks ineffa- 

 ble politeness : then, the moment he turns his back, salutes him with a 

 kick — ccetera desunt — Anglice, I must be decent. What lady could 

 endure to be told, " You have fine eyes — a charming complexion — 



exquisitely white teeth — but }" What lawyer, even though he 



were the Lord Chancellor — " Your legal knowledge is great — your 

 talents are undeniable — but — you are without principle ?" What actor, 

 that he has ninety-nine requisites for the stage, but — that he wanted 

 the hundredth ? What artist, that his pencil united all the various 

 styles of CorreggiO; Rembrandt, Claude, and RafFaelle, but — .'' What 

 Sunday newspaper-maker, that he can use the scissors, but— not the pen.'' 



In short, I know not any way of making this ugly word agreeable. 

 A bum-bailiff might ai well attempt to introduce his friends John Doe 

 and Richard Roe, as two sentimental gentlemen, fond of retirement, 

 and soliciting the company of those who have already spent too much, 

 to spend a few weeks Avith them at their country-house in St. George's 

 Fields. The poet laureat is the only man I know who has no reason to 

 find fault with his " but" — and that is merely because it is spelt with 

 two t's instead of one ; but, after all, I must confess I have made it my 

 own butt — and but for that, I should not have written what I have. 



B. U. T. 



