tea. of the aforesaid family), to pay my respects to her, and to drink Two visitors were particularly expected. They soon arrived. The first, if I remember rightly (for my whole attention was singularly riveted to the second), was a pleasant-looking, lively young man, very talkative and entertaining; his companion was above the middle height, broadly made, but not stout, and advanced in years. His countenance had a peculiar charm that I could not resist. It alternately exhibited a deep sadness, a thoughtful repose, a fearful and an intellectual fire, that surprised and held me captive. His manner was embarrassed and reserved. He spoke but little. Yet once he was roused to animation; then his voice was full and clear. I have a faint recollection that I saw his face lighted up with a momentary smile. His hostess kindly welcomed him as "Mr. Cooper." After tea, we walked for a while in the garden. I kept close to his side, and once he addressed me as "My little master." I returned to school; but that variable, expressive, and interesting countenance I did not forget. In after years, standing, as was my wont, before the shop windows of the London booksellers (I have not quite left off this old habit!), reading the title-pages of tomes that I intensely longed, but had not then the money to purchase, I recog nised at a shop in St. Paul's Churchyard that well-remembered face, prefixed to a volume of poems, "written by William Cowper, of the Inner Temple, Esq." The cap (for when I saw "Mr. Cooper" he wore a wig, or his hair, for his age, was unusually luxuriant) was the only thing that puzzled me. To make " assurance doubly sure," I hastened to the house of a near relation hard by, and I soon learnt that "Mr. Cooper" was William Cowper. The welcome present of a few shillings put me in immediate possession of the coveted volumes. I will only just add, that I read and re-read them; that the man whom, in my early boyhood, I had so mysteriously reverenced, in my youth I deeply and devotedly admired and loved! Many, many years have since passed away; but that reverence, that admiration, and that love have experienced neither diminution nor change. It was something, said Washington Irving, to have seen even the dust of Shakspeare. It is something, too, to have beheld the face and to have heard the voice of Cowper. GEORGE DANIEL. SHAKSPEARE'S BEDSIDE. The accompanying BALLAD originally appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1797, page 912. The author, fancifully enough, imagines the various editions of Shakspeare brought in succession to the sick-bed of the immortal bard, and has curiously detailed the result of their several prescriptions : Old Shakspeare was sick-for a doctor he sent Yet at length his assistance Nic Row did present; As he found that the poet had tumbled his bed; Doctor Pope to incision at once did proceed, Next Theobald advanced, who at best was a quack, Yet he caused the physician of Twick'nam to pack, Next Hanmer, who fees ne'er descended to crave, To the Poet the gentlest of purges he gave, One Warburton, then, tho' allied to the Church, But his med'cines the case so oft left in the lurch Next Johnson arrived to the patient's relief, Now Capel drew near, not a Quaker more prim, By styptics, call'd stops, he contracted each limb, From Gopsal then strutted a formal old goose, But Johnson, determined to save him or kill, A second prescription display'd; And that none might find fault with his drop or his pill, First, Steevens came loaded with black-letter books. Of fame more desirous than pelf; Such reading, observers might read in his looks, As no one e'er read but himself. Then Warner, by Plautus and Glossary known, And Hawkins, historian of sound ;† Then Warton and Collins together came on, * One Edwards, an apothecary, who seems to have known [more] of the poet's case than some of the regular physicians who undertook to cure him. From the abilities and application of Sir J. Hawkins, the publick is now furnished with a compleat history of the science of musick. With songs on his pontificalibus pinn'd, Next, Percy the Great did appear; And Farmer, who twice in a pamphlet had sinn'd, "The cooks the more num'rous the worse is the broth," Says a proverb I well can believe; And yet to condemn them untried I am loth, So at present shall laugh in my sleeve. RIGDUM FUNNIDOS. [At page 1108 of the same volume will be found the following reply : ANSWER TO SHAKSPEARE'S BEDSIDE; OR THE DOCTORS ENUMERATED. How could you assert, when the Poet was sick, When Montagu's pen, like a magical stick, NAPOLEON. The Bonapartes are said to have adopted the name of Napoleon from Napoleon des Ursins, a distinguished character in Italian story, with one of whose descendants they became connected by marriage; and the first of the family to whom it was given was a brother of Joseph Bonaparte, the grandfather of Napoleon I. Many are the jeux de mots that have been made on this name; but the following, in Littérature Française Contemporaine, vol. ii. p. 266, is perhaps the most remarkable. The word Napoleon, being written in Greek characters, will form seven different words, by dropping the first letter of each in succession; namely, Ναπολέων, Απολεων, Πολεων, Ολεων, Λεων, Eov, v. These words make a complete sentence, and are thus translated into French: "Napoléon étant le lion des peuples, allait détruisant les cités." PRICES OF TEA. From Read's Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, Saturday, April 27, 1734 :— The following are some specimens of this curious class of motto: Deo paget.-PAGET. Του αριστεύειν ένεκα.—HENΝIKER. Forte scutum salus ducum.-FORTESCUE. Hoc in loco dens.-HOCKIN. Fides montium Deo.-HILL. Et juste et vrai.-WRAY. Fari fac.-FAIRFAX. Recipiunt fæmina sustentacula a nobis.-PATTENMAKERS' COMPANY. God the only Founder.-FOUNDERS' COMPANY. Omnia subjecisti sub pedibus, oves et boves.-BUTCHERS'. GUANO. It may not be altogether uninteresting to ascertain the date when the knowledge of Guano and its fertilising properties was first introduced to the English public. There is a mention of this substance in 1670, in a little work then printed, called the Art of Metalls, translated from the Spanish. Although the |