been transmitted down to us by his tory, deserves to be remarked. forms a description of the first meeting of these extraordinary lovers. "The advantage he had at this "She was not ugly," says Mr. H., school," observes Mrs. H., speaking reverting to what she supposes to have of her husband's early education at then been her appearance, “in a Lincoln," there being very many careless riding-habit: she had a megentlemen's sons there, an old Low- lancholy negligence both of herself Country soldier was entertained, to and others, as if she neither affected train them in arms, and they all to please others, nor took notice of bought themselves weapons; and, instead of childish sports, when they her indifferency, she was surprised any thing before her; yet, spite of all were not at their books, were exer- with some unusual liking in her soul, cised in all their military postures, when she saw this gentleman, who and in assaults and defences; which had hair, eyes, shape and counteinstruction was not useless, in a few nance, enough to beget love in any years after, to some of them. Colonel one at the first, and these set off with a Thornaugh, who was now trained in graceful and generous mien, which this sportive militia with Colonel Hut- promised an extraordinary person. chinson, afterwards was his fellow- Although he had but an evening sight soldier in earnest," &c. These ta- of her he had so long desired (and lents were fully developed, as our that at disadvantage enough for her), readers may recollect, during the ca- yet the prevailing sympathy of his. lamitous contest which terminated in soul made him think all his pains the decapitation of Charles the First, well paid; and this first did whet his and the eventual establishment of the desire to a second sight, which he had commonwealth. by accident the next day; he found withal, though she was modest, she was accostable and willing to entertain his acquaintance. This soon passed into a mutual friendship between them-though she innocently thought nothing of love.----Mr. Hat mu Mrs. Hutchinson mentions her husband's literary proficiency (he was intended for the law) in high terms, but with a remark that cannot be too much known and attended to.-"He was enticed to bow to their great idol Learning, and had a higher venera- chinson, seeing how she shunned tion for it, a long time, than can all other men, and how civilly strictly be allowed; yet he then she entertained him, believed that looked upon it as a Handmaid to De- a secret power had wrought a votion, and as a great improver of na- tual inclination between them, and tural reason." daily frequented her mother's house, and had the opportunity of conversing with her in those pleasant walks, which, at that sweet season of thre Spring, invited all the neighbouring inhabitants to seek their joys. Never," adds Mrs. H., was there a passion more ardent and less idolatrous: he loved her better than his life, with inexpressible tenderness and kindness; had a most high obliging esteem of her; yet still considered honour, reli 66 Such sentiments enabled Colonel Hutchinson to resist many of those improprieties into which he must otherwise have been betrayed, in various situations, during his progress from youth to maturity. Even two ladies, of admirable qualities, who were each desirous of obtaining his affection, assailed him in vain. But, says Mrs. Hutchinson, "it was not yet his time of love." His love, when at length he loved, was as singular as gion and duty, above her, or ever his indifference to the passion had suffered the intrusion of such a dotage previously been. His attachment to as should blind him from marking her his future wife originated in his acci- imperfections.-"Twas not her face he dentally visiting her mother's resi- loved: her honour and her virtue were dence while she happened to be from his mistresses, and these (like Pigmahome on a visit, and was confirmed lion's) images of his own making; for by hearing her youngest sister, at he polished and gave form to what he whose invitation he had gone to their found with all the roughness of the house, talk of the dispositions and quarry about it; but, meeting with a pursuits of Lucy. The next excerpt compliant subject for his own wise government, he found as much satis- From this custom of wearing their hair, faction as he gave, and never had oc- that name of Roundhead became the casion to number his marriage among scornful term given to the whole parhis infelicities." liament party.' Many persons, in this age of connubial dissatisfaction and dishonour, will read not without astonishment Mrs. Hutchinson's interesting detail of the rise, progress, and ultimate effects of the attachment that subsisted Hours of Leisure, or Essays and Characteristics, by GEORGE BREWER; dedicated by permission to_Lumley St. George Skeffington, Esq. Hatchard, 1906. between her and her husband. After, THE Author of this little volume informs us in his Preface, that however, all just deductions are on account of personal partiality, and many of the Essays contained in it Mrs. H. seems in no instance dis- have already been given to the Pubposed to undervalue herself, there is lic in a Monthly Miscellany, under no reason to question the narrative the title of Essays after the manner of of her domestic happiness. Such Goldsmith. examples of matrimonial felicity," We admire his candour, and give though they are comparatively few him full credit for it in these days of indeed, certainly have existed, and book-making, as he quaintly, and not are still to be found. unaptly, terms it. We assure him his He was At about the age of three-and- confession was necessary to exempt twenty, Mr. Hutchinson embraced him from censure, as a professor of that art, and we trust he himself will the parliamentary party. shortly appointed lieutenant-colonel think it a compliment, when we say of a regiment of foot, and sent as go- the Essays in question, had been herevernor to the Castle of Nottingham, tofore so strongly noticed by us, that a post of very considerable importance we should have considered it our duty to have afforded this information to to his employers. the public, if he himself had been adept enough in the profession aforesaid, to have with-held it. The style is easy, humourous, and entertaining. The second Essay, containing an account of the Author's Voyage to Mar Mrs. Hutchinson has given the origin of an epithet, memorable during the civil contest in which her husband engaged; and with this epithet we shall at present suspend our account of her work. "The name of Roundhead," she gate, abounds with true humour, as observes, "coming so opportunely in, does also that part of the fourth Essay, 1 shall make a little digression to tell which contains the History of Peter how it came up. When puritanism Biass. The tenth is of the same degrew into a faction, the zealots dis- scription; indeed, although they may tinguished themselves, both men and be somewhat caricatured, we doubt women, by several affectations of ha- not but that the subjects of both the bit, looks, and words, which, had it Essays last quoted, are real and not been a real declension of vanity, and fictitious. The eighth Essay we think embracing of sobriety in all those too extravagant; nevertheless, it is The things, had been most commendable entertaining for the moment. in them; but their quick forsaking of story of Esamdi and Esemdi, the two those things, when they were where Indian merchants, is extremely ap they should be, shewed that they either propriate, and well told. The Chapnever took them up for conscience, or ter on Friends, we can scarcely too were corrupted by their prosperity to highly applaud. To the disgrace of. take up those vain things they dared human nature, we are sorry to add, not practise under persecution.--- we believe every syllable it contains Among other affected habits, few of to be strictly true. The following the puritans, what degree soever they short extract will, probably, not be were of, wore their hair long enough displeasing to our readers: to cover their ears, and the ministers (and many others) cut it close round their heads, with so many little peaks as was something ridiculous to behold. 66 Among the first class, is Bill Sensitive, whose natural disposition is good-natured; but poor Bill is under a perpetual alarm lest his benevolence should get him into a scrape: thus his life is a constant scene of uneasiness and dread; he shrinks back at every familiar salutation, and is in pain at every word you speak, lest you should ask him a favour; the words, You will oblige me very much,' put him immediately in a fever; and I come to ask your assistance,' throws him into a perfect agony. "The Luke-warm friend is a being of little value to any body; he will not go a step out of his way to serve you; and when you are in a difficulty, all he says, is, indeed, I am very sorty to hear it; I wish that I could help you.' "The Red-hot friend is not a jot more valuable than the last; he is all bluster, speaking continually of the pleasure of doing a generous action, and that for his part he cannot deny any body a favour; but he usually cools before he comes to the point, and leaves you in the lurch when you had reason to expect every thing from his protestations. "The Romantic friend is a pleasing companion, in the hour of distress; but the consolation he offers is not true: it accords with our errors, as it pities our sufferings; and instead of making us a sacrifice at the altars of wisdom and prudence, leads us into fresh absurdities and chimerical plans, which the ways of the world will not acknowledge. "The Fickle friend is a weak in constant creature, who acts without any fixed principle; one time he is all warmth, and the next moment cool and reserved; he is at the same time contemptible and useless. "Nobody's friend is that cool, torpid, and insensible being, whose avarice and meanness have choaked the natural springs of benevolence, and contracted every idea within a narrow space, incapable of bestowing good on chers, or happiness on himself. "Anybody's friend is not much more valuable than the last, except that he acts from a total different principle; for indiscriminate in his views of benevolence, and careless of its effects, Leserves the worthless, neglects the worthy, fosters the idic, and forgets the good. Everybody's friend is the man who is at the same time benevolent UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. VII. and just, who measures his generosity by his ability, and never refuses to do a service to any one, but when it would do an injury to another." As a proof the Author's morality and religious opinions, we shall beg to offer the following extract, from the twenty-second Essay: At "There is something in the death of a good man, which the Atheist must wonder at, and admire; such a one dying cool and collected, trusting and believing at a moment when the truth is sought with eagerness, and prejudice forsaken with disgust, is a confirmation of the existence of an immortality, not to be resisted. the awful hour, when vanities retreat, and right and wrong open with full conviction on the mind, it is a pure ray of heavenly intelligence that lights the soul, like the star of Bethlehem, to that point which the anxious and departing spirit seeks with trembling and fear,-an hereafter. "When we reflect on what very little longer time we have to live, and that, measure it to its most probable extremity, it will scarcely arrive to forty or fifty years, it becomes us to consider in time, a subject which will, in spite of all opposition, force itself upon the mind when we are about to part with life; for, however casily the modern philosopher may persuade himself that we have no proof of an immortality, yet, when his mind shall be stripped of all the vanity of argument, he will acknowledge an internal conviction paramount to any other demonstration, inseparable from the nature of existence, and à priori to the formation of ideas. "But the true philosopher needs not this last strong beam of internal light to awaken his mind to truth: every circumstance and event of life, from infancy unto the hour of death, will assist bis conjectures, and confirm his belief in an hereafter: his memory will represent to him that truth bas been ever the same; and history will prove certain assents and dissents of mankind, throughout all ages, too constant to be merely prejudices or the effects of habit or education. "There are things that no prejudice can ever reconcile, or custom make familiar with man; or even law have power to enforce: such are crimes F that shock naturé. Offer power or when we see throughout nature, and riches to the greater part of mankind, even in the events of Providence, the to commit cool and deliberate murder, adinirable tendency that exists to reif we know any thing of the human store the equilibrium of things disheart, we must declare that very few turbed by the injustice or errors of would commit the perpetration of it, mankind, and which would be incomand that from an innate horror of the piete without it. It is reasonable to crime. think that there will yet come a time to amend the unfairness of men's conclusions, to better measure rewards and punishments, and to set to right the errors of human judgement." The twenty-third Essay reminds us a little too much of the ingenious Lecture of Heads, by G.'A. Stevens. We do not, however, mean to charge our Author with plagiarism: for, as a very great literary character once said, "Many strong and beautiful ideas, originating in the brain of other persons, frequently strike us so forcibly, either on account of their originality, their humour, good sense, or other respectable qualities, that they fasten so indelibly on our minds, as to occasion our attributing their originality to ourselves, without our being conscious of the untruth or the theft." "Mankind appear, therefore, to have general assents and dissents from nature-a predisposition in favour of truth and virtue, for that general happiness. "We have no other than this kind of demonstration (except from scripture) that murder is a crime, yet we believe it is; we have the same general innate assent that there will be an hereafter, and may, with equal justice, admit the evidence of the impression. "In addition to such strong natural evidences of an hereafter, may be presented to the thinking man the union of minds, and the endearments of affections, of friendship, charity, and love; relationship which death appears to have no power to divide, and the mind absolutely no power to forget. But another world yet appears to be more indispensable to our reason, Upon the whole, we trust we may recommend this little volume, as being, at least extremely amusing, and in some slight deg ree instructive. LITERARY COMMON PLACE BOOK. D UKE DE NIVERNOIS.-The fol- to marry the lady. "I have often lowing amusing anecdote is re- thought so," replied the duke," but Jated of this nobleman, by Mr. Du- one thing prevents me: in that case, tens, in his work entitled Memoirs where could I pass my evenings?" of a Traveller, now in Retirement, GRATITUDE, IN A TIGER!-At the written by himself. It was the cus- menagerie of Schoenbrunn, near Vitom at Chanteloup, and practised in enna, the Bengal tiger, when attackParis, after conversation or prome- ed by the ophthalmia (a species of that nade to retire, for a few hours, each blindness which so much atilicted the to his own apartment. This was what British army while in Egypt), is fed they then called l'avant soir. One, with young animals alive, whose warm therefore, either passed the evening blood contributes to his cure. Not alone, or, when the company in one long since, there was thrown into his house happened to be numerous, in den a young bitch, when he was making separate visits. The Duke de couched, with his head reposing on Choiscul used to go to his sister, and his fore-legs. The bitch, after reAbbe Barthelemy to the Duchess of covering her fears, began to lick his Choiseul. eyes; the tiger found himself so much better, that he spared the animal, and shewed his gratitude by caressing her: The Duke de Nivernois was intimately acquainted with the Countess de Rochefort, and never omitted going the bitch continuing her operation, to see her a single evening. As she in a few days the tiger entirely rewas a widow, and he a widower, one covered. From this time, the two of his friends observed to him, that animals have lived together in perfect it would be more convenient for him friendship. Before he touches his food, the tiger waits till his com- of the Purse!" I remember that he panion has satisfied her appetite with laid a particular emphasis on this epithe choicest pieces. If the bitch even thet, which Mr. Pitt, who sat near bites him in play, still he shews no re- him, applauded by nodding his head, seatment, but continues his caresses! and clapping his hands. THEATRES" The air of the up- Mr. Fox. To those who attacked per part of a French playhouse, when him for coalescing with LORD NORTH, full of company, contained 0,202 of it was observed by Mr. Fox-" When oxigene, that of the pit 0,204; while I was the friend of Lord North, I the external air gave only 0,210.- found him open and sincere; when Seguin has had the same result in the enemy, honourable and manly: Eospitals. The unwholesomeness of he never practised those subterfuges, crowded places is, therefore, to be tricks, and stratagems, those behindattributed to particular emanations." hand paltry manevres, which deCARDINAL MAZARIN." It was stroy confidence between human bethe maxim of this minister," says ings, and degrade the character of the Lewis the 14th, "to provide, at any statesman and the man. It is not in rate, for present exigencies; well my nature to bear malice, or live in convinced, that the remedy to future ill-will; friendships are perpetual, evils would be found in futurity it- but my enmities are not so." This self." amiable and admirable disposition, which alone can do honour to human nature, has experienced the suffrage of another distinguished stasesman (Lord Grenville) who, a few months ago, declared-that "if it were pos ENGLISH MONARCHY, ITS DEFECT." The essential defect in the constitution of this monarchy," observes Lewis the 14th is, that the prince cannot raise extraordinary supplies without parliament; nor can he sible for him to entertain perpetual keep his parliament together without hatred in his breast, it would be agreatly lessening his authority." How gainst those who avowed themselves truly did Mr. Canning call the power capable of acting on such a sentiof the house of commons, the " Power ment." ORIGINAL POETRY. LINES written in a Pocket-book, in which Sweet to see united here Time and absence both remove But this book, with magic leaves, When the silent steps of age |
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