time I mention, graced the ball-room with their presence; and who unanimously concurred in the opinion, that Arthur Darley was a very charming fellow, and that a party without him, was like a world without a sun-sad, sorrowful, and desolate.

Not so, however, thought Isabel; his unmeaning prattle fell listlessly on her ears, and even pained her with its pompous inanity. Her thoughts were far away from the festive scene, and, nothing but her own innate reverence for good manners, would have permitted her to endure the unceasing, but tiresome compliments of her devoted little beau: she did endure them, however, and with a sweetness of disposition, which almost induced the young gentleman, more than once, to imagine, that he was not utterly indifferent to her.

The dancing proceeded, as Colonial dancing generally does that is, the young ladies danced heartily and vigorously, and the young gentlemen danced with them: negus, lemonade, and cold punch (the latter, of course, for the gentlemen, exclusively) were profusely circulated, and the entertainment was kept up with an energy and spirit, extremely well calculated to conduce to the pleasure of all, who were therein interested.

"Well, Isabel," asked her father, You seem to have enjoyed it heartily."

how like you this gay scene?

"I have endeavoured so to do, my dear father; but-" "But what now?-Is it not gay enough for you?"

"Come, come, St. Clair;" said the Governor who just now joined them: "You must not catechise your fair daughter too closely. Has she not already made a conquest of, by far, the greatest beau in the room? I have seen her dancing more than once, with that absolute pink of perfection, Mr. Arthur Darley."

"Indeed, Sir!" replied Isabel, with her characteristic simplicity; "I hope I have made a conquest of nobody, for-" her voice faltered, and she blushed, rather-" there is no one here, whom I would wish to conquer."

Indeed!" said His Excellency, laughingly-" we thank you for the compliment, but will not quite credit its sincerity."

"If your Excellency will permit me," said Mr. St. Clair—“ I will take Isabel out into the verandah-as I think the heat of the room and her own exertions, have almost overpowered her: she is not used to such assemblies."

"Do as you please, St. Clair," replied His Excellency; "but do not deprive us of Miss St. Clair's company for any length of time." Mr. St. Clair bowed, and withdrew with his daughter to the verandah.

Now, Mr. Merriman, the facetious Surveyor General, had constructed divers devices in this said verandah-in his estimation, by way of fantastic embellishment; in the opinion of others, by way of illustrating his own egregious folly. Here was a Chinese lanthornthere a glaring transparency, representing an allegorical fable, known only to its ingenious inventor. Here was an arbour-and there a

labyrinth terminating in a-tub. of cold water! Anon, a stuffed devil, "grinned horribly a ghastly smile," beneath the interwoven branches of a young gum-tree; while, on the other side, stood an eagle-hawk, with expanded wings, and hungry beak, ready to pounce upon any creatures, within the scope of his strength and appetite. Amongst this conglomeration of conceit walked Mr. St. Clair and his daughter-both in silence—and one, Isabel, herself in sadness.

"I do not like this noise and bustle, my dear father," at length whispered Isabel. "If this is the gay world, you have so often spoken of, it has no charms for me?"

None, Isabel?" replied Mr. St. Clair: with the Governor's kindness and suavity? feel honored by his attentions to you."

66

64

Are you not charmed

Surely, you ought to

'And so I do, dear father, greatly feel it; but I am speaking of the giddy fluttering creatures, with whom I have been compelled to mingle. Surely, you cannot praise or admire them."

Isabel!" said the father, gravely-" you have yet much to learn -you have to know, that these giddy fluttering creatures, as you call them, are as necessary to make up the entire composition of a community, as one of the most learned sages and philosophers, who may be sent amongst us by an indulgent and ever-wise Providence, for our especial good, and instruction; but if the world were all composed of grave and good characters, where would be the opportunity of their moral inculcation ?"

At this moment Arthur Darley joined them, and, intimating that His Excellency was enquiring, in every part of the house, for Mr. St. Clair, obtained permission to accompany Isabel in her ramble through the verandah. Mr. Darley's head, never any of the soundest, had somewhat suffered under the too free potation of cold punch, and, although his excess had not produced more than a lively hilarity, it was sufficient, nevertheless, to annoy Isabel very considerably. He poured a profusion of adulation into her ear, and with a volubility, that was extremely distressing. To conceal this folly from the rest of the company, Isabel cautiously conducted him to the most secret and retired part of the walk, and endeavoured to restrain the headlong fervour of his compliments. But this she was unable to do; for; in proportion to her exertions to restrain them, he redoubled his absurdity.

They had reached one extremity of the walk, which presented them with a splendid view of the harbour, illuminated by the unclosed beams of a bright and mature moon. Isabel stopped instinctively to gaze upon the lovely scene, and her voluble companion did the same; still, however, pursuing his tiresome addresses. In the midst of one of his finest speeches, he was somewhat unceremoniously thrust on one side, and his place usurped by a young man, very plainly dressed, but bearing upon his brow, and in every movement of his demeanour, the stamp of a natural majesty,

Isabel would have screamed, but a word from the unceremonious intruder restrained her. "Isabel! dearest Isabel!" he exclaimed. "Who is that babbling ideot?"

"Hush, Edgar, for Heaven's sake, speak not so loud! We are surrounded on all sides."

"I know it, dearest; and will not put you to peril: But take this (and he placed a letter in her hand). The man, Stevens, will convey your answer to me. God bless you! Farewell!" and, darting down the bank towards the harbour, Edgar Walton was speedily out of sight.

On rejoining Mr. Darley, Isabel felt extremely confused and agitated; this her volatile companion perceived, but, being really kindhearted, and, with all his frivolity, possessing considerable delicacy of mind, he speedily allayed her emotion, by giving her to understand, that, not a hint of what had just happened, should ever pass his lips. They, therefore, again joined the party, but the small portion of liveliness, which poor Isabel had striven to assume, had now fled; and, attributing her dulness to fatigue, she soon returned home with her father.

LIFE.

What is Life? come tell me youngster,
Carolling amid the flowers,

Which the spring-time in her bounty,
On the earth profusely showers.
Life's a thing of fairy brightness,
Full of pleasure, hope, and glee,
Which no cloud of sorrow shadeth,
Such, yes, such, is Life to me.
What is Life? fair youth reclining
On the margin of a stream,
While the sparkling water waveth,
In the summer's golden beam.
Life, oh! Life's a gentle current,
On which many light skiffs be,
Loves within them, hopes to guide them,
Such, yes, such, is Life to me.
What is Life? thou man who museth,
Seeming desolate and lone,
With the faded leaves around thee,

By the winds of autumn strown.
Life's a place of disappointment,
When the hopes and joys that we
Fondly cherish soon are blighted,
Such, ah! such, is life to me.
What is Life? thou aged pilgrim,
Of the calm and placid brow,
Smiling on the sad creation,

Covered o'er with winter's snow,
Life hath joys as well as sorrows,
But its end and aim should be,
To prepare for yonder heaven,
Such be Life with you and me!
X

VOL. III, NO. XV.

•K..

GIVE ME THE NIGHT!

Give me the night, the beautifui night,

When the stars in the heavens are glittering bright,
When the flowers are asleep on their pillows of leaves,
And no murmur is near save the sigh the heart heaves
When the spirit of tenderness hallows the scene,
And memory turns fondly to days that have been,
When the vally's sweet waters reflect the moonlight;
Give me the night, love, the beautiful night!

Give me the night, bitterless and long,

When the gay hall is sounding with music and song,
When the genius of poetry breathes her deep power,
And ah ! love itself is more lovely that hour,
When the dark curls of beauty more gracefully shine,
And the eyes, bright by day, are at evening divine,
When all is enchantment that blesses the sight,
Oh! give me the night, love, the beautiful night !

BLACK SHEEP OF THE LAW.

« O, Heaven ! that such companions thou'dst unfold
And put in every honest hand a whip,

To lash the rascals naked through the world."

SHARP PRACTICE.-We have frequently observed that the rules of court should be strictly enforced, and that the common law practice should in general be observed with exactness, in order to the due regularity and despatch of business; but we have always accompanied the proposition with a desire to see the rigour of it tempered by fair and gentlemanly conduct. We are enabled to furnish an elucidation of the subject which, we venture to think, will reflect some truth upon our remarks, and may be productive of benefit to

many.

We forbear a comment on the affair, not from any doubt of our power to render adequate justice to it, nor from any disinclination to express our feelings, but we think the circumstance so plain and so palpable, that the simple statement will produce its proper effect. Mr. Alfred Robinson, the attorney, of Orchard-street, Portmansquare, held a warrant of attorney against an individual some time

since, upon which an instalment of £3 3s. was payable at a certain time. The sum of £3, instead of £3 3s., was, by some accident, only paid, thus leaving the sum of three shillings unsettled. The habits of business of Mr. Robinson, as regards pecuniary matters, it would appear are of a very precise and punctual character, and, if possible, more particularly so when the matter is on the credit side of the account.

It was, therefore, considered an incumbent duty on his part to make an example of so glaring an indiscretion, and accordingly a judgment was signed, and an execution issued against this defaulter of three shillings, by which act the party was burthened with the costs of the proceeding, and was, it is said, nearly, if not quite, brought to ruin. A repectable attorney was employed, to endeavour to procure some redress, and he caused an application to be made to the Court, but though the judges, it must be confessed, did not go to the length of expressing any approval of the respectability or humanity evinced in the transaction, yet they perfectly agreed that this professional gentleman had "the law on his side.'

WHITE SHEEP.-Jonas Gregory." Uncle Jonathan" once being asked by a country attorney if he knew Jonas Gregory, "flared up" in his accustomed style of exclamatory elocution, and delivered himself of this profane burst of eloquence :—“ Know Jonas Gregory! d- -n! do I know myself? Sir, I have known him so long that! d-n! I have almost forgotten him." We have too much regard for our souls and the morals of the community to reiterate the language of our "uncle," but no words can be found more clearly to express our knowledge of Mr. Gregory. We have known him so long and so intimately that we almost forget that he is in being, as we lose the recollection of those things common to us, because they are common and continually before our eyes.

Mr. Gregory is a Welchman, and retains all that natural love of toasted-cheese, leeks, and litigation, peculiar to his countrymen. Of course, he claims high ancestral honours-one of his forefathers was a king, another a pope, and a third an emperor. He is said to have at this time in his possession-the heir-looms of his family—a pair of lady's milk-pails aud a yoke of extreme antiquity, which, judging from their size, must have been used at a very remote period, when the inhabitants of the earth, in altitudinal admeasurement, far exceeded the present puny race of beings, for the pails are of the size of ordinary porter butts, and the yoke sufficiently capacious for the neck of a man twenty feet high. Of course, this family relic is highly prized in the distinguished cirle of our dragon, and is, of verity, a great curiosity.

Few men are more entitled to our thanks than our dragon. He has clung to us in weal and woe, in adversity and in prosperity, has supported us by his advice, consoled us in our affliction, and aided us by those vigorous powers of intellect, which it is well known he possesses. We should be "d -n monsters," as "uncle Jonathan"