the victorious first brigade, who retired there in the blaze of their glory, to smile and dally with lovely women, punch, ham, and chicken-as if they had not been on the powder-begrimed field of battle in the morning, beating their next-door neighbours before their colonel's parlour-windows!

In the season of 1802, Mons. Ganerin exhibited a night ascent in his balloon at Vauxhall Gardens, with the extra charm of dropping a cat in a small parachute unto the top of some houses in Lambeth. "It ascended with wonderful velocity, and, after having remained for some time in the air, the fireworks attached to it went off, presenting at once a sight novel and entertaining."

It appears that great hopes were entertained by most people that balloons would be made useful in acquiring knowledge as to the state of the atmosphere; but M. Ganerin did not seem the person destined to make these discoveries, or satisfy the anxiety of the philosophers who preferred terra firma. We find the next day's paper filled with a rhapsody, which should be called a "flight" indeed,made up of such stuff as the following: "The curiosity of my companions led them more particularly to the observation of sounds. They observed the sensible evaporation of noise coming from the earth, although we were not at a great distance. This effect, which is produced by the rarification of the air-process, the use demonstrated by the trifling experiments of philosophy in the constitution of the atmosphere, where so many changes are felt in such rapid succession." This high-flown mystification must have been anything but gratifying to the thousands agape for information as to the cloudy highway in the skies above them. He fell at Hampstead, four miles from London, having ascended two thousand four hundred feet.

These gardens enjoyed great popularity the succeeding year (1803), when they were continually patronized by some one or other of our nobility, whose names headed the entertainments of the evening. The closing night of the gardens was distinguished by a superb fête, honoured by all grades of society, anxious to take their last look for the season of the realm of pleasure.

The Morning Chronicle of the 1st of September, 1803, gives a long and graphic account of the doings, part of which we extract.

"It was near midnight before the whole of the company had entered the gardens, and every avenue was crowded with the carriages of the nobility and gentry. One great advantage of the war, as it affects this elegant place of amusement, is, there are none of those low visitors who, if they do not absolutely disgrace an English place of entertainment, certainly by their general behaviour, often prevent it from becoming the resort of elegance and beauty.

"The effect of such a number of coaches pouring in from all parts, and collecting upon one spot, may easily be conceived. The amusements of the evening were so extremely rapid in succession, that the company scarcely had one moment's leisure. Now they press in close columns to the cascade, again they retreat in good order to the warbling strains of the orchestra. Then the tocsin sounds for the fireworks being off. The charge is made, but want of discipline threw the whole body into confusion, and general pressure prevailed against general decorum-many ladies might be seen fainting at the same moment. In this state some were placed upon tables, among other

forbidden fruit; others, possessing stronger nerves, were busily employed taking care of their pockets. Wigs of the most exquisite taste and fashion, were torn from their foundations, and many a bareheaded beauty was to be seen deserted by her inconstant gallant. All was mirth, joy, and hilarity, not one gloomy countenance was to be seen, save the martial brows of some of our volunteer heroes, who at times appeared as if meditating the best mode of attacking our enemies."

In a newspaper of June 23, 1804, we find a Johnny Trot, as they were then called, in trouble, out of which he appears to have rescued himself by the following apology.

"Police Office, Union Hall.

"Whereas I, John Peckham, livery servant to a respectable gentleman in the city, did last night behave in a very riotous and disorderly manner at Vauxhall Gardens, and did violently assault Mr. Parkins, manager of the gardens, &c., &c.

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Agreeing to publicly acknowledge the impropriety of my violent conduct, they have kindly condescended to forego further prosecution. And I hereby request that this may be published in the newspapers, as a warning to all gentlemen's servants, not to be guilty of a like offence in future."

The Prince of Wales, at this period, was a constant visitor, with his gay companions, at the nightly orgies of Vauxhall, a place of amusement which permitted much licence from gentlemen who, of course, had dined; any exuberance resulting therefrom, in those days, was looked upon rather as a gentlemanly virtue than a vice to be censured.

His birth-night galas were generally the most brilliant of the season. The dresses of the company, on its anniversary of 1806, were curiously described in the fashionable paper of the day.

"Some of the ladies were muffled up in warm silk spencers and bonnets, while others dressed quite transparently; some had ostrich feathers stuck out from their foreheads like the bowsprit of a ship; some had shawls which covered their arms instead of their necks; some concealed their faces with veils, whilst their heads were uncovered; and others had both the head and face in embrazures of pasteboard and silk, whilst the neck and bosom remained unprotected. Among the females of fashion, however, large gypsy-hats, white muslin gowns, and white Spanish cloaks, were the most numerous. There were also black and white mantles, shawls put on so as to form the front of the gown, others were tied on the left shoulder. The gowns were mostly very short, and vandyked round the bottom. There were many wreaths of flowers on the head, the hair being over the forehead, with jackets trimmed with lace, &c. &c.

ANECDOTES OF DUELLING.

"That abominable propensity of your countrymen I consider the most unpardonable of their failings," observed the lawyer. "We probably, colonel, look at it with different eyes. You, as a soldier, gloss the crime over, in accordance to the doctrines of a mistaken code, miscalled that of honour. I test it by the civil and the Christian law--and in both I read its condemnation."

"Sir," returned the commander, "I am not prepared to defend a practice which has been so often and so lamentably abused."

Rambling Recollections.

THERE are certain questions connected with the civil policy of a state and the social well-being of the varied orders of its community, which are advocated or repudiated by men holding opposite opinions with all the ardour of those, who, in honesty of purpose, have come to their respective conclusions. Two subjects have, time after time, in Britain, commanded general attention; and by the man of business and the moralist, both have been regarded with deep interest. In maintaining their arguments, pro and con, much zeal and great sincerity have marked the anxiety of the disputants on both sides. Speeches have been delivered by the thousand, and ink expended by the gallon, and still the contraverted points are undecided as they were at the opening of the present century. The tradesman denounces the total abolition of imprisonment for debt as a mercantile mischief of the highest order, while the philanthropist takes a more generous and extended view, and gives it his sweeping denunciation. Expediency is pleaded on the one side, and inefficacy proven on the other. Bill after bill has been introduced, discussed and carried through the house-every political cobbler has in turn tried his hand upon the debtor laws-petitions pointing out its barbarous stupidity, have been laid upon the table until it groaned— every succeeding session opened with the promise of a panacea. But as yet the nuisance remains unabated-unthrifty youths are still subjected to undergo moral purification in the Queen's Bench prison-confiding tradesmen sink beneath "the iron knuckles of the law." Like the bed of Procrustes, the legal net accommodates itself to large and small alike, inclosing every class from the peer to the peasant while from its happy construction, the rogue and swindler slip through the meshes without losing a scale.

If the abuse called imprisonment for insolvency is viewed in different lights by the trader and philanthropist, the code of honour, like the law of debt, produces as general a confliction of opinion— and while the moralist calls loudly for its suppression, others as fearlessly maintain that the best interests of society will demand occasionally its intervention. The one takes high ground, and denounces duelling as being opposed to the law of God-the other certainly, offers no less sustainable plea, and urges in return, that on its continuance the good order of civilised society is dependent. The weight of divine authority against duelling is crushing-no Christian man would dare to defend it, consequently, upon principle. He must yield to dicta no mortal ventures to impugn, and all he has left him is, extenuation.

Duelling has fallen into desuetude, and very properly. Times have changed marvellously. Fifty years ago, gentlemen by descent, by property, or by profession, were only esquired; now, if you mistered an attorney's clerk, the letter would be sent repudiated to the dead office. To him only who was entitled to bear arms, an appeal to arms was allowed; and had a man in trade, though worth a plum, in those days presumed to send a message to a gentleman not in trade, nor worth a penny, the odds would be considerable that the bearer of the cartel would have been horsewhipped on the spot. Even liberty to share in certain amusements was considered great condescension on the part of the aristocracy to men who had founded their own fortunes, and accidental meetings at the cover-side, like those in the "House of Lords,"* were never supposed to warrant aught beyond a field acquaintance. A brutal, but striking, anecdote which marked this then prevailing feeling of exclusiveness, is told of the too-celebrated George Robert Fitzgerald. One hunting day, when drawing a fox cover, he observed a well-mounted, and smartlydressed, young man join the company; and on inquiring his name from the whipper, was informed that the stranger was a neighbouring apothecary.

"By

"An apothecary!" exclaimed the master of hounds. Heaven! men's impudence every day becomes more audacious! Why, it would not surprise me after this, that an attorney should join our meeting next. Come, it is time that this dealer in drugs should be taught that fox-hunting is a trade practised only by gentlemen;" and riding up to the unoffending dabbler in Galenicals, he savagely flogged him off the field.

That duelling has been employed too frequently for bad purposes, by brave men-and for bloody ones, by blackguards, has never been denied. The page of history, in the fatal meeting between Buckingham and Shrewsbury, strikingly exemplifies the former assertion. For the seduction of his wife Buckingham, by the way, had seduced his own-the injured earl demanded, and obtained, satisfaction. In accordance with the barbarous custom of the times, the seconds-two on either side-engaged; on the Duke's side, Jenkins was left dead; on the earl's, Sir John Talbot was severely wounded. Buckingham, however, received no hurt beyond a scratch, and ran his antagonist through the body, thus adding murder to seduction. The fair frail one was worthy of the ducal ruffian she had attached herself to. Disguised as a page, from a neighbouring coppice she watched the combat, and slept with the murderer of her husband

This celebrated society, some thirty years ago, met nightly at a tavern situated in one of the smaller streets between the Bank and Castle. All that was required by any gentleman desirous of being raised to the peerage, without trouble or expense, was an introduction by a member, when his name would be recorded on the roll of the house, and a title conferred on him the same evening. This club was open to every class of the community, who were sufficiently well-mannered and habited to sit with gentlemen in a tavern. And men, actually peers, consorted with publicans; while law officers of the crown, and personages wearing silk gowns, exchanged civilities with attorneys' apprentices. In this strange assembly, the leading spirits of the times congregated nightly, and for brilliancy of wit, and originality of humour, "the Lords was held unrivalled.

To call a man by his name instead of title was a finable offence, but to address him in the street, in right of sitting with him in the club, exposed the delinquents to expulsion.

the same night, although the shirt he wore bore bloody evidence of the foul assassination he had just committed. It is reported that the last hours of the adulteress were miserable, and the felon blow that relieved the world of such an unscrupulous villain as the duke, in our poor thinking, was nothing beyond simple retribution.

Another, and an opposite case, both in its results and causes, occurred many years ago, when the writer of these pages was in Paris. The worst and most dangerous companion upon earth is a gamester. "Nemo repente fuit turpissimus;" which, according to Irish translation, meaneth, that a man must be articled for five years to an attorney. As regards play, we hold a different opinion, and believe that the course of demoralization may be more rapidly effected by the alea damnosa than by law. To the proof:-even at the distance of a quarter of a century, we must hold the name sacred; but there are old guardsmen who will remember "Little Joe." A stouter soldier never headed a company. He was kind, well-tempered, too generous probably, and everybody liked him. In money matters he was careless; had an early itch for play, and a sojourn with the army of occupation confirmed a disease already rooted. In a word, he abandoned a profession he could no longer continue in, and became a regular gambler.

Joe was a first-rate shot, and also constitutionally pugnacious. He felt his own degradation keenly, when to remedy it was too late; and a temper naturally excitable, had now become most dangerous. Is there one gamester out of twenty who, in a very few years, does not go circumstances only considered -to ruin? Joe formed no exception. He lost caste, and fell, and fell, "deeper and deeper still," until he reached that last degrading status in society-a chevalier d'industrie.

While engaged in his base vocation, a young citizen fell into the hands of the gang with whom Joe, now a member of the body, regularly confederated. The victim was a Londoner, and one, as it was represented, who would stand plucking; and that very extensively. He had crossed Channel, like the thousand and one fools who flock annually to the French capital to view Parisian lions, and, as a countryman, little Joe kindly undertook to play Mentor to this Cockney Telemachus. It was not a difficult task for one who knew the world so well as Captain K-to worm himself into the confidence of a raw youth, and he easily succeeded. In every point but one the intended victim was as pliant as could be wished-but on that one he was most obstinate. He had a horror of play. He would drink, racket about, dissipate, but name a game of chance, and he startled like a frightened steed. frightened steed. The period allotted by "the governor at home," as he, in London parlance, termed his father, had almost expired; and as plump a pigeon as gambler dropped upon, was about to return to the country-house he had quitted to see the world, without losing a single feather, To the villanous confederation that thought was maddening; and. as a last resource, a decoy duck was tried-and one of the loveliest and most artful of the class, was accidentally introduced by the gallant captain to Monsieur Callico, as he derisively called the citizen.

ever a

To describe the progress of this gambling conspiracy would be a waste of time. It was managed with consummate ability. The