continuance, is not so much his home as the road. He is out of his province, and feels it to be necessary to his existence, to perambulate; yea, is as unhappy under a long confinement in any other sphere, no matter how exalted that sphere may be, as a fish out of its own element. And why is this? it may be asked. It is easily to be accounted for: comparative independence, general information, perfect equality, oneness of purpose, sociability and habit, with a bountifully provided table, and the lessened chance, from frequent and protracted absence, of forming intimacy and creating friendships in the place where he may reside, all contribute to wean a man from his own town and home. At home, in truth, beyond the members of his own household he has few friends, except perhaps relations. From occasional change of residence, for the convenience of a locality in forming a centre for our journeys, or any other cause, even these, though bound by all the ties of affection and sincerity, are not, from the long-contracted manners and habits of the respective parties, meet companions for a very lengthened period.

Want of change and variety produces a lassitude little suited to the active body and energetic mind of the commercial man, and he is less capable of having-or, rather, he is dis

inclined to ask for what his desires would lead him to enjoy at an inn; not, probably, from any home deficiency, but from his disinclination to give trouble, and from a knowledge of the impracticability of having, in a private house, all the little elegancies and attentions which a man can command at an hotel; and which he would be sorry, under ordinary circumstances, to disorganise the regular arrangements of his own home to produce.

BILLY AQUA—A DRY ORIGINAL.

WHAT an original is this said Billy Aqua! The road has not, in all its length and breadth, a character so genuine; or, with all his faults, one more amusing or respected. The little knowledge he possesses must be either intuitive or self-acquired; and if the latter, it reflects great credit on his perseverance; for nothing has ever been expended upon him unnecessarily in an educational point of view. He is really a child of nature; and I must say, at times, a very unnatural, and rather unruly child. Still he is not only tolerable and tolerated, but

esteemed over many who have received a regular education, but whose consistency is less, weighing their opportunities, and taking into consideration their superior advantages.

Aqua's propensities are perfectly harmless, indeed; for beyond his caricaturing, pencilling, and sketching, he is incapable, from the genuine goodness of his nature, of doing any one an injury. Some of his artistical attempts are clever, satirical—inimitable; telling forcibly when his genius is aroused, or contempt excited, but exhibited only with a chuckle and inward satisfaction to a highly favoured few. He is an instance, in fact, of the possibility of a man's discharging the duties of an important commercial appointment without education; and this is achieved by the continued exercise of perseverance and tact, and by making the best use of the power he possesses as a salesman and man of business, over an educated man without equal industry and management. For, as he says, “Grammar be hanged! will grammar sell stuff?" meaning, will education alone enable a man to effect sales and transact profitable business? Unfortunately, when education and respectability of position have been too much. depended upon, without the requisite effort or application, we have frequently seen the reverse; but never, perhaps, in an individual so totally

deficient in that essential, have we seen one so fortunate as Aqua.

Or,

It is really amusing to listen to his attempt at reading; for, with or without your consent, read he will, clipping the English in a most unmerciful manner; halting to spell, in the middle of a sentence, the most common-place word, which, after hammering at for some time, and finding himself unable to conquer, he will pass by, saying "hard word," and go on again. perhaps, taking up a newspaper, laying aside his stick, resting his rickety limbs upon a couple of chairs for an hour or two, glasses in hand, on loudly he progresses, knowing no more of its contents at the conclusion than though he had never looked into it. And this habit has so much grown upon him, that I verily believe he knows not when he exhibits; and they who are accustomed to meet him are, by repetition, so accustomed to it, as to treat it with indifference and as a matter of course. When he is not reading, indeed, he is incessantly talking, expressing approbation of his own story by a loud horse-laugh, digressing momentarily; creating objects of wonder foreign to his subject; always dealing in the marvellous; believing from repetition relations of circumstances that never occurred, and the existence of things that never had being. Incessant

talkers are at all times disagreeable companions, even if able to speak correctly; but to be compelled to listen to a bad speaker, who tells his story ill and prosely, is a nuisance, to be tolerated only in cases like the present, where humour, good fellowship, and anything but a desire to offend, are its usual accompaniments.

Aqua, however, is now too far advanced in habit and in years to re-model his practices.; and since, to use some of his choice phraseology, and convey some idea of his own chaste diction, we have no alternity* but to listen to him, and that he does not want us to interfringet with him, but if we do it will not magnify‡, why we will acknowledge, in defiance of his crotchets and peculiarities, that he is a genuine properendicular|| man; and will leave him alone in his glory till we again meet with him in Exeter, hoping to have the felicity of accompanying him to the cathedral to listen to the splendacious sympathy¶ upon the organ, enjoying afterwards with him a comfortable stroll beneath the revenue** of trees, a hearty good dinner; and so much more of his eccentricities and peculiarities, as shall be worth adding to our next edition.

* Alternative.

+ Interfere.

Signify. § Splendid.

** Avenue.

|| Perpendicular, or upright. ¶ Symphony.