making an extract from one of Lady Hol land's letters, regretting that we have not space for the whole of those written on this occasion.

Holland House, 1st Oct. 1816.

named, and of the most brilliant of our still living contemporaries, that the literary and social tastes of Horner expanded and acquired completeness and accuracy. Like most other considerable men, his enjoyment of natural pleasures never seems to I am glad my doctors send you from the have deadened. To the beauties of nature, keen air of your native mountains, but they will the change of the seasons, the song of the not mend the matter by sending you to London. birds, his sensibility was possibly more I accordingly trust to your docility and your lively, than if he had passed the whole of sister's good-nature, in expecting you to drive his days by the side of mountain streams from Barnet straight here, where you will occuand lakes. Whether in youth he visits they three south rooms, regulated as Allen shall direct, and have your hours, and company, and Isle of Wight, or in maturer life the valleys occupations, entirely at your own disposal. of Wales, his pleasure in the varied aspects of nature is undiminished. His power of describing as well as relishing them is very great. Nor was he contented with visiting beautiful scenery as a mere source of physical pleasure. From this, as from every thing else, he seems to have possessed an intimate and peculiar power of extracting moral enjoyment. Surely the stir and smoke of a town life, so far from deadening our sensibility to country beauties, render our pleasures in them of a still higher relish; at least I assure myself it is so with me; and I am no less certain, that frequent retreat into the country is necessary for keeping one's mind in tone for the pursuits of an active life, and for refreshing, in our imagination, those larger and distant views, which render such occupations most useful, and which alone make them safe.'-(Vol. ii. p. 18.)

Such books and papers as you may require can easily be brought from your own house. These three rooms open into each other, and are perfectly warm; your servant will sleep close to the apartment. Pray, spare me all the commonyou, and your sister will have a room adjoining place compliments of giving trouble, and taking up too many rooms. What you know I feel towards you, ought to exempt me from any such trash. From henceforward till June, when I look forward to a thorough amendment, you must lay your account to have me, heart, soul, and I am satisfied in this, because Allen says it and time, devoted to your welfare and comfort; is right. I am afraid your sister may think it a bad exchange from living solely with you to come among strangers; but tell her I already feel warmly towards her, for her affectionate intention of nursing you, and that I will try and render her residence as little irksome as possible. Do, my dear friend, yield to my entreaties.'

If warm and earnest hospitality could have been a restorative, the letter we have partly transcribed must have been effectu

complished French correspondent has ever equalled the sincere, but refined and considerate energy of this excellent letter. The same anxiety was expressed for him by Romilly, a man whose deep and concentrated sympathies were never carelessly or indiscriminately lavished. 'I do not think you nearly as careful of yourself as you ought to be. If you take little account of yourself for your own sake and that of your friends, yet your regard for the public good should induce you to pay the utmost attention to it. You will not, I am sure, suspect me of encouraging vani. ty, though your modesty may induce you to question the soundness of my judgment; but it is my most sincere opinion, that there is no public man whose life it is of such importance to the public should be preserved as yours.'

These turns of thought and of feeling were, in fact, modifications of that over-al. No eloquence de billet of the most acflowing sympathy and affection which, freely and abundantly given to his friends, was repaid by them, as was so richly deserved, in returns largely poured into his bosom. This was touchingly manifested during his last fatal illness. The disease to which he fell a victim, at the early age of thirty-nine, but ripe in virtue and in knowledge, seems to have assumed a serious character while attending Parliament in 1816. I have been at Holland House '-he writes to his father during our Whitsun holidays; Lady Holland taking almost as much care of me when she fancies I need it, as if I were in my own dear mother's hands.' Towards the close of the autumn, the unfavorable symptoms still continuing, Horner was recommended to try the air of Italy. The family of Fox, from which he had already received so much affectionate sympathy, again offered to make a home for his reception. The letters written both by Lord and Lady Holland are above all praise in their earnestness and kindliness of feeling. We cannot resist the pleasure of

Accompanied by all these anxious good wishes, Horner proceeded to Pisa. The change of climate produced no improvement in his health. But though struggling with a mortal disease, his energy, his pub

lic spirit, and his love for his fellow men, |sician; he describes in a tranquil and renever for one moment slackened. On the signed tone the general state of his health; 21st December, 1816, he writes to Lord and draws a graphic picture of the spring Murray on the wretched state of the work among the peasantry. In one field, Scotch jails, and on the despotic power they are still gathering the olives; in anvested in the Lord Advocate of Scotland, other, pruning the vines ; in a third, ploughof protracting from year to year the im- ing for Turkey wheat; in a fourth, preparprisonment of accused persons, by 'desert-ing the ground with the spade. I feel far ing the diet.' By such means, persons not greater curiosity,' he continued, 'to know convicted are said to have been detained the ways and habits of this peasantry, and in custody until they suffered confinement to understand a little the form of this socilong enough for guilt, and were ultimately ety, than to penetrate into the Campo Sandischarged, not tried indeed, but punished. to, with all its treasures of art.' Four days This cruelty and injustice awakened that after writing this letter, he was no more! moral indignation against oppression which No event of the same description in our formed so essential a part of Horner's char- times appears to have called forth the same acter. He urges on Lord Holland (21st general sympathy. The unhappy fate of December) the necessity of trying to raise Romilly was felt deeply, but felt within a the tone of the House of Commons above narrower circle, and was connected with the old song of sinecures and reversions.' painful reflections. The extinction of the This, he observes, we learned from the splendid light of Canning's genius cast a unreasonable, narrow-minded democrats, shadow over a wider sphere; but the priand have been teaching it so exclusively to vate sorrow was less remarked than the the excellent Whig party among the gen-public calamity. The fervor of political try and middle orders of England, that excitement, then prevailing, diverted the more general and generous notions of con- public sympathy from the heavy loss the stitutional liberty and foreign politics, are world sustained in Mackintosh. Grattan no longer so familiar and acceptable to was gathered to his fathers in a ripe old them as they were formerly.' But it is in age; and was almost permitted, from the his last letter to his mother, that all that height which he had reached, to look down was most engaging and attractive in the upon Ireland awaiting that promised emancharacter of Horner, breaks out in undi- cipation to which his prophetic eloquence minished warmth. His heart and his affec- had so greatly contributed. On the occations seem as young as when, in 1795, he sion of moving a new writ for the borough addressed his first letters to his parents which Horner had represented, the present from Mr. Hewlett's parsonage. 'I have a Earl of Carlisle, then Lord Morpeth-a little nosegay upon the table, taken from an name transmitted from sire to son, giving open garden in the town, in which, be- and receiving honor-Mr. Canning, Mr. sides China roses and a lily, there is the Manners Sutton, Mr. Wynn, Mr. W. Elliot, most exquisite perfumed double jessamine; Lord Glenelg, and Lord Harewood, in vaand my brother Leo brings in from the ried terms, but with one feeling of respect, wayside on his walks, buds of spring. All affection, and deep sorrow, expressed their this I hope is soon to do me good, for I am sense of his virtues and public services. rendered so selfish by illness, that I think Monuments were raised to his memory, only of myself, you see, in these blessings and statues were erected; but without unof the sun. The last ride I took was with dervaluing these proofs of esteem and afdear little Mary; and, upon recollection, I fection, we must be permitted to say, that think I should have been better company the most enduring monument to his memofor her to-day than on that occasion: for I ry is to be found in this publication. It is have no longer that feeling of mortal lassi- one, too, which we view as no less approtude which hung upon me at Dryden, and priate than enduring. His object was not seemed to wither me within; that sensato acquire fame for himself, but to confer tion is gone, though I am weaker now and benefits on his fellow men; and his jour leaner, and blow still with a very bad pair nals and correspondence not only afford of bellows.' Quitting this style of playful evidence the most conclusive of his abili affection, he proceeds to describe with ties, his public services, and his virtues, much sympathy the distress of the Tuscan but as it were revive and continue, even peasantry, arising from the failure of the after death, the exercise of his active ducrop of chesnuts, grapes, and olives. On ties. They instruct and benefit mankind, the 4th of February he writes to his father, and more especially that country which he expressing a grateful confidence in his phy-ever warmly loved.

THE HAPPIEST HOUR OF MY LIFE!

BY MRS. ABDY.

From the Metropolitan.

in wishing to separate a young couple, it is astonishing how very roughly they contrive to make the course of true love' run. At length we met, 'twas in a crowd,' in a "WHERE is happiness?' asks one learn- fashionable squeeze of two hundred people. ed Pundit, and Echo answers 'Where?' I contrived to get seated with Octavia in a 'What is happiness?' demands another, recess; an open window was behind us, the and a matter-of-fact hearer forthwith takes air blew coldly and sharply, I shut it down, down the first volume of Johnson's Dic- and in a moment a panting fat chaperon in tionary, looks out the word, and announces a crimson turban, resolutely advanced and that 'Happiness is a state in which all the opened it, professing herself thoroughly desires are satisfied,' a decision which, in- discontented with the modicum of air at asmuch as nobody was ever yet satisfied tainable through the agency of her ivory in all their requisitions, leaves the difficulty fan, and eulogizing the advantages of fresh precisely where it stood before. There is breezes, on the authority of some fashionno rule, however, without an exception. able medical writer of the day. There sat Happiness may be caught, although it may Octavia, the delicate interesting Octavia, exnot be caged: I am qualified to dogmatize posed to the imminent risk of colds, coughs, on the subject from personal experience. and toothaches, and vainly endeavoring Happiness is a bird of paradise, and I once to make an ethereal gauze scarf do the duty threw salt upon its tail, and detained it with of a warm ample shawl. I thought of Kirke me for the space of an entire hour,-I en- White's description of the advances of conjoyed just sixty minutes of perfect felicity!" sumption— "Did you, indeed, sir? I conclude that was during the hour when you made your proposals, and were accepted."

"Not at all, my dear madam, that hour was any thing but satisfactory; it was thirty years ago, and yet I remember it as if it were yesterday. I had very imprudently fallen in love with my dear Octavia, who, as her name denotes, was the eighth child of her honored parents. I was balancing myself on the lowest step of the ladder of the law, and she was the independent possessor of one thousand pounds in the stock then bearing the name of the Navy Five Per Cents; alas! five per cent. for one's capital is now the light of other days.' Our prospects were dreary enough, however, notwithstanding the light of Octavia's fifty pounds a year; her father, mother, two brothers, and five sisters, frowned annihilation on me whenever I approached her; and my own mother, my only surviving parent, indulged herself in daily sarcasms on my total want not only of prudence but of good taste in my selection of a partner for life. My mother was unluckily acquainted with three sisters, each of whom was the fortunate possessor of twenty thousand pounds; they were plain and ill-tempered, and the youngest was ten years my senior; but she was unremittingly anxious to obtain one of them for a daughter-in-law; -they were Graces in her estimation, and she thought it very hard that they should be chronicled as Furies in mine! It was with much difficulty that I ever contrived to exchange a few words with Octavia; when the relatives on both sides are agreed

'In the chilling night air drest,

I will creep into her breast ;'

but I also thought of the old proverb, that opportunity once lost is never to be regained; I offered, and was accepted, the wind blowing every moment more and more keenly, and the dancers sweeping close to us in their evolutions. Octavia's elder sister, on the opposite side of the room, sat looking at her much as the elder sister of Cinderella might have beheld her envied junior in the act of fitting on the glass slipper; and about twenty yards from us, the most disagreeable and most determined of the coheiresses to whom I have already alluded, scrutinized us through her eye-glass, evidently taking note of our glances, attitudes, and whispers, for the particular edification and enlightenment of my mother on the following morning. Add to this, that I had no prospect of marrying with prudence for at least ten years, and judge if the hour in which the chosen of my heart blushed a sweet consent,' was one of unmingled happiness."

"Certainly not; and did you really wait ten years ?"

"No, we did not; engagements are never very pleasant things, and ours was rendered peculiarly uncomfortable to us by our respective relations. At length, finding all our endeavors vain to break down the barrier of poverty, we resolved on springing over it. I had a legacy of a few hundred pounds in the first year of our engagement from a distant relation; I now betook myself to the study of all the advertisements

of cheap furniture, in the newspapers; they cheap chairs and tables which I had bought. were not, as now, professedly addressed, of the advertising upholsterer, for I did not "To Persons about to Marry," but they know how soon they might be seized for were the same in substance. I engaged a arrears of rent. Besides, my ideas of baby small neat house, furnished it with econo- beauty were founded on my reminiscences nomical prettiness, and married my dear of the pink and white cheeks and curling Octavia in a twelvemonth after I had first hair of a wax doll, and I was too much disproposed to her." appointed at the appearance of my son to be disposed to receive with becoming credulity the assurances of the nurse that he was the exact image of myself;'-no, that hour was certainly not a particularly feli citous one."

"Now I understand very well that the happiest hour of your life was that of your marriage ;-including, of course, the drive to the church and home again."

"I never give more than three guesses respecting a riddle or charade, therefore must beg that you will at once tell me the secret of your mysterious hour of happiness,-did it leave no traces behind it?""

"Not one; it all vanished at the end of the hour."

"Ah! now I know what you mean; you were under the influence of opium."

"Far from it, my dear madam, it was a very tedious and uncomfortable hour: I went to church in a carriage with Octavia's mother and two of her sisters, all drowned in tears, sparing of speech, and redolent of eau de Cologne. I felt that I performed my part very awkwardly, my voice was scarcely audible in the responses, and I twice dropped the ring on the ground. I was deprived of the resource of twirling my hat, and I had a confused impression that the "No, indeed, the 'Confessions of an youngest of the bridesmaids was laughing English Opium Eater' were not then writat me. To render the matter more provok- ten, and there were no teetotallers at that ing, my bride was a model of self posses- time, so opium was not at all in general resion, elegance, and propriety; spoke in a quisition; I will, however, disclose the silvery full-toned voice, wore her orange mystery to you without further delay, that blossoms, blonde, and white satin, with in- is, when I have mentioned a few prelimiimitable grace, and went through the cere-nary circumstances of my situation. My mony with as much composure, as if, to use family increased; my third child was born an expression of Theodore Hook's, she in the fifth year of our marriage, my clients had been married every morning for the preceding six weeks!' I returned in a chariot with my bride and her uncle, who was also her trustee, who gave me the best advice about the most expedient manner of managing 'a very small income,' and impressed upon me to lose no time in effecting an insurance on my life for the benefit of my probable family, devoting the interest of Octavia's money to the purpose."

"I will venture one more guess, the happiest hour of your life was that in which your first-born boy was presented to you." "Not at all; I had begun before his birth to find out some of the disadvantages of poverty; as a single man, I had been enabled to feel 'content with a little,' but I now said with Doctor Syntax,

This is the cause of all my trouble, My income will not carry double !' I could not flatter myself that my first-born boy was one of those fortunate people alluded to by Hood, who

were few, my mother's income I knew barely met her expenses, and that of my father-in-law was quite insufficient for the multitudinous wants and wishes of himself, his lady, and their seven children. Octavia was all that I could wish her; amiable, patient, uncomplaining; I could almost have desired that she should sometimes have reproached me for the heart-wearing penury to which I had reduced her. I should not then have felt such bitter repining at the sight of one so lovely and accom. plished, burying her charms and talents in obscurity, and bending the whole of her fine abilities to the practice of painful and minute economies ;-do you not feel for our situation?"

"Very much; I cannot conceive how you came by your hour of happiness!"

"Seven years after our marriage, my Octavia fell into a delicate state of health; sea-air was prescribed for her, freedom from care, cheerful society, and airings in an open carriage; how easily do medical men run off these phrases, never seeming to consider that there can be any difficulty On the contrary, he was born with an un-in fulfilling their requisitions. I had long mistakeable wooden ladle in his mouth; I ago sent in an account to a tardy client; could not even consider him heir to the I wrote to him again, candidly telling

'Come into the world as a gentleman comes To a lodging ready furnished!'