The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENINCT. APRIL 1, 1842.

undertlken an impossible task, and his own dear
friends, the farmers, are the first to turn against
him. We expected that he would be well baited
by some of the protected classes, but we were not
quite prepared to see his own petted dogs ready
to hunt him to death.

The enlightened and intelligent people of
Edinburgh are setting the citizens of London and
of the empire a good example. At a numerous
meeting of the inhabitants, called by circular,
held on the 29th' ult., the LORD PROVOST in the
chair, they resolved:—
That of all the modes of levying the necessary sup-
plies, an income tax is by much the most objectionable,
being unequal, oppressive, and inquisitorial, and which
should never be resorted to but in cases of extreme
necessity.

That no such necessity exists, and we therefore resolve
to give the imposition of this tax, proposed by Sir R.
Peel, our most determined oppoßition ; and we now in-
struct our representatives in Parliament, the Right Hon.
Thomas B. Macaulay and W. G. Craig, Esq., to lay
these resolutions on the table of the House of Commons,
and to use every means in, their power to prevent this most
odious tax being inflicted upon us.
On the same day the Merchant's Company of
Edinburgh adopted some similar resolutions, of
which we quote a part, particularly the last, with
great pleasure :

That an uniform tax upon income, whether derived
from property, profits of trade, professional exertions,
terminable annuities, or otherwise, is essentially unjust
in itself, inquisitorial in its nature, oppressive and une-
qual in its operation.
That the imposition of such a tax is more especially to
be deprecated in the present condition of the country,
when the necessaries of life are at the highest rate, when
trade is languishing and profits reduced to the lowest ebb.
That on these grounds the imposition of an income
tax ought to be resisted, and further, that the thanks of
the Company be tendered to those Members of the House
of Commons who have opposed it, and that they be re-
spectfully requested to persevere in their opposition to it
by every means which the forms of Parliament and the
Constitution of the country will permit.
That is the true spirit in which this weighty
affair ought to be taken up, and if the excellent
example of Edinburgh be followed, there is yet
time to compel Sir ROBERT PEEL to give up his
ruinous and insane project. The opportunity is
favourable for enabling public opinion in a good
cause to triumph over a corrupt and selfish
Legislature, and establish, in fact and truth, the
dominion of the many over a usurping and heart-
less few.

MESMERISM.

A lecture on Mesmerism and Braidism was delivered
at the Waterloo-rooms, Waterloo-street, on Monday
evening, by Mr. H. Brookes, a gentleman who, we under-
stand, has devoted much attention to the subject of ani-
mal magnetism. Mr. Brooks read an introductory paper
to the audience, in which, after briefly glancing at the
history of Mesmerism, and some of the more striking
facts in relation to the science, passed on to a con-
sideration of the more immediate subject of the even-
ing's lecture, namely—somnambulism or sleep-waking.
The lecturer next referred to the class of phenomena
known by the name of clairvoyance, or transference of
the senses, by which individuals were enabled to per-
ceive not only the objects by which they were imme-.
diately surrounded, but things at greater or less distances,
and notwithstanding the intervention of numerous opaque
objects, in the dark as well as in the light, and all this
without the aid of the ordinary organs of vision. In
support of these facts, Mr. Brookes quoted numerous
cases recorded in the works of M. Chardel, Dr. Elliot-
son, and others, as well as some extraordinary experi-
ments detailed by the Rev. Mr. Townsend, and pro-
ceeded to say that a patient upon • whom he had experi-
mented himself, was able, with her eyes completely
closed, to see objects placed on the pit of the stomach,
although entirely out of the line of vision. Another
extraordinary faculty possessed by mesmeric sleep=
wakers was that of perceiving their own internal or-
ganisation, and that of the mesmeriser and such others
as might be placed in communication with them. The
former of this class of phenomena—namely, percep-
tion of their own internal organisiation—he had veri-
fied by a long and patient investigation on the subject
whom he should. introduce to the notice of the audience
that evening. He now paised on to another class of
phenomena, equally if not more extraordinary than those
which they had already considered : he referred to the
sleep-waker's perception through the mesmeriser. It
was asserted that though the sleep-waker had no percep-
tion of impressions made on his own organs of sense,
yet he perceived those made on the senses of hearing,
smelling, taste, and touch of his mesmeriser. This se-
condary sensation, as regarded hearing, smelling, and
taste, he had himself verified, but had not been ale to
succeed in creating a secondary sense of feeling ; but
it did not fellow, because he had failed, that it could not
be produced by others. The next phenomenon to
which the lecturer called the attention of the audience
was that of the attraction of the mesmeriser. In the mes-
meric sleep, that state which immediately preceded sleep-
waking, the head of the patient slowly followed the hand
of the magnetiser, as iron followed the magnet ; and in
'
slcep-wakint,, wLen the patient had acquired a command
over the voluntary muscles, this singular power became
more marked, for if the mesmeriser moved to aishort
distance from the patient, the latter experienced a strong
" drawing," as they expressed it, towards the place to
which he had moved, and this impulse' they found it im-
possible to resist. The lecturer concluded his paper by
describing some of the extraordinary phenomena exhi-
bited in a state of sleep-waking, by the attraction and
influence of metals. The contact of silver, nickel, and
glass, produced on the sleep-waker a painful sensation,
while. gold produced a much milder effect. Of this
he had witnessed many. interesting proofs, some of
which he would be enabled to exhibit to the audi-
ence in his subsequent lectures. A young girl,
about twenty years of age, a servant of Mr. Yrookes,
was then brought on the platform and placed in a chair.
She appeared fo be in a state of high nervous excitement,
At the request of the lecturer and the audience Mr.
Levison, surgeon-dentist, -ascended the platform, and
tested the state of the patient during the various stages
of the proceedings. Having taken her seat in a chair,
Mr. Brookes placed himself behind his sujet, and com-
menced his experiments by making passes from the head
dowlward and along the arms and limbs, and, after ope--
rat* in this manner, ahont three minutes, mesmeric
sleep was produeed. • 'The girl remained in this state
about a quarter of an hour, during which time, although
a percussion cap was discharged close to her ear, she ap-
peared to be totally unconscious of its sound. The organs
of speech, as was explained, were then demesmerised, by
mesmeric passes, and the state of sleep-waking ensued.
The mesmeriser having now retired to the end of the
platform, the girl arose slowly from the chair,
turned gradually round, and began to move with great
caution towards him until she was stopped by coming
in contact with his person. On being asked where she
was going, she replied " she did not know." She was
then led to the chair; and desired to sit down, when the

mesmeriser made a few paSses on each side of ths fore-
head, over the organs of time and tuna ; and, after the
lapse of a few seconds, she exclaimed, "Hush ! hush !
I hear beautiful music," and forthwith began to sing,
"The Troubadour," with much judgment and expression.
The song was stopped, by the mesmeriser passing his
, hand over the same organs, in a different direction.
The lecturer again retired to another part of the platform,
and was followed in the same manner as before by his
patient ; and, on being asked why she did not sit down,
she replied" Something draws me." These experiments,
in illustration of the extraordinary power of attraction
exercised by the mermeriser. over his patient, were re-
peated several times with the same results ; and, as 'a
considerable time had been occupied in reading the in-
troductory paper, Mr. Brookes deferred his further ex-
periments until the following evening. On Tuesday evening
Mr B. delivered his second lecture, after which he proceeded
with his experiments, of which the following account has
been furnished us by a correspondent :—" The young
woman who was operated upon on the previous evening
was again brought on the platform, and was thrown into
a mesmeric sleep by the methods before employed, in
about two minutes. Her insensibilty whilst in this state
was satisfactorily tested, after which her hand was de-
mesmerised, and on being pricked with a pin she exhi-
bited the usual indications of pain. Her sense of hear-
ing was next tested, by 'discharging a percussion cap
close to her ear without startling her ; but, on one of
her ears being demesmerised, the report caused her to
scream, and hysteria ensued. This having been allayed,
the attraction exercised by the mesmeriser was proved
by a series of expriments, after which Mr. Brookes
invited Mr. Wilson, the phrenologist (who is at pre-
sent lecturing in Birmingham), to step on the plat-
form, that he might investigate certain exp.::riments
which the mesmeriser proposed to make on indi-
vidual organs. The organ of benevolence was first
excited, and, on the suggestion of the lecturer, Mr. Wil-
son put various questions to the girl, for the purpose of
eliciting the state of her, feelings : her answers were in-
dicative of a state of mind under the influence of bene-
volent thoughts, but on the organs of combativeness and
destructiveness being excited her benevolent impressions
manifested a marked change. The organs of self-esteem
and love of applause were next put inaction, and produced
corresponding manifestations. On being asked to sing,
the girl refused: but on the organ of tune being excited
she said that she heard music, but that it was
very bad. The organ of time was then acted upon,
when the face of the patient brightened up with an ex-
pression of delight ; and,' after an exclamation for silence
she commenced singing " The Warrior's Death
and other airs, in a very pleasing and effective style. On
the suggestion of Mr. Palmer, the organ of colour was
next excited, and the patient proceeded to describe
beautiful flowers which she saw, of " all colours, and in
heaps," and on the organ of individuality beingoperated
upon the' flowers were named, although previously she
could give no description of their character. These ex-
periments,
ogivewhich g
were continued
fa
csoanttiisnueeta
diofor
to
aocotnhe audience,siderable t
aimes,
appeared
affording a perfectly novel and interesting illustration of
the phrenological organs.—Birmingham Paper.

LOGAN ROCK, NEAR THE LAND'S END.—This
great lion of the West, after being kept for the last se-
veral years, by means of chains and props, from falling
off the rock on which it stanei, is once more brought
back to its former position. It appears that it had been
gradually wearing away the part on which it stood, until
it had became a foot distant from its own basis. By the
ingenious adaptation of four screws, however, invented
by James Tregurtha and J. Hutchens, of the village of
Treene, they succeeded in forcing back the rock to its
original place, and it may now be moved with greater
facility than before, andequal safety.—Cornwalkiazette. j

MAGAZINE DAY.

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.
Blackwood is quite delighted with " Sir Robert
Peel's policy," and in an article discussing its charac-
ter, gives the Tory Premier credit for the most ex-
alted statesmanship. "In his financial propositions,"
says Maga, " how frank and cheerful are his expo-
sures !" Cheerful indeed ! For a Tory is never so
much in his element—never exhibits such " buoy-
ancy and alacrity of spirit ;" these were Sir Robert's
own words on entering on the question of the Budget
—as when he is proposing some new project of taxa-
tion. To remit taxes always grieves a Tory, for he
looks on such remission as so much hard cash in-
directly taken' from the pockets of his own party;
but to increase their weight and number gives him
inordinate delight, 'for he is thereby furnished with
the means of satisfying his ventripotent, wolf-bellied
comrogues. It may be imagined, therefore, with
what feelings of ecstacy Sir Robert Peel must have
decided on an income tax ! No more long, sour
faces among his supporters ! No more hungry cla-
mourers for place:or pension 1 lle will now have
the means of giving them enough, •and more than
enough, for well-salaried district commissioners,
backed by a whole host of tax-gatherers, will ere
long blacken over the face of the country, and devour
its produce like: a cloud of locusts. The writer goes
on to praise the Tory Premier for his boldness in
having purposely selected the most obnoxious tax
possible. That it is "painfully inquisitorial" is, we
are assured, the greatest recommendation of the in-
come tax ! That "it must ever be in the last degree
unpopular," is the characteristic that raises it above
every other species of impost. And yet—notwith-
standing this acknowledgment of its extreme unpo-
pularity—the writer observes, in the sentence imme-
diately preceding, "within all our experience, we
remember but this one instance of a scheme for
taxation having been received with clamours of ap-
plause !" So the extreme unpopularity of a measure
is the true test of the popular approbation of it. The
people are delighted with it, in exact proportion to
the degree in which they abominate it ! Now if
this be really the case—if we are to derive
pleasure from that which gives us pain, and
receive with " clamours of applause " the scheme
which annoys us—how gratified a soldier must be
with a sound flogging, and what ecstacies the Bishop
of Exeter must have been thrown into when deprived
of his rich living of Stanhope ! In the " World of
London," there are some severe, but just strictures on
the mean, mercenary spirit that compels us to pay for
a sight oisome of our great public buildings, which,
as they were erected at the national cost, should be
thrown open gratuitously to the country. The fol-
lowing sly sarcasm is not undeserved by the subject
of it :—"We were rather surprised, on looking over the
works of the facete and venerable Sidney Smith, the
uncompromising antagonist of Ecclesiastical abuses
(those of Deans and Chapters only excepted), to find
not one solitary letter to Archdeacon Singleton, on
the subject of St. Paul's cathedral exhibitions." It is
an ill bird that fouls its own nest, and the waggish
Prebendary of St. Paul's knows better than to de-
nounce the abuse on which he fattens. " Caleb
Stukely" is a tale much too exaggerated in its character.
The sketch, in particular, of a Cambridge wine-party
is ridiculously overcharged, so much so, as to make us
doubt whether the author ever really witnessed what
he has undertaken to describe. The episode of Emma
Fitzjones is by far the most striking part of the
narrative. It is full of force and feeling. The
" Northern Circuit" is clever, but many of the
scenes would have been greatly improved by concen-
tration. We extract from the " World in London"
a description of some of the singing-rooms in the
modern Babylon :
So much for singing-rooms above ground. But these
are not all ; the bowels of the earth are excavated to
afford nocturnal orgies to idle and dissipated young men
about town. When all sober, respectable people are in
their beds, these musical infernos, disguised under the
name of Shades, Elysiums, Cider-Cellars, Finishes, and
the like, commence their operations late, and about two
o'clock are in the height of their glory. TiCe host, sur-
rounded by a quartette or so of sweaty, clammy-looking
gents., in seedy suits of black, assumes the chair, and
whilst the guests are absorbed in smoke, gin, welsh-rab-
bits, chops, and-conversation, the operations of the
clammy-looking gents., who are no other than profess
sional singers, are successively announced from the chair,
with loud knocks of hammer upon table—" Silence,
Gents., if you please, Mr. Lush is going to oblige ;"
whereupon Mr. Lush, taking a preliminary swig at the
brandy-and-water before him, throws himself back in his

chair, and turning up the whites of his eyes to the ceil-
ing, as if invoking the aid of Apollo, roars out, with
the lungs of a stentor, " The Bay of Biscay 0 !" or " On
board of the Arethusa," the entire auditory, joining
lustily in chorus. Loud thumping of tables, making
the glasses ring again, rewards the performance of Mr.
Lush, while the worthy host hammers the table again,
calling out, "Order, Gents., order if you please,"—which
is not to be understood to mean " order," in the Parlia-
mentary sense, but as a gentle hint to the guests to
order in more chops; Welsh-rabbits, and brandy-and-
water. After this we are entertained with the announce

merit from the chair that we may expect a sentimental
song from Mr. Swipes, whereupon that gentleman, 'a
thin cross-in-love looking . gent., with a face the
very incarnation of ,?in, trills out, " She wore a wreath
of roses," or some-such bit of maudlin sentimentality, in
dulcet strains. After a decent interval, the announce--

ment follows, that "Herr Joel, the celebrated safflower
(siffleitr), will oblige ;"—whereupon that good-humoured
person, applying a walking-stick to his lips, entertains us
with capital imitations of sundry wind instruments, con-
cluding with a mimicry of singing-birds,from the night-
ingale,,to the wren, so admirably executed, that, by shut-
ting
.your eyes, you may, without any violent stretch of
imagination, conclude yourself in the shop of a bird-
fancier. Next follows, "I know a bank," (rather sur-
prising announcement that,) from the united pulmonary
apraratus from Messieurs Swipes and Lush; after which
comet, " The merry Christ-churCh bells," " Mynheer
Van Dunk," or some other glee, madrigal, or catch, with
the' whole vocal strength of the establishmept.
If we did not consider it our duty to notice every
phase of London life, we should rather have abstained
from mentioning the existence of these subterranean
musical caverns. No man who loves music for its own
sake, or -as a refined or elegant enjoyment, can feel any
pleasare in resorting to those dens, reeking with a dense
atmosphere of smoke, flavoured with the mingled fumes
of the public-house and the cook-shop. They area de-
cidedly and frequenting them stamps
ainabad stylesantau o
v aisf places,
Slij et. The worst habits, the lowest
tastes, are therein contracted.

BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.
The present chapters of " Richard Savage" contain,
among other incidents, a graphic account of the rescue
of Elizabeth Wilfred from the clutches of one of her
unscrupulous admirers, by the hero, Savage. This
clever adventurer is new fairly launched on the world,
on which Mr. Whitehead, in his assumed
and has just completed his tragedy of Sir Thomas
Overlmryi
character of biographer, pronounces a very just ver-
dict. In a casual notice of Aaron Hill, this gentle-
man speaks of him as " being a genius ;" but such
was not the fact ; he was an author of very ordinary
calibre, though Pope, for prudential reasons, flat-
tered him by the title of " a swan of Thames." The
" Mayor of our Town, and his London 'Contempo-
rary" is a whimsical anecdote, whose object is to show
that Mayors, whether provincial or metropolitan, are
by no means prodigies of wisdom. For our own
part, we cannot take it on our conscience to assert
that We ever remember to have haard or read of any

one of these dignified civic functionaries, who, in the
slightest degree, reminded us of Solon or Ulysses.
The " Lass of Albany" is a song by Burns, which, it
seems, is now for the first time published. It is a
very sorry affair. The "Necromancer" is a tale of di-
ablarie, by Miss Romer, the leading idea of which ap-
pears to have been drawn from an incident in Schiller's
impressive romance of the " Ghost Seer." The " Phi-
losophy of Money" is a smart essay, in which occurs
the following truism It is usually acknowledged
that poverty is no sin, neither is the plague; but the
worldly wise cautiously shrink from the contagion of
both." We may go further, and add that, though
morally speaking, poverty is no sin, in the eye of the
law it is one of the most flagrant offences that a man
can commit; else wherefore do so many poor men find
their way from a police-officetoßiixtofn,slfeoerpinngo
worse crime than having been guilty o
under door-ways and in the open streets? All vir-
tuous and respectable individuals are expected to
have a roof to shelter them; and if they have not, it is
a proof that they must be "rogues and vagabonds,"
and our sapient police magistrates make a point of
treating them accordingly. " Polyphemus and Ga-
latea" is sad stuff. Luckily it is short. The " Secret"
is by a writer who signs himself "Dalton." It is a
most ingenious idea, and forms an appropriate First
of April romance. It is by many degrees the most
entertaining and novel article in the Number. " The
Merchant of Venice! is one of Ingoldsby's humor-
ous and fanciful poems, and professes to be the verit-
able original of S,hakspeare's play of that name. It
is clever, butnot in its author's happiest vein. George
Cruickshank has illustrated it with his ususal ability.
We may add that the illustrations generally through-
out the Number are very excellent, both as regards
design and execution. " Hours in Indostan" are from
the pen of Mr. Addison. We quote from this article
some impressive details of an adventure with a lioness,
related by the sufferer himself :
I was quartered high up the country, commanding a
detachment, at least fifty miles from any other Euro-
pean. :Nry only recreation was lion-hunting, which I
occasionally indulged in, and succeeded in destroying
several of these superb animals, which were here so nu-
merous and so bold, as often to approach our tents, and
carry off our provisions.
I was thus amusing myself one morning, well-mounted
on a fleet Arab, followed by a dozen men on foot, and
armed with an unerring rifle, when one of my people
suddenly discovered the prints of a lion's paw in the
sandy plain over which we were passing, apparently in.
dining towards a deep jungle some two hundred yards
in advance of us. I instantly dismounted to examine the
foot-marks, and was carefully tracing them, when a
sudden cry of terror mado me look up. I did so, and
beheld in front of me a magnificent lioness, which had
suddenly bounded out of the covert. Not a moment was

Thus I was carried for about a hundred yards, when,
overcome by pain, the lioness dropped me, and lying
down, began to lick the blood which streamed from my
wounds. I could feel her rough tongue as it passed
along the bitten parts, and tore open the tooth-marks. I
could feel her warm breath as she placed her mouth to
my lacerated shoulder. One gripe more, one single
wound in my throat, to which she was close, and I knew
all would be over. I even attempted to turn over to her,
to offer it to her jaws. She placed her paw on the bare
bone of my shoulder, and rolling me back, adding an-
other, and if possible, a more acute pang, to my suffer-
ings. Again she began to suck up my blood as I lay
groaning beneath her.

- My servants, I supposed, rallied and alarmed her ;
fur she suddenly once more started up, and making her
teeth meet in my left arm, began to drag me away.
Good Heavens ! I feel even at this moment the same
agony I then endured. In recalling the tortures of that
instant, I almost fancy I again experience the pain she
caused me as she dragged me along, evidently bearing
me towards her lair, to feed her whelps. Suffering as I
was, I knew all this ; I read my doom, and shuddered at
it. Twice did the flesh break away from my arm, and
twice did she renew her savage hold on me, and that
so powerfully, that she succeeded in getting me inside
the jungle. Here she paused, unable from pain toproceed
further. Two or three shots were fired at her without
success. At length, finding her situation perilous, and
her prey likely to escape, she retired a few paces, and
determining on one effort, raised herself, and opening
her huge jaws, suddenly bounded on me. I felt her teeth,
but they closed not ; I felt her whole weight on Me, but
she stirred not. In the next moment I heard a human
voice. I was released from the ponderous load, and lifted
up—the lioness lay dead at my feet.

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
Mrs. TroHope here resumes the history of the ad-
ventures of her well-known " "Widow Barnaby," who
is now about to figure at New Orleans, together with
her exemplary husband, and affectionate daughter
Patty. This is a good idea, and will enable the
authoress to indulge in many a sarcastic and carica-
ture sketch of the habits of the Yankees, who are in
no respect the gods of her idolatry. The " School-
mistress Abroad" is the continuation of an article
that appeared in the last Number. It is by the
Editor, who hits off the splenetic whims of a travel-
ling Englishwoman with much caustic humour.
This lady makes a point of " hating every thing and
every body she meets with." She hates every
thing foreign ;" hates the Continent, " because its
so large ;" hates the aristocracy, " because they're
so fond of going abroad ;" and hates Dissenters,
" because they are not High Church." Sterne in his
" Sentimental Journey" has already noticed this nu-
merous class of discontented English travellers, "who
travel from Dan to Beersheba, and find all barren ;"
so -Mr. Hood is merely treading in his footsteps. " Suit-
ing the Action to the Word," is a sprightly prose
essay, and indulges in some arch sallies, at the ex-
pense of matter-of-fact people, who can afford to be
laughed at, seeing that they constitute the thriving
portion of the community. " Reminiscences of 'a
Medical Student" is a story on the old subject of
seduction ; the details, however, are well wrought
up. " Phineas Quiddy"—Mr. Poole's best prose
tale—evinces much practical acquaintance with the
habits of the every-day world about us. " Courts
and Court Journals" is harmless gossip ; but it lacks
point and vivacity, and is therefore unworthy of
Lady Morgan. In the series of reflections,
entitled " Short Rides in an Author's Omnibus,"
there are several subtle aphoristic thoughts.
We have been pleased with the following pertinent
illustration of disinterested grief :—" Cooke, the tra-
gedian, was in the habit of giving orders to a widow
lady, who was once sitting in the pit with her little
girl, when their friend, the performer, was about to be
stabbed by his stage rival. Roused by the supposed
imminence of his danger, the girl started up, exclaim-
ing, Oh, don't kill him, sir, don't kill him ; for if
you do, he won't give us any more pit orders !' Her
disinterested grief, like the gratitude of some people,
was a lively sense of benefits to come." The " Earth-
quakers" is a passable quiz on the late predicted cala-
mity. A " Remonstance" is a graceful poem, and we
subjoin it for' our reader's amusement :---

A REMONSTRANCE.
" No charm hath he of form or face,
To win a woman's heart withal !"
Alas ! you wrong him !—many a grace
Fond Love can see around him fall.
Yet trust me 'twas not aught of this
That in my bosom wrought deray,
It was that gentle tongue of his
That witched my very wits away.

For when, in whispers light and low,
He praised my fbrm and features fair;
My dimpled cheek's May-morning glow,
And the gold sunset of my hair ;
And vowed he ne'er had loved in sooth,
Nor e'er through life could love another;
Oh ! judge me by your own warm youth,
Could I do ought but love him—Mother?

And when, as hand in hand we walked
Yon wide and windy park alone,
At midnight's starry hour—he talked
Of themes to lovers only known ;
And rising in his deep, dark eye
I saw the gem he could not smother,
And felt his fond heart beating high,
Could I do well but love him—Mother ?

And when from every lip, the praise
Of his high intellect I heard ;
How nothing e'er escaped its rays,
Or said by sage or sung by bard ;
And t 6 his mind full well could see
The homage deep of every other ;
And knew that mind did worship me,
Oh, was I wrong to love him—Mother ?

PRASER'S MAGAZINE.
The character of Mirabeau, who was the great pro-
pelling power of the earlier movements of the Jh rench re-
volution of 1789, has often been discussed, but seldom
with more spirit than in an essay in the present
Number, by a writer who quaintly signs himself
Morgan Rattler." But ingenious and vigorous as
this essay is, it is not, as a whole, satisfactory, for it
takes much too favourable a view of Mirabeau. It
represents him as having been of the first order of
great men, and affects to regard him as equal
to Napoleon in intellectual capacity. Now, this
he certainly was not, and never could have been,
even under the most favourable circumstances. The
utmost that can be said of him is, that he was a bold,
ardent, intriguing spirit, and as passionately fond of
the bustling, feverish turmoil of politics, as ever was
the Cardinal de Rez, whom in this respect he closely
resembled. He had nothing enlarged—nothing
disinterested in his ambition. He cared noti like the
French Emperor, for the applause of posterity. He
was haunted by no generous, though delusive dreams
of glory. His motives for action commenced with
self, and ended in self. He threw himself into the
vortex of the Revolution—not to procure redress for
wrong—not to promote the interests of France—
but to revenge himself on the Court and the Noblesse
for the insults he had sustained at their hands.
But for these insults, he would most proba-
bly have been found, at the assembling of the
States-General, battling for the privileges of his
Order ; for notwithstanding his] rabid democracy—
which was throughout over-acted, and began to be
suspected before his death—he was a determined aris-
tocrat at heart. Self-willed, haughty, despotic, un-
scrupulous, and utterly unprincipled, few—none—
can respect the memory of Mirabeau, though all
must allow that his intellect was far above the
ordinary level, and that he was well fitted to the
turbulent times in which he lived, and which he in-
fluenced, He is now nearly forgotten, or remem-
bered only as a successful Agitator, made so by a
burning sense of personal injury. " Something upon
an Old Subject" revives the old story about Drum -
mond of Hawthornden having betrayedjheconfidence
of Ben Jonson, and published certain conversations
which the latter had intended as strictly confidential.
We had hoped this calumny had been long since for-
gotten, especially c s Professor Wilson, in one of his
numerous masterly criticisms in lackwood, had

to be lost. I sprang towards my horse; my syce, how
I ever,. alarmed by the appearance of the queen of beasts,-
had quitted the rein, and before I could reach him, the
frightened animal was half across the open space. My
servants had a 1 fled. I was alone. The lioness was
lashing her sides with her tail ; she was evidently medi-
tating an attack. I had but one resource left. After
vainly calling on my servants to return and support me,
I levelled my rifle, and, just as she rushed forward, fired.
For a single instant I was not quite sure whether I had
hit her or not. She suddenly halted, threw. up her
head, and gave a terrific roar: I was now convinced she
was wounded ; but, alas ! seemingly not in any mortal
part. She glared on me. Human nature could stand
no more. I threw down my gun, and foolishly overcome
by fear, I fled. In another second I was conscious of
my error. I heard her come panting along close beside
me. It was all over with me ; I knew my fate was
sealed. I threw myself down ; the lioness actually, in
her haste to overtake me, sprang over me. I heard a
shot, and a piercing cry from the animal told me she was
again hit ; but I did not once dare to look up to
see how seriously.
After about half a minute, I could not resist the
temptation, the desire I felt to read my doom. I slightly
turned my head, only the least in life, and beheld the
lioness licking her paw, through which a ball had evi-
dently passed ; the blood was also flowing copiously
from her jaw, where my discharge had in the first in-
stance taken effect. She was sitting on her haunches in
evident agony. No sooner, however, did she perceive
the very slight movement which I had made than she
sprung up, and in the next moment I felt her teeth pene-
trate my back-bone, while one of her claws tore my left
shoulder bare of flesh : in the next, she lifted me off the
ground, and carried me forward. This, however, was
evidently an effort to her. Her wounded jaws refused
to meet; but still she held me, screaming, struggling,
praying for death, tightly in her teeth, as she bore me on
with the same ease with which she would have raised a
kitten. I shouted to my servants to fire. It seems they
feared to do so, lest by accident they might destroy me
instead of the animal. Alas ! little did they know my
feelings at that moment ! Instant death, a release from
the excruciating tortures I was then suffering, would
have been the greatest favour they could have conferred
on me.