The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-04-05 00:00:00

BY MISS TOULMIN.

It is not that I cannot see
The birds and flowers of spring,
'Tis not that beauty seems to me
A dreamy, unknown thing ;
It is not that I cannot mark
The blue and sparkling sky,
Nor ocean's foam, nor mountain's peak,
That e'er I weep or sigh-

They tell me that the birds, whose notes
Fall rich, and sweet, and full—
That those I listen to, and love,
Are not all beautiful
They tell me thatthe gayest flowers,
Which sunshine ever brings,
Are not the ones I know so well,
But gay and scentless things I
My little brother leads me forth
To where the violets grow;
His gentle, light, yet careful step,
And tiny hand, I know.
My mother's voice is soft and sweet,
Like music on my ear;
The very atmosphere seems love,
When these dear ones are near,

My father twines his arms around,
And draws me to his breast,
To kiss the poor, blind, helpless girl,
He says he loves the best.
'lris then I ponder unknown things,
It may be—weep or sigh,
And think how glorious it must be
To meet Affection's eye I

A BIT OF THE MARVELLOUS.

(From Scenes and Characters from Life, at Out and Head
Quarters) _ _

Between thirty and forty years-ago, you could not pass
through Holborn, during a certain portion of the year, with-
out observing a string of carriages drawn up near a large
house, the upper floors of which appeared magnificently
furnished ; and the groups of well-dressed people seen going
in and coming out could not, if you had a grain of Eve's
curse in your composition, but make you ask who it was that
received so many fashionable visiters in such a dingy district.
You were informed that the celebrated Mrs. Williams, the
renowned caster of nativities and teller of fortunes, honoured
Holborn by residing in it ; and if you were lucky enough to
meet amongst your male friends one who had paid the lady a
visit, you heard that she was a very handsome, though some-
what dark woman. The females differed on the subject of
her beauty, influenced, doubtless, by the good or ill fortune
foretold to them,_
Amongst the numerous applicants to this dusky Lilly in
petticoats, she had the honour of numbering the Prince of
Wales ; and, although his Royal Highness endeavoured to
preserve a strict incognito, he was hailed by his title on en-
tering the abode of astrological research. The Prince did
not scruple to tell the result of his visit.
" The lady informs me that I shall live to be King,
although my stars decree that I am not to be crowned."
In the autumn Mrs. Williams usually visited the various
resorts of fashion, Bath, Clifton, Hot-wells, Brighton, &c.;
and it was during her sojourns at the two former places that
what I am about to relate occurred.
No sooner was her arrival known in the city of Bladud.
than her doors were besieged by persons of all classes ; as it
had been duly announced that a simple consultation was
within the reach of the humblest, whilst an examination of
the heavenly bodies to ascertain whether or not your star was
in the ascendant must be remunerated by a price too exorbi-
tant for the superstitious in the middle walks of life.
Amongst the first who found themselves confronted with
this awful personage were two young :ladies of family ; the
largest douceur was tendered ; and our Cassandra commenced
turning over the leaves of the mystic volume. Suddenly the
book was closed, and she started abruptly from her chair.
Then, leading one of the girls aside, she said impressively
to her—

" I am too ill to take any trouble for that poor dear child
to-day; you must leave me now, but only on this condition,
that you," and she grasped the hand of her auditor, whilst
her dark eyes seemed almost lit up by supernatural fire, " you
must solemnly promise to come to me to-morrow, let what
will have chanced. 'Tis well, now go !"
Faithful to her word, the terrified girl returned the next
day.
" I ask not for your companion, of yesterday," exclaimed
Mrs. Williams, " she is dead. '
A burst of tears from the afflicted friend confirmed the
fatal sentence. This fearful tale was speedily told, and hun-
dreds flocked to look upon and consult the same mysterious
oracle.

The late Countess of M---- conceived it possible by a
simple artifice to puzzle the conjurer ; and accordingly at-
tired herself in humble garb, taking with her the well-dressed
governess, on whose finger her ladyship had placed her darn
wedding-ring. A guinea was tendered by Miss—, whilst
her mistress, trying to assume a rusticity of manner, dropped
a courtsey, and offered a crown-piece. Their separate palms
were scrutinised by Mrs. Williams, who, after a brief inves-
tigation, turned to the matron, saying—
.' Why do you suffer that woman to wear your ring ? is it
not enough that she has already usurped your rights ? Ay,
blush and tremble, girl,"

Mrs. Williams was right.
An elderly maiden lady lost many articles of plate, jewellery,
and wearing apparel. The unaccountable disappearance had
caused the most serious uneasiness to her housekeeper, a
trusty creature, who never left the house, except on a Sun-
day evening, to attend Lady Huntingdon's chapel : but whose
, stay-at-home habits were broken through by the sudden de-
termination of her lady to visit Mrs. Williams, in the hopes
of obtaining some information respecting the missing pro-
perty. The pious domestic talked about tampering with
Satan—Saul, and the Witch of Endor, in vain.
Miss F— had made up her mind to go ; and, what was
more, to take her good Sally with her, as spokeswoman on
the occasion ; the excellent spinster being of a nervous and
timid temperament. They reached the dwelling of the Sybil ;
Sally gave the fee, and a list of the lost articles, adding—
" We shall be happy to pay you twice as much if you will
assist us in finding them."
" We and us, woman !" said Mrs. Williams. " I wonder
how you ventured to come to me," then turning to the
alarmed mistress she continued, " there stands the thief."
Down dropt Sally on her knees, confessed the fact : and,
in consequence of this information, the house of the pew-
opener of her favourite chapel was searched, the property
found, and restored.
The Hot-wells was the next scence of action.
Amongst the various extraordinary circumstances which
occurred during her residence on Dowry Parade, one will
suffice. A gentleman, holding a situation of considerable
emolument in the Custom-house of Bristol, determined to
procure, from so celebrated a votary of the planets, his horo-
scope ; and, on presenting the usual guerdon, was desired to
call on the following day for the important and scientific
document. He did so, and found the lady in a most per-
turbed state. She appeared to be nearly overcome with
strong emotion, as she bade him take back his guineas, and
never, if he valued his happiness or respectability, look on
her again.
Mr. 0— was a young man, certainly ten years younger
than the handsome woman who strangely forbade him her
presence, and he was withal a nervous nian. Apprehending
that sickness or death were to befall him, he besought to
know the worst at once.
" Neither ill health nor dissolution is threatend ; enough
that disgrace, misfortune, and misery hang over you, unless
you fly this moment, and pause not till you have placed half
the world's distance between us." _

" Why, what have I to fear from you, gentle and beautiful
as you are ?" demanded
Leave e, leaveme," replied the equally agitated fair,
" and for once defy the malign influence of the stars, whose
aspects now threaten destruction to both of us."_

"At least inform me what shape the impending evil as-
sumes. I will not quit you till you have so far satisfied me."
" Listen, then, and tremble ! All last night was I engaged
in casting your nativity ; in vain I endeavoured to persuade
myself that I had miscalculated a most important event.
Still there it was, as plainly written by the hand of Fate as
was your birth and mine ; and thus it stood—that before the
moon waned you were to become my HUSBAND !"
Her prediction was fulfilled. In three days Mr.
was married to the widow ; and, in less than six weeks, he
found himself in jail, loaded with the debts of his wife, who
had deserted him, and resumed her former name.
I know come to the fact known only to one or two who
were in the immediate confidence of George IV., and which
was related to me by Sir Henry, to whom the remark was
addressed ; his official duties bringing him close to the per-
son of his monarch at the coronation.

No sooner was the crown placed upon the royal head,
than, turning to his old and faithful servant, his Majesty
said, exultingly,
" Cipriani, Mrs. Williams was a false prophet 1"