For thy assistance brings a lowly claim;
But mine the lot a nobler theme to tell,
To bid a mightier lyre its music swell,
And rapt in inspiration's dream rebel

Against the earthlier portion of my frame;
Till purged from mortal film the soul may gaze
O'er the abyss of time, where ancient days
Lie sepulchred beneath the gathering haze
That shrouds the glories of mythology,
Back to that golden age, by Poets sung,
When first from nothingness creation sprung,
And earth and nature smiled as though too young

To dread the sorrows of futurity.

On second thoughts, perhaps it will be best,
To leave the Editors to write the rest.

MOONSHINE.

THE LITERARY TASTE OF THE AGE.

But rats and mice, and such small deer,
Have been Tom's food for many a year.

KING LEAR.

Ir a monarch of the present day were to demand from some wise philosopher, as once was done of old, to be led by some short and easy path to the mystery of a physical science, he would not be repulsed by that stern reply, "There is no royal road to learning." Not monarchs only, but all the world, are now satisfied with royal roads alone; spurning the dull and laborious methods by which our fathers were content to acquire their hardly-earned knowledge, we jump at once to conclusions which they took years to reach; and while they quietly climbed the mountain, we require some able pioneer to cut a tunnel for our convenience. It may be doubted whether what we thus gain in celerity, and in a saving of labour, we do not lose by abandoning the glow of health produced by climbing the mountain's brow.

"Better than fame, is still the wish for fame,

The constant training for a glorious strife-
The athleté nurtured for the Olympian game
Gains strength at least for life."

It is then at least a question, whether what is gained by avoiding all the pains and the labours of the preparation, is not lost by also avoiding the advantages that accrue from that mental training. A general superficial knowledge is acquired, but a deep and thorough comprehension, a comprehension only to be obtained by close and arduous study is thrown away. It has been said by some that those only rail at superficial

knowledge, who themselves possess none, and certainly few would now argue for the wisdom of the motto so often quoted by the Hydropathists, "Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring." Half a loaf is assuredly better than no bread, but on the same principle a whole loaf is better than a half one-and most decidedly better than crumbs and scraps picked up from different tables. Yet the modern system of reading is founded on a principle exactly the reverse of this, preferring this beggar's wallet, this farrago consisting of all the waifs and strays of knowledge in all its branches, to the sober and serious study of any portion of it to its very roots.

This is decidedly the system now pursued; who would waste his time in wading through a long and tedious quarto, when he can gain his information so much more agreeably through the intervention of a pithy article in a review? You ask a man descanting very learnedly on Hobbes' Elementa, whether he is well acquainted with that heavy book; "No, no," he would answer, "but I saw the review of the new edition in the Times." Is this man quoting the new poem? be sure you will find that very piece in the last number of the Athenæum ;—is another finding fault with the last Life of Addison? he possesses no knowledge upon the point himself, but he has read Macaulay's critique. In this manner has the world given up all wish to judge for itself; it idly trusts to some more laborious hands the task of smoothing the way, where it is content to follow-and even in its indolence it requires the old and standard literature of the country to be culled and placed within easy reach; even Shakespear,-our own unrivalled Shakespear, must have his beauties collected in one pocket volume, in order that he may be enjoyed without the trouble of selection. Vain task! as Johnson well observes, better might the pedant of old carry about his bricks, as a sample of his dwelling!

This neglect of our standard works has perhaps now reached its height; to obtain a reputation as a literary character, a man has no necessity now to possess the best authors of his country, much less to have read them;-he need merely loll on his sofa, and study the Monthlies; let him learn thoroughly the adventures of Titus Ledbury, and who would care if he had never heard of such books as Tom Jones or Joseph Andrews? let him read the elegant dramatic sketches that sometimes appear in Blackwood, who then would care if the Elizabethan poets were to him as unknown as the black-letter rhymes or monkish legends! Poor Mad Tom did not choose his peculiar diet, from any strangeness of taste that led him to prefer these smaller animals to others generally deemed more savoury-it was his unfortunate necessity that impelled him thus to appease the pangs of hunger; the readers of the periodicals of the time, however, voluntarily relinquish their share of the rich venison-pasty, to luxuriate wantonly in the delicacies of these rats and mice, and such small deer! C. X.

THOUGHTS ON TOBACCO.

"Fumus patriæ, igne alieno luculentior."

"Yes, yes," replied the florid traveller;

but, sir, it's the dirtiness of the people I complain of! Their cookery is dirty-they are dirty in their persons-dirty in their habits-that shocking trick of smoking (pointing to a German, who was enjoying this pleasure close by his side) is dirty;— depend upon it, they are what we should call, sir, a very dirty race."

BUBBLES FROM THE BRUNNENS OF NASSAU,

Or the many foreign or new-born luxuries (so termed, at least, by their votaries) within these latter days, engrafted upon the usages of domestic life in England, the introduction of "tobacco smoking" we unhesitatingly assert to be the most censurable and injurious.

Some apology we feel is due to our readers for this abrupt introduction of our subject—and a determined affirmation of this kind-so likely to be opposed to the cherished feelings and prejudices of many of their number.

In our humble opinion, however, the practice to which we have alluded has tended to subtract much—such is one of our objections to it -from that hitherto allowed characteristic of the English nation-their cleanliness; and a proud one it is, and one that has at all times most pre-eminently distinguished them amongst the nations of the world. To the very principles of an English education the bare supposition of an habitual want of personal cleanliness was wont to present something inexpressibly revolting. But, alas! in these days of refinement, we much apprehend, that this feeling-amongst others which have been denominated prejudiced and old-fashioned-is about to give way. We trust we do but deceive ourselves, but if there be any likelihood of our apprehensions becoming verified, then do we assert, that if modern travel has tended to polish and enlighten the understandings of our countrymen, that advantage is by no means proportionate to the injury it has effected in this; far would we prefer that they should ever have remained in the condition that prompted, upon the part of one of them-the honest, but plain-spoken remark that heads this chapter-than that they should ever by any possibility have become guilty of the vices which called it forth.

Cleanliness, to pursue the subject, has been denominated by some one as the greatest virtue upon earth, under godliness; without expressing any such extreme opinion, we may be permitted to affirm it to be a great-one of the greatest-social virtues. That the practice of smoking does in a great degree offend against the laws of cleanliness, surely none, even of its most ardent admirers, will be found sufficiently hardy to deny. That it is altogether unattended by any counterbalancing advantages, we imagine it no difficult matter to establish.

And, first, as regards oneself. According to the most competent medical authorities, it affects our organic frame, and the clearness and stability of our intellects; and here we would remark, that the mere adducing the fact that a number of tobacco-smokers, at various times, have been remarkable for their vigour of frame and intellect, can in no wise subvert our statement; whereas the bringing forward of a few who have been injuriously affected by the habit, will go far to support its accuracy. The former would have been probably in the same condition-whether they had become smokers or no ;-possibly they might have become still more famed for these qualities, had they never done Those mentally or corporeally powerful, may withstand many an attack, which may be calculated to do them an injury; it is those who are of feeble intellect and unsound constitution who will feel, and suffer from, its effects. We have unfortunately but too many instances in cases such as these-to attest the deleterious influences of tobacco.

so.

As regards its disadvantages to others, it will be sufficient for every purpose to point out how abominably offensive must be an indulgence in the use of it, to those uninitiated in the filthy habit: and not merely in the act of the indulgence; its after effects as regards the person and habiliments of the smoker, are still more intolerable. Most particularly, how offensive must this indulgence prove, to that fair portion of the community, whose every taste and wish it should be the whole study of our lives to gratify.

We may, perhaps, be excused, while upon this part of our subject, for mentioning that which the renowned Lord Herbert of Cherbury was in the habit of affirming-viz., that "until he began to take tobacco, his body exhaled an exceedingly pleasant odour." The change that may be assumed to have taken place subsequent to his adoption of the objectionable habit, may be left to the imagination of the reader.

The only plea offered in extenuation of the vice by smokers (by such at least as are at all reasonable), is the luxuriousness of the indulgence: the luxury that deadens care, and snatches a man from his evil thoughts -that raises him dreamily above the sorrows of life-the dull realities of existence. Alas! the best argument for its condemnation. The drug that deadens care can only do so by deadening the intellects to a sense of it; the influence that can so work upon his nerves, and by an unnatural accession of excitement lend his imagination a false lustre for the moment, must leave them in a sad condition of after-relaxation and debility.

We deny, moreover, that strictly speaking the indulgence in the case of an habitual smoker can be termed a luxury. To him, by long habit, it has become a necessity;-once a necessity, it obviously ceases to constitute a luxury. This mortal, therefore, whoever he may be, has

but added one to the long and degrading list of his necessities—those necessities, to diminish which, should be the aim and object of all who would elevate their natures above those of the beasts that perish.

Upon the side, therefore, of the moderate smoker alone is there a shadow of argument; in his case, the habit may be termed a luxury, and may occasionally prove beneficial as an anodyne. As regards himself, therefore, he enjoys some advantage; but let him keep it to himself,—let him not make use of this advantage to the offence and annoyance of his fellow-creatures.

In conclusion, we would have our readers bear in mind that we have not attempted logically to establish the folly or disadvantages of smoking, for such a task at the present moment we have neither the leisure or opportunity. These "Thoughts on Tobacco" are to be received as the tirade of one annoyed to peevishness, by the ceaseless and systematic consumption of that noxious commodity, amongst the neighbours and associates amid whom, for a brief period, it has pleased Providence to cast his lot.

Ye therefore of the smoking community that peruse these lucubrations, whether ye revel in the primitive and aldermanic clay, or, dandylike, 'twixt finger and thumb, ye poise the taper cheroot; whether like the German, "duller than the weed" he consumes, ye puff volumes in mournful silence from the Meerschaum bowl, desist while yet ye can; pollute no longer the free air of Heaven; it was made for others to inhale as well.-Believe me in the words of the quaint Josiah Silvester,"Of all the plants that Tellus' bosom yields None so pernicious to man's life is known

As is Tobacco, saving hemp alone."

U. N.

Αι δεύτεραι πως φροντίδες σοφώτεραι.

SECOND THOUGHTS ARE BEST.

From the Latin Epigram in the Cambridge Prize Poems.
Prometheus, erst obedient to command,

Created man, they say, with magic hand,—
While yet he gazed, he breathed a nobler flame,
And Woman from his hands, Perfection, came.

ST. AUSTIN AND SON, PRINTERS, HERTFORD.

ENCORE.