soldier; the country gentleman and the town dandy; the grave lawyer, sophisticated rustic, doctor, surgeon, apothecary, with all the high and low of a country town, are often seen together gaping for news. To me, who spend much of my time in retirement, and speculate largely on what I observe in this curious world, the news-room of my neighbouring town-which, by the way, is called a coffeeroom, though no such beverage is ever made in it-is of great importance. Herrick himself, who wrote charmingly on the charms of a country life, would, were he present, agree with me, that in ne quid nimis there is a great deal of good sense. One may be charmed to satiety. To keep up the tone of my mind, I fly, when tired of rural sameness, to the busy town, read human faces, and in the news-room contemplate character. It is, in fact, all the world in miniature. The lives of those who frequent our news-room abound in variety of curious incident. What lessons of wisdom a lover of wisdom may pick up in such a place! See that desponding, tall, thin, gentlemanlike person, with the Literary Gazette before: him. He received a classical education, a liberal introduction into the world, married a lady with considerable fortune, and inherited from his father enough, and a little to spare. What makes him look so melancholy? His Hebrew and Greek he never converted into self-knowledge: independence made him proud; his wife was extravagant; he is now almost a beggar, surrounded by a numerous family; and his memory is worried and scotched with regrets. Instead of redeeming the past by exertion, he is paralyzing energy by useless chagrin. Now, look at his contrast :-mark that stout, happyfaced man, with the Liverpool Advertiser in his hand. He commenced life with nothing but one of the humblest handicrafts. Why is his countenance so cheerful? He is now worth upwards of seventy thousand pounds, and knows how to make such a use of it, as to be a valuable and respected member of society. What do these two instances teach? That it is better to leave a child treasure in sense than in gold, for wisdom makes its own rich mine, whilst folly extracts poverty from wealth. dreaded to look in the face of the world? He affords a proof that great wealth alone, even when spent lavishly, will not purchase respect. Now, look at his contrast. There he stands, graceful and easy, with the Courier in his hand. You know him at once to be a gentleman by his bearing; he oversteps not nature's modesty in any thing. His fortune is not large, but he does not spend it all for himself. He knows that riches may be freely used, yet misapplied. In short, he makes use of his moderate fortune so as to command the high commendation of rich and poor, and the secret approbation of his own benevolent heart. There sits a proof that prejudice is even stronger than loyalty. See how he devours the John Bull, and shakes his head at violence: approving of it on his own side, condemning it on the opposite. He is a staunch Orangeman, although he knows that his king and the government of Ireland have set power against party; and he would carouse "the glorious memory" at-no improbable contingencythe expense of riot, murder, and rebellion. He subscribes to societies for converting Jews and Mahomedans; yet he does not extend Christian charity to Roman Catholics. He talks of equality, glorious British liberty, and universal philanthropy; yet he votes against extending the rights of the constitution which he praises, to his fellow-countrymen and brethren in Christianity. Well! dark as he is, the night of his mind is not more murky than his whom you see reading the Edinburgh Review. He professes that his religion is the purest and the best, yet he dreads proselytism. He believes and acknowledges, that by divine inspiration the Holy Scriptures were written, yet he says their perusal is improper and injurious; as though God would write a book for the benefit of mankind that should not be read. He pays the Catholic rent, and supports his party, whilst he loudly condemns in others what he approves in himself. These men's conduct illustrates the apophthegm-" He can see the beam in his brother's eye, but not the mote in his own." How many contrasts may be seen in a newsroom, all pregnant with useful instruction! To describe them in detail would be perhaps tedious; for such characters are found in every concentration of society over the wide world: human pas sions and affections, human feelings and desires, being every where nearly the same. We have good husbands and bad ones; kind and austere fathers; men faithful in all the connexions of life; and others, unhallowed by the dereliction of every sacred and bounden duty, in our news-room. I like to frequent it also, and look earnestly in every strange face, in the hope of discovering the faded features of some long-ago-known friend or acquaintance. There is nothing more pleasing to a man, who has bustled about a good while in the world, than unexpectedly to cross an old companion. It is a sort of resurrection from the dead; we meet a ghost of whom we are not afraid, knowing the mutation to be that of flesh and blood. interesting it is to meet and trace these changes in another, which we do not perceive in ourselves. I scarcely know any thing more delightful than to live over the past, with another heart which has beaten, like our own, to the vicissitudes of life, and which now responds our feelings in the associations of kindred memory. It is enjoying time and How fortune twice. This dear and rare satisfaction I experienced the other day, in our news-room; and |