subscribe for hundreds of shares in every new line that is projected, and these come out often at the rate of seven in the day. Nobody thinks it worth while to consider where the money for making all these expensive works is to be found. It is enough if they can scrape together sufficient cash to pay the first deposit; for then they get scrip in exchange for their certificates, and, as the market presently stands, all kinds of scrip are at a premium. But the end cannot help being disastrous. I am greatly grieved by the infatuation of some personal friends of my own, who have gone in dreadfully deep; but wilful men will have their way, and they would not listen to my preaching though I had the gift of Moses and the prophets. Glasgow is fully worse than Edinburgh. The chappies are as greedy as gleds, but there will be long faces among them when the day of reckoning arrives.

"By the way, did you receive a letter which I addressed to you rather more than a year ago, at Vienna, where I understood you were residing? I rather suppose not, because, as it related to a matter of business, you would naturally have replied. It contained an advertisement which I cut from the Times newspaper, thinking that it might refer to you, and I kept a copy of it which I now enclose. The advertisement was repeated several times, and then withdrawn. I would have written at once to the London solicitors whose names are given, and who are men of high respectability; but, to say the truth, I was not sure as to your father's rank in the army, and the number of his regiment. My excellent old friend, Dr Buchanan, your uncle, never spoke much about him; and I was apprehensive of committing a mistake, as once occurred when I lodged a claim for a client, in answer to an advertisement for the heirs of the deceased Captain Colin Campbell. Not that your name is quite as common as the other, at least out of Caithness, but I could not depone to the identity. I also sent a copy of the enclosed to Mather, but got no answer, Ned being notoriously a wretched hand at the pen. It is, however, possible that he may have

applied on your behalf (that is, supposing you are the party indicated); but I would not have you take that for granted, so you had best look after the matter yourself."

The enclosure was to the following effect:

"If the heirs of the late Henry Sinclair, Lieutenant in the regiment of the line, whose name appears in the return of the killed at the battle of the Pyrenees, will apply to Messrs Poins and Peto, solicitors, Westminster, they will hear of something to their advantage."

"Poins and Peto!" said I to myself, "I thought that association had been dissolved in the days of the mad Prince! There can be no doubt that I am the party indicated by the advertisement, but what can it possibly refer to? Most likely some small arrear of regimental pay, which my poor mother had overlooked in her distress; at least I can think of nothing else. But here comes Attie Faunce. Did you ever get a letter, Attie, stating that if you made application to so-and-so, you would hear of something to your advantage?"

"Scores of them," replied Attie. "But as they invariably contained a preliminary condition that I should forward a sovereign as the price of the information to be given, I was content to remain in comparative poverty rather than part with my twenty shillings. Once, indeed, I carried on, by way of fun, an animated correspondence with Joseph Ady, who had sent me a letter of the kind; my object being to secure, if possible, a personal interview with a gentleman who had achieved a notoriety unparalleled since the days of Dando the oyster-eater. I assure you I put forth my full powers of persuasion, and was well-nigh successful, for Joseph at last gave me a rendezvous; but alas for the vanity of human hopes! when I had penetrated the regions of far Whitechapel, and reached the Adyan domicile, the door was opened by a truculent-looking Hebrew, with fiery hair, and something like a bed-post tucked under his arm-a very hide

ous Cerberus, I assure you; and he denying that Joseph was at home, I was fain to sneak off, lest Barabbas might take it into his volcanic head to administer a touch of his bludgeon. I learned from the papers next day that I had only been an hour too late, Joseph having been taken into custody that morning, on some charge of levying money under false pretences."

"Did you ever hear of any result from such advertisements?"

"I draw a distinction between letters and advertisements. A letter costs the sender nothing; but advertising is expensive, and therefore not likely to be resorted to without some kind of object. But why do you ask?"

"Because I have just received, from a correspondent in Scotland, a copy of an advertisement which appeared in the Times more than a year ago, when I was abroad, and which cannot apply to any other person than myself."

Attie read it over with attention. "You may depend upon it this is worth inquiring into, Sinclair," he said; "Poins and Peto stand high in the profession, and reckon among their clients some of the first gentlemen in the land. You may consider yourself fortunate in having to deal with them. But tell me; was the Lieutenant Sinclair, mentioned in this advertisement, your father?" "He was." "And are you his eldest son?" "I am an only child." "Do you know of any relations who may have died without heirs; or are you aware if your father's name was inserted in any deed of entail? Such things are by no means uncommon."

"I have no expectations of the kind, Attie; and I do not think it at all likely that there is any such fortune in store for me. I lost both my parents so early that I know little of my family history, but I resided, when a boy, with my sole maternal uncle, and he gave me to understand that I had no near relations."

"Well; we need not speculate upon that, which doubtless will be made clear by Poins and Peto's explana

tion. I say though, Sinclair-will it not be best for you to lose no time in seeing them? Depend upon it, you will not be able to apply yourself seriously to anything until you know the full meaning of this advertisement. It is extraordinary what an effect a mysterious communication has upon the mind! It sets it fermenting like one of Meux's portervats, and stimulates the imagination to the uttermost. Ah, there is nothing like mystery! More than half the romance of society departed with the mask and domino; for a modern unsigned billet-doux is but one degree more interesting than a washing-bill, and the orthography usually employed in both kinds of documents is the same."

At

Faunce was right. I can conceive the fisherman in the Oriental story poring for hours over the mysterious vase which his nets had recovered from the sea, gazing with wonder on the strange characters impressed on the cabalistic seal, speculating on what the contents possibly could be -- beginning perhaps with simple nard, and then mounting, through gradations of value, until diamonds, rubies, pearls, emeralds, and opals flashed upon his imagination as the kernels of that rugged rind. length he opened it, and lo, it appeared to be no more than a bottle of smoke! So with the wife of Bluebeard. What could be more natural than that poor Fatima should long for a glimpse of the interior of the forbidden chamber? Surly womanhaters (if such monsters there really be) are fond of quoting that instance of female curiosity; but, as I read the story, Fatima was less actuated by curiosity than impelled by the wild force of an over-excited imagination. Curiosity is a mean and furtive propensity imagination is a godlike attribute. It is miserable weakness to yield to the one; the other compels you to do its bidding.

Accordingly, I repaired to the chambers of the solicitors; and, after waiting for a short time, was ushered into the apartment of Mr Poins, the senior partner of the firm; a quiet, composed, gentlemanly man, who, without rising from his seat, mo

tioned me to a chair, and then asked what my business might be.

"I wait upon you, sir," said I, "in consequence of an advertisement which I understand was issued by your firm rather more than a year ago."

"What advertisement do you allude to?" said Mr Poins. "Our business being rather a large one, I must beg you to be more specific.'

"I believe this is a copy of it, sir," I replied, placing the document in his hand.

Mr Poins glanced at the paper, and, I think, slightly shrugged his shoulders. He then favoured me with a long and attentive look.

"Are you, sir, an heir or relative of the Lieutenant Sinclair here mentioned, or do you simply come in behalf of a claimant ?"

"My name, Mr Poins, is Sinclair, Norman Sinclair. Lieutenant Henry Sinclair was my father."

"Indeed?" said Mr Poins, still continuing his scrutiny. "Pardon me for asking if you are prepared to make good that assertion by undoubted evidence?"

"Unquestionably I am; that is," said I, correcting myself, "the evidence is in Scotland, the country of my birth, whence it can readily be obtained."

Mr Poins paused for a moment, and then said

"This advertisement, Mr Sinclair, is of a somewhat remote date. May I inquire why you did not make earlier application?"

Because, sir, I never heard of it till this morning, when the copy which you now hold in your hand was forwarded to me from Scotland. I have been for several years on the Continent, and I have reason to think that a letter, informing me of the announcement when it first appeared, miscarried."

"That was unlucky," observed Mr Poins.

Somewhat piqued by the dryness of the man, I said

"The advertisement, sir, is to the effect that the heirs of Lieutenant Sinclair, on applying to your firm, will hear of something to their advantage. I have told you that I am his heir-I now request that you

will favour me with the promised information."

"Nay, nay! We must not go on too rapidly. The first condition, you observe, sir, is that you shall furnish proper proof that you are the heir. Without that, I cannot proceed upon your assertion."

"Then, sir, you doubt my word? That leaves me no other alternative than to cut short an interview which, remember, I did not solicit."

"Stop, if you please, for a moment, sir," said Poins, who did not appear to be displeased by this slight ebullition on my part. "You must not be offended because I show the habitual caution of a lawyer. You will at once understand why I require satisfactory proof that you are the heir, when I inform you that already we have had applications from several claimants."

"As heirs of Lieutenant Sinclair?" cried I, in astonishment.

"Even so," said Mr Poins. "And did they offer to produce evidence to that effect?"

"They not only offered, but actually did so. The evidence, however, did not prove to be in any way satisfactory.

"You amaze me, Mr Poins!" I exclaimed. "I am my father's sole child I never understood that he had any near relatives. The persons, therefore, who applied to you must have been impostors."

"In that view," replied Mr Poins, "I am certainly disposed to join. We members of the legal profession are compelled to be most circumspect in our inquiries, so numerous are the instances of fraud that are daily attempted to be practised. In cases of succession, this is very common; and therefore it is usual, when claimants present themselves, to ask whether they have any references to give as to position and antecedents."

"I perfectly understand your meaning, Mr Poins," I replied. "You want to know precisely who and what I am?"

The solicitor assented by a bow. "Then, sir," said I," I shall frankly tell you that I am not prepared to give such references immediately. There are, indeed, two individuals resident here to whom I might con

fidently appeal if this were a question of character; but, except from what I have myself communicated, neither are acquainted with my early history."

"Would you have any objection to mention their names?" asked Mr Poins.

I was on the point of referring to Lord Windermere and Mr Osborne, when it occurred to me that I really had no right to take such a liberty; so I replied

"I might do so, Mr Poins, if their testimony could in any way expedite the business; but from what you have said, I apprehend such would not be the case. I understand this is simply a question of fact. You require that I shall prove my birth-that proof you shall have. Any other considerations are extrinsic."

"Sir," replied Mr Poins, "that is the correct business view. In the mean time, will you favour me with your address?"

"Most willingly." And I gave him my card.

One word more, Mr Sinclair," said Poins: "are you acquainted with any solicitor in town? Because, if you are, that might materially tend to obviate difficulties."

"I have no legal adviser here," I replied. "But in the course of a fortnight I expect the arrival from Edinburgh of a friend who has known me from boyhood, a gentleman well known to the profession, to whose hands I shall intrust the further conduct of the business."

"Surely you may confide to me his name, at all events?" said the inquisitive Poins, who seemed bent upon gaining information without imparting any.

"I allude to Mr Walter Shearaway, Writer to the Signet."

"A member of the firm who act as family agents for the Marquess of Carrabas?"

"The same, sir."

"In that case, Mr Sinclair, I anticipate no difficulty in the way of a settlement; that is, if Mr Shearaway shall corroborate your statement."

"That you must learn from Mr Shearaway himself. And now, Mr Poins, I shall wish you good morning."

"Good morning, Mr Sinclair. It is from no discourtesy that I withhold for the present the information you desire. When you substantiate your claim-that is, when the evidence of your birth is laid before me—you will, I am sure, admit that I have not been wantonly trifling with your time. Put what construction you please on that, and farewell for the present."

"Well!" thought I, as I turned my steps homeward, "if these are the pleasures of hope, they bear a marvellous similitude to disappointment! Why, my case is much harder than that of the suitors of Portia ; for they had the option of terminating their anxiety by selecting one of the baskets, whereas I am not only left without a choice, but am left without the remotest idea of what I have to expect. The ancients said of Plutus, the god of riches, that he was lame as well as blind, so that when Jupiter desired him to visit any favoured individual, his approach was so slow that oftentimes the expecting party grew old before he came. But what reason have I to suppose that Plutus is even on his way? That impenetrable Poins is qualified to have been high-priest of the oracle of Dodona! And yet, if the information he possesses, but will not disclose until I have established my identity, has reference to a mere trifle, would he have given himself all this trouble? Really it is most vexatious to be launched on so uncertain a sea!"

It is not without a feeling of shame that I record these impressions. Natural they might be, under the circumstances, but surely ungracious; since it is our duty to wait for what fortune may befall us, without impatience and without repining. But I fear it is true that even a glimpse of prosperity is apt to unsettle our minds, and to expose us to the haunting influence of troublesome and fallacious phantasms. Alnaschar, before he found himself in possession of his basket of glass-ware, was doubtless a happy and contented man, going to rest with the sun and rising with the lark, trusting to Providence for his daily bread, taking no thought of the

morrow, and implicitly adopting the maxim that sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. But his brittle hoard became a curse. It made him a visionary, taught him to indulge in the wildest and most extravagant expectations, and finally was shivered into a thousand fragments by a touch. My own hopes, so suddenly roused, did not rest on a much more substantial basis; but I had heard enough to destroy the equilibrium of my mind, and to withdraw my attention from that daily labour which hitherto had been my duty

and my comfort. It was in vain that I tried, by a strong effort, to master this feeling. The omne ignotum pro magnifico had fairly got possession of my thoughts. I had found a Mephistopheles in Poins, and felt assured that rest would never return to me, until the secret was extorted from the demon. So I resolved to do what, under the circumstances, was perhaps the wisest thing-that is, I agreed with Attie Faunce to go down to Greenwich, and discuss the subject over a fish-dinner and a cool bottle of claret.

Our Parisian friends are extremely fond of contrasting the gaiety and pleasure which surround existence in their beautiful and luxurious city with the dull monotony of London life, which, they opine, must be very grievous to bear. The sturdy Briton who, in dietary matters, maintains the unrivalled superiority of beefsteaks and brown-stout, and who is as methodical in his recreation as in his mode of conducting business, may esteem this an absolute delusion; nevertheless it must be allowed that there is more than a substratum of truth in the vaunting of the foreigner. I exclude, of course, from consideration family establishments; because there is nothing in the whole world to be compared with the comforts of English domesticity; so perfect, so well regulated, so conducive to the health both of mind and body, is the arrangement of our homes. What can make up for the lack of the fireside round which wife and children are gathered-for the mutual confidence of spouses-for the sweet social intercourse of family connections and friends? With us marriage effects a vast change in the thoughts, habits, and pursuits of men. They have entered upon a new sphere of duty, and to that they must adapt themselves and be true, if they wish to gain the esteem or deserve the applause of their fellow-citizens. In France it is different. There, marriage is regarded purely as a matter of convenance, which does not necessarily imply any change of

VOL. LXXXVIII.—NO. DLX.

habit. Monsieur has his own apartments, and breakfasts, dines, and spends the evening irrespective of Madame, whose intimate acquaintances, male and female, need not be those of her husband. Of all gods, the French Hymen is the most pitiful. He is simply hired for a single day to attend the ceremony with his torch; and then, having received the stipulated number of francs, is dismissed from the establishment for ever.

But the arrangements for bachelor life are, or rather were before the establishment of clubs, infinitely more delightful and commodious in Paris than in London. The raptures of Bob Fudge, though conceived in a spirit of extreme sensuality, are not much exaggerated, and must have found an echo in many British bosoms. Between the wretched London lodging-house breakfast, and the elegant déjeuner of the Parisian café, what an egregious difference! With what infinite disgust must those who have habitually dined at Beauvilliers' or the Rocher de Cancalle, recall to memory the stifling odours and coarse fare of a city chop-house! There may have been, since then, some improvement in that respect; but in the days of which I am speaking, it was next to impossible to extemporise a really good and elegant dinner in London, at least without payment of a most exorbitant price. In order to secure that, you were forced to go either to Greenwich or Richmond.

2 L