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on a desart." She now addressed herself to me, and in the most gracious manner asked me when I hoped to put my project into execution; I answered in about two months, thinking she alluded to the publication of these papers, a circumstance I knew she was informed of. Well, I protest,' says Vanessa, I envy you the undertaking, and wish I could find courage enough to accompany you.' I assured her there was nothing in the world would make me so happy as her assistance, and that I was confident it would ensure success to my undertaking. There you flatter me,' says she, for I should do nothing but look after shells and corals and the palaces of the Tritons and Naiads, if I was to go down with you.'-Here I began to stare most egregiously. But after all,' added she, will your diving bell carry double?' This luckless div. ing-bell was such an unexpected plunge to me, that if I had been actually in it, I could scarce have been more hampered; so I thought it was better to remain under water, and wait till the real artist came in to set the mistake to rights: this, however, my neighbour with the spectacles would not allow of, for suspecting the mal-entendu, he began to ques tion me how long 1 could stay under water, and whether I could see distinctly; he then took a pamphlet from the table, and spreading out a large engraved plan of a diving-bell, desired me to inform him how I managed those pipes and conductors of air; all this while he was slyly enjoying my conconfusion, till I summoned resolution to apprise Vanessa of her mistake; this produced a thousand polite apologies on her part-But these wretched eyes of mine,' says she, are for ever betraying me into blunders.' That is a pity indeed, replied the wit, for they illuminate every body else but if they betray their owner,' adds he, it is God's

VOL. XXXVIII.

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revenge against murder.' Several literati now entered the room, to whom Vanessa made her compliments, particularly to a blind old gentleman, whom she conducted to his chair with great humanity, and immediately began talking to him of his discoveries and experiments on the microscope. Ah! Madam,' replied the minute philosopher, those researches are now over; something might have been done, if my eyes had held out, but I lost my sight just as I had discovered the generation of mites; but this I can take on myself to pronounce, that they are an oviparous race.' 'Be content,' replied Vanessa, there is a blessing upon him who throws even a mile into the treasury of science.' The philosopher then proceeded to inform her, that he had begun some curious dissections of the eye of a mole, but that his own would not serve him to complete them: If I could have proceeded in them,' says he, I am verily persuaded I could have brought him to his eye-sight by the operation of couching; and now,' says he, 'I am engaged in a new discovery, in which I mean to employ none but persons under the like misfortune with myself.' -So interesting a discovery raised my curiosity, as well as Vanessa's, to enquire into it, and methought even the wit in the spectacles had a fellow-feeling in the subject: It is a powder, madam,' added the philosopher, which I have prepared for destroying vermin on fruit trees, and even ants in the West Indies; I confess to you,' says he, it is fatal to the eye-sight, for I am persuaded I owe the loss of mine to it, rather than to the eggs of mites, or the couching of moles; and accordingly I propose that this powder shall be blown through bel, lows of my own inventing by none but men who are stone blind; it will be very easy for your gardener, or overseer of your plantations, to lead them up

to their work, and then leave them to perform it; for the dust is so subtle, that it is scarce possible to invent a cover for the eyes, that can secure them against it. I believe,' added he, I have some of it in my pocket, and if you have any flies or spiders in the room, I will soon convince you of its efficacy by an experiment before your eyes.' Vanessa eagerly assured him there was no such thing in her room, and drawing her chair to a distance, begged him not to trouble himself with any experiment at present.

There sat an ordinary woman in a black cloak by the fire side, with her feet upon the fender and her knees up, who seemed employed upon a cushion or pillow, which she kept concealed under her apron, without once looking at the work she was upon. You have read of the Witch of Endor,' says she to me, (observing I had fixed my eyes upon her) I am a descendant of that old lady's, and can raise the dead, as well as she could.'-Immediately she put aside her apron, and produced a head moulded in wax so strikingly like my deceased friend, the father of Calliope, that the shock it gave me was too apparent to escape her. You knew this brave fellow I perceive,' says she; England never owned a better officer; he was my hero, and every line in his face is engraved in my heart.'—'What must it be in mine?' I answered, and turned away to a circle of people, who had collected themselves round a plain, but venerable, old man, and were very attentive to his discourse: He spoke with great energy, and in the most chosen language; nobody yet attempted to interrupt him, and his words rolled not with the shallow impetuosity of a torrent, but deeply and fluently, like the copious current of the Nile: He took up the topic of religion in his course, and, though pal

sy shook his head, he looked so terrible in Christian armour, and dealt his stroke with so much force and judgment, that Infidelity, in the persons of several petty skirmishers, sneaked away from before him: One little fellow however had wriggled his chair nearer and nearer to him, and kept baying at him whilst he was speaking, perpetually crying out- Give me leave to observe-not to interrupt you, Sir,―That is extremely well, but in answer to what you say.'-All this had been going on without any attention or stop on the part of the speaker, whose eyes never once lighted on the company, till the little fellow, growing out of all patience, walked boldly up to him, and catching hold of a button somewhere above the waistband of his breeches, with a sudden twitch checked the moving-spring of his discourse, and much to my regret brought it to a full stop. The philosopher looked about for the insect that annoyed him, and having at last eyed him, as it were askaunce, demanded what it was provoked him to impatience. Have I said any thing, good Sir, that you do not comprehend? No, no,' replied he, I perfectly well comprehend every word you have been saying.''Do you so, Sir,' said the philosopher, then I heartily ask pardon of the company for misemploying their time so egregiously,'-and stalked away without waiting for an answer.

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Vanessa had now recollected or enquired my name, and in a very gracious manner repeated her excuses for mistaking me for the diver. But if the old saying holds good,' adds she, that truth lies at the bottom of a well, I dare say you will not scruple to dive for it, so I hope I have not given you a dishonourable occupation.' I was endeavouring at a reply, when the wit in the spectacles came up to us and whispered Vanessa in the ear,

that the true Diving-bell was in yonder corner; she immediately turned that way, and as she passed whispered a young lady loud enough for me to hear her— My dear, I am in your third volume.'-The girl bowed her head, and by the Arcadian grace that accompanied it, I took it for granted she was a Novelist.

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I now joined a cluster of people, who had crowded round an actress who sat upon a sopha, leaning on her elbow in a pensive attitude, and seemed to be counting the sticks of her fan, whilst they were vying with each other in the most extravagant encomiums. You was adorable last night in Belvidera,' says a pert young parson with a high toupee; 'I sat in Lady Blubber's box, and I can assure you she and her daughters too wept most bitterly-but then that charming mad scene, by my soul it was a chef d'œuvre; pray, Madam, give me leave to ask you, was you really in your senses?' I strove to do it as well as I could,' answered the actress. Do you intend to play comedy next season? says a lady, stepping up to her with great eagerness. shall do as the manager bids me,' she replied. I should be curious to know,' says an elderly lady, which part, Madam, you yourself esteem the best you play ?' I always endeavour to make that which I am about the best.' An elegant young woman of fashion now took her turn of interrogatory, and with many apologies begged to be informed by her, if she studied those inchanting looks and attitudes before a glass?—‹ I never study any thing but my author. Then you practise them in rehearsals?' rejoined the questioner.—' I seldom rehearse at all,' replied the actress. 'She has fine eyes,' says a tragic poet to an eminent painter, what modest dignity they bear, what awful penetration! mark how they play in those

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