It having been in a private family where this prophecy was delivered, they looked always forward with fear for some contention breaking out among them. But after the American war and its consequences, the whole of Wat's parable was attributed thereto, and the good people relieved from the horrors of their impending and ruinous lawsuit. One day he was prophesying about the judgment, when a young gentleman said to him, " O, sir, I wish you could tell us when the judgment will be ?"-" Alas! my man," returned he, "that is what I cannot do; for of that day and of that hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels which are in heaven, but the Almighty Father alone. But there will be many judgments before the great and general one. In seven years there will be a judgment on Scotland. In seven times seven there will be a great and heavy judgment on all the nations of Europe; and in other seven times seven there will be a greater one on all the nations of the world; but whether or not that is to be the last judgment, God only knoweth." Our These are dangerous and difficult sayings of our prophet. I wonder what the Rev. Edward Irving would say about them, or if they approach in any degree to his calculations. Not knowing the year when this prophecy was delivered, it is impossible to reason on its fulfilment, but it is evident that both the first eras must be overpast. He always predicted ruin on the cause of Prince Charles Stuart, even when the whole country was ringing with applauses of his bravery and conquests. prophet detested the politics of that house, and announced ruin and desolation not only on the whole house, but on all who supported it. The only prophecy which I have yet seen in writing relates to that brave but unfortunate adventurer, and is contained in a letter to a Mrs Johnston, Moffat, dated October 1st, 1745, which must have been very shortly after the battle of Prestonpans. After some religious consolation, he says, "As for that man Charles Stewart, let no spirit be cast down because of him, for he is only a meteor predicting a sudden storm, which is destined to quench the baleful light for ever. He is a broken pot; a vessel wherein God hath no pleasure. His boasting shall be turned into dread, and his pride of heart into astonishment. Terror shall make him afraid on every side; he shall look on his right hand, and there shall be none to know him; and on his left hand, and lo! destruction shall be ready at his side-even the first-born of death shall open his jaws to devour him. His confidence shall pass away for ever, even until the king of terrors arrive and scatter brimstone upon his habitation. His roots shall be dried up beneath, and the foliage of his boughs stripped off above, until his remembrance shall perish from the face of the earth. He shall be thrown into the deep waters, and the billows of God's wrath shall pass over him. He shall fly to the mountains, but they shall not hide him; and to the islands, but they shall cast him out. Then shall he be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the land. "Knowest thou not this of old time, that the triumph of the wicked is of short duration, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? Though his excellency mount up unto the heavens, and his pride reach the stars, yet shall he perish for ever, like a shadow that passeth away and is no more. They who have seen him in the pride of his might shall say, Where is he? Where now is the man that made the nations to tremble? Is he indeed passed away as a dream, and chased away as a vision of the night? Yea, the Lord, who sent him as a scourge on the wicked of the land, shall ordain the hand of the wicked to scourge him till his flesh and his soul shall depart, and his name be blotted out of the world. Therefore, my friend in the Lord, let none despond because of this man, but lay these things up in thy heart, and ponder on them, and when they are fulfilled, then shalt thou believe that the Lord sent me." From the tenor of this prophecy, it would appear that he has borrowed largely from some of the most sublime passages of Scripture, which could not fail of giving a tincture of sublimity to many of his sayings, so much admired by the country people. It strikes me there are some of these expressions literally from the Book of Job; but, notwithstanding, it must be acknowledged that some parts of it are peculiarly applicable to the after fate of Charles Edward. When old age began to steal on him, and his beloved friends to drop out of the world, one after another, he became extremely heavy-hearted at being obliged to continue for ever in the flesh. He never had any trouble; but he felt a great change take place in his constitution, which he did not expect, and it was then he became greatly concerned at being obliged to bear a body of fading flesh about until the end of time, often saying, that the flesh of man was never made to be immortal. In this dejected state he continued about two years, often entreating the Lord to resume that which he had given him, and leave him to the mercy of his Redeemer, like other men. Accordingly, his heavenly monitor appeared to him once more, and demanded the scroll of the spirit of prophecy, which was delivered up to him at the well in the wilderness; and then with a holy admonition he left him for ever on earth. Wat lived three years after this, cheerful and happy, and died in peace, old, and full of days, leaving a good worldly substance behind him.* LETTERS FROM THE WEST. We have had two field-days in Glasgow since my last; in other words, two occasions of great public festivity and importance. The one was the laying of the spring stone of the first arch-not the foundation stone, though so called-of a new bridge; the other was the opening of that magnificent structure, which unquestionably, in point of architectural grandeur, does no discredit to its name The Royal Exchange. I shall give you some slight pen-and-ink sketches of the proceedings at both solemnities, or rejoicings, as they are alternately designated, in the various programmes and descriptions of them which have been or are to be published. I have seldom seen any thing finer or more picturesque than the aspect of the Old Cathedral of St Mungo, after all the public bodies of Glasgow, together with the Masonic brethren-many of them from a great distancehad assembled within it. There we did not see that the tawdry finery of some of the Lodges was of the Bartholomew Fair order, and their banners wonderfully resem bling old rags or gaudy calico. Every thing was mellowed down and harmonized in the dim religious light of the fretted aisles; and the sonorous and noble voice of Principal M'Farlane, who, with admirable dignity and tact, conducted the devotional services of the day, led us to forget, if not to forgive, the outrages which the Stentorian voice of the precentor perpetrated on Luther's Old Hundredth Psalm. It must have been a difficult thing to preach a discourse appropriate to the building of a bridge; but, fortunately, the funds of an hospital for the education of boys were to be greatly benefited by the said bridge; and this circumstance the venerable Principal seized upon, to the effect of bringing into his excellent discourse remarks on the progress of education, and the appropriation of charities, that did equal honour to the philosopher, the divine, and the man. Previous to service, a chapter was once more held in the chapter prophet's surname was Laidlaw, being of a race that has produced Since receiving the above, we have been informed that this old more singular characters than any of our country. M star. house of the Cathedral; but it was not of stoled prebends, not lie in your way to record the issue of those importbut of apron'd masons—the representatives of the Grand ant events which annually draw together in that fair Lodge-though without “tiled" door, or other precau- town a great assemblage of the nobility, gentry, and yeotions usual in such cases. I did not see the procession- men of the land, I shall not trouble you with "a full for I was in it but I am assured it was very fine. At and particular account" of the sport-the curious may all events, the tout ensemble, taken in connexion with the find it in the racing calendar. Indeed, I feel so little architecture of the fine streets we passed through, must pleasure in seeing one animal spurred past another, that I have been as superb as glorious weather and a well-dress- should not have made one of the multitude which crowded array of a rather considerable fraction of a million of ed the place, if horse-racing had been the only amusement bodies could make it. Thanks to our Captain of Police, which Ayr afforded; but it possesses at all times many Mr Graham-who was born to command, but always as attractions to visitors, and, on this occasion, to these was a gentleman, and who is amazingly popular here, even added a very powerful auxiliary, in the person of the most with the mob, whose excesses he has to keep under, be- celebrated actor of the day, on the boards of its neat litcause he does it good-humouredly-we at last got to the tle theatre. The recent illness of Mr Kean has led to water-side, through all the perils of Lancers' horses cara- much speculation on the comparative merits of his actcolling, and ladies' eyes sparkling. Certainly, I never saw ing before and since. Some will have him sadly fallen any thing like the display of beauty in Glasgow which I off, while others maintain that he never acted better in witnessed that day. It won't do to sneer at the Glasgow his life. That he has not yet regained his full compleladies any longer; nor will I be cruel enough to hint that ment of bodily vigour is pretty obvious, and that his voice all the best of the sisterhood of beauty came-like the pro- is a full tone lower in the more arduous passages of the vincial lodges—from the country! The greatest quantity parts he enacts than it was wont to be, I think will only of love and smiles was lavished on the Grand Lodge, in be disputed by those who would tell him he "had white which there were certainly some handsome, as they were hairs in his beard ere the black ones were there;" but he all tall men. Buckingham was among the best-looking; is far from being deficient in energy, or inarticulate. His but he is unfortunately married. The tomfoolery of such eye is quick and clear as ever, and the elastic muscles of affairs the wine, oil, corn, (or rather oats, as if the Scot- his handsome face are still under his complete command. ticism of reckoning nothing but oats corn had Solomon's He played several nights in Ayr to crowded and fashionsanction,) were poured forth. But there was also given able audiences. I never liked him better in Shylock, one of the most beautiful and impressive prayers I have Richard, and Sir Giles, nor so well in Lear, at any period ever heard, by Dr M'Leod of Campsie. It was full of of his histrionic career. The corps dramatique is Mr unction. Mr Dalgleish, the governor of the hospital, Seymour's regular party, with Miss I. Paton as a minor whose funds chiefly build the bridge, then proceeded to prove how well a fine, benevolent old man may touch Every body who goes to Ayr, goes to Burns's monuyour feelings, without one of the usual graces of practi- ment; and, during the race-week, the road thither was consed oratory. Our Provost replied in a most feeling, as stantly crowded with pilgrims. I went also, and while it was an elegant, speech. Then there were cheers to the there, admiring the surrounding scenery, I was agreeably welkin and really the cheers of many thousands is a no- surprised by the approach of a band of music playing the ble kind of music. Then every man made off for his beautiful air, "Of a' the airts the wind can blaw." After dinner. All the public bodies had regular feasts that day; giving some favourite tunes in the monument, the perand it was quite a harvest to the hotel-keepers in general. formers proceeded to the "keystane" of the bridge of I fear Mr Mylne, who furnished the dinner at the Doon, followed by a crowd of people, and played, “Ye opening of the New Exchange, was not so lucky, and banks and braes o' bonny Doon," with much simplicity would reap little but praise for his profits. Five hun- and good taste. I was greatly pleased with the unexdred gentlemen sat down, on this occasion, to eat, in a pected treat, and turning to the keeper of the monument, hall worthy of an emperor, a dinner which might have I remarked that it was well judged in the directors to satisfied an Apicius. It is needless to describe the noble have music there at a time when there were so many visibuilding in which we met, as I could not do it techni- tors. "Oh, sir," said my cicerone, "the musikers are cally; and, to speak in terms of general admiration, would no employed by the directors; they are the Kilmaurs baun, convey few ideas to such as have not seen an edifice and just come to the monument out o' their ain heads." The an apartment as yet unrivalled in Scotland. I am ac- honours that are now daily heaped on the memory of quainted with no one room like it, Westminster Hall Burns, and the enthusiasm thus displayed by these rustic and the Parliament House apart-for these admit not of sons of Apollo, and other visitors whom I met at the place comparison with the classical style of this building. All of his nativity, are in striking contrast with the unmeritthe partisans of the two local parties into which Glasgowed neglect which the poet experienced while living. is at present split-and between which I stand mid-way The studio of Mr Thom is also a place of great resort allow this; and so, I think, will even your emigrants in the West. Since your last notice of his works he has from the East, when they see it. It was planned by nearly finished another Landlady, in which he has careHamilton, the architect of Hamilton Palace, another fully avoided the faults, at which you hinted, of his first splendid edifice nearly completed. Next to a good dinner, attempt. The present is a jolly, bouncing, good-natured a good chairman was most to be desired; and there is looking woman, with ample drapery, executed with Mr but one man in Glasgow who has at once the eloquence Thom's characteristic softness and truth. The bust of a and the tact to conduct a meeting of the kind in proper gentleman by Mr Thom, which you formerly pronounced a style, and with unabating spirit. Other very able, and good likeness, and creditable to the artist, has been placed even excellent speakers, we have; but Mr Ewing is by by the gentleman in the exhibition of paintings, &c. prefar the most skilful. He was, of course, our President, sently open in Glasgow, and some would-be critic has atand navigated the vessel of hilarity in a first-rate man- tempted, in one of the newspapers of that city, to rob it of But we had other good speakers; the Principal, all merit. He admits that the bust is sufficiently like to in particular, was eloquent, dignified, and impressive; indicate its subject at first sight, but the head, it is alleMr May, at once elegant and witty; and Mr Wright ex-ged," is indifferently drawn, the hair ill massed, and stiff ceedingly neat, though rather elaborate. The evening al- | in its lines, and the neck somewhat out of proportion, and together was a delightful one. ner. "Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a town surpasses, For honest men and bonnie lasses," was last week the scene of unusual gaiety; but as it does the whole indicative of incorrect notions of anatomy." Now, if we are to suppose the gentleman whom it represents a perfect Adonis, these remarks may possibly be true; if not, they are unjust. If the gentleman's head unfortunately happens to be an imperfect model — if This odour comes to soche as thence ane daye's journeye remayne, An' the faces of the people all are comelye and amene. Thorowe the citye there outsprange fulle manie fountaynes pure, Cule at noontyde an' als lukewarme at the morninge's chillye houre; Nevir mot frogge or creepand thinge to breede therein have poure, he habitually wears his hair ill-massed and stiff in its There's a difference to be seen 'Twixt a beggar and a king for the "patches" and "wallets" with which he has covered his tatterdemalions, are executed with as much precision and accuracy as the trappings of royalty that adorn his figure of our Sovereign. Should you be induced to take the short excursion I have pointed out, the palace will be an agreeable lounge while your horse baits at Hamilton, and then a short ride will bring you to the exhibition of paintings in Glasgow, which I hope will be found to deserve the notice of the far-famed periodical over which you preside, upon the Editor's next appearance in his magic slippers. ORIGINAL POETRY. BABYLON. Translated from the Spanish of Don Juan Lorenzo di Astorga. clere an' swete they gushet oute in ane evirlastynge shoure. In ane champayne, richt smooth an' wide, it wals fulle Quhar deer wer plentyfulle, an' eke all kynde of huntynge The palaces they reirit weren by ane maister richt grete, That fyre nor water nevir mot thaim laye all desolate. Four hundred ar the pillares this buildynge that upholdde, So burnishet an' bricht wer they as mot na all be tolde. The deepe bass chordes awakenande the sorrowes of dayes gone, The gladsume trille o' the dansand layes, the waylinge semitone, Wele mot they erne the meid fra soche als no earthlye dwellinge owne. [Or this "learned clerk" of Astorga as little is known as of his Quha mot the daintye plesaunce shaw that in this place No not in al this worlde is ane manne als wyse, I ween, poetical contemporary Gonzalo di Berceo, whom we formerly introduced to our readers. (Lit. Jour. vol. i. p. 237) The poem of "Alexander the Great" is all that remains to rescue his name from entire oblivion; and even that is regarded by some critics as only a translation of a Latin poem, of which there also exists a French version. We feel inclined, however, to support Don Lorenzo's claim to originality upon the grounds of internal evidence. His resemblance, in thought and manner, to Di Berceo, is much closer than it could have been had the poem in question been only the translation of a work composed in a different country and in a different age. The following specimen, from the "Alexander," has the same poetical imagery and incident as the "Benedictine's Pilgrimage" we gave in a former number, and completely identifies itself with the same age and state of society in which that was composed-the early part of the 13th century.] THE dwellaris in that halesome londe na mortelle dollouris dree, Thair be al maner spycerye, bothe the clove an' citrone tree; Thair alsua the frankincense swete, the carnatioun fayre to see, Ginger, nuttemeg, and spikenarde, most preshyous of the three. The fragrancye the trees give out, is of vertew so sovráne, That thaim besyde, nocht potencie hath aney kynde of payne; hath bene; Mong soch delyte abydande the manne wals nevir seen, That payne or sorrowe evir tholit, or thirst or hunger keea. THE AULD MAN'S WIFE'S DEAD. A PARODY. By the Ettrick Shepherd. An' feint a mair has he. There was hay to won, an' lint to weed, An' peats an' turs an' a' to lead What meant the wife to dee? A mile aboon Dundee. R. F. The auld man's wife's dead, An' feint a mair has he. She had the cauld but an' the creuk, The skrink, the shaw, the scarlet breuk, A mile aboon Dundee. She was wry-faced, an' blench-lippit, of the woods, And she drew a veil of roselight o'er the gently heaving floods: Each little weeping floweret threw the dew-drop from its eye, And, gemm'd with every hue of heaven, look'd laughingly on high; The clover waved its crimson crest, the fresh green grass its blades, And the clouds threw down a checker'd world of floating lights and shades. At young Aurora's birth that day far o'er the spangled sod I roved with all my spirit full of the presence of its God; A melancholy melody of fancy thrill'd my heart, And I felt the tears in silent showers from their feverish fountains start; For, where the babbling rivulet pour'd its amber to the sea, A warbling bird above me sat embower'd in birchen tree; So plaintively, so mournfully, it pour'd its lovely lay, That my heart was well nigh breaking with the strains that died away. WILT THOU THINK OF ME? WILT thou think of me when I am dead? There are faithless hearts in this world of ours, Thou didst seek to gain this heart of mine, O! woman's love, like the mountain river, I have but one prayer to ask of thee: LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. statues collected in the splendid gallery of the Louvre, and executed THE MUSEE FRANÇAIS.-The engravings from the paintings and at the command of Napoleon, are well-known to every artist and inan of taste, under the designation of the Musee Français. The principal engravers of the Continent were employed in its production; and some idea may be formed of the magnitude of the undertaking, when it is stated that the collection consists of 343 engravings, and that the execution of the plates alone cost £75,000. The costly nature of the work, of course, limited its circulation to a few from the Imperial treasury. A new edition of this magnificent work wealthy connoisseurs, and the expenses were principally defrayed is now about to be issued by A. and W. Galignani, of Paris, and Joseph Ogle Robinson, of London, at one-third of its original price, which will render it the cheapest, as it is by far the most splendid work of art ever offered to the public. We have had an opportunity of examining specimens of the three first numbers, and we beg it to be understood that we are talking Editorially, and consequently with the strictest impartiality, when we say that we have seldom seen a publication which has charmed us more. Each Number contains from twelve to fourteen exquisite engravings on large folio, with letter-press illustrations, and is sold at the astonishingly moderate Alas, said I, bright bird of Heaven! what cause hast thou price of two guineas. A number is to be issued on the 1st and 15th of to mourn? every month (beginning with the 1st of September) and twenty-five numbers will complete the work. Our pleasure in looking at these admirable plates was not much less than we should have received from the originals themselves, and it may easily be conceived that this was no slight pleasure, when it is recollected that the engravings are taken from the chefs-d'auvre of such men as Da Vinci, Titian, Raphael, Julio Romano, Caracci, Guido, Albano, Dominichino, Poussin, Morillo, Rubens, Teniers, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Gerard Dow, Van Ostade, Wouvermans, Backhuysen, Claude Lorrain, Le Sueur, Vernet, Chatillon, and many others. We should consider ourselves deficient in our duty to the public, did we not earnestly press upon the attention and patronage of every man of taste this noble work. Indeed, no library of any lover of the arts can be complete without it. MORE NEWS OF THE ANNUALS.-Among the contributors to the Ah me! a melancholy heart has mine been from its birth, forthcoming volume of the Literary Souvenir, are-Mrs Hemans, And through its chords my spirit sighs as th' Æolian breath of earth! Where'er I turn-where'er I rove-in this dark vale of tears, I droop, surrounded by a cloud of sorrows, cares, and fears. Oh God! my God! look down from Heaven, and teach this soul to rise In holiness and happiness, home-home into the skies ; To strike the intellectual lyre in rapturous praise to thee, As now this solitary bird pours forth its love to me! Miss Mitford, Miss Bowles, Miss Jewsbury, J. Galt, J. Montgomery, Professor Wilson, Barry Cornwall, W. M. Praed, T. H. Bayley, Dr Maginn, T. K. Hervey, Hartly Coleridge, Derwent Conway, Alaric A. Watts, D. M. Moir, and the Authors of "Highways and Byways " -"Constantinople in 1828 "-" Tales of the Munster Festivals ""Recollections of the Peninsula "—" Tales of the O'Hara Family' -“The Kuzzilbash"-" Tales of the Moors," &c.-The Amulet for 1830 is nearly complete; and Mr Hall, we understand, has been very successful in obtaining the co-operation of many of the most distingraving, from the King's picture, of an English cottage, by Mulready. guished writers of the age. Among its illustrations, will be an en. another from Wilkie's painting of the " Dorty Bairn," another from a drawing by Martin, from the burine of Le Keux, for which, it is stated, the engraver received the unprecedented sum of 180 guineas. -The Juvenile Forget-Me-Not is announced for publication in November, under the superintendence of Mrs S. C. Hall. It is to contain twelve engravings of a very interesting character to the little folk, for whom it is intended-as a Christmas Present, or New Year's Gift; and we feel assured that the literary assistants will be those who know how best to blend instruction with amusement.-The Musical Bijou is another of our promised Annuals. It is to contain original literary contributions from Sir Walter Scott, J. H. Bayley, Lord Nugent, the Ettrick Shepherd, and others; and original music by Rossini, Bishop, Kalkbrenner, Herz, Rodwell, Kiallmark, Barnett, Parry, and others. THE EDINBURGH REVIEW.-The forthcoming Number of the Edinburgh Review is the last which Mr Jeffrey will edit. Some of his friends were anxious that, at the winding up of his connexion with this periodical, for which he has done so much, he should have taken a formal farewell of his numerous readers; but this Mr Jeffrey positively declined. We have reason to believe, that the Number to be published next week, as it is his last, will be one of the Editor's best efforts. It is of a more literary cast than several of its predecessors have been. The opening article is upon the Greatest Happiness Principle, in reply to the Westminster Review; there is also an article on the Drama; and reviews, inter alia, of Napier's History of the Peninsular War, and Allan Cunningham's Lives of the British Painters. We observe the publication of the first number of the Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science is postponed till the 1st October. Amongst the contents advertised, are many objects of interest to the Naturalist; and we are glad to perceive, by the communications and papers on Geographical Science and Discovery,-a princi pal object with this publication,-that an important hiatus in our periodical literature will now be filled up; and we shall thus participate in an advantage which our Continental neighbours have long enjoyed in the Ephemera of the Baron de Zach, the Bulletin de la Societé de Geographie, and the numerous Geographical Periodicals which are brought out in France. We understand that there is a work preparing for immediate publication, intended for general readers, entitled, A Manual of the Economy of the Human Body, in Health and Disease; Comprehending a concise view of the Structure of the Human Frame, its most prevalent Diseases, and ample Directions for the regulation of Diet; Regimen and Treatment of Children and the Aged; with selections of the opinions of the most approved Medical Authorities on the different subjects. Mr P. P. Thoms (who was for many years resident at Macao) has ready for the press a History of China, translated from the Chinese; and to be published by subscription, in one quarto volume. The History commences with the earliest records of that nation, (according to their own chronology 3000 years before Christ,) and contains every important event connected with Chinese annals up to A.D. 300. The new volume by Miss Landon, containing the Venetian Bracelet, the Lost Pleiad, and other Poems, will be ready early in October. A beautiful frontispiece for it, from a painting, by Howard, has been engraved by William Finden. An Account of the Origin, Rise, and Progress of the Town of Greenock, with numerous embellishments, is in the press. There is preparing for publication, a German and English Comparative Dictionary, meant to hold out to the beginner encouragement and facility in the acquisition of the German language. Professor Miller, of Copenhagen, has announced two works, the first of which bears the following singular title, "Denmark's Pride in her Humiliation; or, of what have we, Danes, as a people, still reason to be proud?" The second is an Historical View of the Reign of Charles VI. NEW LITERARY SOCIETY.-A new society, named the Literary Union, is about to be established in the metropolis, to consist of four hundred members, for the purpose of promoting frequent meeting and intercourse among the professors of art, literature, and science. ELOCUTION. We are glad to perceive that Mr Roberts is to continue his Elocution Classes here during the ensuing winter. He is an established and favourite teacher. We contemplate some remarks in an early Number on the present state of elocution in Edinburgh. MADAME GENLIS.-This lady is again about to publish a religious novel as her last exit. But she has so often taken her leave of the literary world, and reappeared notwithstanding, that it is probable she will never decide on a lasting farewell until she quit this transitory scene altogether. THE MORNING WATCH.-There is a quarterly periodical, with the above title, at present publishing in London, under the fostering care of the Rev. Edward Irving, and a few other worthies of millennial celebrity. In their last number (No. 3.) there is a review (a millennial one of course) of Dr Andrew Thomson's last volume of Sermons, in the Appendix to which discourses, it is well known, the Doctor refutes the tencts which Irving and others hold on the subject of the Millennium. The reviewer, however, instead of seeing a refutation, sees only "eight octavo pages of abusive declamation," and after quoting some of the worthy Doctor's statements, he breaks out into this beautiful bit of evangelical writing:-" When we had read thus far, we instinctively began to sing, from the farce of Midas, 2 Pray, Goody, please to moderate the rancour of your tongue; Why flash those sparks of fury from your eyes? Remember when the judgment's weak, the prejudice is strong; A stranger why should you despise?"" This is surely an odd specimen of a millennarian, who sits down to review a volume of sermons, and forthwith finds himself instinctively singing a song from the farce of Midas! We should like much to know the nett quantity of spirits and water which had been discussed before there was produced such excessive merriment in one of the pillars of the " Morning Watch, or Quarterly Journal on Prophecy," ANECDOTE OF BURNS.-Burns lived near the Custom-house at Edinburgh while getting his instructions as an exciseman. Mr B, who was ignotant of the poet's new pursuit, being on a visit to him, remarked upon the excellence of the prospect from the window at which they sat, adding, "But it is quite destroyed to me by these licensed plunderers" (meaning the excise officers) "whom I see going about." That," said Burns, smiling, "is my own ob jection to it." A UNIVERSAL AUTHOR.-Had we not actually seen in print the following curious advertisement we should have had some doubts of its existence :-" An Author, whose public and private repute is unexceptionable, confidently offers-To Noblemen and Gentlemen, an unlimited supply of Verses suited to amateur collections. To Ladies, small Poems and Sketches for Portfolios, to continue in MS. or to be printed, as required. To Editors, three hours' Writing daily: politics ministerial, with a reserve on the liberal. To Pub lishers, MS. Books and Orders speedily performed, and Memoranda adroitly set to any style and sentiment. Honour through all these professions. The terms are very moderate. Address, G. L. W., 10, Redcross Square, Great Tower Street, London." Theatrical Gossip.-A piece in one act, called "Fatality," altered from the French by Miss Boaden, has been indifferently successful at the Haymarket." Der Vampyr" still continues exceedingly attractive at the English Opera; and we learn from Leipsic, that Marschner, the composer, has just completed a new opera, entitled "The Templar and the Jewess," the story, doubtless, from Ivanhoe.-No. thing certain is yet determined regarding Covent Garden; but we shall probably be able to state what its fate is to be in our next. Mr Macready has offered to accept the management, and not only to give his services gratuitously during the season unless it should produce a profit, but to advance a thousand pounds to meet immediate charges. He requires a guarantee that he shall run no personal risk beyond the £1000, and a pledge of non-interference; and, as a sine qua non, all the eminent performers now attached to the establishment must remair. Should this offer not be accepted, it has been suggested that Ducrow might remove from Astley's Amphitheatre to the wider sphere of Covent Garden with good effect. What would then be come of the "legitimate drama?"-Sontag has declined fulfilling her engagement in París, on account of ill health.-Kean has been play ing with Seymour's company in Paisley and Ayr. We expect him here in a few weeks.-Mackay has been performing in LiverpoolListon has gone to Germany with his son, whom he is about to place in the University of Gottingen-Miss Stephens is to sing at Drury Lane next season.-We understand that De Begnis is to be here in December with an Italian company. He has taken the Caledonian Theatre for a fortnight, for the use of which, it is said, he is to pay one hundred guineas.-We are told that it is Mr C. Bass's intention to continue here during winter. Unless the histrionic strength of his company be made very different from what it now is, he may depend upon it that we shall not quietly submit to the infliction. Edinburgh cannot support two theatres; and our patronage, therefore, shail be given exclusively to the establishment where the best interests of the drama are most attended to. A very short time will prove whe ther that establishment is the Theatre Royal or the Caledonian. TO OUR CORRESPONDENTS. THE EDITOR IN HIS SLIPPERS, No. IV. in our next. We hope to find room in an early number for "A Tale of the Siege of Namur."—We regret that "My New Trousers" will not suit us. We are afraid the "Dream," by "M. E." of Glasgow is too long for us; but it contains some spirited lines.-The song from Kirkcudbright is a good set of the old Jacobite air-"Wha wadna fight for Charlie."-The lines entitled "Glengarry's Grave" will not do. Our readers will have observed that we have discontinued our "Letters from London" during the summer, when the metropolis is empty. But we shall resume them as soon as the returning season makes information direct from head-quarters of importance. |