"My dear Husband, "Our (my was scratched out) little boy has got a return of his old complaint on the lungs the doctors here have pronounced him in great and immediate danger. Under such circumstances, I am sure I know you well enough to depend on your allowing nothing to detain you at Paris. Pray, pray come to us, for I am very wretched. Oh! Frederick, if it should please God to take him from us! Ever your own, Worthing. LUCY." I waited till Lady Eleanor entered the breakfast-room, and, after a few preliminary words, I read the letter to her. Anger and contempt shadowed her face, and her answer grated on my feelings: "You are impatient to return, Frederick, and you cannot do better than catch at the first woman's excuse offered to you. I have no doubt you will find your child perfectly well by the time its mother welcomes you." She paused for a few moments, and then spoke with much emotion: the substance of her speech kept me silent, while it filled me with surprise and indignation. She withdrew all claim on my protection, and declared her intention of marrying a Mr. Sullivan, who had occasionally visited at my house, and sung with her; and whose extreme boyishness, both of age and appearance, had never allowed me, for one instant, to look upon him as a subject for Eleanor's coquetry. She disgusted me by her cold calculation of the advantages to be derived from this step; she reminded me, that, although she was divorced, I could not do her the justice of marrying her; she assured me the young man was passionately attached to her, and that her conduct was excused in his eyes by the barbarity of her husband. She might have spoken for hours. I rose, and could not forbear exclaiming, "Well, Eleanor, I could not have believed you would have been so false." Never did I behold fury in woman like that she displayed at these words. "Do you reproach me with falsehood?-you," exclaimed she, "you, who led me on, step by step, till I became a living lie to all around me ;—you, who, under the very eyes of the woman you professed to honour as a wife, gave stolen tokens of affection to your mistress?-You! Oh! man, man, do you not blush to talk of falsehood, knowing what you are? Fool!" continued she, yet more passionately, "shall I, who played false in my husband's home, when my own happiness, my own interest, were bound up in my faith, be true to one who cannot aid me,-who has ceased to love me; and, like a wayward child, has broken through all restraint to obtain a toy, the possession of which already wearies him. Go! go back to your gentle Lucy, and offer her the dregs of a heart satiated with unholy passion. Go! and, as you have rendered vain all sacrifice to sin, made for your sake; so may all your tardy sacrifice to virtue be also vain; and may every effort you make for the right be followed by bitterness and disappointment; may the being you abandoned forsake you in turn; and the home to which you return, be desolate!" I could not answer; her words fell like a knell on my ear; and, amid all the bewilderment of my feelings, rose the one thought, " And this is she for whom I have given so much, whose love I deemed a compensation for all other blessings !" I parted from Eleanor, and was soon on my way to England. At Calais I was detained three days by stress of weather, in spite of bribe and exhortation to the captains of packets; but at length fortune favoured me; I touched English ground again; I heard English voices; and the evening of my arrival found me at the door of our cottage, at Worthing, in which Lucy had ever since continued to reside. The knocker was muffled: with a beating heart I rang the bell; I paused. No one answered my summons; I repeated the ring several times, and at length I heard a slow heavy step advance through the hall. I said to myself then, "My child is dead." The door was slowly opened by my old butler, who ejaculated in a sorrowful tone, "Good Lord! is it you, sir? it's all over !"-"When did it happen?" said I, as a cold chill fell on my heart. "This morning, sir, at eight o'clock; all's been done that could be done." I sprang past the old man, and rushed up stairs: even in those few moments I made resolutions for the future; I pictured to myself Lucy reviving under my care and consolations; I vowed eternal constancy and devotedness to her; I figured her weeping on my bosom, and looking up, in the midst of tears, to bless my return. I paused on the landing-place. Was it some wild dream, or did I indeed hear the voice of my little one? I pushed open the door of his apartment, which adjoined Lucy's-why did my heart sicken, when I beheld my living child kneeling at his nurse's side, and slowly repeating that well-remembered prayer, "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." The woman screamed when she saw me, in vulgar terror and uncertainty; but my boy ran forward, and clung to me. I took him by the hand, and led him into Lucy's room. There, pale as the drapery beneath; slumbering, as when I last beheld her, lay my sainted wife; but her slumber was that from which there is no waking to terror, to bitterness, or to despair. I looked again: she was, according to the common phrase, laid out. At that moment, I felt as if it would have consoled me to have beheld her as she died. I felt as if the clasping of her hands, or the turn of that graceful head, could have told me whether she died thinking of me, with my name on her lips, with the hope of my return in her heart-but in vain ! There she lay, cold, stiff, and motionless for ever! Strangers had closed those pure and lovely eyes, and shaded that unconscious cheek with their long melancholy lashes; strangers had spoken the last words of consolation and tenderness, as that sinless soul winged its flight to another world. They told me she had died of a brain fever, brought on by excessive anxiety: they gave me the letters which had been received since she had been too ill to read them; and there, with the seal unbroken, was the one I had written from Paris, informing her of my speedy return. She had died without knowing of my repentance, of my love; Eleanor's curse was fulfilled; the home to which I returned was desolate! C. E. N. LONDON LYRICS. PROVERBS. My good Aunt Bridget, spite of age, Versed in Valerian, Dock, and Sage, Well knew the Virtues of herbs; But Proverbs gain'd her chief applause, "Child," she exclaim'd, " respect old saws, "And pin your faith on Proverbs." Thus taught, I dubb'd my lot secure ; At Melton, next, I join'd the hunt, While doubtful thus I rein'd my roan, I ogled Jane, who heard me say, Put this, my saw, to sea again, Aware "New Brooms sweep clean," I took (The tale I tell a fact is) She spoilt my soup: But, when I chid, She thus once more my work undid, "Perfection comes from Practice." Thus, out of every adage hit, As changeful as the clime is : ASSOCIATION FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF LITERATURE. Ir may be recollected, perfectly by most, and painfully by many, that the year 1825 was a most speculative year, and the bubbles rose and burst every day in the week, during its continuance. Time, and-which sometimes makes a deeper impression where money is concerned-experience, seem to have cooled the ardour of enterprise, and accordingly, with the exception of now and then a fish-market or a railway, we have had very few magnificent combinations of emptiness and imprudence presented to our view, since that memorable period. At length, however, the even tenour of our way is enlivened, and a new joint stock company has sprung up, under the pleasing title of the Association for the encouragement of Literature. There is something exciting and exhilarating in the very name; to encourage literature sounds well-and, although in former times to be a Macenas was a very delightful thing, we are now presented with an incorporated body of Mæcenasses-a joint stock of liberality and encouragement; a twenty man-power of patronage. Let us, however, see the scheme of these projectors. It runs thus— ASSOCIATION FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF LITERATURE. ADDRESS. FROM the present mode of publishing Literary Works, considerable delay, inconvenience, and injury are frequently sustained by Authors, who may be desirous of sending forth their productions to the world. A few Publishers monopolize in a great measure, not only the control over, but the profits of publications; consequently, they possess the power of depressing literary merit, and of misleading the public. It often occurs, that the work of a friendless Author is lost to the public, in consequence of his want of sufficient means to publish on his own account, or from disappointment in the disposal of his manuscript. Thus dispirited, and pressed by want, he is compelled to relinquish entirely the pursuit of literature. In order, therefore, to promote the general cause of Literature, and to benefit Authors, by enabling them to participate more largely in the profits attendant on the publication of meritorious works, this Association has been formed, without any intention, on the part of the Association, of interfering with the general or particular interests of Booksellers. At a General Meeting held at the British Coffee-house, Cockspur-street, on Monday, Feb. 14, 1831, William Alexander Mackinnon, Esq. in the Chair; the Provisional Committee, appointed by the Meeting held on the 8th of January, and consisting of the under-mentioned Gentlemen,-Colonel Broughton, Thomas Campbell, Esq. Captain Frederick Chamier, R.N. Sir George Ducket, Bart. F.R.S. Alexander Henderson, Esq. M.D. F.S.A. William Alexander Mackinnon, Esq. F.R.S. Captain Frederick Marryat, R.N. C.B. F.R.S. F.L.S. Sir Gore Ousely, Bart. F.R.S. S.A. Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart. F.R.S. J. H. Pope, Esq. Nicholas A. Vigors, Esq. F.R.S. The Reverend A. S. Wade, D.D. F.S.A. Ralph Watson, Esq. F.R.Š. Sir T. Charles Yates, Knt. made the following Report : The Committee have the honour to submit, for consideration and adoption, the following Rules or Regulations, which, on the best consideration they have been able to give to the subject, they beg to recommend as the basis on which the Association shall be established: 1. That an Association be formed, for the purpose of benefiting authors and encou raging literary merit, to be styled an "Association for the Encouragement of Literature." 2. That the Association do consist of not less than two hundred members; each to be responsible for the amount of £50, if required, forming a capital of £10,000; and that a deposit of £10 be paid forthwith by each member, into the hands of Sir George Duckett, Bart., Morlands, and Co., Bankers of the Association; and that as soon as one hundred members shall have subscribed, the Committee do commence operations. 3. That the means by which the Association propose to further the object above stated, shall be, bearing the expense of publishing works of merit, in every branch of Literature, whose authors may be unable to do so themselves; or, who may be other. wise desirous of placing their works in the hands of the Association. 4. That in all such undertakings, the Association shall be guided by three principles, viz. First. The disavowal of all personal profit, on the part of its members. Third. The prosperity and efficiency of the Association, including reimbursement 5. That a Committee of twenty-one Members (five of whom shall be a quorum for the despatch of business) shall be appointed by a majority of votes at a General Meeting, to be called "The Committee of General Management:" five to go out annually; but who shall not be eligible for re-election till after a year: the vacancies to be filled up by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee to be empowered to submit a list of names for that purpose. 6. That no publisher, or bookseller, shall be eligible to be a Member of the Committee of General Management. 7. That to prevent the influence of private or party feeling in the selection of works for publication, such works shall be received by the Committee without signature, but distinguished by some motto; which motto must also be inscribed on the envelope of a sealed letter, accompanying the work, and containing the name and address of the Author: this letter shall not be opened but in the event of a favourable decision upon the work itself, and then in the presence of the Committee; or, in case of the work being rejected, shall, on application, be returned unopened, with the manuscript. 8. That the account of every work published by the Association shall be made up within six months, (or as soon after as may be practicable,) from the time of publica tion; and the proceeds shall be allotted, in conformity with the principles above specified, in the following manner : First. The actual expenses of publication shall be discharged. Second. The amount of remuneration shall be awarded, and paid to the Author, Out of the first hundred pounds, surplus balance Out of the third do. do. 50 per cent. 65 do. Out of all sums exceeding three hundred pounds do. 90 do. 9. Should other editions of a work be called for, they shall be published on the same terms; but with this proviso, viz. that after closing the account of the first, or any subsequent edition, the Author shall have the privilege of purchasing back the copyright of his work, at a price to be fixed by the Committee, upon a fair calculation of the proceeds, and in accordance with the fixed principles of the Association. No such privilege being claimed, the copyright to become the property of the Association. 10. That the Committee, when it shall appear to them expedient, be empowered to advance to an Author whose work they shall have determined to publish, a sum not exceeding £100; but such grant must be sanctioned by a General Meeting of the Committee. This power is to be exercised with due caution, and never but in cases of peculiar urgency. 11. That at the conclusion of every year the accounts of the Association shall be made up; and the sums carried to its credit in the following manner, viz. First. The actual expenses of management-which, when audited, shall be passed. Second. The sums advanced by members-which shall be repaid in such proportions as the profits of the Association will admit. Third. The balance of the general receipts beyond the total expenditure-which shall be carried to the credit of the funds of the Association for the current year. 12. That the Committee of General Management shall be empowered to enact Byelaws and Regulations for its own guidance; to appoint a Secretary or Clerk, a Reader or Readers, as may be required, and such other officers as may be considered absolutely necessary. But that in all cases where it is intended to attach a salary to an office, such salary shall be submitted for the sanction of a General Meeting. 13. That five Members be appointed a Committee of Finance, whose duty it shall be to conduct the pecuniary affairs of the Association; in whose names its funds shall be lodged at the Bankers; and two of whose signatures, with that of one of the members of the General Committee, shall be affixed to all Drafts, Bills, and Receipts, on account of the Association; the Members of the Committee of Finance to be ex officio Members of the General Committee. |