OF AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION, IN History, Science, Literature, the Fine Arts, &c. "Metaphysics were a large field in which to exercise the weapons logic had put into their hands." SEE here two cavillers, Would-be unravellers SCRIBLERUS. But still his meditative eye looks dull Of abstruse theory and questions mystical, For he is gazing inwardly, like Plato; In tete-a-tete, And deep debate, But to the world without Wrangling according to forms syllogistical. His eye is blind as that of a potato: In fact, logicians See but by syllogisms-taste and smell By propositions; And never let the common dray-horse senses The speech of Metellus Numidieus, a grave and eloquent man, on the subject of marriage, contained this passage. If, Romans, we could do without a wife, we should be all without that source of vexation. But since nature has so ordered it, that we can neither live with them happily enough, nor without them by any means, we must consult our lasting security, rather than a transient gratification.' To virgins are addressed the soft charmer! expressions my delight!' my my_soul!' light of my eyes!' &c. But as soon as they become married women they are changed indeed; the terms then applied to them are- plagues!' tempests!' ' torments!' curses!' 'continual fevers!' and, to sum up all in a word- intolerable evils!" THE BROKEN HEART. In one of the northern counties of England, at the distance of a mile and a half from the sea, and not farther removed from a well-known military station, there stands an oldfashioned red brick mansion, the architecture and extent of which hardly entitle it to be regarded as belonging to the class of manorhouses; at the same time that they may bespeak its proprietors as moving in a sphere considerably above that of ordinary yeomen. For upwards of three centuries, it was the residence of a family, of the name of Wilmot; a race, which, by some accident or another, contrived never, by exertion on the one hand, or misconduct on the other, either to rise or fall in the world. One generation received it from another, in precisely the same condition in which the first had received it from the generation preceding: the lands attached to it were not increased, neither were they diminished; no rooms were added, neither were any taken away; in a word, among the continual changes which affect sublunary things, it appeared as if the Toll, and the Toll alone, remained stationary. The last of the name which inhabited that mansion, was a father and his daughter. The former, after serving for many years in the navy, married in some distant part of the kingdom, a young wife; who lived only long enough to present him with a pledge of her affection, and to make him feel how much he had lost, in being thus deprived of her. Whether his domestic affliction had any effect in producing the measure is not known, but Captain Wilmot went no more to sea, after he became a widower. On the contrary, he withdrew himself entirely from public life, and taking possession of the Toll, devoted his undivided atten tion to the education and nurture of his child. In this retired spot, Rose Wilmot grew up to be the idol of her father's affections, and an object of love and esteem to all the surrounding neighbourhood. She was beautiful-yet her personal beauty constituted the least valuable of her attractions. Artless, gentle, and generous, Rose was never so happy as when, by chance, she found an opportunity of adding to the happiness of others. To the poor, she was a warm, and yet a judicious friend; to her equals, a lively and cheerful companion; and to her parent, the very apple of an eye, without which life would have had no value. Rose was not, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, accomplished that is to say, she was no classic; and the only modern tongues with which she was acquainted were the French and English. She played, indeed, and sung with taste and feeling; but her sole instrument was the piano-forte, and her collection of music consisted almost entirely of wild and simple national airs. But Rose was possessed of higher gifts than can be conferred by the ablest masters. Her heart was good, her understanding was clear, and her disposition just so far romantic, as to give a zest to the enjoyments of common life, without contributing, in any very serious degree, at least, to magnify its petty grievances. As it was generally understood that Captain Wilmot, in addition to the Toll property, possessed something considerable, which he had acquired in the shape of prize money, suitors were not wanting to Rose, as soon as she had arrived at the first dawn of womanhood. Many advantageous offers were made to her, but she declined them all; for her feelings were not interested, and her father had too much regard for her society, to look forward to the period of her marriage with any thing like impatience. Rose, accordingly, continued to lead a single life, and she actually attained to her nineteenth year, without having experienced the slightest symptoms of the tender passion. Things were not, however, to be thus for ever. It was at the close of a September day, that a party, which had assembled near the Toll, for the purpose of celebrating, by a sort of fete champetre, the sixtyninth birth-day of Captain Wilmot, deemed it prudent to take shelter against a threatened thunder-storm, under his hospitable roof. The rain had begun to fall in torrents, and the first flash of lightning had passed, when a loud knocking at the outer gate gave notice that others, besides themselves, were in need of shelter. The signal being answered, there was ushered into the parlour a person arrayed in the garb of a sportsman, of whom nobody present knew any thing, but who entered with that air of perfect self-command, which, widely removed from impertinent assurance, can be assumed only by the man of fashion and the gentleman. His age appeared to be about six or seven-and-twenty; he was remarkably handsome; had a fine, open, manly, expressive countenance, and, altogether, impressed the little party with a persuasion that he was, at least, qualified to remain among them as an equal. He apologised for having disturbed the privacy of a family circle, by stating, that he happened to be sporting in the fields adjoining, when the storm overtook him; and the apology being readily received, he speedily took part in conversation, as if he came an expectated and welcome guest. Being pressed to partake of their evening meal, he did not decline the invitation; and the moon was shining bright in a cloudless sky, when he rose to depart. Nor did he go unregretted. In the course of one short and accidental visit, he contrived to make himself so agreeable to his new acquaintance, that the Captain permitted him not to retire, till after he had given a promise that no great while should elapse ere his visit was repeated. The gentleman, whom accident had thus introduced to the family at the Toll, was the Honourable Major Elliot, commanding officer of the regiment of foot, at that time quartered in the neighbouring barracks. Being a keen sportsman, he spent much of his time in the fields, and, as he afterwards confessed, had seen and admired Rose, at times and in situations, when she little dreamed of being an object of curiosity to a stranger. He had now seen her under circumstances which enabled him to judge whether the impressions, made by his former stolen glimpses, were justifiable; and his behaviour soon gave proof that he did thus regard it. Major Elliot was not forgetful of his promise. He repeated his calls at the Toll, not sooner, certainly, than his company was desired, but, as certainly, a great deal sooner than it might have been expected. He called again and again; he was again and again urged to stay dinner, and he stayed. In short, his visits became, in a very little while. every-day occurrences-and, before a month had expired, he offered himself to be the husband of Rose. It has been stated, that, in Rose's disposition, there was just so much of romance, as to give a peculiar zest to the ordinary occurrences of common life. Such an occurrence it surely was, to be addressed in the language of love; but to experience those sensations which her lover described, was, to her, new and delightful. For, in truth, Rose had fixed her affections upon Major Elliot, irretrievably and inevitably, many days before his words, at least, justified her in so doing. They had met under circumstances so peculiar; he was, in his habits, ideas, language, and taste, so different from other men with whom she was wont to associate, that, if ever love did occur at first sight, it must be allowed to have occurred with her. Rose had no dissimulation about her; she did not, therefore, pretend to an indifference which she felt not, but referring Elliot to her father, frankly acknowledged that, as far as she was concerned, no obstacle would be thrown in the way of their union. Captain Wilmot was a plain, honest man-a gentleman by profession and descent, and too honourable himself to suspect others of being otherwise. He was not, therefore, so minute in his inquiries respecting the circumstances of Major Elliot, as a greater degree of prudence or knowledge of the world might have led him to be. From the Major's brother officers he learned that the lover of his daughter was a brave and good soldier; the army-list assured him, that he was, truly, the son of an Earl-and as the individual himself never professed to be rich-as he avowed, on the contrary, that his portion was but slender, and that there was no other probability of its being increased, except by promotion in the armyCaptain Wilmot saw no ground for suspicion. He freely gave his consent to the proposed marriage, and freely received Elliot into his house on the footing of a future son-inlaw. The faith of the lovers had been but a short time plighted, when, among other little pledges of unalterable affection, the Major presented Rose with a beautiful Arab pony. The animal, as a matter of course, became a prodigious favorite with its mistress. It was gentle and tractable, not only permitting her to mount with the most perfect safety, but coming to her call, and eating pieces of bread from her hand. Upon it she was in the habit of daily riding abroad with her lover; and truly, it would be a hard matter to discover a pair more lovely, or more manifestly formed for each other, than Rose and her pony. Such was now the order of the lovers' existence; and time appeared, at last, to fly on in that state of holy and pure enjoyment, which never fails to accompany the progress of an honourable attachment. But the course of true love never did run smooth,' as poor Rose soon found to her cost. The weddingday was now but one short week distant, when Rose, who had agreed to meet Elliot half way between the barracks and the Toll, set out one morning, unattended, upon her Arab. Having reached the place of rendezvous, and finding that Elliot had not yet arrived, she determined to ride on a little farther; she accordingly proceeded, almost unconsciously, tho' full of apprehension, she knew not why, till at last the barracks themselves lay before her. Observing that troops were on the parade, her delicacy would not allow her to approach nearer: SO she reined in her little steed, and partly concealing herself behind the branches of a tree, she resolved to wait there till the soldiers should be dismissed. In the meanwhile, the battalion formed itself into a hollow square; a piece of timber, of a triangular shape, was erected in the midst of it. All was now silence; and Elliot, mounted upon a black charger, took his station without the ranks. A moment or two had only passed, when there came from a part of the |