such a title (I was rather behind thee), though I doubt whether I have ever experienced a feeling more devoted than that with which I used to roam along the green pathways of the adjacent common, to meet the young beauty of the farm-house which stood in the valley, just out of sight. She was a slender, fair-haired, blue-eyed scrap of innocence, not skilled in French and the piano, like damsels of her station in the present day; but more lovely from the simplicity of her mind, and the artless wonder with which she listened to the fine flourishing protestations of her young scamp of a lover. No recollection of my heart is more beautiful than that of my sweet rustic embosomed with me in the tall yellow furze, and watching the long line of rooks toiling homeward through the glories of a summer sunset. But these, as I have said, were days almost devoid of adventure, save that of dodging the old farmer and his ash-stick; and, therefore, it is useless to dilate upon them.

The changes of life, from the age I have described, become rapid and important—from school to college, from college to the world at

large. In proportion to their rapidity and importance were the events which marked the progress of my genius. I learnt to scale garden-walls as nimbly as a monkey, knew the position of a steel-trap almost by the smell, and threw signal-pebbles at the window of my mistress, as true as the shot of a rifleman. Unluckily, I threw once too often, for I mistook the window, and roused the enemy, who returned the salute with a blunderbuss, and then chased me full cry with the house-dog. I thank my stars, the animal was a cur, and had no nose, for had he run me by scent, the darkness and the glass-bottles upon the wall would have rendered my escape rather precarious. The affair got wind, and I was sent, by the sage curators of my non-age, to keep myself out of mischief, and enlarge my ideas, by travelling through such parts of the kingdom as their wisdom conceived worthy of notice. In one respect their wishes were remarkably well answered, for my ideas were enlarged amazingly; in the article of mischief, perhaps, they had not quite so much reason to be satisfied. I doubt whether the road-book can furnish many places

of note which do not cherish my memory with a gentle shrug of the shoulders, and am meditating a history which will be of some importance to the youth of both sexes. As this work, however, will consist of a great many chapters, and the anxiety to know what becomes of me at last be very overpowering, I shall even start with the catastrophe, and conclude with the beginning and thus it is we wander into a piece of choice July scenery in the north of England, with the blue sea on one side, and the blue hills on the other, and the prettiest of all pretty villages in the middle.

I hate public watering-places, with their scandalous reading-rooms, and crammed assemblies. It is impossible for Love to pick up a livelihood where he is beset by so many detractors; and, after being starved out of three or four fashionable promenades, my heart beat gladly at the prospect of the little hamlet before me. I drove up to the inn upon the beach, and was presently at home. Every new arrival, in such a place as this, was a matter of consequence, and every new character a field for speculation; so that when I made inquiries

respecting the number of visiters, and the pastime they were likely to afford, I received a catalogue and description as perfect as heart could wish.

Nothing very striking turned up till we came to Mr. a tall, thin, semi-circular hypochondriac, in pepper and salt, with black gaiters, and an oyster-shell hat; in addition to which he had a large purse and little soul, which he usually kept therein. It was a safe place for it, for though the proverb recommends us to keep the devil out of our purses, instead of baiting them with legitimate scraps to entice him in, the arch-fiend was, probably, too good a judge to enter the one in question, knowing well enough that whatever once got under the sliders, found very considerable difficulty in getting out again. But, excellent as these qualities were, Mr. possessed one cardinal virtue which outstripped them all-he had an interesting young niece, just then sparkling in the bud of beauty, and the bloom of disobedience; and lo! whilst the waiter was holding forth, both uncle and niece were to be seen from the window, moving along the beach

like some worn-out production of the vasty deep, beset by a sportive sea-nymph. The opportunity was very tantalizing, and, as dinner was not to be ready for some time, I saw no reason why I should not employ the interval in striking out an adventure.

I was soon tramping the sands, and reconnoitring Mr. as cautiously as I would examine an old gull at which I meditated a shot. He had found a dry space, and was crawling miserably round and round, and backwards and forwards, as though he had been in a tether or a magic circle; though, from appearances, I should have judged him as capable of running away from a mad bull as any elderly gentleman in the land. He was evidently one of those provident personages who shield themselves under the character of ill health from unpleasant expenses, and had cheated others till he became skilful enough to cheat himself. A bottle of port would have floated his maladies

out of house and home, but I had not time to recommend the remedy whilst there were wor

thier contemplations. At a short distance was

the pretty niece, light and graceful as Titania