he also very kindly gave me the ad- till the vehemence of my own cries dress of several reviewers resident in awaking me, I rubbed my eyes, and London, whom I might find it diffi- saw my friend the tallow-chandler stacult to hear of at my friend the tea- ring at me with astonishment. He had man's. We were just then summoned been jogging my elbow to make me to the coach, where I resumed my seat take the first peep at London, which with recovered tranquillity; and I we were now entering. I roused mydrew a good omen from this fortunate self, and poured forth an ejaculation rencounter with a person who had ren- of thanksgiving, as I was always wont dered me so essential a service. when the inorning first saluted my eyes,

At the next stage we lost all the at which the citizen looked still more travellers except the old lady and the surprised. He then began to point out tallow-chandler. At parting, the gen- to me every object as we approached, tleman in black gave me a nod, and, and displayed wonderful knowledge of wishing me success, whispered me not the names and nature of the things we to trust the present company with my saw. Merciful Powers! what a long secret. I profited by this hint, and re journey it was, even through thestreets! sisted all the attacks of the inquisi- At length the coach stopped ; the cititor, who, on the departure of the rest, zen jumped out, the old lady followed grew ten times more loquacious, and at leisure, and í did the same. I indisplayed a great deal of that know- quired the way to my friend Hyson's, ledge of the world, which a man who and, finding the distance was considerhas lived all his life in the city of able, I got a porter to convey my small London must needs acquire.

quantity of luggage, and who likewise It was just day-break, and I had served as my guide through the intribeen many hours in a sound sleep, cate mazes of this huge metropolis. when I felt some one pulling me by At so early an hour, I had not to enthe sleeve ; and immediately thinking counter the impediments of crowded of my MS. (which, indeed, was never streets, and I was conducted safely to far absent from my thoughts,) I cried the door of my friend the tea-dealer, out, “Help! help! murder ! murder !” in Pall-mall.

CHAPTER X.

AFTER some delay, my summons at has brought you to town?"-" Busithe door of my friend was answered by ness, my friend,” replied "business a servant-girl, whose apparel seemed of great importance.”—“The best exto have been very hastily flung on, and cuse_indeed the only one,” rejoined who looked quite scared at the sight of Hyson, “ for thinking of such a jourme. I asked for my friend, and found he ney at your time of life."-" I hope was at home. The girl, however, would not to be detained here long,” said I ; not allow me to enter till I had given my “and, should it not be inconvenient name, which she said she would take to you, I would willingly lodge with up to her master, though I assured you during my stay."— Most willher that he knew me well, and that I ingly," replied my friend; “you shall was come from a long distance on a have the apartments immediately visit to him. “A visit!" re-echoed which are now vacant, and which the damsel, “ I never heard of such a will suit you exactly-for quiet and thing !" I bid her make haste, but it snug comfort, there are none better in was still some time before she return. London, I'll engage to say." Whereed, and she then ushered me into the upon he showed me a chamber, and back-parlour, where, after waiting sitting-room, which, he said, I should nearly an hour, my friend Hyson at have to myself entirely. I highly aplength appeared. He greeted me with proved them. “ Very well, say no much cordiality, apologized for de- more. You will choose to join my taining me so long, but said that he table, perhaps, which will be all the had been with his family to the play same to me, and make no difference the night before, which had made but come, you shall have some breakthem later than usual. “ But you fast, which I am sure you must want." know," added he, “our hours in Lon- This was indeed true; and we had don are very different to yours in the nearly concluded our repast before Mrs country. Now, pray, let me ask what Hyson made her appearance, whom I

with articles of furniture, of which I perfectly exhausted. It is as much as neither knew the names nor uses; and I can possibly do" (sipping)“ to turn I perceived a delicious fragrance aris- over a few leaves of the book I have ing from numerous flower-pots of beau- just reviewed—which I make a point tiful flowers, which stood here and of doing—en conscience ; and, indeed, there in this delightful room. The where there is anything like a plot, it gentleman bowed slightly to me, with- is necessary, perhaps, to read just enout in the least rising from his recum- ough to give a slight abstract of the bent posture. He looked at me for some story.”_I do not comprehend your time with a negligent air. “ Pray,” meaning, sir.-Surely you attentively said he, at length, “ have you any bua read books before you write the crisiness with me?” I was quite put out; tique ?”—“Eh! no, 'pon honour ! I I had expected to see so totally dif- mean what I say-oh, it would never ferent a personage, that the harangue do-I should never write the critique I had previously meditated seemed if I was to undergo the fatigue of first wholly out of character; and I was reading the book. Fortunately I have endeavouring, hastily, to re-arrange a treasure in my man Cater—the fellow my ideas according to actual circum- really has goût—and I make him my stances. Meanwhile thegentleman con- avant-courier---you understand me tinued to survey me with as much at- He reads every thing, title-page, pretention as seemed to belong to him ; face, contents, and all—and extracts but his appearance was so languid, that the quintessence for me.- Poor Cater! I concluded he must be indisposed. "pon honour, I pity him ; but, however, “Sir," said I, at length recovering my I consider it handsomely in his wages. speech," the trumpet of your critical -“ You astonish me, sir.”-“Befame, which has sounded throughout sides," added he,“ you sit down to crithis kingdom, has brought me from ticism with a mind so unprejudiced, the remote county of Cumberland, to (sipping).“ when you have not seen a lay before you the first-fruits of a long word of the author ;” (sipping) “ it's literary life; but I much fear, from my way, 'pon honour." I sat looking the condition in which I see you, that amazement." But pray, my friend, illness at present deprives the world of now I think of it;" added he, “ what the exercise of your wondrous facul- brought your very eccentric person to ties, and I should be sorry to disturb my house?"_“Sir, I was recommendyour repose.”—“Not at all, not at all,” ed to you as a Reviewer of great replied the gentleman with a faint note Exactly-et puis mon ami ?” smile, and in a tone of great languor, “ And having a work of my own, for “the labour of writing, to say nothing which I am much interested ”“No of reading, is, indeed, almost too much doubt, no doubt; you bring it to me for my delicate frame in this hot wea- for my early attention. All I can venther. “ Criticism must be, indeed, ture to say is, that it shall appear as sir,” I rejoined," a most arduous task; soon as possible ; but Cater and I have it supposes such a fund of learning, a vast deal to wade through ; the press such powers of attention ; such faculties groans with such swarms of these for the analysis of every different kind things, it absolutely annihilates me to of work that comes before you; and the think of the load of duty that awaits necessity of doing justice with strict I must positively slip away into impartiality to every author must be, the country for a little while to reindeed, laborious; and I wonder not at cruit-Cheltenham or Brighton, one the state of exhaustion in which I find or the other it must inevitably be."you."—"

"Eh! umph!" said the Re- “ But, sir,” said I,“ my work is the viewer, yawning piteously, and ring- first production of my humble pen ; ing the bell; “ Cater,” said he to the and though I do not deem it altogeservant who attended, a glass of le- ther without merit, yet I have not monade.” Cater brought it. When he courage to see it barbarously treated sipped several times, he said, “ You in a critical journal such as yours, were saying something, I believe, sir- sir, whose approbation is renownah, true of the arduous nature of my whose censure is ignominy; I wished studies. They are, indeed, fatiguing to engage you to take my poor producyou can form no conception how it tion under your peculiar patronage, annihilates me I have just finished a and- -". « Oh, never fear-I am critique on the last new novel, and I am not quite a barbarian--he-he-he! but

us.

in the coach must have betrayed my “ I have no wish to go into public; confidence, and that it was whispered for I see quite as much of the place as abroad that I was an author. I carried I desire, going along the streets to the myself, however, with as much humility gentlemen's houses where my real buas ever; but my friend, who had seem siness lies. I hope to complete it before ed somewhat annoyed by the notice I long; for I already feel a little homes drew, rather abruptly proposed to re- sick.” turn home. “You will excuse me, Mr We returned home to dinner, which Tell,” said he, “but as in London all was a hurried and not very cheerful goes by appearance, I wish your clothes meal. Mrs Hyson and her daughters were of a newer fashion.” – “Newer !" were to dress, and go to some diverexclaimed I; “ why, my dear friend, sion afterwards; and a discussion, not this is my new suit of clothes, which, very amicable, took place upon econothough I was sorry to travel in, yet I myandextravagance. My friend warmthought most becoming the grave er. ly advocated the cause of the former, rand I was upon.”—“ Well, but the whilst his wife defended her practice, make is so quaint and old fashioned which she would not allow included you'll excuse me, but, upon my word, the latter ; she seemed to make it out, I don't like going into public with any as I understood the argument, that a one who looks so singular-it isn't system of dissipation, which was ruinpleasant to be so stared at-it makes ous to the father, was absolutely nepeople wonder who the devil one has cessary to establish the daughter's forgot hold of."-"Well," said I, “I am tunes. I never was a great hand at an sorry it is so; but as my stay in town argument, and I might make some is to be so short, it don't much matter mistake; but I know, at the time I felt that I am not in the very top of the very glad to think my niece Lucy was London fashion. Why, if you were to safe at Birchendale. My friend and I dress me out as you do yourself, it's were left to spend the evening togeten to one if one would know me again ther, and I soon retired to bed, for rein Cumberland ; and perhaps I should pose was indeed necessary to me, after have my own door shut in my face,” the fatigues I had endured in my long My friend laughed. “Well," said I, journey.

CHAPTER XI.

My sleep was long and refreshing, wig, and his eyes were extremely red, and I rose to new hopes the next morn- as though intense study had rendered ing, and resolved to lose no time in them weak. “Well, sir,” said he, rai. the pursuit of my grand object. As soon sing his eyes as I entered, “what may as breakfast was over, having procured you please to want with me?" I suma coach, I set off alone to Street, moved all my courage to my assistwhere I had been informed Dr ance; for this, thought I, must be he lived, who was the next luminary on of whom the venerable being in my my list. I was so full of what might vision was the type. This must be in await me, that I scarcely paid any at- deed the mirror of criticism. I made tention this time to the crowded streets a low obeisance, and when I had clearand the innumerable passengers. I stop- ed my voice, I approached nearer to ped at the door, and was told the great the chair, and said, “ Most learned and man was at home. I had desired the critical Doctor, the noise of your fame servant to say, that a gentleman wish- has resounded in the vales of Cumbered to speak to him on particular busi- land, and has brought one from thence ness, and I was accordingly ushered in- to entreat your patronage of a work, to the study of the Doctor, where he the first offspring of a long life, divihimself was sitting. I felt struck with ded betwixt the duties of education, awe as I entered the apartment, which and the desire of literary distinction. was rather dark and gloomy. It had I need not” “ Am I, sir, to unan air of deep and profound study: a derstand that you are an author ?" innumber of large volumes lay open on terrupted the Doctor. “ I am indeed the table before him, and the philoso- an aspirant to that proud title,” said pher himself was seated in an arm- I, looking down as meekly as I could. chair, surrounded by papers and books. “And you live in Cumberland, sir He was a little man, and wore a brown a very fine country for poetic inspira

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