that; but don't you think,-just before I take the queen out of check, don't you think something might be done in regard to that question? The law by which tithe is secured to the clergy, sir, is just as good and as valid as that by which the first duke in the land holds his estates-eh, don't you see, sir? But I think still something might be done to get rid, you see, sir, of the objectionable part of the question. That's what I say to Mr. Wells. Mrs. Wells, I believe, is not so great a friend of mine; never goes beyond powders. Rhubarb, and magnesia, or jalap and cream-o'-tartar, are the extremes, and those only for the housemaids. Still I have a high regard for them all. I think the tithe system operates unequally, sir. I take your rook;—you didn't see that, sir. All clergymen are not alike. I recollect reading, sir, that Dr. Prideaux-I don't know if you know much of him, said that some men enter upon their cures with as little knowledge of divinity as the meanest of their congregation-ch!--heard the story of human felicity,--something inside of a pig,-forgive me,--but it is an apt illustration of the stupidity of a congregation."

"Very stupid," said Cuthbert: "do me the favour to push my rook over to the side of your queen; there, where it is guarded by that pawn. Yes, I think you are quite right."

And then, as I say, sir," continued Sniggs, "the spirit -the public spirit of Mrs. Wells-that fancy ball and bazaar for the charity-schools-what a sight-dear young creatures exposing themselves in every way at the stalls, and selling things for fifteen shillings which they bought for five-passing them off, of course, for their own. Why now there's that Mrs. Fletcher, I declare that woman ought no more to have gone out Tuesday week-Oh! sir, such a state she is in-such a complication of disorders-of course this is entre nous—what I call death in the pot—-never mind— people must die when their time comes. I have put her through a regular course of steel-done all I could. Don't you recollect, sir, the story of the sick man at the wateringplace, who was sent down to tone himself up-went to a boarding-house-ignorant creature-that sort of thing-took all sorts of bitters to strengthen himself and bring him round, under the advice of one of those refined physicians who pick up guineas from ninnies, as I should say; and having dined and supped with his fellow boarders, retired, as they did, to rest. In the middle of the night, the whole house was alarmed by noises much resembling those of a rabid dog, attended with a stamping of feet along the different passages of the house. This continued some time, but about two o'clock in

the morning it subsided, and, as they say in the account of a naval action, the boarders had it all to themselves.'

"In the morning, complaints having been made to the matron, or whatever the female figure-head of such establishments is called, as to the row, she remonstrated with the patient, and begged to know why he disturbed the inmates of her else peaceable house? Why, mam,' said he, 'I am ordered to do it by my physicians, for the good of my health; which is the thing for which I am come here'-mark the English, sir. So,' says she, 'make a noise for the benefit of your health? Yes,' says he, 'in conjunction with the wine which I drank at dinner.' 'How is that?' said the lady, who doubted whether her guest was more knave or fool. Yes,' said he, my doctor ordered me to come down here to take port wine at dinner every day, and bark every night; and so I will, let the consequences be what they may.' Don't you see, sir?-eh ?-bark,-to bark at night—there was the mistake-your king's in check."

"That's a very good story," said Cuthbert; "not but that bark is a very good thing to strengthen people—as for port wine, I can't touch it-drinking it is to me like having a peppered birch-broom poked down my throat."

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Never tried, Highness," said Sniggs, "as the King of Prussia said to the soldier-ever heard that, sir? The King of Prussia fond of music-hundred thousand men to sing one song-recollect-check-he once took a fancy to a brave grenadier-story of the bullet for the watch-that you have heard-never mind, n'importe. The King of Prus sia says to the grenadier, Can you play the fiddle? What d'ye think he answered, sir? Can't guess. Never tried, Highness'-new story that-ah, sir!—dear me, you have taken my knight."

"Just take it off the board for me, will you?" said Cuthbert, wholly unable from habit to lift a piece of ivory so ponderous.

Talking of knights," said Cuthbert, and looking at his knight's horse's head, “did I ever tell you the story of my being run away with down Shooter's Hill, when I was quite a boy?"

"Shooter's Hill!" said Sniggs, with extremely well-acted curiosity; "no, I think not, sir.'

"Well, it was very remarkable," said Cuthbert. "My poor father and I were going in a post-chaise just by the place where there is now a sort of castle in imitation of Severndroog, and something by the road-side frightened the off-horse, and away he went: this frightened the other, and

they went down the hill at a tremendous rate, and every body thought we should be dashed to atoms, and you never -ah!-saw such a sight in your life-ah?"

"Well, sir," said Sniggs (who, like every body else who had been at Ashmead, had heard Cuthbert's pet story over and over again,) "and what happened?"

“Why,―ah!” said Cuthbert, nearly exhausted by the exertion of relating the adventure; luckily, when they got to the bottom of the hill the horses stopped of themselves."

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'Very lucky, indeed," said Sniggs; "disappointed the surgeon there, sir-check to your king."

"Ah! that's a serious check," said Cuthbert; "I must think about that. Will you just ring the bell, doctor-I must send for my snuff. Ah! and now you are up, do me the kindness just to stir the fire."

"Check to my king," continued Cuthbert; "umph-so, so -Hutton, my snuff-box-see what o'clock it is-ah!”

"It is past four, sir," said Sniggs, looking at his watch. "We shall scarcely have light enough to finish the game.'

"Ah!" said Cuthbert, "I am afraid we shall-I don't see how to get my king out of this scrape;" and hereupon the player fell into one of those lengthened reveries which are the characteristics of this noble and scientific diversion.

Hutton brought the snuff-box--he stood unheeded; at length Cuthbert, raising his eyes from the board with all the gravity of the automaton, looked vacantly at him for half a minute, until Hutton felt it necessary to recall his master to a sense of his situation, and said, "The snuff-box, sir."

"Oh!" sighed Cuthbert, "open it for me, Hutton-this is a puzzler-ah!" saying which he, with apparent difficulty, carried the pinch he had taken from the box to its destination.

Franklin says, that by playing at chess we learn:"First. Foresight, which looks a little into futurityconsider the consequences that may attend an action; for it is continually occurring to the player, 'If I move this piece, what will be the advantage of my new situation? What use can my adversary make of it to annoy me? What other moves can I make to support it, and to defend myself from his attacks?'

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Secondly. Circumspection, which surveys the whole board or scene of action-the relations of the several pieces and situations-the dangers they are perpetually exposed to -the several possibilities of their aiding each other-the probabilities that the adversary may take this or that move, and attack this or the other piece; and what different means

can be used to avoid the stroke, or turn its consequences against him.

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"Thirdly. Caution-not to make our moves too hastily; this habit is best acquired by observing strictly the laws of the game, such as, if you touch a piece you must move it somewhere; if you set it down you must let it stand,' and it is therefore best that these rules should be observed; as the game thereby becomes more the image of human life, and particularly of war; and which, if you have incautiously put yourself into a bad and dangerous position, you cannot obtain your enemy's leave to withdraw your troops and place them more securely, but must abide all the consequences of your rashness.

"And, lastly, we learn by chess the habit of not being discouraged by present bad appearances in the state of our affairs; the habit of hoping for a favourable change, and that of persevering in the search of resources."

As Sniggs watched the entire abstraction of Cuthbert from every thing in the world except his jeopardized monarch, he could not avoid thinking of Franklin's description of the advantages derivable from the game; but having waited and watched, until it appeared to him that his amiable adversary had either dropped into a slumber, or, at least, a wakeful unconsciousness, burst upon him, by asking if he ever heard what Dr. Franklin said to Mr. Hancock, on the occasion of signing the treaty of American Independence."We must be unanimous in this business," said Hancock; "we must all hang together." "Indeed we must," said Franklin, "or else we shall all hang separately."

“No, never,” said Cuthbert, “never; they weren't hanged, were they? Upon my word, doctor, I cannot take the trouble to get this king out of difficulty. Tell me what had I best do?"

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Oh, do you take counsel from your enemy, sir," said Sniggs; "I should say

-what we are not destined to know; for, at the moment in which the new adviser was taking a searching look at the state of affairs, Cuthbert, overcome by the difficulty to which he had been subjecting himself, gave a tremendous yawn, accompanied by an attempted change of position upon his sofa cushions, in performing which evolution, his right leg came in contact with Mrs. Gilbert's delicate table, on which they were playing, which was instantly upset. Down went the board, the men, the eau de Cologne, and the snuff-box; knights and pawns were promiscuously scattered on the carpet, and Cuthbert, elevating himself, and leaning on his

arm, gazed calmly on the scene of destruction, while Sniggs sat bolt upright in his chair, his eyes widely opened, his brows elevated, and his mouth contracted into the first position for whistling, looking at the vacant space before him, as spectators gaze on the slip whence a huge ship has just slid into that which modern writers call her "native element," (in which she never had been before,) or the crowd into an enclosure after the ascent of a balloon from the middle of it.

"Sic transit gloria mundi!" said Sniggs.

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To-day is Tuesday," said Cuthbert; "ring the bell, Doctor, let us have in some of the people to pick up these men and things—the snuff is spilt, so is the eau de Cologne;、 and Mrs. Gilbert is so very particular about her carpet. Ah! what shall we do?"

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This, sir," said Sniggs, "is what you call turning the tables upon me.'

"It did not fall on you, did it, doctor?" said the unsuspecting Cuthbert.

"No; no harm's done," said Sniggs, who forthwith restored the piece of furniture to its proper place, and began picking up the scattered forces of the contending armies.

"Don't fatigue yourself," said Cuthbert: "you'll tire yourself to death, stooping about. Ah! dear me; what a flurry this accident has put me in."

Hutton made his appearance, and speedily restored order; however it was getting too dark to begin a fresh game. The casualties consisted of the fracture of one or two pieces, two squares cracked in the inlaid board, the snuff lost, and the eau de Cologne bottle severely wounded; and as it was getting late, Sniggs proceeded to gather up his hat and cloak, for the purpose of retiring.

"Hadn't you better dine here," said Cuthbert, "and let us renew our game in the evening?-eh, do." “You are very kind," said Sniggs, "I shall have great pleasure; but I must just step to the surgery, to make up some few things for my patients; I will return at six."

"Come back as soon as you can," said Cuthbert, "I'll get Hutton to wheel me to my room, and dress me directly, so that I shall be here waiting for you."

"I'll be with you as soon as possible," said Sniggs who took his departure and hurried home, in order to tell Mrs. Sniggs, that she needn't have the fowl and bacon cooked, which had been ordered as an addition to the cold mutton, but make her dinner upon that, and keep the fowl and the bacon for the next day, when he did not "dine out."

VOL. I. -3