cate which is interesting. Oh-Hutton-get me my sealring. Harriet, love, I will beg you to seal that letter, which I got Nubley to write for me, about those air cushions. Capital invention that, Mrs. Wells." 66 Very good, indeed," replied the lady. "Ah!" said Cuthbert, "but what was I saying when Gilbert came in? Oh!-I wish somebody would recollect for me-it was "About the horses running away with the post-chaise," said Lieutenant Merman, who had not heard the story fifty times before, which the rest of the present company had. "Ah!" said Cuthbert-" so it was-it is one of the earliest events of my life that I can remember-you weren't born or thought of, Gilbert, then. I forget if I ever told you "What," said I, "on Shooter's Hill?" "Yes," replied Cuthbert, "that place beyond Blackheath, where there's the model of Severndroog-I never shall forget it-my poor father was with me. Something by the road-side frightened the off-horse, and away we went-down the hill at full speed-set the other horse off with him, and we thought-hey dear-thought we should be dashed to pieces." "And how did you escape, sir?" said the lieutenant. "Oh!" replied Cuthbert, "when they got to the bottom of the hill the horses stopped of themselves—Ah!” I perceived that Cuthbert-having sent for his handkerchief, bathed his temples with the eau de Cologne, and begged me to stir the fire, and place the sofa cushions conveniently for his repose-was a fixture for the rest of the day; and as the story I did wait to hear was only the first of a series which he was in the habit of telling as regularly as the "Friar of Orders Gray " told his beads, I left the assembly, not without receiving a look from Harriet, too distinctly expressive of her feelings to be misunderstood. I have merely noted these few trifling facts, because I very much fear that the total want of sympathy, which unfortunately exists between Cuthbert and all those with whom he must constantly associate while staying here, will some day exhibit itself in a positive and unequivocal manner. What is to happen when the three Falwassers come from school, I do not even venture to premise. They have never had the advantage of maternal care; and, from the extremely undefined character of Cuthbert's conversation and remarks touching them, I have not been able to form any just estimate of their character or qualities. Somehow I begin to think the scheme of admitting any relation, however near, as a constant resident in the establishment of a married couple, is at best but hazardous. Yet in my case it has been inevitable; but for Cuthbert I should not have had the house in which he desires to be an inmate. Besides, he wants cherishing; a man at his time of life, returned to a country the manners and habits of which are totally different from those of the distant empire in which he has passed the prime of his life, would be lost if left to himself. Friends he has few, relations none, except myself; and if ever a momentary doubt of the entire success of our ménage at Ashmead does cross my mind, it is speedily dismissed by the recollection of how much I owe him, and how essential my attention to his wishes is to his comfort. There were many points in Cuthbert's history upon which I should very much have liked to be enlightened; but my hopes and expectations were vain. All the important features of his past life seemed either to be studiously concealed from my sight, or to have escaped his own recollection. His random records consisted of nothing but frivolous anecdotes which appeared to float to and fro upon the surface of his mind, while the serious facts had sunk altogether "out of soundings." I admit that I began to find Wells and his wife, and two or three other friends, getting fidgety, and evincing much of dislike to be so overlaid-if I inay use the expressionwith poor Cuthbert,—who having, fortunately for himself, evinced a passion for chess, discovered that Mr. Sniggs, the apothecary, could place the pieces for him, and make the ordinary moves against him, suggested to the said Sniggs that he should be delighted to see him whenever his professional occupations permitted, and that there was always luncheon at half-past one, and so on. This was quite right. Why should not Cuthbert like chess? Why should not he ask Sniggs? No reason why -except that Mrs. Wells always thought that the flower of her flock, Adelgitha, lost her life through want of skill on the part of this very Sniggs: and they were consequently the bitterest foes-Cuthbert and Sniggs the dearest friends. Sniggs not only played chess with him, and put the men all ready before they began, but having prescribed a sort of mawkish drink-a kind of sickly negus, powdered with "Mareschalle" nutmeg-compounded it for his friend, patient, and antagonist, and administered it secundum artem. Sniggs literally did that, which many men, and even their observations, are said to do-he "smelt of the shop;" and when the atmosphere was heavy and the "scent lay," his entrance into the drawing-room, where Cuthbert, for the sake of making himself amiable, would sit, was the signal for the departure and dispersion of the little family coterie, -who were up like a covey of patridges on his arrival; alleging as a reason, that they were quite sure they should disturb the chess-players if they staid. Sniggs was a character-in his way; he knew every thing that was going on in the neighbourhood. The proverb, as Ray has it, says, "Children pick up words, as pigeons peas, Sniggs collected indefatigably, but most disinterestedly retained nothing. What he picked up in one house he let fall in the next; and so served as a regular gazette for the whole community. This was a great resource for poor Cuthbert, who, to keep up the simile of the pigeons, was as happy as any squeaker in the world to be crammed after Sniggs's fashion, however coarsely the aliment was supplied. "Set the men, Sniggs," said Cuthbert, when the coast was quite clear-" any news?" 66 You play with the red," said Sniggs, arranging the pieces accordingly-" no, sir, not much news. Miss Wobberly, the pretty girl with the flaxen hair, sir—sits opposite to you at church-hear she is going to be married-sugarbaker in London-called there just now-stomach out of order-touch of dyspepsia-too many minced pies-quantity of bile in a minced pie, sir-all meat, dirt, fat, plums, lemonpeel, and puff-paste. She'll be well by Tuesday-the mother a charming woman-asked me to dine Thursday—a little touch of erysipelas, not worth mentioning-pleasant creature. Wobberly a vulgar man-always ailing-can't get gout to show itself-gentlemanly disease the goutgout and short sight are not destined for the vulgar-once saw a hackney-coachman with spectacles-wrote a paper upon it in a first-rate periodical- -you begin, sir." 66 "I move my king's pawn," said Cuthbert: "it saves trouble to take the usual course. 2.2. “Exactly so, sir," said Sniggs: "that's what Major Frowsty says an excellent patient of mine, who has a sort of hydrophobia-" "Indeed-ah," said Cuthbert-"mad.-I'll push him on, another square. "No," said Sniggs; "not mad: you don't see my fun. Hydrophobia-does not like bathing. I order a bath,-he it is cold;-order it hot,-says he don't like it;-can't says get him to wash;-nothing so good, sir;-excellent gentleman the Major;-did you know him abroad?" "No," said Cuthbert; "just move that knight for me, while I blow my nose. Where has he been?" "Somewhere in your district," said Sniggs; " at Tunis, I think." "I never was at Tunis," said Cuthbert. "I think, between you and me, sir," said Sniggs, "it would have been as well if he had never been there: he won't take medicine, do all I can; and if I say he is really ill, he talks about a physician. I believe, between you and me, sir, that he ran away with the daughter of a Bey, or something of that sort, and nearly had his head cut off. But that's nothing to the affair of the Hackingtons, who live at the white house at the end of the lane-la bless you!-their second daughter,-of course this is entre nous,- is over head and cars in love with the ostler at the Cock and Bottle. Your move, sir. And the way I found that out was, that Mrs. Widdles, at the corner-the library-told me that Jim Walker, the ostler in question, had been into her shop to buy a sheet of paper to write home to his mother, and got her to do the letter, in which the whole facts were stated. I have just sent Miss Hackington a pill and a draught; but, as the poet says, I cannot "Minister to a mind diseased." So I made them quite innocent, dry bread and a little honey rolled up in the palin of my hand-eh,-eh, sir?—Of course this goes no farther. Check to your king." "I like to hear the news," said Cuthbert, "although I don't know the people." 66 Why, bless you, sir," said Sniggs, "I never let out these sort of things, except to you. Now of course I knew all about Lieut. Merman's tendre for Miss Fanny; but, then, as I say, that is totally a different story; here we are-titled— a family of consequence and respectability; mute as a mackerel, not a syllable passes my lips. Delightful family the Wells's, sir; so clever Mr. Wells,-what a preacher!makes me weep like a watering-pot when he gives us a charity sermon, although I always get myself called out to a patient before the collection, to save stumpy;-don't you think he is a powerful man, sir?" "Your queen is in check," said Cuthbert. "A thousand pardons," said Sniggs. "What's your notion as to tithes, sir?-quite legal, constitutional, and all 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 1 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 mindpeople 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 |