It ends with this couplet:

"Set down by him that best did know

What hath been written to be true."

The practice of poaching has always been common in this neighborhood. It is indeed not uncommon in any part of the country, and yearly increases.

Three persons lose their lives on an average each year, in consequence of the barbarous game-laws. Some are shot by the keepers and some keepers are killed by poachers acting in self-defence.

Shakspeare took revenge on his prosecutor by posting a satirical ballad upon the gate opening into his park, a public place.

The beginning of it only has been preserved from oblivion:

"A Parliament member, a Justice of Peace,
At home a poor scare-crow, at London an asse;
If lowsie is Lucy, as some volke miscalle it,
Then Lucy is lowsie, whatever befall it."

It has been said this first does not indicate his powers. pose better than more sublime verses. The subject was small.

attempt of the future dramatist Perhaps it answered his pur

When the fire of his intellect was required to paint a great scene, it blazed. He needed only to rouse himself to noble action to make the effort, and the inspiration came. I never think of his glowing style, but that bold invocation of the muse, in the tragedy, Henry the Fifth, occurs to me:

"O! for a muse of fire, that would ascend

The brightest heaven of invention !

A kingdom for a stage, princes to act,
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,
Assume the part of Mars; and at his heels,

Leashed in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire
Crouch for employment."

His Education and Courtship.

Shakspeare obtained what book-learning he began with, at the free school of Stratford. Probably such schools are better now than 200 years ago; but they are generally rather small affairs. I asked the teacher of a school what branches he taught. "Oh!" said he, "everything. When scholars desire to learn Latin I give them what instruction I can in that language. So with French, rhetoric, philosophy, etc." Few study the ancient classics in these times, but, doubtless, nearly all in Shakspeare's day. How many superior advantages this generation has for educating themselves! yet there is no such poet at present on the stage. His schooling was brief, but not his observation and reflection. School-masters too much neglect to impress upon the minds of their pupils the importance of original thinking, instead of servile imitation, repetition — dependence on predecessors.

"And base authority from others' books."

At Shottery, a small village, one mile to the west, a little cottage is shown as the birth-place of Miss Ann Hathaway, and the very room where young Shakspeare wooed the charming maid. His "courting chair" was a few years since sold to Mr. Ireland and George Garrick.

Here are many things to remind one of the former residence of Shakspeare: statues, portraits, names of places, institutions, etc. The people take great pride in his fame, and every swain "frames sonnets to his mistress' eye-brow," under the influence of that master-spirit of love poesy. Even their advertisements in the papers are often prepared in rhymes.

Here is one of 'em.

"I want a wife of modest air,
Soft eyes of night and silken hair;

NOTWITHSTANDING all the noise the Yankees have made in this world, their character and manners are but imperfectly understood by Europeans. At Exeter Hall, when Mr. Mahon of Ohio rose to speak, a gentleman on the platform remarked to me, that he was an American. "But," said he, "he speaks English. The Americans generally speak English, though rather imperfectly. They have a queer, drawling tone, and some peculiar expressions."

“Well, so I've heard,” said I.

"They are not probably as highly civilized as we. One of their barbarous phrases is 'go a-head.'"

He seemed to take considerable interest in Mr. M.'s speech, and said, after all, it was about as good as any of them. Now, I have heard quite a number of the orators here, as well as a great many of our public speakers, and I am sure Webster, the Philipses, Sumner, Choate, Clay, Calhoun, Cass, Benton, etc., have no superiors, nay, some of them no equals, in this country. One reason is, our men have more intelligent audiences to address, and hence are not obliged to use so simple,

ordinary language. Another reason is, our people are more accustomed to public speaking. They rose on the strength of their own abilities, as a few have done here.

The hereditary statesmen of England are pompous declaimers. They manifest large airs. People bear it because used to it. From infancy they have been taught to reverence that kind of characters.

Yankees resemble Scotchmen.

The New England people are often taken for Scotchmen. As I stood reading a notice in one of the show-windows, a corned man came up and began to address me in some strange tongue. His words were something like these:

Et te se aneche nasoetelia helicos alemus duberter mi comps vespili."

"I can't understand a word you say," said I. you mean?"

And then he went on with his gibberish again:

-

"What do

"You know wh-h-at I say you're a Scotchman. I—hi know you're a Scotchman."

"How do you know that? Come, tell me what makes you think so."

He said he knew by my dress and because I was tall, but couldn't give very particular reasons. The Western Americans used to say they could hardly distinguish a Bostonian from a Scotchman, either in speech or personal appearance.

Adventure at Smithfield.

As I was strolling about town the other day, I got into the midst of a cattle market. There were a great many oxen from Holland. You can distinguish them by their broad horns and frizzled hides. They are not so large as English breeds. Our farmers know well the superiority of the neat cattle of this country. Some cows seem as large again as ours, but Ohio has much better breeds than New England.

The streets, for a quarter of a mile around, were nearly blocked up with droves. Bullocks bellowed, sheep bleated, dogs barked, swine squealed, and calves blaired. I undertook to navigate my way past, but soon found myself hemmed in by a formidable breastwork of horns on one side and wagons on the other, while ahead the unruly animals offered a discouraging barrier. Sturdy old butchers pitched and floundered about among the beasts as if they enjoyed the sport. It was impossible to stop, and dangerous going forward; but I "put in," till met by a truant porker. He came straight at me with shut eyes, in the muddiest avenue of the whole region. One cried, "this is no place for you; "another shouted, “look out!" The scene was quite interesting.

A round man laid hold of his ears, and a dog had him by the tail, but still he kept coming, sweeping all before him. I concluded to stand one side and trust in Providence. He plunged by without touching me; nevertheless, I shall always think it was a critical position to occupy. The ropes and loose frocks switched about at such an alarming rate, I was glad to take advantage of the first turn. A person must put up with some inconveniences in order to see what's going on here.

What a host of living souls are slain for the inhabitants of this city! It seems cruel; but they have their day, which they wouldn't have unless used for food. Who would keep them solely for their own enjoyment?

London Meat-Markets.

The markets where their flesh is sold, offer also moving spectacles, especially on Saturday evenings. The quarters, chines and spareribs are all tastefully arranged on hooks in front of shops, brilliantly illuminated, so that the whole street is completely walled with meat. Then they have many kinds of wild game, finely arranged: hares, venison, pheasants, grouse, pigeons, sky-larks, starlings, woodcocks, fieldfares, etc. All sorts of hawkers congregate there to sell small wares. They