and I do not like to talk scandal even in my grave; so, good evening to you."

Nay, nay," said I, starting up, and knocking down two or three glasses, "I cannot part with you so easily."-This effort broke my reverie; and, on opening my eyes, I perceived no one near me, but my Host.

"What is the matter?" said he: "I hope you have enjoyed your nap?”

"My nap!" I exclaimed, "I do not understand you; where's Lord Chesterfield?"

"Lord Chesterfield!" was the ejaculation in reply; "I have seen no such person."

By degrees I recovered my recollection; and, as an atonement for breaking the glasses, I was obliged to narrate my dream at the tea-table. Such as it is, I told it; and such as it is, I give it for the perusal of my fashionable Readers.

"NEWS OF LITERATURE," 1826.

THE

SHAKSPEAREAN ELYSIUM.

A FEW evenings ago, after I had spent several hours in the perusal of Shakspeare, and while my mind was occupied in reflecting upon that amazing genius which had "exhausted worlds, and then imagined new," one of those reveries to which I have lately been subject, stole over my senses. I fancied myself seated in a crazy boat, upon a sluggish stream, over which a sturdy fellow of a waterman was rowing me. "Whither are you

carrying me, my friend?" said I.

"To the other world!" he replied, in a gruff voice, which caused a thrill throughout my whole frame.

"To the other world!" exclaimed I; "pray on what part of it do you intend to land me?"

"I have orders," said he, " to take you to the Shakspearean Elysium.”

This was a place of which I had never heard before; and I therefore begged him to explain himself more fully.

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Why, Master," said he," you must know that this Shakspeare created a world of his own; and filled it, moreover, with such a vast variety of characters, that, when their appointed times came, Pluto declined admitting them into his dominions; saying, that he had no room for them, unless he turned out his own subjects: this place was, therefore, created purposely for their reception, in which, as in the other, there is both an Elysium and a Tartarus. All the characters invented by the Poet are sent to Elysium; excepting the very few that he has ill drawn, which, together with his bad puns, his bombast, and his indelicacies, are despatched to Tartarus; and also, excepting his historical personages, who, being natives of the real substantial world above, are, of course, under the dominion of Pluto."

"Indeed," said I, "this is a rare place to visit; but although you, saving your presence, are marvellously ill-favoured, you do not exactly answer the descriptions which I have read of that grim ferryman, Charon."

"No," said he, sulkily; "I am not exactly he, although my occupation is similar: I am the Boat

swain mentioned in the "Tempest," and fill this office at the instigation of an old brute of a Neapolitan lord, named Gonzalo ; who prophesied that I should be hanged in the other world, and has done all he could to make me wish myself so in this."

By the time that my Ferryman had told me thus much, our boat had reached the shore. The first thing that I did upon landing was to look out for that "gentleman with three heads," as Mrs. Malaprop calls him, Cerberus. Instead of him, however, I found a good-looking mastiff with only one head upon his shoulders, who turned out to be no other than our friend Crab, in the "Two Gentlemen of Verona." I soon afterwards learned that Bottom, the Weaver, whose fondness for volunteering his services on all occasions, my Readers must be aware of, was very anxious to fill this situation; as he said that he could boast of having, at least, two heads; namely, the one with which he was born, and the ass's head which Master Puck had fixed upon him. The qualifications of Crab were, however, considered superior, and Bottom was dismissed to Elysium.

Seated upon the Throne of these infernal regions, instead of Pluto and Proserpine, I found Tragedy and Comedy. The former saluted me with a very

condescending bend of the head; and the latter, with a bewitching smile, pointed out to me the gate of Elysium. I entered, and after recovering from the rapture which the delicious atmosphere, and the enchanting scenery excited, I looked around in search of some human object of curiosity. I found the place very thickly populated, and the inhabitants split into various small groups and parties. The first of these which I encountered, consisted of six or seven persons who were seated round a table in an arbour, and were eating and drinking, and making very merry. I soon found out that they were of that class of characters, now no longer in existence, so admirably portrayed by the great Poet, called Clowns, or Fools. Touchstone, "one that had been a Courtier," was in the chair; and around him were ranged Launcelot Gobbo; the bitter and sarcastic, yet, withal, kind-hearted Fool in " King Lear;" the merry singing Clown in "Twelfth Night," who made such irreverent sport of the cross garters of Malvolio; Pompey Bum, in one particular, the greatest of them all; the Shepherd's Son, and Costard; besides several others of inferior eminence. I also found this Company pestered by a troublesome fellow, whose object it evidently was to get ad