people to take them at the moderate rent set upon them.” "Moderate rent!" said the old man, ❝ did you ever blush, Sir? Why would you mislead the gentleman? Have I lived upon these lands fifty years, and do I not know what can be made out of them?"-Here I interfered, to prevent a quarrel. The tenants were once more dismissed; and as I depended upon my operator's skill and integrity, I ordered him to look for others to take the lands. Soon thereafter the farms were all let ;-some to such of the former tenants as had little to lose-but most of them to strangers, whom, at my operator's desire, I assisted to stock their farms;-they promised a great deal, and I too readily believed them. I am sorry to tell you, Sir, that every thing went to wreck ;-the new tenants had no experience of the soil; they were tied down to rules of management to which they were unaccus tomed. Things misgave;-this broke their spirits-and one half of their rent was rarely paid when due. To lay hold of a poor man's corn and cattle, and to turn his family out of doors, was to me a most grating affair: and yet, what could I do? my living depended upon the rent of my estate. My character suffered-my heart bledI resolved upon new measures. I applied to a gentleman în the neighbourhood, who has since been of great use to me; he is a sensible, worthy man, and quite independent-I de sired him to speak his mind freely-"I knew," said he, "that your lands would not do at the rents put upon them; these men who make a trade of valuing other people's lands, are generally mere theorists; if they see a few acres on a farm bear good crops, they rashly and ridiculously conclude, that the whole farm may be soon and easily brought to the same degree of fertility. They have but one thing in view, that is, to make themselves of consequence, and this they can only do by increasing the rent-roll of their employers. I ima gine you have been put to great expence to very little purpose. What is done cannot be undone; but, in my opinion, the wisest thing you can do is to let your lands upon such reasonable terms as your tenants may be able to live and pay their rents. Their labour is incessant, the risks they run very great, and their returns very precarious. The value of an estate, either to keep or to sell, depends very much upon the circumstances of the tenants upon it." I took my friend's advice, discharged a large arrear, and gave my people leases upon moderate terms; and have the pleasure to know that they are now happy, and every man able to pay his rent at the day. By this step, and some others taken to secure their peace, I am now become very popular. Gleanings. A VILLAGE PATRIOT. The foot-way from Hamptonwick through Bushy Park, (a royal demesne) Kingston-upon-Thames, had been for many years shut up from the public. An honest shoemaker, Timothy Bennet, of the former place, " unwilling (it was his favourite expression) to leave the world worse than he found it," consulted his attorney upon the practicability of recovering this road for the public good, and the probable expence of a legal process for that purpose. "I do not mean to cobble the job," said Timothy, " for I have seven hundred pounds, and I should be willing to give up the awl, that great folks might not keep the upper leather wrongfully." The lawyer informed him that no such sum would be necessary to try the right; then, said the worthy shoemaker," as sure as soles are soles, I'll stick to them to the last;" and Lord Halifax, the then Ranger of Bushy Park, was imme diately served with the regular notice of an action; upon which his Lordship sent for Timothy, and on his entering the Lodge, his Lordship said, with some warmth, and who are you that has the assurance to meddle in this affair ?" My name, my Lord, is Timothy Bennet, shoemaker, of Hamptonwick. I re member, an't please your Lordship, to have seen, when I was a young man sitting at work, the people cheerfully passing by my shop to Kingston market; but now, my Lord, they are forced to go round about, through a hot sandy road, ready to faint under their burdens; and I am unwilling to leave the world worse than I found it. This, my Lord, I humbly represent, is the reason why I have taken this work in hand." Begone," replied, his Lordship, "you are an impudent fellow." However, upon ma ture reflection, his Lordship, convinced of the equity of the claim, began to compute the shame of a defeat by a shoemaker, desisted from his opposition, notwithstanding the opinion of the Crown Lawyers, and re-opened the road, which is enjoyed by the public without molestation to this day.-Honest Timothy died about two years after; and was followed to the grave by all the populace of his native village. A traveller from Gottenburgh lately arrived at an inn in a provincial town, where the loquacious innkeeper inquired,among other things, how the people of Gottenburgh did."Oh! (answered the traveller) many of them have gone upon their legs again."-How so; has trade become more brisk?”. -66 Ah, no! I mean, that many who for some years past kept their carriages, are now obliged to learn to walk again.” THE BLACK VOMIT. M. Thieri, a celebrated physician, was called into a gentleman who had been attacked with a violent vomiting. After hearing every thing the patient had to say, the doctor meditated a few minutes in silence, and then suddenly exclaimed, Ah! my dear Sir, I am the happiest man alive! I have found it! I have found it! It is the black vomit, a disease that has been missing for two centuries, and I have had the good fortune to restore it to the Faculty! Ah, doctor, said the sick man, your joy has made me happy also. You have found then that my disease is Mortal, Sir!" rejoined the doctor: you are in the last extremity, make your will; but you ought to die overjoyed that the black vomit has again made its appearance!" At these words Sangrado left the apartment, exclaiming, the black vomit ! the black vomit, for ever! ; 101 500 WON RETORT COURTEOUSiret Á 9th When the British under Lord Nelson were bearing down to attack the combined fleet off Trafalgar, the first Lieutenant of the Revenge, on going round to see that all hands were at their quarters, observed one of the men devoutly kneeling at the side of his gun. So very unusual an attitude in an English sailor exciting his surprise and curiosity, he went and asked the man if he was afraid? Afraid! answered the honest tar, with a countenance expressive of the utmost disdain: No! I was only praying that the enemy's shot may be distributed in the same proportion as the prize-money-the greatest part among the officers.' # wurm og bresa af aniov ybrala z'olta& 150 な SEVENTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS. A nobleman telling the husband of a lady remarkably beauti ful, that he could never look at his wife without breaking the tenth commandment. Your Lordship,' replied the gentleman, is welcome to break the tenth commandment asthe gentleman, much as you please, provided you do not break the seventh 10 may dret adigi to smp ! euz o tome evig foly 3 g NO DEPENDENCE, 6 ? A gentleman begging Villars, Duke of Buckingham, to employ his interest for him at Court, added, that he had nobody to depend on but God and his Grace. Then, said the Duke, your condition is desperate you could not have named any two who have less interest at Court. 107 8970 eys mulaato New Had u 1 vwah 4 PRECEDENCE. des uds New A gentleman thief, sentenced to die, petitioned that in going to execution he might be allotted on the right, hand side of the cart. Poetry. STANZAS ON THE DEATH OF GENERAL LACY. THEY fir'd no volley over glory's tomb! Ere from this stage he sunk he view'd the corps ""Tis not for warrior such as me," he said, "But you, brave men, must wait your king's desire; Descending angels bore his soul on high, Through yielding clouds to that bless'd happy shore, Shall Slavery still her iron kingdom hold, All-secrét Heaven, on awful wonders bent, So rul'd the Heavens, when death was virtue's due. KILMARNOCK, 18th Sept. 1817. P H. ODE ON TIME. HAIL Time! unkindly treated guest, By thoughtless mortals : But source of misery, if not prest To wisdom's portals. Thou passest o'er a busy throng, Thou onward goest; And thoughtless man learns, when thou'rt gone, What he has lost. |