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Mr. Cumberland, the present father of English literature, elegantly and wisely remarks on the subject of letters:

"There is no sure way of providing against the natural ills that flesh is heir to, but by the cultivation of the mind. The senses can do little for us, and nothing lasting. When they have for a time enjoyed every thing they can wish for, they will ultimately be led to wish for what they can no longer enjoy. A man, who wants mental powers, wants every thing; for though Fortune were to heap superfluitics of every species upon him, the very overflowings of prosperity would destroy his peace; as an abundance of things without can never compensate for a vacuity within.”

RELIQUES OF ROBERT BURNS.

"Those of either sex, but particularly the female, who are lukewarm in that most important of all things, religion.

"Oh, my soul, come not thou into their secret! I will lay before you the outlines of my belief. He, who is our author and preserver, and will one day be our judge, must be (not for his sake in the way of duty, but from the native impulse of our hearts) the object of our reverential awe and grateful adoration. He is almighty and all bounteous; we are weak and dependant; hence prayer and every other sort of devotion. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to everlasting life;' consequently it must be in every one's power to embrace his offer of everlasting life;' otherwise he could not, in justice, condemn those who did not. A mind, pervaded, actuated and governed, by purity, truth and charity, though it does not merit heaven, yet is an absolutely necessary pre-requisite, without which heaven can neither be obtained nor enjoyed; and by divine promise, such a mind shall never fail of attaining' everlasting life;' hence, the impure, the deceiving and the uncharitable, exclude themselves from eternal bliss by their unfitness for enjoying it. The Supreme Being has put the immediate administration of all this, for wise and good ends, best known to himself, into the hands of Jesus Christ, a great personage, whose relation to him we cannot comprehend; but whose relation to us is a guide and saviour; and who, except for our own obstinacy and misconduct, will bring us all, through various ways and by various means, to bliss at last.

These are my tenets. My creed is pretty nearly expressed in the last clause of Jamie Dean's grace, an honest weaver in Ayrshire: Lord, grant that we may lead a gude life! for a gude end, at least it helps weel."

"Coarse minds are not aware how much they injure the keenlyfeeling tie of bosom friendship, when in their foolish officiousness, they mention what nobody cares for recollecting. People of nice sensibility and generous minds, have a certain intrinsic dignity that fires at being trifled with, or lowered, or even too nearly approached.

"My definition of worth is short. Truth and humanity respecting our fellow creatures; reverence and humility in the presence of that Being, my creator and preserver, and who, I have every reason to believe, will one day be my judge. The first part of my definition is the creature of unbiassed instinct; the last is the child of after reflection. Where I found these two essentials, I would gently note and slightly mention any attendant flaws-flaws, the marks and consequences of human nature."

The annexed stanzas were composed by Burns, when he was seventeen:

I dream'd I lay where flow'rs were springing,

Gayly in the sunny beam;

List'ning to the wild birds' singing,

By a falling crystal stream:

Straight the sky grew black and daring,

Through the woods the whirlwinds rave;

Trees with aged arms were warring

O'er the swelling drumlie wave.

Such was life's deceitful morning,
Such the pleasures I enjoy'd;

But lang ere noon, loud tempests storming,
A' my flowery bliss destroy'd.

Though fickle Fortune has deceiv'd me,
She promis'd fair-perform'd but ill;
Of many a joy and hope bereav'd me,
I bear a heart supports me still."

The following beautiful verses are in the collection written by one John Lepraik, and composed at a time when his wife was fretting over their misfortunes. It is mentioned by Burns, in one of his poetical epistles, in these terms:

VOL. II.

"There was a sang amang the rest,

Aboon them a' it pleas'd me best,

That some kind husband had addrest
To some sweet wife:

It thrill'd the heart-strings through the breast,
A' to the life.

SONG.

When I upon thy bosom lean,

And fondly clasp thee a' my ain;

I glory in the sacred ties

That made us ane, who ance were twain.

A mutual flame inspires us baith,

The tender look, the melting kiss;
Even years shall ne'er destroy our love;
But only gie us change o' bliss.

Hae I a wish? It's a' for thee;
I ken thy wish is me to please:
Our moments pass sae smooth away,
That numbers on us look and gaze.

Weel pleas'd they see our happy days,
Nor Envy's set find aught to blame:

And aye when weary cares arise,

Thy bosom still shall be my hame.

I'll lay me there and take my rest;
And if that aught disturb my dear,

I'll bid her laugh her cares away,
And beg her not to drap a tear.

Hae I a joy? its a' her ain,

United still her heart and mine;

They're like the woodbine round the tree,
That's twin'd till death shall them disjoin.

T

We are almost inclined to mingle tears with smiles, on reading these simple lines, written extempore by Burns, on being appointed to the excise:

Searching auld wives' barrels,

Och, oh the day!

That clarty barm* should stain my laurels,
But-what'll ye say?

These moving things, ca'd wives and weanst,
Wad move the very hearts o' stanes.

IMPORTANT LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

THE work entitled European Settlements in America, has long been considered as the production of the immortal Burke. For some reason not easily accounted for, the volumes remained unacknowledged and undenied by him, though their reputation was not unworthy of such an author. Even the high compliment paid to it by professor Robertson, in a note to his History of America, availed not to bring forth the illustrious author's claims. It must be interesting to the literary world at large, and particularly to the readers of this country, to learn that that admirable book has been published some months back by Stockdale in Piccadilly, London, as "THE WORK OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDMUND BURKE;" that an advertisement affixed to it affirms, that Edmund Burke was certainly the author of it, and that the writer saw the receipt for the copy money in Mr. Burke's hand-writing-the consideration being fifty guineas.

It is worth while to look back and see what were the opinions and judgments formed by men of talents at certain periods of time, and to compare them with succeeding events. In this view the sentiments of this work must deserve attention.

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EXTRAORDINARY SURGICAL CASE.

Upon opening the body of a man who died last year in Guy's hospital, London, sixteen large clasp knives, such as are used by sailors, were found in the stomach and intestines. The hafts of them were entirely decomposed, and the iron work partly so. The account given by himself was, that several years ago he had swallowed six of his mess-mates' knives in a drunken frolic, and that feeling no immediate bad consequences, he had on two subsequent + Children.

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For these two years

occasions swallowed twelve or thirteen more. past he had applied, at frequent intervals, for admission into various hospitals, and he was uniformly dismissed as an impostor, on telling his strange story. He was received into Guy's only a few weeks before his death, after having been stripped and minutely examined by Doctor Babington and Mr. Astley Cooper.

TITLE OF A BILL.

The following title of a bill, passed through the house of commons of Great Britain, presents the most crowded collection of epithets we ever recollect to have seen employed to make out the cognomen of an act of parliament: "The stage-coach outside-passengers' numerical limitation bill." We surely want another act to be called, "The act of parliament substantive-adjective numerical limitation bill;" and an act of parliament, like a stage-coach, should be "licensed to carry not exceeding four" cognomens.

AN ECLIPSE HISSED.

The following national trait is recorded in a note to the novel of Corinna: "It having been announced at Bologna, that an eclipse of the sun would take place at two o'clock in the day, the people collected in the market-place to behold it, and, impatient at its delay, called for it with petulance, as they would for an actor who made them wait. At length it began; but the cloudy weather preventing it from producing a grand effect, they began to hiss with great tumult, not finding the show equal to their expectation."

Anecdote of Garrick and the king of England.

During the year 1778 their majesties in reviewing the summer encampments visited Winchester, and honoured the college with their presence. Dr. Warton's house was filled at that time with men of high and acknowledged talents, among whom were lord Palmerston, sir Joshua Reynolds, Messrs. Stanley, J. Warton and Garrick. To the last a very whimsical accident occurred. The horse that carried him to the review, on his casually alighting, by some means got loose and ran away. In this dilemma, assuming the attitude of Richard he exclaimed amidst the astonished soldiers, "a horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse," which reaching the king's ears, his majesty said, "these must be the tones of Garrick: see if he is not on the ground.”

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