written on the walls in letters of flame, with several other names which I do not now remember.

My companion whispered me that some of these were suspected of communication with the evil genii, and that the demon of War had been seen to resort to the cave. "But now," said the pilgrim, "I will lead you to enchanters who deserve all your vencration, and are even more beneficent than those you have already seen." He then led me to a cavern that opened upon the sea-shore: it blew a terrible storm, the waves ran mountains high, the wind roared, and vessels were driven against each other with a terrible shock. A female figure advanced and threw a little oil upon the waves; they immediately subsided, the winds were still, the storm was laid, and the vessels pursued their course in safety. "By what magic is this performed ?" exclaimed I. "The magician is Meekness," replied my conductor: "she can smooth the roughest sea, and allay the wildest storm."

My view was next directed to a poor wretch, who lay groaning in a most piteous manner, and crushed to the earth with a mountain on his breast; he uttered piercing shrieks, and seemed totally unable to rise or help himself. One of these good magicians, whose name I found was Patience, advanced and struck the mountain with a wand; on which, to my great surprise, it diminished to a size not more than the load of an ordinary porter, which the man threw over his shoulders, with something very like a smile, and marched off with a firm step and very composed air.

I must not pass over a charmer of a very pleasing appearance and lively aspect. She possessed the power (a very useful one in a country so subject

to fogs and rain as this is) of gilding a landscape with sunshine whenever she breathed upon it. Hier name was Cheerfulness. Indeed you may remember that your papa brought her down with him on that very rainy day when we could not go out at all, and he played on his flute to you, and you all

danced.

I was next struck, on ascending an eminence, with a most dreary landscape. All the flat country was one stagnant marsh. Amidst the rushy grass lay the fiend Ague, listless and shivering: on the bare and bleak hills sat Famine, with a few shells of acorns before her, of which she had eaten the fruit. The woods were tangled and pathless; the howl of wolves was heard. A few smoky huts, or caves, not much better than the dens of wild beasts, were all the habitations of men that presented themselves. "Miserable country!" I exclaimed; "step-child of nature!" "This," said my conductor, "is Britain as our ancestors possessed it." "And by what magic," I replied, "has it been converted into the pleasant land we now inhabit?" "You shall see," said he. "It has been the work of one of our most powerful magicians. Her name is Industry." At the word she advanced and waved her wand over the scene. dually the waters ran off into separate channels, and left rich meadows covered with innumerable flocks and herds. The woods disappeared, except what waved gracefully on the tops of the hills, or filled up the unsightly hollows. Wherever she moved her wand, roads, bridges, and canals laid open and improved the face of the country. A numerous population, spread abroad in the fields, were gathering in the harvest. Smoke from warm cottages ascended through the trees, pleasant towns

Gra

and villages marked the several points of distance. Last, the Thames was filled with forests of masts, and proud London appeared with all its display of wealth and grandeur.

I do not know whether it was the pleasure I received from this exhilarating scene, or the carriage having just got upon the pavement, which awakened me; but I am determined to write out my dream, and advise you to cultivate your ac quaintance with all the true Arts of Magic. MRS. BARBAULD.

PIC NIC.

PRAY, mamma, what is the meaning of pic-nic? I have heard lately once or twice of a pic-nic supper, and I cannot think what it means; I looked for the word in Johnson's Dictionary, and could not find it.

I should wonder if you had; the word was not coined in Johnson's time; and if it had been, I believe he would have disdained to insert it among the legitimate words of the language. I cannot tell you the derivation of the phrase; I believe pic-nic is originally a chat word, and was first applied to a supper or other meal in which the entertainment is not provided by any one person, but each of the guests furnishes his dish. In a pic-nic supper one supplies the fowls, another the fish, another the wine and fruit, &c.; and they all sit down together and enjoy it.

A very sociable way of making an entertainment. Yes, and I would have you observe, that the principle of it may be extended to many other things. No one has a right to be entertained gra.

tis in society; he must expend, if he wishes to enjoy. Conversation, particularly, is a pic-nic feast, where every one is to contribute something, according to his genius and ability. Different talents and acquirements compose the different dishes of the entertainment, and the greater variety, the better; but every one must bring something, for society will not tolerate any one long who lives wholly at the expense of his neighbours. Did not you observe how agreeably we were entertained at Lady Isabella's party last night?

Yes: one of the young ladies sung, and another exhibited her drawings; and a gentleman told some very good stories.

True: another lady, who is very much in the fashionable world, gave us a great deal of anecdote; Dr. R., who is just returned from the continent, gave us an interesting account of the state of Germany; and in another part of the room a cluster was gathered round an Edinburgh student and a young Oxonian, who were holding a lively debate on the power of galvanism. But Lady Isabella herself was the charm of the party.

I think she talked very little; and I do not recollect any thing she said which was particularly striking.

That is true. But it was owing to her address and attention to her company that others talked and were heard by turns; that the modest were encouraged and drawn out, and those inclined to be noisy restrained and kept in order. She blended and harmonized the talents of each; brought those together who were likely to be agreeable to each other, and gave us no more of herself than was necessary to set off others. I noticed particularly her good offices to an accomplished but very bashful

lady and a reserved man of science, who wished much to be known to each other, but who would never have been so without her introduction. As soon as she had fairly engaged them in an interesting conversation, she left them, regardless of her own entertainment, and seated herself by poor Mr.

-, purely because he was sitting in a corner and no one attended to him. You know that in chemical preparations two substances often require a third, to enable them to mix and unite together. Lady Isabella possesses this amalgamating power: -this is what she brings to the pic-nic. I should add, that two or three times I observed she dexterously changed topics, and suppressed stories which were likely to bear hard on the profession or connexions of some of the company. In short, the party which was so agreeable under her harmonizing influence, would have had quite a different aspect without her. These merits, however, might easily escape a young observer. But I dare say you did not fail to notice Sir Henry B's lady, who was declaiming with so much enthusiasm, in the midst of a circle of gentlemen which she had drawn around her, upon the beau ideal.

No, indeed, mamma; I never heard so much fire and feeling-and what a flow of elegant language! I do not wonder her eloquence was so much admired.

She has a great deal of eloquence and taste: she has travelled, and is acquainted with the best works of art. I am not sure, however, whether the gentlemen were admiring most her declamation or the fine turn of her hands and arms She has a different attitude for every sentiment. Some observations which she made upon the beauty of statues, seemed to me to go to the verge of what a