and yet her deportment is certainly in the highest degree genteel. Your lady at Frascati's is present not so much to play herself, as by her charms, to attract players thither. Here however the attendance is for a quite different object. "The play, the play's the thing." And most surely by that play is her conscience caught. Heart, soul, mind, affections,-all are prostrated to that one fell seducer! Her weakness will be looked upon 66 more in sorrow than in anger." It sends a flush to the cheek, quivering to the lips, wildness to the eyes, and desolation to the soul. Many of the ladies here seem to be professional gamesters; and those who do not station themselves deliberately at the table, with mace, and a little counting-paper and pin before them, very generally wander till midnight through the illuminated halls, every now and then pausing to venture a napoleon at rouge et noir.

If you would be in keeping, dress yourself at three for dinner, and repair again to the Assembly Rcom. The Germans, having enjoyed their table d'hôte at one o'clock, are now lounging in the open air, before the hall, sipping coffee, smoking pipes, and listening to music, which plays till five. At this hour you enter the grand public dining. room; and amidst Englishmen, Frenchmen, Italians, Austrians, and Russians, and still some Germans, you enjoy a very cleverly-cooked meal. Now comes round the music-man with a little plate; into which you may, or may not, as you please, throw a few kreutzers.* Then comes round a body with leathern satchel under its arm, desiring to sell you the "Badische Blatt" for a few kreutzers more. This sheet contains the daily news of the village. Here you read the names of one hundred and nine Dukes, Counts, Earls, and Commoners, who have arrived since yesterday evening; and you moreover learn that up to this present twentieth of June, the number of arrivals for this season has been eight thousand five hundred. The leaf likewise contains an account of certain removals from No. 2, to No. 8; and how Madame Deschamps has just arrived with flowers and plumes from Paris; what is to be the opera for this evening, and when the next ball is to take place.

After dinner you may walk into the theatre. Like all those which in summer you may visit in Germany, its performance begins early and ends before dark. Between the pieces the audience, as at Carlsruhe, quit the house, take a half-hour's promenade through the fresh gar dens, with ice and conversation, and then return to enjoy the conclusion. The evening until twelve may be spent in conversation, reading foreign news, listening to music, walking through the brilliant and crowded assembly rooms, or as I spend this, in noting down the sights and sounds of the day.

The custom of at once addressing two senses, and through a happy intermingling of music with their banquets, of aiding digestion, is very general among the Germans. I have taken many early breakfasts at Munich, in the presence of a playing band. To the gardens of the Austrian metropolis crowds of Viennois resort each day at six o'clock, to satisfy any evening appetite, and listen to music from the orchestras of Strauss, Lanner, or Morelli. All the hotels at Baden, and several at Dresden, Berlin, and other cities of Germany, have in their dining halls an alcove or balcony constructed for the musicians, who are indispensable. The Eermans do not so much seem to listen to music while taking their meals, as to enjoy their meals while listening to music.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE WIDE-AWAKE CLUB.

EDITED BY

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"TWIG."

TIMMINS'S CHAUNT PHIGGINS AND THE GOLD WATCH-AIKEN DRUM OF THE CANONGATE AND THE TOWN-COUNCIL A CAROUSE WITH SOME

ENGLISH NOBLEMEN.

THE readers of Bentley's Miscellany must by this time have imagined that the publication of any more transactions of "THE WIDE-AWAKE CLUB" was not contemplated. The proceedings of this sapient association of convivial souls, however, whose peculiar and cherished characteristic is to keep their ogles in a state of cognoscent extension and attention to the goings on, hic et ubique, in this our sublunary sphere, are of too much importance to the world not to be chronicled, from the almost religious necessity that hourly exists for every man and woman, high and low, from "duke to dustman, peeress to periwinkle-seller," to preserve their precious sight, and keep their eyes "WIDE AWAKE!"

Having determined therefore to pay a visit to our ancient friends at the Three Pies, we quietly ensconed ourself in the parlour till the Club should assemble above stairs, and the time for the introduction of visitors arrive. At length "The messenger from the Lords" presented himself in the person of Timmins, and we received the friendly greetings of the same parties we met on our first visit, with many additions. The president as before occupied the head, and the other worthies previously introduced were to be found in their respective places. There was a good deal of mysterious whispering at the presidential end, and winks given ever and anon to the simpering Timmins by Mr. Jinks and Shortcut. At that the president rose, and spoke as follows :—

"Gentlemen of the WIDE AWAKE CLUB! this being an evening devoted to harmony, and as well as to the other important purposes of the society, I beg to propose that we lose no time. Mr. Timmins will I believe set the melodious example to-night, and therefore I knock him down for a song."

"Mr. Timmins' song!" re-echoed throughout the room.

Timmins laid down the pipe, took a pull at his glass of grog,-Lemonsqueezer was below, superintending the manufacture of a bowl of punch, and clearing his throat with a preliminary a-hem! struck up the following chaunt, which it will be seen is in celebration of the association.

TIMMINS' WIDE AWAKE CHAUNT.

"Come fill, jolly fellows! pass the song and the joke,

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While grim Death has not yet each frail corpus bespoke ;

Let us sing, and while jovial our toddy we take,

Thank Heaven that we're happy, and all WIDE AWAKE! Tol de rol, lol dẹ rol.

Experience teaches both foolish and wise:

What's the use of your sight, if you don't use your eyes?

In the deep game of life mind you watch well your stake,

Playing honest and fair, lads! but still WIDE AWAKE. Tol de rol, &c.

"To all who are single this maxim I press,

Don't be blinded by Love when your fair you address.

Twill save years of pain if due caution you take,

And though loving your wife, boys! still keep WIDE AWAKE! Tol de rol, &c.

"The Power of Good, we are told by the books,

Sends us meat, but the Power of Evil the cooks ;

Let's look sharp after those who our sustenance bake,

Would we get honest bread we must be WIDE AWAKE! Tol de rol, &c.

"These habits of life that I've stitched into rhyme,

Believe me, will wear out a very long time;

And when of this world our leave we must take,

Let's hope in a better we'll be WIDE AWAKE! Fol de rol, &c."

After the applause with which the effort of Mr. Timmins had been greeted had subsided, Mr. Lemonsqueezer entered the room with a flowing bowl of punch; which, as it was "Liberty Hall" where every man might do as he pleased, the said Lemonsqueezer at the suggestion of Timmins had manufactured for a few choice spirits. It certainly did justice to Mr. L.'s knowledge of the occult action of certain agents employed in convivial chemistry; and so high were the encomiums passed upon it, that the president requested permission to join the party which was readily granted. A glass or two had the effect of recalling some WIDE AWAKE reminiscences, as the following will show.

"It was, as near as I can recollect, about ten years since," said Mr. Phiggins, "on a nice Sunday's afternoon in the month of May, I was taking a leisure stroll among the green lanes about Southgate. I had no companion with me but an old spaniel lady dog

"A what, Mr. President?" interrupted Jinks.

6

"A lady dog, Mr. Jinks,-vulgarians say bitch, but I call a wellbred animal of the canine species of the female sex, a lady-dog. Well, as I was saying, I had no one with me but Fan, and there she was, rollicking and sporting about as well as her fatness would let her. She had got some short distance a-head of me, for I had stopped to gather a bunch of sweet-smelling May from a hedge, when I heard her give the customary short bark when something strange ever met her view. On coming up what was my surprise at finding a very handsome gold watch, chain and seals lying on the footpath. Hollo, Fan!' said I, 'this is a fortunate find for thee!' Of course I picked up the article. The watch was going, and was not in the slightest degree injured; neither were the chain or seals. On further inspection I discovered no mark by which I could trace out the owner; the watch was of foreign make, and of expressive character. The seals gave no initials: one had a crest of a lion rampant; the other had a harp, and a few words in French, as I supposed, which I could not make out. Well I put it into my pocket, and immediately returned home.

"Next morning I left the watch in Mrs. P.'s possession, with strict injunctions to keep the matter secret; and, to do my wife justice, she could keep a secret. Well," continued Phiggins, "when I got to town, after looking over my letters, &c. I went to Peele's Coffeehouse, and ransacked all the papers to see if there was any advertisement of a watch lost, and I could not find any. The next day I did the same, and strange to say, again there was no notice. Well, I thought as the gentleman does not think proper to advertise he has lost a watch, I'll advertise that I have found one; and so I wrote the following :'Found, a valuable watch, chain and seals. Whoever has lost the same may have them restored by describing the property, and on payment of the expenses of this advertisement. Apply to Mr. Peter Phiggins, WoodbineCottage, Southgate,'-and inserted it in the Times.

6

"When I returned home to dinner on Wednesday, the day the advertisement appeared, I found that a person was at the Cherry Tree, where he had been waiting a couple of hours, and who my servant said had called about a watch lost,' and who she said she could not understand at all.' Luckily Mrs. Phiggins was out of the way, having gone to see our little boy at school at Highgate, and the girl not knowing of the lost and found, it stands to reason she might well be puzzled. I instantly sent her down to the inn to announce my arrival to the stranger, and shortly afterwards a very handsome, well-appointed tilbury drove up, and a tall well-dressed young man alighted. He had the look and appearance of a person who was in what is termed the higher sporting circles. On coming into my parlour, he bowed gracefully, and on motioning him to a seat, took a chair, and drew it towards the table with all the ease in the world. He commenced the conversation thus:

"You are the gentleman, I presume, who inserted the advertise. ment respecting the finding of a watch ?' I am, sir.'

"Society ought to be proud of such men as you, Mr.—what is your good name, sir?'- Phiggins, at your service.'

"Phiggins ?-Phiggins? What, of the firm of Phiggins, Brothers, of Basinghall Street ?-- The same.'

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6

My dear sir!' said he, offering his hand, and shaking mine cor dially, then you must know my father, Sir Jasper Woolpack, Mayor of H-, Yorkshire?'

"Very well, indeed. In trade a more worthy man does not exist. This is indeed curious,' said I.

"And fortunate too,' said the stranger, that my watch should be found by so worthy and honourable a man as Mr. Phiggins.'

"I hope it may prove to be your watch, Mr. Woolpack,' I replied; 'but that fact has not yet been proved. Another person may have lost a watch also ;' for you see I was WIDE AWAKE." And the President hit the three clinks.

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Hear, hear, hear!" responded omnes.

"True, true, Mr. Phiggins-I was indeed rather too premature in saying my watch. As a preliminary, however to settle the point, perhaps you will tell me where you found the watch.'

"Certainly,' I replied; but do not you think it would be as well first for you to tell me whereabouts you imagine you lost it? That stands to reason.'

"He hesitated a little, and said, looking me full in the face, I think I must have lost it between this place and London. I did not miss it till I got to town.'

"On what day?'

"Sunday,' he promptly replied.

"Only support this statement, Mr. Woolpack, by a description of the watch, chain, and seals lost, and I shall have great pleasure in handing you over the articles.'

"I cannot give a very accurate description of the watch, having only purchased it about a week since, and I really do not know the maker's It is a gold watch, however, and cost me forty guineas.'

name.

"English or French?'

6

“After a little hesitation he said, I believe English; though French works are now sold so often in English cases, that I won't speak positively.'

"The dial ?'—' Gold.'

"The hours-in figures or Roman capitals ?'-- In figures.' "The chain?'--' Gold curb.'

"And now, Mr. Woolpack, be so good as to describe the scals. Had you your initials engraved on one? Yes,'said he eagerly, ‘J. W.' And had you your crest on the other?'

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1

"The very think, my dear sir?' said he, starting up with exulta tion. I think I may now say it is my watch, Mr. Phiggins.'

"I shook my head. On the conrtary, Mr. Woolpack. It certainly is strange that you should have lost a gold watch and in this neighbourhood, that you should have lost it on Sunday,-and that I should have found a gold watch on Sunday in this neighbourhood--but the watch, chain, aad scals I found and have locked up in this drawer are not certainly, by your description, the watch, chain, and seals, you lost.'

"How, sir!' he replied in a tone of anger, do you mean to say two gentlemen should ose two watches in the same day in the same neighbourhood?'

"It is possible, Mr. Woolpac, though rather improbable.'

"Yes, sir, so improbable, that I do not believe any one would give credit to the statement. I tell you what, Mr. Phiggins,' he continued, the watch you have, I believe to be mine; it may, however, not be mine. I have given, as far as my recollection serves mc, the best description I could of the article for the short time I have had it in my posssession; now sir, you tell me that my description does not apply to the watch. Sir, I do not wish to impeach your probity; but allow me to say, that that answer may be made to the rightful owner, and you may remain possessor of the watch by telling one and all who may have lost such articles that the description doesn't answer !

"This nettled me. What, Mr. Woolpack, do you doubt my honour?' "I would as soon doubt that of my father. Sir Jasper; but is it not possible that men may be tempted by cupidity to gain possession of a chance prize by so casy a sacrifice of conscience, Mr. Phiggins?' "Well, sir, in a word, which must satisfy you: your initials, you say, were on one seal and your crest on another?' I do.' "What is your crest?'

"A lamb! time out of mind the crest of the Woolpacks.'

"Then: Mr. Woolpack, on my solemn oath, neither your crest nor initials are on either of the seals! and the chain is not a gold curb?' "Mr. Phiggins,' said he, I trust you will pardon the impetuosity of a young man; I cannot hesitate any longer to believe but that the watch is not mine--just grant me one favour; let me have ocular demonstration of the fact you have stated, and I will most earnestly beg your forgiveness for any reflection I may have made.'

"I do not know how it was, but there was so much earnestness and sincerity in his manner and looks, that I could not find it in my heart to refuse him; so I unlocked the drawer and showed him the watch. He threw a quick scrutinizing glance at the watch, chain and scals. looking attentively at the latter, and handing them back to me, pressed my hand. I noticed his face was flushed.

Mr. Phiggins, I entreat your pardon: it is a most extraordinary circumstance, you must admit, that two watches should have thus been lost. I know-yes! I know you will make an excuse for a gay man, anxious to regain that which had but so recently cost him so much money. I really feel ashamed to remain longer in your company after what I have said. Have I your forgiveness-tell me?'