and grey hair dressed in a mode fashionable before the flood—­a few fat mothers of promising families—­some eldest daughters now nubile—­a female of no particular age, with a beard—­two widows, the one buxom and blooming, with man-fond eyes, the other pale and pensive, with long, dark eye-lashes, and lids closed as if to hide a tear—­there they all sit steaming through three courses—­well does the right hand of the one know what the left hand of the other is doing—­there is much suffering, mingled with much enjoyment—­for though hot, they are hungry—­while all idea of speaking having been, from the commencement of the feast, unanimously abandoned—­you might imagine yourself at an anniversary GAUDEAMUS of the Deaf and Dumb.—­Blackwood’s Mag.

* * * * *

THE SCOLD.

IMITATED FROM BERNI.

  To dine on devils without drinking,
  To want a seat when almost sinking,
  To pay to-day—­receive to-morrow,
  To sit at feasts in silent sorrow,
  To sweat in winter—­in the boot
  To feel the gravel cut one’s foot,
  Or a cursed flea within the stocking
  Chase up and down—­are very shocking: 
  With one hand dirty, one hand clean,
  Or with one slipper to be seen: 
  To be detain’d when most in hurry,
  Might put Griselda in a flurry;—­
  But these, and every other bore,
  If to the list you add a score,
  Are not so bad, upon my life,
  As that one scourge—­a scolding wife!

New Monthly Magazine.

* * * * *

SELECT BIOGRAPHY

LEDYARD THE TRAVELLER.

Concluded from page 113.

Ledyard was one of the marines who were present at Cook’s death, of which he gives an account (as appears from extracts of his journal already mentioned,) somewhat different from that in the authentic narrative of the voyage—­and different, also, we must add, from his own private journal, which, at least the portion of it relating to that event, is still in the Admiralty.  It must be mentioned in favour of Ledyard’s sagacity, that the visit to Nootka Sound suggested to him the commercial advantages to be derived from a trade between the north-west coast of America and China; and the views which he took of this subject very much influenced the succeeding events of his life.

Towards the end of December, 1782, we find Ledyard serving on board a king’s ship in Long Island Sound, from which he obtained leave of absence to visit his mother; but, either from a sense of duty and honour, which obliged him not to act with the enemies of his country, or from a dislike of the service, he never returned.  He had conceived, and now began to endeavour to execute, the grand project of a trading voyage to Nootka; for this purpose he went to New York and Philadelphia, and, after addressing himself to various individuals, he prevailed at last on the Honourable Robert Morris to promise him a ship.  The projected voyage, however, was ultimately abandoned.