The proportion of deaths to the population is nearly one-third less in England than in France.  Comparing the two capitals, the average mortality of London is about one-fifth less than that of Paris.  What may appear a more singular statement, the proportion of deaths in London, a vast and luxurious metropolis, differs only by a small fraction from that of the whole of France; and is considerably less than the average of those Mediterranean shores which are especially frequented by invalids for the sake of health.  In Italy, the proportion of deaths is a full third greater than in England; and even in Switzerland and Sweden, though the difference be less, it is still in favour of our own country.—­Q.  Rev.

* * * * *

NEWSPAPER LOVE.

The paper so highly esteemed, entitled, The Courier de l’Europe, originated in the following circumstances:—­

“Monsieur Guerrier de Berance was a native of Auvergne, whose fortune in the origin was very low, but who by his intrigues succeeded in gaining the place of Procureur General of the Custom-house.  He married two wives; the name of the last was Millochin, who was both young and handsome.  She soon began to find out that her husband was very disagreeable; and what caused her more particularly to remark his faults was her contrasting him with M. Cevres de la Tour, with whom she fell most desperately in love.  This passion became so violent, that Madame Guerrier fled into England with her lover, who, in his turn, left his wife behind him in Paris.  The finances of these two lovers growing rather low, M. Sevres de la Tour, who was a man of talent, thought, as a plan to enrich himself, to turn editor to a newspaper, and for this purpose started the Courier de l’Europe, which succeeded beyond his most sanguine hopes.  Disgust, which commonly follows these sort of unions, caused Madame Guerrier to be deserted by her lover, and she was obliged to turn a teacher of languages for her subsistence.—­The Album of Love.

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

  “A snapper-up of unconsidered trifles.”

SHAKSPEARE.

* * * * *

REPLY TO THE DIRGE ON MISS ELLEN GEE, OF KEW.

(See Mirror, page 223.)

  Forgive, ye beauteous maids of Q,
    The much relenting B,
  Who vows he never will sting U,
    While sipping of your T.

  One nymph I wounded in the I,
    The charming L N G,
  The fates impell’d, I know not Y,
    The luckless busy B.

  And oh recall the sentence U
    Pass’d on your humble B,
  Let me remain at happy Q,
    Send me not o’er the C.

  And I will mourn upon A U,
    The death of L N G,
  And all the charming maids of Q
    Will pity the poor B.