Whether our idiot did not comprehend the behaviour of his mistress, I cannot say; certain it is, he went home well contented with the success he imagined he had gained towards winning her heart.  But, in reality, she was disgusted with his foolery, and ceased paying any more visits to her female friend, in order to avoid the sight of so strange a lover.

John, however, was a kind of philosopher, and calmly sustained his love misfortunes.  A particular occurrence happened which will somewhat account for this passive resignation.  One evening, during a solitary walk, he saw his identical mistress in company with a young French officer.  He walked sullenly home, wrote some verses on the inconstancy of women, drew from recollection a portrait of the cruel fair, which he hung in his study, and banished his former pretences.  Report says, that he lived the remainder of his days in a state of celibacy.  G.W.N.

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SIR HUMPHRY DAVY.

Sincerely do we regret to announce the death of this great and good man—­the most celebrated philosopher of our times, who has done more for the happiness of his species than any associated Academy in Europe.  He died at Geneva, May 29, aged 51.  We shall endeavour to do justice to his talents and amiable character, in a Memoir to be published at the close of this volume of THE MIRROR—­prefixed to which will be a fine Portrait of the illustrious deceased.

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SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY.

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DISCOVERY OF THE FATE OF LA PEROUSE.

Abridged from the United Service Journal.

The fate of this celebrated French navigator, which for upwards of forty years has remained enveloped in mystery, has at length been satisfactorily ascertained, a result that is owing to the active and spirited exertions of our gallant and enterprising countryman Captain Dillon.

It is a remarkable circumstance, that the discovery of the relics of La Perouse, arose out of the massacre of the ship Hunter’s crew, at the Feejee Islands, in 1813.

In this unfortunate affair, fourteen persons in all, from the ship Hunter, lost their lives.  The two that escaped with Mr. Dillon, were William Wilson and Martin Buchart, a Prussian, who resided for two years at Bough.  The latter entreated captain Robson to give him and his Bough wife a passage to the first land at which he might arrive, as they would certainly be sacrificed if they returned to the island.  Having made Tucopia on the 20th of September, Buchart, his wife, and a Lascar, were put on shore, and the Hunter proceeded on her voyage to Canton.