But what are the sensations which enter the heart of a young and innocent girl when she first confesses the passion that fills her heart?  A tender sadness pervades her being—­her soul, touched by the hand of Love, delivers itself to the influence of all the nobler emotions of her nature; and borne heavenward on the organ’s solemn peal, pours forth its rich treasures in silent and grateful adoration.

[Illustration]

At thirty, a man takes a more decided—­I wish I could add a more amiable—­character than at twenty.  At twenty he loves sincerely and devotedly; he respects the woman who has inspired him with the noblest sentiment of which his soul is capable.  At thirty his heart, hardened by deceit and ill-requited affection, and pre-occupied by projects of worldly ambition, regards love only as an agreeable pastime, and woman’s heart as a toy, which he may fling aside the moment it ceases to amuse him.  At twenty he is ready to abandon everything for her whom he idolises—­rank, wealth, the future!—­they weigh as nothing in the balance against the fancied strength and constancy of his passion.  At thirty he coldly immolates the repose and happiness of the woman who loves him to the slightest necessity.  I must admit, however—­in justice to our sex—­provided his love does not interfere with his interest, nor his freedom, nor his club, nor his dogs and horses, nor his petites liaisons des coulisses, nor his hour of dinner—­the lover is always willing to make the greatest sacrifices for her whom he has honoured with his regards.  The man of thirty is, moreover, a man of many loves; he carries on half-a-dozen affairs of the heart at the same time—­he has his writing-desk filled with billets-doux, folded into a thousand fanciful shapes, and smelling villanously of violets, roses, bergamot, and other sentimental odours.  He has a pocket-book full of little locks of hair, of all colours, from the light golden to the raven black.  In short, the man of thirty is the most dangerous of lovers.  Let my fair readers watch his approaches with distrust, and place at every avenue of their innocent hearts

[Illustration:  A WATCHFUL SENTINEL.]

[Illustration:  Alph.  Lecourt]

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A DEER BARGAIN.

In consequence of an advertisement in the Sporting Magazine for SEVERAL OLD BUCKS, some daring villains actually secured the following venerable gentlemen:—­Sir Francis Burdett, Lord Palmerston, Sir Lumley Skeffington, Jack Reynolds, and Mr. Widdicombe.  The venison dealer, however, declined to purchase such very old stock, and the aged captives upon being set at liberty heartily congratulated each other on their

[Illustration:  NARROW ESCAPE.]

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OUT OF SCHOOL.