consented, he was then allowed to go away without any bodily chastisement. Scarcely had he left the house, when Mademoiselle and Hippolyte called in Annette, and all three laughed heartily at the expense of that old fool. I had been so much interested and delighted by the already related French trick, that I did not even imagine that we had been there more than an hour; but Asmodeus informed me of it by saying,"It is past one o'clock. Do you wish me to show you any thing particular before our departure for Petersburg?" "Yes, I should like to enter into the sanctum sanctorum, or the private cabinet of the editor of *****." "With pleasure," quoth my infernal Cicerone; and in an instant I was conducted there. It was a large comfortable room, but rather dirty and disorderly. I remarked upon its walls several geographical maps, and the portraits of the most celebrated Conservatives. Nearly in its centre stood an almost square table, upon which lay a brilliant patent studying lamp, several dictionaries of dead and living languages, a bronze inkstand with black and blue ink, cuttings from different journals, proofs of leaders, writing paper, a gold snuff-box, and a large tumbler filled with gin. A rather stout clumsily made short gentleman, sitting in a comfortable arm-chair, was leaning on the table, and supporting his head with his left hand, apparently reading or meditating; but, as he now and then snored loudly, it was evident that he had fallen into a profound sleep. "Poor man!" said I," he must have worked very hard both with his mind and pen; how soundly he sleeps!" "Yes, yes," retorted Asmodeus, with an air of sarcasm, "pity the poor man, because he has been indeed working very hard, since, within the last three hours, he has emptied a quart bottle of gin and two pint bottles of champagne." "Oh! oh!" quoth I, much surprised, "it seems almost impossible." "I agree with you there," rejoined my informant, "but it is a fact. "That gentleman, renowned for intelligence and truth, could not write any of his highly-spirited thundering leaders without such stimulants. In fact, it is not from his extensive knowledge and unimpeachable principlesal one, but chiefly from spirituous liquors, that he derives his unrivalled Conservative, religious, and political inspirations, and the nerve and elegance of his inimitable gentlemanly style." While Asmodeus was going on with his observations, the door of his cabinet was several times knocked forcibly, but uselessly. A person at last entered, and having with great diffi culty succeeded in awaking the editor, presented to him a sealed parcel, and withdrew. As soon as the messenger disappeared, the gentleman whose countenance bespoke anxiety, debauch, cowardice, and pride, having rubbed his sunken eyes, swallowed the contents of the tumbler, and, unsealing the parcel, began to peruse it with attention, gaping and belching almost at every line he read; but a cough having seized him, he disgorged a quantity of liquid matter which infected the room with a disagreeable odour. As, until then, I had considered him to be the pattern of a perfect gentleman, his disgusting behaviour displeased me so much that I begged of my infernal guide to deliver me from the sight of such a beast; and my request having been complied with, I was soon after sailing most rapidly through the atmosphere towards Petersburg. Asmodeus began then to rally me respecting the shabby figure the radicals have cut during the late general elections, and particularly annoyed me by mentioning several of the most famous leaders of the General Radical Association, who, having foolishly and unblushingly dared to become parliamentary candidates in opposition both to Tories and Whigs, have been most shamefully defeated, thus exposing to deserved ridicule the whole of their party. Being unable to advance any thing against facts, I prudently turned the conversation by asking, "What do you think of the present state of Hanover?" "By Don Cleofas Tuxillo," exclaimed Asmodeus, "you are a wonderful shuffler, Mr. Incognito. I truly pity you, because, instead of acknowledging manly and honestly the discomfiture of the radicals, all of a sudden you have made a jump from England to Hanover." "C'est vrai," cried I quite ashamed, "yes, I have been wrong, and beg to be forgiven, candidly avowing that the greatest part of the radicals of the present day, under the cloak of friends of the people, conceal the ugliness of their public and private character, and that they possess neither talents nor property." "Bravo!" said Asmodeus, "since you have made amends I will now answer your last question by assuring you, that if Ernest of Hanover does not shortly retrace his steps, neither he nor his son can reign long in that kingdom. The Hanoverians are not so tame and passive as some people think them to be, and, instruction being widely spread amongst them, they will soon unite to assert their constitutional rights. On the other hand, Ernest has already been abandoned by his English friends, who, perhaps, have unjustly been accused of having had a hand in his Royal Letters Patent, and he will experience the same fate from the rulers of Germany." “But,” remarked I," will not Prussia, Austria, and the Ger man confederation support him?" "No," replied Asmodeus, "and if they would they could not; they may, however, remain neutral, but they cannot openly sanction his unconstitutional attempt without endangering the tranquillity of their own states. Nay, mark what I tell you. The king of Hanover is already very sorry for what he has foolishly and rashly done, and, malgré lui, is endeavouring to calm the storm he has raised, and probably sooner than you imagine, the abrogation of the Royal Letters Patent will be officially announced. But, continued he, "what do you think will be the result of the late general elections?" "Upon my honour," replied I, "your question is very perplexing to me; I really don't know what to say, since both the Tories and the Whigs claim the victory. However, a change of administration must shortly take place, because, notwithstanding their boasting of the present ministers, it may be justly said that they are Verba, et Voces, prætereaque Nihil." "You have spoken good sound sense," answered Asmodeus, "but you are nevertheless mistaken, for, entre nous, the Whigs sticking both to power and emoluments equally as much as the Tories, if not more, will not give up their places, unless they are kicked out by the Sovereign; but as the Queen is at present almost exclusively surrounded by their most intimate friends and supporters and as she is in the mean time too young and inexperienced to act after her own judgment and will, your supposition cannot be realized." Besides, Leopold is coming to England, and as his Belgian majesty obtained and holds a crown chiefly through the support of the Whigs, he will of course endeavour to keep them in office as long as it is possible. "And what good can the Whigs do with the present house?" inquired I. "What they have done during the last session," quoth Asmodeus" humbug the people by wonderful promises, palaver, palaver, and palaver again, but, after all, perform next to nothing for the welfare of the nation." Thereupon Asmodeus began a long dis sertation, spoke of the possibility of the Whigs and Tories coalescing but while he was most wisely reasoning, I, being greatly exhausted in consequence of my nocturnal rambles, fell asleep. (To be continued.) * SONG OF SEVILLE. BY F. W. N. BAYLEY.. WHERE the clustering olives fling Spanish peasants throng the lawn, Dews of crystal gem the flowers, LETTERS FROM GERMANY. September, 1836. THE attractiveness of various cities may, I conceive, be moderately well estimated by the time which travellers, who are quite unfe tered by engagements, may find it pleasant to sojourn in each. According to our experience in this respect, the latter part of a week proved tedious in Hamburgh; nine days amply sufficed for both Berlni and Potsdam; six for Dresden, and two for Prague. Yet, after loiter ing three weeks in Vienna, we left it not without regret, having become familiarized to the listless system of lounging which so generally prevails. The luxury and languor of the Austrian capital certainly afford an extreme contrast to the Spartan-like habits and temperance of the Prussian people. From Vienna to Lintz the country possesses beauty of a muca higher order than any extensive district that had before met our view in Germany: on our left were the snowy mountains of Styria, at various distances rising behind each other, and on the right the Danube occasionally appeared flowing through an undulating country of much woody variety; the practical operations of agriculture seemed also to be conducted in this quarter on a system superior to any that had before been observed. The beautiful site of a convent, which crowns an eminence in this neighbourhood, can scarcely be too much admired; and Napoleon having resided here for some time, when his army visited Austria in 1809, has given to it more celebrity than all the holy deeds of its former tenants. At Molk, where we hurriedly dined, a pleasing instance of the delicate tenderness of Austrian manners attracted my attention. The landlady of the inn was, when we entered it, presiding at a table, surrounded by several guests, and assisted by her only son. On the party breaking up, the latter advancing towards his mother, kissed her hand in the prettiest possible manner. There was certainly no affectation in this act of dutiful tenderness, for it was only accidentally observed, and, though no doubt practised daily, yet seemed to be an ever acceptable homage to maternal feeling. The interesting and intelligent countenance of the youth added to this circumstance, and his speaking a little imperfect English could hardly fail to create towards him some feeling of interest. Lintz is a clean, respectable-looking town, surrounded by a beautiful country, with hills finely wooded and interspersed with patches of verdure and cultivation. In the suburbs we observed some very singularly formed experimental forts, of the military merits of which I cannot speak, but their appearance is much the reverse of handsoine. A railway of considerable extent is already in operation from Lintz to Budweis; but the Austrian government is not very favourable to the rapid movement principle, and, although it has sanctioned some railway schemes, has hitherto refused its consent to many others. Among the rejected is one from Milan to Venice, which could not have failed to prove highly important to that rich and populous dis trict of level Lombardy, and would have greatly facilitated the movements of all the travelling members of the community. On entering the principal confectioner's shop here, to spunge away a little time, we were addressed by its master, not with the quiet bonhomie of Germany, but with all the ardour and animation of a Parisian. The vender of sweets and pastry had been a soldier, and accidentally cast into this district on the breaking up of the French army in 1813, when, finding that the good people of Lintz were not well supplied with bons-bons, he condescended to embrace his present occupation, and pretty broadly insinuated that his having done so was one of the greatest benefits the town had received. Indeed after having enjoyed his puffs of both kinds, we were compelled to confess ourselves of a similar opinion. A leading question was addressed in order to ascertain whether the vocation adopted was quite new to him; but the old militaire would not commit his respectability by a confession; for though there was no disgrace in being compelled by the fortune of war to adopt his present pursuit, yet to confess having been brought up to the kneading trough was a degree of candour not to be thought of. Saltzbourg possesses some beauty, and is picturesquely situated on the river Salza, and environed by mountains. Its neighbourhood is said to contain one of the finest cemeteries in Austria; and having a strong admiration for tastefulness in these retreats from trouble, you may conceive the feeling with which I ascertained this fact, after being at a distance of twenty miles from the town. This district is honoured by the appellation of the Austrian Switzerland, and its mountains rejoice in a style of beauty peculiar to themselves, being of ample height and variety of form and forest, without rising into the grandeur of sterility and snow. The weather happened not to be clear during our sojourn, but there were some fine occasional openings of the mist, to which a purer atmosphere could scarcely have afforded any thing superior. The imperial salt mine is entered on one side of the mountain by a long gallery, after which there is a succession of steps and slides ending in another gallery, which conducts the visitor out on the opposite side of the mountain. The distance traversed from the entrance to the point of exit is stated to be 6000 yards, which occupied us above an hour, and the ventilation was so perfect that no inconvenience from either damp or cold was felt. I am unable to state the angle of the slides, but it seemed to be one of about thirty-five degrees. The smooth round poles down which we slid were placed near each other, and on our right was a very stout rope, by putting one leg under which, and firmly grasping it in the hand, sufficient power was given to moderate the rapidity of the descent. Thus placed, reclining on our backs, we shot down, and the lamps in our hands gleamed like falling stars. The height of the A Mahometan black once pleased me with a prettily poetic idea of his creed, that the stars were the disembodied spirits of men; and on enquiring how he accounted for the meteors, known by him as fallen stars, he replied in broken English, “* That one do bad, Allah be angry, and he run.' How lovely is the starry sky, That di'mond-studded zone, |