THE MUSAEID.

No. II.THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1822.
Scrípsi, non otii abundantia, sed amoris erga te.
TULL.
'Tis not because we've nothing else to do;
We write, dear Ladies, from our love to you.

LETTERS TO RICHARD HEBER, Esa. M. P.-Old maids read novels for employment, and young maids read them for pleasure. But there are few women who peruse them with any critical intention, or who form opinions which may serve them for subsequent reflection. It may not be difficult to account for this. The motives of their reading are not of a studious or inquisitive nature; and the female disposition is not, of the grave and severe complexion, favourable to habits of deep and connected thought. There is still another reason which prevents them profiting, as they might do, from this fascinating species of literature. The two days allowed,' by Circulating Libraries, the grand repositoria of romance, are not sufficient for that close application of the mind without which no proper understanding of a book can be attained: and hence it is that, after the first excitement is abated, there is little remembered but the author, the plot, and the principal character..

The volume, which we have now before us, is not the result of such hasty and superficial discussion. It is framed by the hand of diligence and research; and we have no doubt, will prove both serviceable and amusing to the professed or real admirers of the Waverley Novels. The object of the letters is to prove by the internal evidence of these works, and of the avowed productions of Sir W. Scott, the identity of their author. The arguments are skilfully managed, and the proofs are as complete and satisfactory as we could be warranted in expecting from the resemblances which an author may be supposed to bear always to himself. Besides this, there is a taste, and elegance, predominant throughout, which cannot fail extremely to gratify the reader; and the numerous quotations are so judiciously selected, that they recal in the most lively manner, and with the most pleasing associations, the memory of the books them selves. Upon the whole, we cannot imagine a more rational or elegant entertainment than these letters are calculated to afford; and we recommend them to our fair friends, with the fullest conviction that they cannot fail to admire the acuteness and taste which is every where displayed by the author.

THE NEW BONNET.

-Dulcique animos novitate tenebo. OVID.

Shall I not tempt you?-'tis the sweetest thing,
And quite the newest, I have shown this spring.

• Don't detain me a moment; Mrs. Taylor has the sweetest little bonnet, I hear.' And are you going to have it?' said Volatile, accompanying the fair one in her hasty steps along the west side of the Square. I don't know yet, that depends upon Mamma; but I hope she will let me if I like it, for I am so tired of this ugly poke fashion-you can't imagine.' May I give you my opinion ?' said our friend, but the lady had vanished into the shop. Volatile however hovered round the door.

'Five guineas!' said the lovely Anne to her cousin, five guineas! what a terrible price! do you think any body will be so foolish as to buy it?' And not a single feather,' rejoined the other, nothing but a shabby bit of lace which has no one single recommendation but that of being foreign; I suppose feathers though are really not to be worn.'

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the step.
You don't like this famous bonnet Miss |
Glaise,' said Volatile. O dear no-Mamma its the
very same that Colonel Bouverie described in Hyde
Park a few weeks ago, and thought was so brutishly
staring.' 'Yes, my dear, I knew that.' Jane Arnold
looked very pretty in it though.'Yes, but consider,
her style of beauty-very different to your's-you know
Colonel Bouverie begged particularly that you would
not disgrace yourself by wearing such a thing: will
you go with us to Bancks', Mr. Volatile?' Volatile
declined the invitation, and the party passed on.

Excessively genteel,' said one of two sisters who were young twenty years ago, do you think it would become me?' Why e e e n-o-I dont think itexactly-would: something closer perhaps,' said the other, as if half afraid to intimate that the beautiful Mary must now begin to throw a little into the shade those charms which once it was her greatest pride to display. We'll try it again when there are not so many people in the room-I half fancy I may venture.'

A numerous company now issued from the shop, whose simultaneous chatterings pretty nearly resembled the clamour of a flight of lapwings. 'Eliza, did you like it?' I can't say that I did much.' Shamefully extravagant!' I'm sure I caught the pattern,' whispered one of the number. We'll try when we get home,' was the reply. 'You know we may easily get the velvet, and the blonde that trimmed our satin dresses last winter will do as well as any other, won't it-quite?' Volatile bowed to the party, 'but they were too busy to bark at him :' though there had been times, when not so interestingly occupied, he had feared the dislocation of every joint in his frame, from the contrary pullings of this formidable crew.

Well,' said an elderly lady to her niece, as she pressed on her arm to descend the step. Well, my dear, did you like this bonnet?' O yes! delightful!' said the other. Well, my dear, I can only say that I think its a perfect fright, and quite an indecent exposure of the face for any respectable female Now, my dear madam,' said Volatile, making an advance. Ha! Mr. Volatile is that you? How d'ye do? What were you going to say Mr. Volatile?' I was about to protest against your very old-fashioned notions, my dear madam. This is the first time a lady's face has stood any chance of being visible these five years, and now your matronly amathema is interposing to prevent it, consider, my dear madam, what a mortification it would have been in the days when you were young ?' 'Why Mr. Volatile to be sure, but then the times are very very different now a young lady might then walk along the streets and not encounter such a set of idle, dissipated young men, to stare her out of countenance as infest them now a days: for my part I'm an advocate for large bonnets, and I think that modest girls will do a great deal better to continue them, that's what I think.' Volatile smiled at the young lady, who did not seem exactly to coincide with her aunt's opinion. Emma, my dear, I want some muslin for night caps, will you help me across the square? Good bye, Mr. Volatile?' Volatile again smiled at the niece and wished the old maiden a good morning.

'What are you here yet?' said the fair one whom he had first accosted. I have waited to ask after the bonnet,' said Volatile. O it's a pretty bonnet enough, but nothing to make a rout about, and I am sure I would much rather wear my old Leghorn all the summer than give five guineas for it; I shall not mention it to Mamma for, though I dare say she might purchase it, I should really be ashamed of such a thing-every body would know what I gave for it. O! there she is!' I hope you are well this morning Mr. Volatile: my love, have you seen this astonishing bonnet?' Yes, mamma, but what do you think is the price of it?'Not cheap I'm sure,' Good morning Mr. Volatile,' said the fat and said her mother. No, but abominably dear I can dashing Mrs. Glaise, bouncing out of the shop, tell you-so dear that I won't even ask you to buy What have you been looking at this bonnet?' said it for me.' Well, my love, but we must call on Volatile. Been trying it on Fanny but it's horridly Mrs. : can you go with us Mr. Volatile, I valgar--nay suit some sort of beauties very well- dare say we can find room for you.' Volatile was ، finished ! said she, as her daughter tripped upon | sorry he could not, assisted them into their carriage,

gazed earnestly after it as it rolled away, (we thought we heard a sigh)-turned round-caught Tacit's arm, who was passing at the instant, and walked with him to the billiard room.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have a score of apologies to make to our correspondents
for not inserting all their communications, but really we
must use conscience towards our readers. We could not,
for example, insert seventeen stanzas of such Poetry as
this,
Whiles glistering Hope in my path shineth,
I can never turn back:

Though like sere leaf my old thought pineth,
The new to the same thing inclineth:
Still, still, the same I lack.

without feeling that the space might have been better oc-
cupied with our own lucubrations: and yet we dare say
D. W P. will be particularly offended at our rejection of
them.

We do not doubt that a Young Lady' is a genuine lover of Solitude; indeed, we found her sonnet very re tiring— on a second perusal.

'Twas the sweetest note we ever had,' we saw Artemesia writing it. We hope she will remember Will. Volatile's advice, and use a crow quill for the future; she cannot think how much the contrast will aid the beauty of her hand.

-that hand,

As soft dove's down, and as white as it;
Or Ethiopian's tooth, or the fanned snow,
That's bolted by the northern blasts twice o'er.

Margaret may send the verses, how could she doubt they
would be welcome; none can be so pleased with flights
of Peg as us.

Lydia's lines are certainly soft, but not in the right way;
softly sweet in Lydian measures.'

The translation by Heloise is altogether respectable; the
conclusion of the last stanza we reckon particularly happy.
Je sens trop que mon existence
Ne tient qu'à toi :
Avec toi, tout est jouissance,
Et rien sans toi.

If we knew Olivia's Mamma, we would advise her to whip the little girl.

This is the last week that we shall open any letters that
are sealed with wafers, for we always find that the matter
is as dull as the manner is impertinent.

The letter of Thespis is well written, but it would not suit
us to give theatrical criticisms. The Drama is now so
monstrously unfashionable, that we fear we should be
scouted, were we to attempt to patronize it. We wonder
how the polished nations of antiquity could tolerate a pub-
lic stage, when a civilized cotton spinning community can
treat it with contempt. What a superior standard of re-
finement must prevail in Manchester to that which Greece
or Rome possessed. Cedite Romani-cedite Graii.'
We should have known Matilda Julia was a novel reading
mantuamaker, even if her letter had not been sealed with
a thimble. Once for all, we beg to inform the nu-
merous fry of Milliners' girls-we beg their pardon-young
ladies, Drapers' gentlemen, Grocers' apprentices, &c. &c.
that we cannot possibly interfere in their amours. We
therefore request we may have no more such verses as the
following:

A

My sweet Miss Lomas, why so coy,
Thine azure eye averting;
Where love so softly shot with joy
Seemed just the shade of flirting.

O frigid Thomas! still to thee my soul
Turns like the needle to the freezing Pole.
With groans and sobs, and heaving sighs,
My constant heart is big;
You vows and tears alike dispise,

Nor care for me a Fig.

Postscript.-Friday, 4 o'clock, p. m.-We have just called at the Iris office, to correct the proof sheet of our paper, and have found three letters, addressed to us, from Adeline, Lætitia, and X. T. C. We beg to inform our Correspondents, in general, that we have arranged with Mr. Simith, to send our letters on Wednesday evening, and that all communications received after that period cannot be regularly noticed until the following week. We have a card in preparation, which will be issued forthwith; in the mean time, our friends will have the goodness to remember our address-THE EDITORS OF THE MUSARID, AT THE IRIS OFFICE.

WEEKLY DIARY.

MARCH.

REMARKABLE DAYS.

REMARKABLE DAYS.

MONDAY, 1.---All or Auld Fool's Day. On this day every body strives to make as many fools as he can: the wit chiefly consists in sending persons on what are called sleeveless errands, for the history of Eve's mother, for pigeon's milk, stirrup oil, and similiar ridiculous absurdities.

THURSDAY, 4.---Maundy Thursday.

Choristers, Cardinals, train-bearers &c.'
had each to receive branches of olive, to
which, as well as to the palms a small
cross was suspended. At last, all were
ready to act their parts, and the procession
began to move: it began with the lowest
in clerical rank, who moved off two by
two, rising gradually in dignity, till they
came to Prelates, Bishops, Archbishops,
and Cardinals, and terminated by the
Pope borne in his chair of state (sedia
gestatoria) on men's shoulders, with a
crimson canopy over his head. By far
the most striking figures in the procession
were the Bishops and Patriarchs of the
Armenian Church. One of them wore a
white crown, and another a crimson
crown glittering with jewels. The mitres
of the Bishops were also set with preci-
ous stones; and their splendid dresses, of Christ as a propitiation for our sins..
and long wavy beards of silver whiteness,
gave them a most venerable and imposing
appearance.

This day is called, in Latin, dies Mandati, the day of the command, being the day on which our Lord washed the feet of his disciples, as recorded in the second lesson.

FRIDAY, 5.---Good Friday.
This day commemorates the sufferings

SEA STORIES;

No. VI.

Oft would he, as on that same spot they lay
Beneath the last light of a summer's day,
Tell (and would watch the while her stedfast eye)
How on the lone Pacific he had been:
When the Sea Lion on his watery way
Went rolling through the billows green,
And shook that ocean's dead tranquility.

Barry Cornwall.

SUNDAY, 31.---Palm Sunday. In the missals, this day is denominated Dominica in ramis Palmarum, or Palm Sunday, and was so called from the palm branches and green boughs formerly distributed on that day, in commemoration of our Lord's riding to Jerusalem. In Yorkshire, and the northern counties, Palm Sunday is a day of great diversion; young and old amusing themselves with sprigs of willow, or in manufacturing palm crosses, which are struck up or suspended in houses. In the afternoon and evening, numbers of impudent girls and young men sally forth, and assault all unprotected females whom they meet out of doors, seizing their shoes, and compelling them to redeem them with The procession issued forth into the money. These disgraceful scenes are Sala Borgia (the hall behind the Sistine Or, the Voyage and Adventures of Cyril Shenstone, Esq. continued till Monday morning, when the Chapel), and marched round it forming girls extort money from the men by the nearly a circle; for by the time the Pope same means; these depredations were had gone out, the leaders of the procesformerly prolonged till Tuesday noon. sion had nearly come back again; but Of the present ceremonies observed at they found the gates of the chapel closed Rome on Palm Sunday, we have a pleas-against them, and, on admittance being ing account by a modern traveller. About demanded, a voice was heard from within, half-past nine in the morning, the Pope in deep recitative, seemingly enquiring entered the Sistine Chapel, attired in a into their business, or claims for entrance robe of scarlet and gold, which he wore there. This was answered by the chorisover his ordinary dress, and took histers from the procession in the hall; and As soon as this tale was finished, a spruce young throne. The Cardinals, who were at after a chaunted parley of a few minutes, of a dandy in his outward man, exclaimed in an gentleman, delicate in his appearance, and somewhat first dressed in under-robes of a violet the gates were again opened, and the under tone to his next neighbour 'Pon honour colour (the mourning for cardinals), Pope, Cardinals, and Priests, returned to Charles that's dd bad Scotch-I believe this with their rich antique lace, scarlet trains, their seats. Then the Passion was chaunt-fellow is some impudent pretender, who knows just and mantles of ermine, suddenly put off ed; and then a most tiresome long service these accoutrements, and arrayed them- commenced, in which the usual genuselves in most splendid vestments, which flections, and tinkling of little bells, and had the appearance of being made of dressings, and undressings, and walking carved gold. The tedious ceremony of up and coming down the steps of the each separately kissing the Pope's band, altar, and bustling about, went on; and and making their three little bows, being which at fast terminated in the Cardinals gone through; and some little chaunting all embracing and kissing each other, and fidgetting about the altar being got which is considered the kiss of peace. over; two palm branches, of seven or The palms are artificial, plaited of eight feet in length, were brought to the straw or the leaves of dried reeds, so as Pope, who, after raising over them a to resemble the real branches of the cloud of incense, bestowed his benedic-palm-tree, when their leaves are plaited, tion upon them: then a great number of which are used in this manner for this smaller palms were brought, and a Cardi- ceremony, in the Catholic colonies of nal, who acted as the Pope's aid-de-camp tropical climates. These artificial palms, on this occasion, presented one of these however, are topped with some of the to every Cardinal as he ascended the real leaves of the palm-tree, brought steps of the throne, who again kissed the from the shores of the Gulf of Genoa*.' Pope's hand and the palm, and retired. * Rome in the 19th centuary. Then came the Archbishops, who kissed both the Pope's hand and toe, followed by the inferior orders of clergy, in regular gradations, who only kissed the toe as they carried off their palms.

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The higher dignatories being at last provided with palms, the Deacons,Canons,

I

APRIL.

April is derived from Aprilis, of aperio, open; because the earth in this month, begins to open her bosom for the produc[tion of vegetables.

about as much Scotch as Jack Robinson.'
Scotch,' said the other, such stuff was never

heard since the tower of Babel was built.'

Lord how the wind howls' said the simpering lady, I declare I never heard any thing so frightful

Ha! Ha! Ha!' roared Jack Brindle, Why that's a mere puff'

Puff,' said the other lady, Oh Lord how sick I am-Oh! Oh!'

The sea was a little rough, but in the course of an

The Captain now went on deck, and I followed.

hour the wind subsided, and tranquility was restored
below stairs. We descended, and the Captain desired
them to make the best use of their time, for it was
getting late.
and thas commenced
Well.' said the young gentleman, I'm for you,'

TALE V.

The Outlaw's Tale.

I.

Slowly advanc'd the leaky skiff,
And had but passed the Eagle's cliff,
When suddenly a moon-beam bright
Scantly illum'd the craggy height.
Then o'er the calm and placid stream
Shot the serene and lucid beam.
Sufficient was the ray to mark
A robber's crew of aspect dark,
Who muttered curses at its glow,
And wished the beam would cease to flow; -
For now it shone, as if to thwart
The purpose of the leader's heart.

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early, in order to secure a good place.
The streets through which we passed
were all alive and the castle was evidently
the centre of general attraction. The
bearers of blue bags (for green is now
discharged) were particularly nimble.
'There, with like haste, by several ways they run
Some to undo-and some to be undone.'

been withdrawn.

A few evenings since, having gazed intently upon
the setting sun, I closed my eyes, in order to banish

its image, which prevented me from distinguishing
the objects around me not succeeding, at once, in
recovering the organs of sight from the impression
which they had received, I closed my eyes a second
time, and found the sun's image, which was before
of a brilliant red colour, now tinged with yellow: I
repeated the experiment, and found the image to as-
sume successively the prismatic colours; passing from
Ired to a deep violet, when it ceased to be visible.
An explanation of the phenomenon will oblige,
Your's,
0.

TO THE EDITOR.

'Wretched, indeed! but far more wretched yet,
Is he who makes his meal on others' wit?'-POPE.

My friend was in danger of laughing outright, when his eye caught a first glimpse of the galaxy of wigs, which make so many foolish faces wise, and so many wise faces foolish.' Odds bobins,' said he, but they are a rum-looking set.' And sure enough they are. never look upon them, without being reminded of the Ugly Club at Oxford, mentioned by the Spectator. Some frowned from under deep wigs. These Timothy took to be the Chamber Counsel, of whose unfathomable legal knowledge, he had often heard. Others mounted fierce wigs, and pert wigs. These he doubted not, were the formidable lawyers he had read of, who terrified poor witnesses so in cross-examination. A few sported sly wigs; and a great many were encumbered with wigs that bore no character at all. All these he set down as the briefless. There were new-moon phizzes and An eminent literary character, by far the ablest of full-moon phizzes; sleepy eyes and sleep- the Manchester contributors to a well known northern less eyes staring eyes and squinting miscellany;-a worthy and inoffensive subscriber to eyes sharp noses and snub noses--hook bers of some of our most valuable literary institutions, noses and long noses-twisted noses and have successively been the butts against which the twittering noses;-in short features diff-wit of this club has been directed. I do not make ering as much from each other as possible, but all agreeing in that true legal characteristic-ODDITY!

'What formidable gloom their faces wear!
How wide their front!-how deep and black the rear!
How do their threatening heads each other throng!'

As Sir Richard Blackmore says of the
clouds. Their employments, also, as
Timothy remarked, were some of them
equally comical. Those who were not
concerned in the cases before the Court,
were killing their time, and perhaps
smothering their chagrin, by reading a
newspaper or French novel-or sketching
caricatures-or cracking jokes or per-
petrating puns. One graceless wag was
moulding paper pellets with his finger
and thumb, and discharging them at his
second neighbour, over the shoulder of
the first. Another was scrutinizing
through his glass, the faces of a bevy of
beauties, who occupied one of the most
conspicuous portions of the Court, as con-
veniently as if they had been placed there
for the express purpose of being seen.
A third and a fourth were conversing with
each other by signs and nods, across the
table. It was an awfully pleasant sight,
and can only be paralleled by an equal
number of grave divines playing at hunt
the slipper in their canonicals, in the
midst of a public assembly, if such a thing
should ever occur."

SIR, The letter of commendation, to give it a gentle title, with which a correspondent, who has essays which appear in the Iris under the title of the public, in your last number, respecting the beautiful Club,' has much surprised me; for it is notorious that not one of the elegant compositions' to which your correspondent alludes, is untainted by offensive personalities.

adopted the signature of a Clubite,' has favored the

a respectable news room in this town; and the mem

this assertion because, in the ridiculous portraits with
is to be found to these characters: but because, from
which the author has presented us, any resemblance
numerous incidental circumstances, which he has been
careful to introduce, it is impossible to mistake the
objects of his allusions.

How any one should conceive such essays to be the
production of a learned and accomplished female,'
I am utterly at a loss to imagine. I am, however,
happy to be able to assure such persons, if there be
any who seriously entertain such an opinion, that it
is pretty generally known that the author, however
female. It is also a matter of equal surprise, that
womanly he may be in certain respects, is still no
any one should ever be so infatuated, as to think of
comparing these effusions with the classic productions
of Addison; it is thought by many that this compari-
ing himself to be that modest gentleman who, alone,
son is the offspring of gratitude, a Clubite' conceiv-
has received the encomiums of this junto: if this be
the case, his motives must certainly be owned to be
praiseworthy: otherwise, as your correspondent has
thought it proper to represent himself to the public
under the figure of a puppy, one might be led to
suppose him to be such a puppy as has not yet obtained
the use of his eyes.

There, however, are two opinions advanced in this letter, in which I certainly coincide, and common candour requires, that I should name them; the first is, that the essays alluded to, notwithstanding the variety of the signatures, are all the productions of a single genius, long accustomed to niceties of composition; it may, perhaps, also be added, to those of publication: the other opinion is, that the attack made upon the club' might have been expected ; on this latter subject, indeed there cannot be two opinions.

To the author of the Club' I have, at present, nothing particular to say; nor, if he ceases from his personalities, shall I ever trouble him he is reported to be of a very changeable disposition ;-let him

change his mode of writing, that change will, at least, be one for the better ;---let his attacks be directed against the leading vices, and the ridiculous follies of the age; and let him not affix bis censures to the backs of his quondam friends, whose real characters are unimpeachable ;---let him do this, and he will add to the number of his present admirers, a majority of his sensible and virtuous townsmen; the field is an ample one, and the task itself honourable.

If, however, on the contrary, he persevere in the path in which he has set out, he may depend upon one thing, that his labours shall not go unrewarded. His eulogist closes his letter with a fable; I, too, would willingly do the same, but being afraid of extending

this letter to too great a length, I must contend myself with referring this gentleman, to the works of the Phrygian Slave; and, that he may not mistake the fable to which I allude, it may be well to inform him that the moral of it is, that those who have glass-heads, should be careful of throwing stones.' ICHNEUMON.

LECTURES ON POETRY.

On Monday next, 1st. April, at seven o'clock in the evening, the REV. J. J. TAYLER, A. B. will begin a COURSE OF LECTURES, at the Rooms of the

Literary and Philosophical Society, George-street, Manchester, on the HISTORY OF ENGLISH applying to Messrs. Robinson and Ellis, 5, St. Ann's POETRY.-Further particulars may be learned by Place; Messrs. Clarkes', Market-Place; Mr. Sowler's, and Mrs. Bancks, St. Ann's Square; or Mr. E. Thomson, Market-street; who will also receive the

names of Subscribers.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We are much surprised that Ichneumon can suspect
us of any partialities towards particular cor-
respondents. To demonstrate the contrary, we
have inserted his letter, though we have reason to
believe that his suspicions are without foundation.
The letter signed A Clubite,' is not, we can
assure Ichneumon, from the authors of the Club.'
The second letter of An Observer,' has been receiv-
ed, but not in time for the present number: He
will probably think the insertion of it unnecessary,
after the publication of that of Ichneumon.
Communications have also been received from B. P.-
J. D.-J. A. of Salford.-Zeno.-Mentor, Jun.
T. T. L.-J. W. H.-S. X.-T. A. and D.
Our Correspondents would oblige us by sending their
communications earlier in the week.

Letter-Box in the Door.

MANCHESTER: Printed, Published, and Sold, by
HENRY SMITH AND BROTHERS, St. Ann's
Square.

AGENTS,
Ashton, Mr. Cunningham.
Oldham, Mr. Lambert.
Bolton, Messrs. Gardner & Co. Rochdale, Miss Lancashire.
Bury, Mr. Hellawell. Stockport, Mr. Claye.
Macclesfield, Mr. Swinnerton.

WHEN the landlord of the Green Dragon came into the room last Friday evening, it was. very evident from certain twists of his features, and glances of his eye, that there was something which he wanted an opportunity to communicate. We, therefore, invited him to tell us what it was, when he informed us, that the servant-maid, who is rather an interesting black-eyed girl of about nineteen, had remained up, on the preceding evening, after the family had retired to rest, to converse with her cousin, as she calls a young man, who sometimes comes with her mistress's consent, to visit her. When she had parted from him she was much alarmed, on her way to bed, at meeting, on the third landing of the stairs, with a little old woman, dressed in a red cloak, who, while the girl was gazing upon her, grew so tall that her head seemed to touch the ceiling.

Our landlord, who appears very desirous to stand well in our opinions, smiled at the maid's alarm while he was stating the circumstance, but, notwithstanding his address, it was very obvious that his mirth, like that of a certain assailant of the club, was only affected in order to conceal his real feeling.

Those who have seen the Green Dragon, which, having been built in former times, is rather antiquated and singular in its structure, will easily imagine, that it is not unlikely it should share the fate of many other of the old houses in the town, and lie under the suspicion of being haunted.

The landlord had no sooner quitted the room, (for we seldom enter upon a discussion while he is present), than one of the members took up the subject. "How absurd," said he, "is it for people to trouble their heads about spectres. It is plain that the dead can never return, as no one can conceive of the mode of their reappearance. They cannot appear in the body; for that moulders in the grave. They cannot appear spiritually; for nothing but substance

or matter is visible. Therefore there can be no
ghosts."
Another member, who, like a certain philo-
sophic personage, usually coughs to prepare
his powers of utterance, supported the same
opinion contending that if the dead go to a
good place it is not likely they should feel any
inclination to return; and if they go to a bad
one, they would probably not be permitted.

"I have heard," remarked a third member,
"of so many instances in which ghosts have,
on examination, proved to be evil-minded per-
sons who had a design to terrify others for some
mischievous purpose, that I, for my part, am
persuaded that almost all ghosts are of the
same description."

Another member thought that spectres were most frequently mere optical illusions. A tree or a sign-post; a cow or an ass, had, when seen in the dusk of the evening, often, he said, been mistaken for a hobgoblin. "A person," he emphatically added, "who has credulity enough to believe in such nonsense, may be frightened almost to death by his own shadow." "I never hear of ghosts," said the first speaker, "without recollecting what Grotius affirms of the devil, who, as we are gravely told by this celebrated theologian, was, in his time, frequently heard howling in the forests of the Brazils. No, no, gentlemen," continued he, "there are no other ghosts but the fictions which a cheated imagination conjures up. There were, previous to the French revolution, legends of ghosts in Italy; but Buonaparte's police, soon after its establishment there, completely frightened them away, and, I understand, they have, since that time, been very rarely heard of in that country."

This

WEEKLY.

PRICE 3 d.

against which they are applied may, I think,
be still maintained. We have no right to infer
that ghosts have never been seen, because we
cannot explain the mode and nature of their
appearance. We perceive that the mind acts
upon the body, and that the body re-acts upon
the mind; and we do not question their reci-
procal influence in this respect, though we
cannot explain it. Other analogous cases
might be adduced to illustrate the weakness
of the objection to which I advert. That the
dead either will not, or cannot return, is, I'
think, assuming what should be proved. That
mischievous persons, taking advantage of the
credulity of others, have excited alarm by per-
sonating ghosts, I can easily believe; but I
really cannot conceive in what way this fact
can be fairly applied to shew that no ghosts
have ever appeared. I am equally at a loss,
to discover the force of the objection founded
upon optical illusions. Such illusions have,
This fact does not imply a negative with respect
doubtless, been frequent. But what then?
to apparitions. For the appearance of spirits
from the grave, we have the direct and unequi-
vocal declaration of scripture. In proof of
this assertion I need only refer to the raising of
Samuel by the witch of Endor. If she did not
raise the spirit of Samuel, the Bible is false;
if she did, the opinion which has been so vio-
lently reprobated must be true. This conclu-
sion is, I think, inevitable. In what I have
said, it has been my object merely to shew
that the objections usually urged against the
visits of supernatural beings are gratuitous,
and, therefore, prove nothing. Against such
its ground; not only would religion be rudely
a mode of attack no doctrine could maintain
annihilated, but we should not leave for the
world, even the Being who framed it. To shew
to you a few sentences from the productions
you that I have authority as well as reason for
what may be termed my credulity, I will read
of two distinguished writers, who have always
been reverenced by this Club."-Here the
lord to send to his school for Johnson's Rasse-
chairman rang the bell, and desired the land-
las, and the second volume of the Spectator.

The president, who was observed to take
a more than usual interest in the conversation,
ferent speakers, put on a look, like that with
having been several times appealed to by dif-
which he exercises his authority in his own
school, and, in a mild, but still peremptory
tone, made the following observations.
is a subject, Gentlemen, upon which I have
often reflected deeply, but, I must confess,
very little to my own satisfaction. I cannot
conscientiously admit that, according to my terrified with the imagination of ghosts and
"I think' says Addison,* a person who is
judgment, the mass of evidence preponderates spectres much more reasonable, than one who
on that side which has been so warmly espous- contrary to the reports of all historians sacred
ed. The notion of ghosts has been assailed, and profane, antient and modern, and to the
as usual, by ridicule in the place of argument. traditions of all nations, thinks the appearance
But this is not the way to convince an unbias- of spirits fabulous and groundless: could not
sed, enquiring mind. The objections which II give myself up to this general testimony of
have heard this evening, do not appear to me
to be conclusive. Even if they were admitted
to be just as far as they extend, the notion

Spectator, No. 10.