or agriculture. But here the parent interposed, and raised him up at once from the art displayed in a garden bed to contemplate the art visible in the fabric of the universe, and consequently that such a fabric could neither have been created, nor could subsist, without the intervention of some Great Being, Almighty, Provident, and Kind. Thus the parent, from the most uninteresting circumstance instilled into the heart of his son, those opinions and principles, which were likely to be permanent, and were, moreover best calculated to render him virtuous and happy.

E.

1

THE SOCIETY OF IDLERS; A COMPETITION FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

WHILE walking from the City the other day to

wards the more western part of the metropolis, I could not help contrasting the busy, bustling and important looks of the people I had just left, with the idle, sauntering, and harmless appearance of those whom I was continually meeting. This, naturally enough, led me to reflect upon the different manner in which these two descriptions of persons generally employ themselves : -the one, in endeavouring to do as much as possible in the shortest portion of time; the other in contriving to do as little as possible in the longest period. I thus felt myself insensibly involved in a long train of reflections, and that I might pursue them undisturbed, threw myself into a hackney coach, desiring the driver to proceed towards my lodgings.

Thoughts at first succeeded each other with such rapidity, and were, at the same time, so incoherent and disorganised, as to create a complete medley of ideas in my brain. This circumstance, aided by the rocking motion of the coach, threw me into a sound sleep, when I had the following whimsical dream.

I imagined myself at a public meeting in the Crown and Anchor Tavern, to which I had been summoned by public advertisement (signed by one FOLLY), for the purpose of commemorating the resistance which had

Y

beeen made to the oppressive encroachments of a certain tyrannical despot, called TIME. We were to have dined in the usual way (for whenever Englishmen meet together to assert their freedom, they are always compelled practically to acknowledge tyranny,—the tyranny of their bellies); but there was a dispute respecting who had the fairest right to be called to the chair on the occasion. It was allowed on all hands that he, who had shown the most utter contempt for the tyrant, had the justest privilege to preside: and accordingly each stood forth in defence of his own claims to that exaltation. I had plenty of opportunity to write down the names of the principal candidates on this occasion; for, unlike most popular assemblies, there were very few interruptions; and those gained the most applause, who were the most slow and unanimated in their delivery, and who said the least in the longest space of time.

Sir Simon Saunter was the first who presented himself. He was an emaciated beau of seventy: his form was bent by age; but still there was something in his demeanour which marked him to have been one of the ton of former days. He declared that he had never read, since he left school, and had taken more turns in Bond Street in a month than he had turned over leaves in a book during his whole life. Writing he utterly abhorred, and had been five times in the King's bench, because he would not stoop to calculate, whether or no his income would pay his debts. He had entered himself at Cambridge when young; but neglected to keep his terms, in consequence of the superior attractions of Newmarket. He had been eight years on the Conti

nent, but could recollect nothing he had seen there; and was well-known at every watering place in the three kingdoms. He was pressing on the meeting his great experience, and the antiquity of his title to the chair, when he suddenly faltered-for he had spoken for a full hour, though he said nothing more than what I have noted down. When he had finished, the company yawned applause, and would most probably have voted him into the chair, as his merits were allowed to be very great, but Will Whipster said, he had just been informed, that the venerable beau had, forty years since, danced attendance on a prime-minister for a whole fortnight together, in order to get a living for the son of his groom, whom he had sent to college, and made a parson of. This information completely nullified the claim of poor Sir Simon, and Will then spoke for himself; which much surprised me, as, from his dress, I thought he was coachman to some gentleman present. "Old Simon,' said he, "might have done for a leader some score of 66 years back, but he's not prime now-thorough-bred, "but not sound. Folks are more ingenious in their " method of fooling away time in the present day,—I'm 66 your man," added he," can drive a curricle, dog66 cart, phaeton, taudem, or coffin-handle the reins as "if I was bred to them-can make a better splash "than any of you, with four in hand-am quite bang up-in short I am one of the best whips in town. "It's true, I have driven over an old woman and her apple-stall this morning; but if folks will stand in "one's way, how can I help it." He concluded this classical speech with so reverberating a flourish of the

66

"

whip which he held in his hand, and gave so audible a "ya-hip," that it woke many a sleeping idler.

The meeting allowed that they were greatly indebted to him; but as he was proved to have killed many a harmless passenger, while in the very act of killing time, he was thought to have exerted his natural strength too much, and to have been too active, to give him an undisputed title to the presidency. Besides, as coachmen were generally considered to be a very necessary class of beings, by proving that he could do their duty, he had inadvertently proved himself capable of being converted into a useful member of society; and this was a charge so unpopular among true idlers, that his claims were quashed on the instant.

. Mr. Moimême, dressed in a most fantastical and gorgeous habit, next gained the notice of the assembly. He soon insinuated himself into the favour of his hearers, by gaping most immoderately, in which all present kindly sympathized. Then, lifting a glass to his eye, slowly surveyed the company and shrieked out, in the most shrill and effeminate tone, "'Fore Heaven, I

protest, I never saw such frights-I did'nt think "there were such Gothic creatures in existence. I ❝ spent only four hours with my valet this morning, and, you see, I am quite equipped, None of ye, I perceive from your dress, can lay claim to the chair but "myself." He then advanced, with a confidence of a hero and the movements of a dancing master, to the upper end of the room, and was just stepping into the president's chair, when he was stopped. A few ques→ tions were put to him, and the answers he gave con