PROGRESS OF LUXURY.

In an old Cambridge comedy of "The Returne from Parnassus," we find this indignant description of the progress of luxury in those days, put into the mouth of one of the speakers.

“Why, is't not strange to see a ragged clerke,
Some stammell weaver, or some butcher's sonne
That scrubb'd, a-late, within a sleeveless gowne,
When the commencement, like a morrice dance,
Hath put a bell or two about his legges,
Created him a sweet cleane gentleman :
How then he 'gins to follow fashions.
He whose thin sire dwelt in a smokye roofe,
Must take tobacco, and must wear a locke.
His thirsty dad drinkes in a wooden bowle,
But his sweet self is served in silver plate.
His hungry sire will scrape you twenty legges
For one good Christmas meal on New Year's day,
But his maue must be capon-cramm'd each day."

66 THE GERMAN PLAY," AT VENICE.

AN hereditary Prince made the tour of Italy: Venice was not left unvisited; and, during his residence there, he found himself in a social circle with the principal families. One thing, however, hurt him much;-as often as he was invited to any of the chief nobility's houses, some little Italian play closed the entertainments, and in these,

almost without exception, some German custom or other was represented in a ridiculous light.The prince took it amiss, but had discretion enough to keep his feelings to himself, and his example was followed by all his attendants, his chamberlain alone excepted.

The time of departure approached; and the prince, on the evening before, invited all the persons by whom he had been entertained. Supper being over, the gentry were proceeding to place themselves at the card tables, when the chamberlain addressed them to the following effect:-"They had," he said, "frequently charmed the eye and the ear of the prince, his master, by theatrical performances, which could not but be good, since they were Italian. It was, indeed, impossible for him to repay them in the same standard coin; yet, he flattered himself, if they, for a few moments, would vouchsafe him their attention, to represent to them a German piece, as good as it was possible to make one there." The chamberlain then led the company to a great hall below, at the extremity of which was a miserable stage. At length appeared a German traveller, having round his waist a leathern belt, in which were stuck two pistols ; he stared about

with that curiosity which is natural to a man on finding himself in some place quite strange to him. He was come, he said, late in the night to Siena; and was altogether uncertain whether or no he should find a lodging. He now drew a book out of his pocket, placed himself under the nearest lantern, and began to read.--Scarcely had be read a few lines, when another being, from one of the cross-streets, drew the attention of the audience. Seeing the German so intently employed in reading, he came up to him and looked over his shoulder into the book, and showed his astonishment by gestures.

The German soon put up his book, pulled out his repeater, made it strike. At every successive stroke, the astonishment increased, of the creature that stood behind, and the eagerness of curiosity was visible in his countenance. "No later than twelve!" exclaimed the German; "that is not so very late; especially in a country where they are known to turn the day into night, and the night into day. Perhaps, I may, somewhere, be able to awaken either a compassionate or a self-interested soul."-He knocked at all the doors, but in vain.

"Well, then," said he, disgusted, "if knock

ing will not awaken you, perhaps you may be roused at this." So saying, he drew out one of his pistols and fired it off;-the poor white thing started back with terror, and his shriek caused the traveller to look around him. He instantly asked, who he was? "Thou wert reading just now, in a packet, full of such crooked and extraordinary figures, as I never saw before, and yet it cannot have been written?"-" No, that it was not; don't you know it to be printed?". "Printed! Printed! No; the idea is altogether foreign to me. Tell me, then, in what consists the difference between printing and writing?""In this; that one hundred and fifty men could not write, in a day, the half of what one single man can print within that space of time; that it is fairer, more uniform, and more lasting, than the other method; and that the price of it does not amount to one-sixth part of the former."

Important advantages! indeed, very important!" exclaimed the inquisitive native." An invention by which literature, and the communication of the arts and sciences, must have been great gainers, no doubt! And who was the inventor of this useful art ?"-"A countryman of mine:-a German."-" He does thee

honour, friend. He must have had a good head-piece, I would have given a great deal for such an one. But my curiosity is not yet satisfied. Thou hast there another contrivance which gave the hour with astonishing exactitude; what might that be?"-"What but a repeating watch!"-" A watch? Hum! in my time we only knew of water-clocks, sand-vessels, and sun-dials; but, not to mention their bulky size, their inconvenience and expensiveness, they were extremely deceptive and uncertain. I should think, that a thing so easily carried about in the pocket, and so exact in its notices, must be an excellent companion on loug journeys, and must be of equal utility, both to the traveller and the merchant."—" I am glad to see that thou art so quick at guessing the utility of things, which, to my great surprise, thou seemest still unacquainted with-Who art thou then? Of what epocha dost thou pretend to be? Aye, what epocha!"-"Why art thou so curious? Tell me, first, who invented this?"-"Likewise a German."—" A noble race! It deserves my praise. A German! Who would have thought it of those blue-eyed barbarians? But let it be! Now that I have once begun to question thee, my old motto