regret, in common with many other heroes, that he did not fall in the last charge at Waterloo! Every horse yonder, like every man every where, has had "his inch of mirth for ell of moan." But other objects, elicited by the rainy day, challenge our attention. Behold those long files of distressing mendicity in the mid-road; an interminable vista, spattering and bespattered, but moving in admirable rhythm, save when a headstrong omnibus, or volatile cab, insist on breaking the line, which as instantly closes upon the intruder. What a group of animated scarecrows is reflected on the surface of that black, half-consolidated mirror, age or sex alike problematical and uncertain, wild and marvellous in gesture, like creatures of another world; they take no notice of any thing

mud, mud, mud! They have no organ for any thing else; how do they put their clothes on? or do they ever take them off?-of course they sleep on mud mattresses, and prop their weary heads on pillows of the same cheap material. I do assure you they have no resemblance to the functionaries of street-cleaning elsewhere. With what faultless accuracy does the long train of lustral besom fall on the rippling wave! What a black sea of clouted confectionary advances slowly at every stroke, till, reaching the rise of the Boulevard, and acquiring momentum, it facilitates the work of its own progression, and, spreading forth a pacific ocean of mud in front of that lofty arch, where vanquished Rhine, with a hundred cities, does homage to the Grand Monarque!

The sun that was to fire us all day rose cloudless, and already the close stillness of that breathless morning, the unspecked blue of that whole firmament, too clearly indicated the future prospects of the road. There was that perfect and fixed inertia in the air, that rain, wind, or hail to disturb it seemed incompatible with the nature of things. The sun's chariot, anticipating our own, was just clearing the chimney, as we ran down the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs to the bureau of the Nancy diligence, and found our equipage on the start-the horses in close conversation on the future sufferings of the road which they knew awaited them. The rose-fingered daughter of the dawn surely burnt her fingers with the key of the coachhouse, as she proceeded with her duties for the day; and, though the colours of their pelisses are, of course, warranted to stand, the skins of those fair ladies, the hours, were in more than common jeopardy of freckles.

But hark to the horn! and behold the inexorable man, who, with register of live stock in hand, invites us to tumble in among the blouses and casquettes of six-insides! He runs his eye along our ranks, he pronounces us "complets!" The clock strikes, up clambers the conducteur to his lofty post-crack goes the whip-the horses fling up their heads-jingle, jingle, go

Livre des Postes.

the bells, and the heavy Juggernaut is in motion! The first moments after starting, even in one of these unwieldy machines, are inspiring and gay enough:

"When first the rough-shod feet Of neighing steeds strike clattering down the street,

Dragging with tightened cord, and unchecked force,

The mighty waggon on its venturous

course.

We have now come to our second change, and with handkerchief already between head and hat. The heat is becoming more and more intolerable. We alight for a tantalising moment; and, under the cover of a friendly gateway, survey the coach fore and aft, and find a change of position for the better hopeless. The victims under the hot leather awning of the banquette lie feebly writhing at their length like caterpillars. He that kissed the pretty girl, and swaggered in the yard before we started, leans with pallid, vacant countenance, on his two hands (like the old sailor on the raft, in Jericault's terrific shipwreck). A third, more enfeebled still, opens his mouth for air, like a sick chub in a waterbucket. Even the Coupé, to-day, will enjoy no privilege. The two ladies, their gentlemen, and the Italian greyhound, who occupy it, all seem equally

but deem them far more like plants in their mode of being, and in the economy of their vital principle-a position which I have elsewhere attempt

ed to take, and to which I mean again and again to return till the heresy is destroyed.

The room was all lightness and brightness, and filled with the welllimbed aristocracy of Europe. Having breasted our way through the billows of well-dressed flirts and their cavaliers, we get at length a glimpse of the "Grande Duchesse," thinking of those Napoleon times in which she made no inconsiderable figure-and truly a more remarkable or interesting looking lady, we have seldom seen. She has all the fascinations possible to a very fine woman no longer young, but determined to please to the last. There sat she, with a smile for every body, (who had a claim to it) and a different one for each, assuming by turns every possible attitude of grace, and so happy in each, that they might have been taken as studies for the artist-a more beautifully finished and highly-wrought piece of mecha nism than that countenance, was never worked by a soul and intelligence within! I see her even now before me! sitting so lightly, and with so little apparent pressure on the Ottoman at the head of that unequalled room, that you might fancy it away, without depriving the fine form of its artificial support. None could more look the goddess, or move the queen than she! Fixing the young men who had the privilege to address her, with a Dido look, half queenly, half womanly, now animated and conversational; now dispensing the well-measured smile in silence, anon exercising a practised archness upon some timid maiden, whose day of conquests was beginning; surrendering herself with bewitching benignity to some tedious old countess, or turning half closed eyes in hazy complacency (with sufficient attention not to offend him) on some curiosity of the ancien régime, who, for sixty years, had traded in court compliments, and still claimed the privilege "Dicere blanditias cano capite." For readiness at repartee, few of the fair sex can compete with her. "I have something to confide to your

private ear," said a forward young coxcomb, pushing himself forward while she was engaged in conversation. "Something for my private ear! what can he mean?" "Oh! je le tiens maintenant! c'est ses pantalons blancs, qu'il veut me confier"(he had taken the liberty of coming to her party in morning trousers!)

But hark! the first bars of the high orchestra are struck, and the dancers are all on the start-already they swing by us with a velocity, which, when one is not an element of the vortex, is really alarming. Waltz is the railroad of dancing-the despair of turnpike. Let no awkward fellow attempt this fascinating poetry of motion-it is not till the two performers in the dance have got the perfect intelligence of each other's capabilities, that the gentleman ventures to plant his hand fairly on the lady's corset ; from that moment of more intimate contact, they appear to have but one end and aim, one heart and one respiration! Every advantage of space is for a time conceded; the lookers on contract it by degrees; the centripetal force, however, soon overcomes the obstacle, and a fair stage for their evolutions is once more secured. Gods! what a milky-way of fair necks and bared shoulders is before us! and how knowingly provided are the dan seuses for the perils of the evening's whirl. You shall not see a single loose scarf; the rigging is all taut from the mast head downwards, and the petticoats shotted, to prevent the result of that inevitable law of forces, which sagacious ladies, or their mam. mas, know to await them. But who are these? The Prince beautiful Madame

and the Vain as

he is, he seems now unconscious of spectators, and to think only of his partner; the sardonic curl of his moustache softens down into a less contemptuous expression for his fellowcreatures; the full smile of undisguised satisfaction is breaking down all aris

tocratic barriers, and dissipating apace whatever was repelling in those superior features. It is Rinaldo still, but Rinaldo in the garden of Armida, forgetful of triumphs-all but this! That bold tender look-what mortal woman can withstand it?—nor does she affect to do so; for not less impressive or effective is that air of abandonment with which she resigns her Torso into his arms! But the affair is becoming too conspicuous, too warm-the modest young ladies toss their chins, and the old ladies' fans are going like so many windmills! But what is that gawky,growing youth (too surely a compatriot) about? Look at his vacant face! He has but to turn her, and his partner is ready enough to be turned, and looks up to encourage him to do the deed, but all in vain. He cannot catch the time-his heavy eyes exhibit no soul!-his ear is sealed to every thing of music, but the sound -his feet are under the guidance of a will, but that will is plainly not under the guidance of harmony; as sure as he makes a start, it is a false one! See how he throws her out, just as she is beginning to spin off-again! a third time, and now they are at a dead stand still! She begins to flounce-well she may! she has not answered his last question, and looks at him in a manner which her prayer-book would not justify. One more trial! one, two, three!-one, two! and off is he thrown at a tangent from the circle he would vainly enter. Besides, he has trodden on her corn-a smothered cry of pain escapes her; and here she comes, whilst her awkward beau follows, to proffer unwelcome assistance, and be scared away by the sotto voce condolence of her friend-" Was ever anything so cruel or preposterous, as for a young man to stand up to waltz who does not even know what it means? Why, you have literally had to hold him up as if he were a stumbling pony! It is indeed provoking, but why did you stand up with such a- He hears no more, but we do. "Don't talk any more about that fright!" says Emily, rising gaily to a new partner, who has already acquired, by dint of. moustache, her good opinion-and she was right One of those indefatigable dancers was he, who give spirit to a ball-room, who can keep the heaviest party afloat by the legereté of their own movements, and prevent

the whole "equipage" from being swamped, by the assiduity with which (a leak detected) they can work their pumps! Five times has he triumph. antly carried his partner round the magic circle formerly interdicted to her tread. Through all the entangled and perplexing perils of the thickly sown floor, does he bring her without shock or collision. Whether in a scarcely progressing step, or taking advantage of some break, they launch out more boldly, or thread the increasing labyrinth, his vigilant eye and ductile joints are equal to the difficulty. All is as it should be-and speedily shall he obtain, as the reward of his pilotage, the full and unreserved guidance of that advantageous taille.

But yonder is a young lady evidently as much a novice as was our Anglo-Saxon in the twirling art. She seems as they all do when first they begin-she seems to feel a waltz very much as if it were a sin; she looksas if she were doing wrong—to her mother's eye for countenance and support; but the old lady is at cards, and too intent on the game to notice her, Her partner obviously observes her confusion, and smiles encouragement. She trembles, thinks persons begin to look at her; he extends his hand-she falters; he touches her person-her neck is suffused. The initiation almost overpowers her; but "ce n'est que le premier pas qui coute"-out she steps, and they are off! In a few minutes he has danced away all her scruples, and has nothing more to do than receive her adroitly into his arms, hope that she is not fatigued, and. wonder what possible objections some people can have to waltzing! To which opinion she is now a proselyte. Of our own partner we would willingly say something, but she is too fond of sheer dancing to give us much time to collect materials. Everybody declared her pretty-pretty she was in an eminent degree. On her suette person all epithet-adjectives of grace, harmony, and good-humour, would sit without reproach or mistake. But she has taken our arm to waltz, and so here goes! and glibly and smoothly do we sail along. Oh! lassie, if you are always thus easy to turn, I would stipulate for longer partnership than the brief one we have contracted!