fine things which make men proudso the Belgian question was selected for our adoption.

Having made choice of a grievance, our next step was to have a public demonstration, and to that end a public meeting was agreed to be held.

My friends were exceedingly anxious that I should avail myself of the occasion, to make a display and come out as an orator, and by that means acquire a notoriety that might be useful to me in a professional point of view; and spirited by them to the task, and having perhaps a spice of latent vanity in my composition, I agreed to make a speech. I the more readily consented to do so, in consequence of its being represented to me that a friend of the family would be in the chair, who having a particularly fat unmeaning face, I should not feel terrified when looking at him, though clothed with the majesty of chairman; whilst his good feeling towards me would induce him to cover any little imperfection that might appear, either in the matter of my oration, or in the manner of its delivery.

Having concluded upon making my debut as a speaker, I proceeded to qualify myself for the occasion, and to read myself up to the subject. I dipped into two or three guide-books through the Netherlands-skimmed Mrs Trollope's book on Belgiumhastily ran over the last hand-book for travellers on the Continent, and took a glance at every thing else that I could lay my hands on that treated of Belgium, from the commencement of the Belgic Revolution to that time; and I stored up such a mass of heterogeneous and undigested information in my head, that it would have taken some months, and a much sounder dis. crimination than mine, to separate the wheat from the chaff, and arrange it in any thing like method or useful order. I overread myself; and the consequence was, that the information so collected, even had it been sound, would have been of no use to

me.

My next step was to write a speech, which occupied me several days. I got it off by heart, and I spoke and acted it before a large looking-glass in my father's house, five times every day, up to and including the morning of the important meeting. I had a tolerable memory, and I had rendered

myself so perfect, that I could hardly by any possibility fail in the deli

very.

I went to the meeting, accompanied by a number of kind and anxious friends, and was placed in a most favourable position for being seen, and seeing all that passed. The room in which the meeting was held was crammed, and many ladies were there, and, amongst the rest, Miss Juliana Gawkrodger and one of her sisters; and, as it had got whispered about the town that I intended to speak on the subject of the meeting, it was a source of great gratification to me to observe sundry nods and winks, and looks of kindness and encouragement, cast upon me from all parts of the room. It appeared evident to me that I was the lion of the meeting.

The proceedings were opened in due form, our family friend with the fat face being in the chair; and two or three dull prosy speeches were made, in so stammering and hesitating a manner as to give me considerable confidence in myself; when, at the end of one of those tedious orations, my ears were greeted with the welcome and cheering call from all parts of the room of " Mr Thropall! Mr Thropall! and when I stepped on the platform prepared for the speakers, and made a low and graceful bow to the assemblage in acknowledgment of the call, the clapping of hands and the waving of handkerchiefs by the ladies, and the stampings, the shoutings, and huzzaings of the gentlemen, were really almost sufficient to

overwhelm a modest man like me.

When silence was obtained, I commenced my speech, slowly and deliberately, and speaking with great dis tinctness. I took a rapid view of events in Belgium preceding the Revolution, and my memory served me so well, that no one word of my written speech, and no one action that I had studied, was forgotten. I appeared to be perfectly master of the subject on which I spoke, and my friends and the audience in general were in raptures. Loud and frequent were the "bravoes". the "hear, hears," and the other signals of encouragement and approbation from the gentlemen, and almost perpetual was the clapping of hands and the waving of handkerchiefs of the ladies; and I thought I saw a tear of gratified de

light trickle from the eye of Miss Juliana Gawkrodger!

Every sentence I uttered was applauded to the skies; and I was so elated, that I felt myself equal to any thing, and thought it impossible to err. In the intoxication of the moment, I took it into my head to improvise a part of my speech, and to depart from that which I had written. I talked fustian about the opposition of the Church to the liberties of the peoplequoted Hudibras, and lugged in, head and shoulders,

"When the great drum ecclesiastic

"Well done, Mister Throddle!' shouted a stentorjan voice from the crowd-" lay it on thick about the regimentle drum.”

I looked to the place from whence the sound proceeded, and there I saw the abominable drum-major himself, standing in all his erect bulkiness, the most conspicuous object in the room; and, as I caught sight of him, he nodded his head, and familiarly winked eye at me.

his

The whole of my speech vanished from my memory as though it never had been. I blundered on a few words further, but all was over. My throat was parched, I gasped for breath, and I could see nobody but the drum-major. Preserving my consciousness, I appeared to lose all command over myself I made faces at the drummajor, and, raising my arm, I shook my fist at him; and after several attempts to proceed, which terminated in hysterical jibberings, I descended from the platform on which I was elevated, and so my speech ended in the middle.

I made my way quietly, but with great expedition, out of the room, and then ran as fast as I could to my of fice, where I shut myself up, and locked the door. I was in a perfect agony, and walked about at the rate of some ten miles an hour, stamping my feet, and thumping my head with my hands, and cursing from the very bot

tom of my soul every regimental drum that ever was made, and every drummajor that ever walked at the head of a regimental band.

At length, so violent was my vexation, that I burst into tears and wept like a child, from which I experienced considerable relief. Whilst I was striding across the room with the frenzied energy of something mad, weeping one minute and cursing the next, I heard a knock at the door, and, on enquiry, was informed that my evil genius, the drum-major, was waiting.

to see me.

The announcement rendered me, if possible, more frantic than I was before, and I knew not at the moment whether to go down and make an end of my tormentor by committing murder, or to throw myself out of the window, and terminate the business by an act of self-immolation-to offer to the world, in fact, the glorious spectacle of an attorney becoming a martyr to the cause of an officious client.

Before I had determined which of the two courses to adopt, I was aroused by another tap at the door, followed by a request from the drum-major, saying," Mr Throddle, may I come in?" I refused with all the might of my lungs, at the same time giving vent to a whole ocean of curses against the drum-major, and all his family and connexions, and commanding him peremptorily to be gone from my door. But he would not go, and found something to say on his own behalf. He said he did not like to be d-d through a door, and wished to be admitted, that he might face the matter out like a man and a soldier. He parleyed for upwards of an hour, but I was inexorable, and every petition for admission was met by a volley of curses and imprecations, enough to annihilate any body but a drum-major, and by an announcement that I would see or write to the Colonel; and that with him, the accursed representative of his class, I would most assuredly hold no further communication.

The drum-major at length was wearied out, and raised the siege, and I was at liberty to depart from my prison-house whenever I pleased; but my shocking break-down at the meeting pressed so heavily upon my sensibility, that I kept close in my office until the shades of evening rendered it probable that I might pass along the street without being recognised.

I kept close house for two or three days, at the end of which I was compelled to appear in public, and to encounter the greetings, the compliments, and the banterings in disguise, of all my friends and acquaintance. Some complimented me on my eloquent display-others affected to enquire what made me conclude so abruptly-and others pretended to condole with me on the awkward interruption I received from the drummajor, while I saw a laughing devil in their eye, as they asked if he was the client recommended to me by Colonel Lee. Never man suffered so seriously from a drum and a drummajor as I did; and the only thing like consolation that I received in the midst of my distress, was from Miss Juliana Gawkrodger, who kindly and feelingly applauded my exertions, and assured me that every body attributed the sudden and somewhat awkward termination of my speech to the evil eye of that bloated drum-major; whilst her giddy sister almost spoiled Miss Juliana's kindness, by asking if the accursed drum-major was a relative of mine, he appeared to be so much interested in my behalf.

A few days restored things to their usual channel, and I in some measure got over the chagrin. I rode over to Colonel Lee, and explained the law of the case as applicable to the drum, and he promised to see the drum-major upon it; so that I flattered myself I had got rid of that abominable affair, which had been productive of so much trouble and annoyance.

About three weeks afterwards, I was bouncing out of my office rather in haste and unguardedly, when I ran against a person whom I almost overturned. It was the postman, who said he was calling on me with a double letter, and producing it as he gave me the information, I saw the address was in the detestable scrawl of that everlasting drum-major.

The blockhead had again inclosed his letter in an envelope which occasioned double postage; and though I would freely have given a sovereign to put the letter, and the writer, and the regimental drum also, into the crater of Mount Etna, yet I felt obliged to pay the postage and take the letter, lest it should be opened at the dead letter-office, and I should become the subject of ridicule. I therefore

paid the postage and retired into my office to read the epistle, which was as follows:

"Sir, I saw Kornall Lee this day, the 18th instant, and he sends his love to you—I informed him that you had wrote three times according to his directions, and had no answer concerning the brass drum. He desired me to inform you to commence an action at law forthwith in his name for the recovery of the drum, it belonging to him as kornall of the Condate local militia.

"Sir,-As I was the only person master of the band at that time, and know where the drum was paid from, it is requested I should lay the case open to you, that you may act according as your judgment may lead you. The drum cost £13, 13s. in London, with sticks, buff carriage, ticking-case, and packing-case, with carriage down. It was placed in John Revett's hands by me, lent him by his giving me a most solemn engagement to return it in two days' notice any time the kornall might think proper to call for it. The drum was properly painted along with all the drums of the regiment. I paid Darlington of Middlewick for it. He thought proper to get it painted over again without acquainting any one, and afterwards made application for £1 for painting it, which undoubtedly was refused. He died about sixteen years back. Five years back I applied for the drum, and repeatedly since, up to the time you took the case in hand. Never got any answer, but privately heard it would not be given up until that money was paid. I threatened the widow with an action, and, on her seeing all other instruments given up, she sends the drum to Warnton to her son-in-law, and followed herself soon after. His executors, also; they told me when I called they would not give

it up.

As I knew neither one nor the other had any claim to it, I thought to get a search-warrant and take it where I found it, and take them up for concealing it; but I after thought I would take the kornall's advice upon it, and he sent me to you.

"Sir,-If you wish me to attend you at any time and place, I am any time at your command; but I don't like to be d-d through a door. The widow's name is Barbara, and the exc

cutor's name Wilson, beer-seller, and the drum a brass drum.-So no more at present, from yours, and so forth, "THOMAS BUCKLEY, "Late drum-major, Condate "local militia.

"N.B.-Sir, the kornall is determined to have the drum, and the delay makes him very unhappy considering he has the gout. "To Mr Giddy Throbble, "Atturney-at-law."

Though I was mortified at receiving the letter, and anticipated nothing but vexation from its contents, yet I felt a glow of satisfaction on getting to the end of it, for a vista opened before me, and I saw a prospect of putting a total end to this, to me, most troublesome business. The name of a drum was poison to me, and the name drum-major was almost enough to bring on hysterics. I forthwith rode over to Colonel Lee on this important business; for to me it was be come important to get rid of it, inasmuch as it was very evident that I should never have any peace as long as I had any thing to do with it.

I explained to the colonel, very fully and very clearly, the difficulties that lay in the way of his recove.fing the drum by any proceeding at law; pointed out the certaintyof some cost being incurred, and the probability of that cost being considerable--much whilst the chance of recovery was at more than the value of the drum— least problematical. I then told him that the drum would be given up on payment of the pound claimed for painting, and that it would be good policy to pay that pound and obtain possession of the drum, rather than incur the hazard of paying the costs of an action, and not recover the drum in the end.

The colonel was of the same opinion, and authorized me to pay the pound and obtain the drum. I rode on to Warnton without delay-I paid the pound and obtained the drum, with the sticks and ticking-case, and packed the whole off to the abominable drum-major, by whom they were duly received, and by that means I got rid of my exceedingly troublesome first client.

THIS little volume makes its appearance under no common auspices. M. I. F. L. Mérimée was secretary to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. The manuscript work is submitted to a committee by the Royal Institute of France, whose chairman, M. Quatremère de Quincy, in the name of the commission, draws up an entirely laudatory report. We select the conclusion:

"Intrusted with the duty of rendering a faithful account of this work, the Commission are of opinion that they have carefully pointed out the great utility and advantages that must result to the art of painting from its publication. The Academy approves of the opinions contained in the Report, and have directed that a copy of it be laid before the Minister of the Home Department."

Mr Taylor dedicates his translation of M. Mérimée's work to the president and members of the Royal Academy in this country, under permission and sanction. He was urged to this task by the most distinguished artists, members of the Royal Academy; Sir Augustus Wall Calcott, Sir David Wilkie, Mr Etty, Mr Mulready, Mr Hilton, Mr Phillips, and Mr Cooper. But he is further permitted to dedicate it to the members of the Royal Academy in their public and collective capacity." This volume, then, has the stamp of the highest authority, and must be considered by far the most important work that has yet appeared upon the subject; and yet, though we believe it to contain very valuable information, we are inclined to doubt if it will be found to merit the entire confidence of artists and amateurs, which the very great authorities, under whose sanction and adoption it comes forth, would seem to claim for it. We say this with some hesitation, and would only guard against a hasty reliance upon recipes said to be the result of experiments upon pictures of the old masters, without having laid before us the exact processes from which certain deductions have been made. We want facts first, and such detail of facts as chemistry is able to afford. We speak not here of any other than such as can be proved from

VOL. XLV. NO. CCLXXXIV.

It

the old pictures; for, assuming that M. Mérimée has established his case as to the use of varnishes, it may be fairly allowed that his experiments upon the making them are amply detailed. What we would have is the chemical analyses of the pictures of the best time, with every particular, incidental or otherwise, of working them out. Without this we may be rightly directed, but we are not suffi ciently assured that we are so. The Report of the Institute of France thus describes the object of the author :"That of bringing to light the primitive processes of painting. For this purpose he has consulted the earlier works on this art, and has examined, with the greatest care, many of the pictures which have most successfully resisted the effects of time and exposure; and he is decidedly of opinion that these works owe their preservation to particular modes of combining, in a liquid state, resinous substances, by the use of which the colours were defended from the action of causes that have injured or destroyed pictures of much more modern dates." would indeed be a most valuable discovery, could we ascertain that medium which will secure the permanency of both the brilliancy and texture of colours. But here we come to the fact, well known to all artists, that very many, perhaps most modern, painters, have, for at least this half century, mixed oil and varnish together; and what has been the result? The colours have not only not retained their brilliancy, but in very many cases have most desperately separated, never have become really hard substances, though hardness is the peculiar quality of the old paint. " M. Mérimèe," continues the Report, "has closely examined, and analysed with great care, paintings of the earliest dates, and has consulted many of the ablest restorers of pictures; and hence he is strongly of opinion, from the hardness of the ground, and the brightness of the pictures, that the colours have not only been incorporated with oil, but also with varnishes, even of that sort called 'hard varnish."" Now, the hardness of the old paint, and the

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