For about a year I retained the post of honour with my new mistress; but towards the close of that period, I discovered a visible alteration in her of which, as it affected her treatment to me, I took particular notice. The first symptom I observed was a want of cordiality between her and my ci-devant master. Occasional differences took place between them, conducted on both sides with much warmth, and I noticed that a male visitor, who was very assidious in his attention, seemed to have taken a great fancy either to my mistress's hand or myself, for he frequently pressed both between his, and as frequently raised them to his lips, though gently reprimanded for it by the lady.At length, one day he removed me from the fair finger I had so long encircled; and then drawing off the plain gold ring that I had so faithfully guarded, replaced it by one of nearly a similar kind, and then restored me to my former station, having consigned my old companion to his pocket. I felt, or fancied that I felt my mistress's hand agitated by a tremulous emotion, and a drop that, save from its warmth, I should have taken for crystal, at that moment fell on me, and was hastily brushed away by the lips of the gentleman. I felt indignant at being robbed of this liquid pearl, which to my prophetic soul appeared like the last memorial of departed purity, nor could I be reconciled to the new companion who had usurped the place of my old one, to which, habit, and its unobtrusive qualities, had endeared me. The next day my mistress took advantage of the absence of her husband to clope with her lover, and though pressed by him to remove me for a ring of great beauty and value that he had provided as a substitute, she expressed such a desire still to retain me, that, though with a visible degree of chagrin, he consented to permit me to occupy my old station, and placed his gift on a finger of the right hand. I soon observed many symptoms of unhappiness in my mistress; I was frequently bedewed with the tears that trickled down her pale cheeks, as the hand to which I belonged supported it; and the same hand was often pressed to her burning forehead, as if to still the throbbing pulse that agonized her there. By degrees the once snowy hand lost its fairness, and assumed a sickly yellow hue; the once finely rounded taper finger which I had so closely encircled, shrunk from my embrace. still my unhappy mistress seemed to wish to retain me, and by twisting several silken threads round me, she again secured me; but alas! in a few days I felt an unusual coldness steal over the attenuated finger, which was succeded by a rigidity that gave it the feel and semblance of marble.' At this moment Yet my servant, entering the room, awoke me, and interrupted a dream, the impression of which was so vivid, as to leave the traces of tears on my cheek. Poetry. WALTZING. 1 At first they move slowly, with caution and grace, Like horses when just setting out on a race; For dancers at balls, just like horses at races, Must amble a little to show off their paces The music plays faster, their raptures begin, Like lambkins they skip, like tetotums they spin: Now draperies whirl, and now petticoats And ancles at least are exposed to the eye. fly, O'er the chalk-covered ball-room in circles they swim; He smiles upon her, and she smiles upon him; Her hand on his shoulder is tenderly plaçed, His arm quite as tenderly circles her waist; They still bear in mind as they're turning each other, The proverb, "one good turn's deserving another; And these bodily turns often end, it is said, POSTCRIPT. When you talk of this dance, I request it may be, Not waltzing, but valtzing, pronounced with a v ON A SOLDIER, availed ourselves of their kindness. matter of discussion, which at present we The letter of" a Clergyman" involves beg leave to decline. We take, in good part, the hint of our correspondent Justus, and will endeavour to profit by it. L. X. does not X. L.; we cannot print such nonsense. From the epigram by Quiz, containing twenty lines, on being asked if a Lean Pig was like any other animal? we extract all the wit, 66 Yes, one there is, these doth combine, Pray which? why sure the Porc-u-pine." The "Sharpshooter's song" we lay past Who died in the West Indies, 23d. Ap. 1822. till the next review day. ....... Thou oft hast mingled in the throng The HAND that points the bullet's course Gorbals. NOTICES W. K. TO CORRESPONDENTS. We are under many obligations to our friends, some of them will perceive we have The Butterfly will appear in our next. We will be happy to receive communications from the same quarter. We are quite overpowered, by an article which assumes so many names that it is impossible to describe it properly. "Lines to Mary," "Song to Jessie," "On the rising sun," "Sonnet," "Acrostick," &c. &c. &c. these and many similar have all a family resemblance, yet nobody can tell what they mean to represent. Grateful for past favor, we trust the Melange will in future continue to deserve it. PRINTED, PUBLISHED AND SOLD, Lyceum Court, Nelson Street, ALSO OF THE FOLLOWING BOOKSELLERS: Messrs. Hunter, 23, South Hanover Street, Edinburgh; John Hislop, Greenock; John Dick, Ayr; Thomas Dick, Paisley; Robert Mathie, Kilmarnock; Malcolm Currie, Port-Glasgow; D. Conde, Rothesay; James Thomson, Hamilton; and M. Dick, Irvine, for ready money only. SKETCHES. No. 4. THE COUATSHIP. An English education, and an extraordinary share of natural vivacity, had given to Fanny Woodbine powers of attraction, which independently of her raven locks, and laughing eyes, by most people would have been deemed interesting. She was now in that lovely season of life, between its spring and its summer, when the gay spirit dances amidst the blossoms on its path, and all is fondness, faithfulness and joy. Possessed of numerous accomplishments, and fine talents for conversation, Fanny Woodbine gained the heart sooner than she pleased the eye, but no one ever sat an hour in her company, who if he were within the first five minutes charmed with her playfulness, was not, the next five minutes, convinced she was a beauty. With such attractions, it was not wonderful that Fanny should have been an object of interest to many young men, who whether they visited her father's, as the professed lovers, or silent admirers of his daughter, were always received in the kindest manner by the Major. He delighted to talk of his intrepidity, when quelling the in PRICE 34d4 surrectionary movements of the nogroes in the West Indies, but his favorite topic was his disposition of the regi ment under his command, when on one occasion a French fleet threatened the Island of at that time the Major's residence. It was amusing to observe the various methods adopted to secure the favor of the old gen tleman, by Fanny's admirers,-constant attention to his stories, compliments appropriately interposed, affected interest in his narrations, and the loud and hearty laugh which patronised his jokes, were all efforts to deceive Major Woodbine, and to secure his approbation as the first step to his daughter's love. There was one however, amidst the crowd of Fanny's admirers, who had never condescended to act thus, and yet if general appearances were to have been trusted Alfred seemed likely to be a most unsuccessful one. But had you watched them closely, when some trivial topic engrossed the conversation of the company, you might have seen Fanny with half closed eye, looking fondly in his face, while a smile played o'er his countenance, the only return he gave for the kind acknowledgment. A gayer and more fashionable man was Horatio, and had any person accepted the opinion he entertained of himself, it would have been most fa- | As soon as Fanny was alone she be vorable. Heir to a noble estate, accustomed to the splendors of Fashionable life, and of a domineering and impetuous spirit, he considered his visits to Woodbine Hill, as condescensions which nothing but his attachment to Fanny could have occasioned. thought herself of Horatio's Tetter, but it was no where to be found, at length she remembered having left it on "the green bank near the spot where it was received, she hastened to the place, but the letter was not there, and with considerable anxiety she found herself obliged to abandon the search and re-202 Fanny was too clever not to perceive turn home. The person who had the manner in which he valued these removed the letter was Fleury, the attentions to her, and when she con- French Cook of Woodbine Hill, he trasted them with the calm and constant had seen it lying on the ground, in affection of Alfred, her young heart passing from the village, and having felt that it could not even do him jus- picked it up he put it in his pocket. tice. One beautiful evening Fanny Next forenoon the happy lovers met, and Alfred walked together in the and never did the time pass more park, and the balm of the air, the ver- swiftly, for long before they expected dure of the fields, the song of the birds, or wished, the company invited began and the brightness of the golden clouds to assemble. Horatio was amongst which the sun ere he sets seemed more the first to arrive, and it was soon obvividly to illumine, all invited to fond-served that he was if possible more ness and to love. Such was the moment when Alfred declared an attachment, which successive years had silently entwined around his heart, and which the longer it flourished there only bloomed the sweeter. Fanny's consent sealed his bliss. But these happy moments were soon interrupted by the servant of Horatio, who now stepped forward and presented a letter to Fanny. It stated that Horatio was to dine at Woodbine Hill next day, when he intended to avail himself of the opportunity to throw himself and his fortunes at her feet. pert in his manner, and more severe in his jokes, than he had ever been before. He sat near the Major at dinner, and had just finished his soup, when the latter commenced a dissertation on the excellent dish before him, for which the company were indebted to Horatio. All eyes were turned towards it, but the company especially admired the beautiful cut paper with which Fleury had concealed the uncomely portion of the bone. This ornament was so well executed, that Fanny requested Horatio to undo part of it, that he might show it to a girl near him. Glad to oblige one of Together with the letter Horatio's whom Horatio thought as of a bride, servant was entrusted with a present he proceeded to obey her, but to his to the Major (who certainly was a bon utter discomfiture, he found the ornavivant) consisting of a delicious haunch mental paper which adorned the veniof venison, and which all Horatio's in- son was the letter he had sent to Fanny terest with his friend Lord E had the day before, and which had by this scarcely been able to procure for him. time attracted the attention of the The servant proceeded by the shortest whole company. Shocked and enpath to the house, and altho' the routraged, he left the table, and Woodbine of the lovers was more circuitous, they Hill for ever, nor is he yet convinced -also-arrived a short time afterwards. that Fanny was not to blame for the ON THE MODES OF LIVING, THE METROPOLIS, DURING THE Of the hospitality of the English, and of the style of eating and drinking in the upper ranks of society, Harrison has given us the following curious, though general, detail. of "In number of dishes aud change meat," he remarks, "the nobilitie of England (whose cookes are for the most part musicall headed Frenchmen and strangers) doo most exceed, sith there is no daie in manner that passeth over their heads, wherein they have not onelie beefe, mutton, veale, lambe, kid, porke, conie, capon, pig, or so manie of these as the season yeeldeth but also some portion of the red or fallow deere, beside great varietie of fish and wild foule, and thereto sundrie other delicates wherein the. sweet hand of the seafaring Portingale is not wanting: so that for a man to dine with one of them, and to taste of everie dish that standeth before him (which few use to doo, but ech one feedeth upon that meat him best liketh for the time, the beginning of everie dish notwithstanding being reserved unto the greatest personage that sitteth at 17 the table, to whome it is drawen still by the waiters as order requir and from whence it decendeth gaine even to the lower end, whereby each one may taste thereof) is is rather to yield into a conspiracie with a greate deale of meat for the speedie suppres sion of naturall health, when the use of a necessarie meane to satisfie himselfe with a competent repast, to susteine his bodie withall." 1ST "The chiefe part likewise of their dailie provision is brought in before. them (commonlie in silver vessell, if they be of the degree of barons, bishops and upwards) and placed on their tables, whereof when they have taken what it pleaseth them, the rest is reserved, and afterward sent downe to their serving men and waiters, who feed thereon in like sort with convenient moderation, their reversion also being bestowed upon the poore, which lie readie at their gates in great numbers to receive the same. This is spoken of the principall tables whereat the nobleman, his ladie and guestes are accustomed to sit, beside which they have a certeine ordinarie allowance daillie appointed for their hals, where the chiefe officers and household servants (for all are not permitted by custome to waite upon their master) and with them such inferiour guestes doo feed as they are not of calling to associat the noble man himselfe (so that besides those afore mentioned, which are called to the principall table, there are commonlie fortie or three score persons fed in those hals,) to the great reliefe of such poore sutors and strangers also as oft be partakers thereof and otherwise like to dine hardlie. As for drinke it is usuallie filled in pots, gobblets, jugs, bols of silver in noble mens houses, also in fine Venice glasses of all formes, and for want of these elsewhere in pots of earth of sundrie colours, and moulds (whereof |