There are, however, a descrip- Bob was sometimes, however, tion of men who, from habit, and apt to be out of season with his the necessity they have thought puns; as when an old friend of his, themselves under of showing their a musical composer, who had been talents in the art, are constantly en- served with a copy of writ, came to gaged in hunting for puns; they him, guessing pretty fairly that he listen to every word, catch at every could tell him, to ask what it was.--sentence, and look very dull when-"What is it?" (cried Bob, looking ever they are disappointed of an at it) "Why, my dear fellow, a opportunity. My old schoolfellow, plaintiff ballad, that's all" WhenBob Punster, is one of these. Bob ever Bob had success with his puns, was designed by his prudent father he was insufferable; and I never for a merchant's counting house; was more happy than to see him but he fancied that he was a dram-completely brought to the blush by atic author, and in truth had some an old woman, who appeared, as capabilities for writing farces. He contented himself with being worth very little, that he might have leisure to follow his favorite occupations. He brought out a play, it succeeded; another, which was d————————d ; a third, and success again; so that he was by this time a dramatist, well received in company, and considered as a wit. Bob had from a boy a tendency to humor; and he had served a sufficiently long apprenticeship to the play-houses to have become a proficient. Bob made it a rule never to speak himself at table, unless by way of reply, or to lead to a reply; at which expedient he was very dexterous, and would bring his man, with all the ease in the world, into the very teeth of a pun. He was trying at this one day with a gentleman, who, though no author, happened to be a match for him. Bob, who suspected he was an author, asked him if he had not written for the public eye." Yes, Sir."-" Pray, Sir, where?"" In the Morning Post.""The Morning Post! Pray, Sir, what was the article?""An advertisement for a cook.""Thank you, Sir," answered Bob, quite chopfallen, and sneaking away or a wig?"

well as we could guess, to be a porkbutcher's wife, or a fat landlady. It happened to be a play wherein the young Roscius performed; and my friend Bob was extremely entertaining: Mr. Garble, the critic, sat on one side of him, and myself on the other. We were observing that Master Betty had received a great many instructions from Mr. Hough, the Prompter. Ay, itdeed," (cried the old woman, turning about,)" I think he must have been huffed and snubbed too, to be so clever as he is." Neither Mr. Garble nor myself could resist loud and repeated bursts of laughter; not so much at the old woman's wit as at our crest-fallen friend, who did not open his mouth again the whole evening.

A bad pun, however, if meant to be bad, will often provoke a laugh; like that which was-said to be made by the celebrated Addison, who laid a bet that he could make the worst that had ever been heard, and on which occasion he succeeded admirably, by going up to a man in the street, who was carrying a hare. in his hand: "Pray," cried he, to the man, "is that your own hare,

as fast as he could.-I have heard The truth is, that whatever is him say often, that he took care nev-produced from the mind, which 13 er to come near the same wit again. not mere Aluqtada

and entertaining. There are many men who present us nothing brilliant, but who possess that sober sense and judgment which, after all, is most estimable, being a treasure which he can resort to in his closet, and which when he goes abroad, will carry him safely through all the wayward circumstances of life. The finished gentlemen must be of the latter character: he may smile at a pun; he may venture at one now and then: his manners, however, must be chaste and pure; for the wit, eager for a display, sometimes offends, and often forgets the duties of decorum. It requires a fine and delicate taste to unite the characters.

BIOGRAPHY.

some thought or talent, is valuable that his greater talents give him a privilege of straying from the strict rules of caution, and exempt him from the ordinary rules of censure. He produces so fast, that what is well in his writings calls for admiration, and what is incorrect deserves an excuse: he may, in some things, require grains of allowance, which those only can deny him who are unknown or unjust to him. He is not quicker in discerning other men's faults, than he is in forgiving them; so ready, or rather glad to acknowledge his own, that from blemishes they become ornaments. All the repeated provocations of his indecent adversaries have had no other effect than the setting his good-nature in so much a better light, since his anger never yet went farther than to pity them. That heat, which in most other men raises sharpness and satire, in him glows into warmth for his friends, and compassion for those in want and misery. As dull men have quick eyes in discerning the smaller faults of those that nature has made superior to them, they do not miss one blot he makes; and, being beholden only to their barrenness for their discretion, they fall upon the errors which arise out of his abundance; and, by a mistake into which their malice betrays them, they think, that, by finding a mote in his eye, they hide the beams that are in their own. His quickness makes writing so easy to him, that his spirits are neither wasted nor soured by it: the soil is not forced; every thing grows and brings forth without pangs; which distinguishes as much what he does from that which smells of the lamp, as a good palate will discern between fruit which comes from a rich mould, and that which tastes of the uncleanly pains that have been bestowed upon it. He

CHARACTER OF DR. BURNET.

«Dr. Burnet is, like all men who are above the ordinary level, seldom spoken of in a mean; he must either be railed at, or admired. He has a swiftness of imagination that no other man comes up to; and, as our nature hardly allows us to have enough of any thing, without having too much, he cannot at all times so hold-in his thoughts, but that at sometime they may run away with him; as it is hard for a vessel, that is brimful when in motion, not to run over; and therefore the variety of matter that he ever carries about him may throw out more than an unkind critic would allow of. His first thoughts may sometimes require more digestion, not from a defect in his judgment, but from the abundance of his fancy, which furnishes too fast for him. His friends love him too well to see small faults; or, if they do, think

They in general merit neither praise nor blame. Though inhabitants of a climate rather hot than temperate, they have but few passions, and those so little exalted, as scarcely to pass the boundaries of simple desire; consequently, they may be said to be neither very vicious nor very virtuous. If there be any thing to which we can compare this nation, it is an hospital of convalescents. Sometimes we see

makes many enemies by setting an ill-natured example of living, which they are not inclined to follow. His indifference for preferment; his contempt, not only of splendor, but of all unnecessary plenty; his degrading himself into the lowest and most painful duties of his calling; are such unprelatical qualities, that let him be never so orthodox in other things, in these he must be a dissenter. Virtues of such a stamp are so many heresies, in the opin-them magnanimous, sometimes serion of those divines who have softened the primitive injunctions so as to make them suit better with the present frailty of mankind. No wonder then if they are angry, since it is in their own defence, or that, from a principle of self-preservation, they should endeavor to suppress a man, whose parts are a shame, and whose life is a scandal to them."

vile; having but little memory, and no resolution; capable of the greatest as well as of the meanest actions; now wishing for, now refusing the same thing; changing, in an instant, from mirth to tears, from cruelty to tenderness, from haughtiness to degradation."

The following sketch appears to possess the merit of novelty. It is translated from the Italian, and is to be found in the Travels of Signior Scrofani, a Sicilian, who is a sentimental and energetic writer.

ANTITHETICAL CHARACTER OF THE

TURKS.

For the Emerald. DESULTORY SELECTIONS,

AND ORIGINAL REMARKS.

The numerous tribe of poetasters in England universally exerted their small wits upon the death of Lord Nelson; and every magazine and almost every new publication contained some reference to that melancholy event. Mr. G. D. Harley, comedian, wrote some verses on the "Fight off Trafalgar," of which take this as a specimen.

In the Turks are united modesty and pride, avarice and prodigality, greediness and benevolence, parsiAfter this portrait, we may, if it is mony and profuseness, temperance faithful, throw aside the greater part and excess at table: though obsti- of what European travellers have said nate, they yield with greatest facili- of the Turks. It seems that they have ty; vindictive, they are the first to beholden them with the same eyes they embrace their enemies; ungrateful have beholden other nations. They have described them, by comparing to their benefactors, they are them- them with the Spaniards for ostentaselves frequently benevolent; the tion, the French for frivolity, the Dutch friends of humanity, yet disgracing for avarice, the Sclavonians for obstinathe dignity of man; jealous and cy, the Germans for rudeness; but, acpatient; indolent and active; cour-cording to our traveller, you can only ageous and servile; superstitious compare a Turk to a Turk-you cannot define them, it seems, because they and credulous; such are the Turks. have no character.

to ours,

"The grief of the skies, as responsive | well draw. However, in proportion as he diminished in his painting, he probably enlarges in his words.

Moan'd in thunder-and answer'd earth's

sorrows in show'rs ; 'Twas the DIRGE of the HEAV'NS."

Observe;

"In the latter," (miniature painting) the substance on which it is executed is ivory, instead of canvas; the vehicle for the colors is

"This," say the reviewers, "is rare, but a friend of ours said a better thing on Nelson's coffin being landed, during a hail-storm, on West-produced by the exudation of a tree, minster bridge. He observed, that the hero no sooner came on shore,

than he was hail'd from heaven."

instead of by the expression of a seed; and the pencils are formed from the down on the belly of a hare, instead of from the bristles on the back of a hog!

Here we are cruelly tempted to ex-Of sunshine and breezes I next thought claim with Jaques,"

to write ;

"Nay, then God be wi' you, an Of the breezes so mild, and the sunyou talk in blank verse.”

shine so bright:

But these with my fair no resemblance can hold.

For the sun sets at night, and the

breezes turn cold.

Does wealth make them? No, never! but poverty, as Theocritus says; and the observation is true: Poverty alone gives birth to arts. She is the mistress of toil, and the cause of every thing that is praise worthy.

CRIES Damon, teaz'd by dearest life,
To trudge to Vauxhall with her,
"If song from hell once fetch'd a wife,
Why can't it send one thither.
"But if, alas! to Pluto's cell,

By music none are driven,
Say, Handel, is there not a spell

Can send her soul to heaven? "Come, then, some sweet entrancing strain,

To native skies restore her, And when to angel turn'd again, I will again adore her."