that, will venture to reproach them with poverty of thought?

"To one so gifted in the prodigality of Heaven, can we approach in any other attitude than that of prostration ?"-Ibid.

The writer here combines, in one action, two attitudes which are simultaneously impossible. A man may approach another, and then prostrate himself; but while he is approaching, he cannot be in an attitude of prostration. Such a feat could only be performed by an individual who had learnt to advance on his belly.

"The separation did not take place till after the language had attained the ripeness of maturity."-TRENCH. English, Past and Present.

As we improve in the "study of words," perhaps some future Trench may be able to point out the difference between "ripeness" and "maturity." According to our "English, Past and Present," these words are as perfectly synonymous as any two in the language.

"The whole physiological theory of Paracelsus consisted, for the most part, in the application of the Cabbala to the explaining of the functions of the body." SOANE. New Curiosities of Literature.

We sometimes hear of a part being put for the whole; but here we have the whole reduced to a part. Of this confusion of wholes and parts the following affords another notable instance:

"Cervantes soon gave to the world the first part of his

inimitable Don Quixote, and the success of this part quickly led to the production of the whole."-MRS. FOSTER. Handbook of European Literature.

To say that the part already published led to the production of the whole, and not of the remainder, as common sense would suggest, is as much as to say that the part led to its own production!

"William Cobbett was a popular but inconsistent political writer, who wrote upon momentary impulse.”—Ibid.

A treatise by Cobbett, upon such a theme as "momentary impulse," is a literary curiosity which has not yet been given to the world.

“I presume that the sentence which the woman underwent was not executed."—ALFRED GATTY, in Notes and Queries.

The blunder here is occasioned by the writer describing the sentence as having been undergone, when he meant to speak of it only as pronounced, or awarded; for if the woman underwent the sentence, it is clear that the sentence must have been executed.

"Sweyn, king of Denmark, and Olauis, king of Norway, invaded England, and spreading themselves in bodies over the kingdom, committed many and cruel depredations."-MERRYBibliomania.

WEATHER.

The writer, of course, though he does not say a word about it, saw with his mind's eye, the two kings, accompanied by their armies; but if this could justify him in describing the kings alone,

as "spreading themselves in bodies over the kingdom," then there never was an Irish bull that might not be explained on the same charitable principle.

"The style is uncouth and hard; but with great defects of style, which should be the source of perpetual delight, no long poem will be read."—HALLAM. Literature of Europe.

Hallam intended the word "style," and that alone, as the antecedent to "which;" but if he had taken the trouble to reconsider the phrase, he would have perceived that, as it stands, great defects of style" is made the antecedent. Upon these words the main stress is laid, so that we are left to infer that the writer reckons great defects of style" among the sources of perpetual delight."

"Hence he considered marriage with a modern political economist, as very dangerous."-D'ISRAELI. Curiosities.

The writer meant to say, that the person of whom he speaks, agreed in opinion with a political economist, that marriage is a very dangerous thing; but instead of that, he makes the danger to consist in marrying the political economist.

Soane, in his "New Curiosities of Literature,' speaking of the shamrock, has the following remark in a foot-note:

"It is not a little singular that Spenser, who had such good opportunities of knowing the truth, should have described the shamrock as being synonymous with the water-cress; when speaking of the distress to which the Irish were reduced by the

wars in Munster, he says: 'If they found a plot of watercresses or shamrocks, there they flocked as to a feast for the time.'

Now, I take it that the singularity in this business is all on the side of Soane himself, who will have it that Spenser intended the particle "or to express synonymy, instead of what it conveys in its disjunctive capacity. It is obvious that Spenser speaks of two different things, just as if he had said: "If they found a plot of turnips or carrots;" by which no one would suppose him to mean that turnips and carrots are the same thing.

"It is well known that the ancients have stolen most of our bright thoughts."-JEFFREY. Essays.

What Jeffrey meant to say was, that the ancients have anticipated, or forestalled, us in most of our bright thoughts. How, indeed, could they steal from us what they possessed long before we were in existence? It was in the same sense that Donatus, some fifteen centuries ago, gave utterance to the words: "Pereant illi qui, ante nos, nostra dixerunt!" with this difference, that Donatus's imprecation is made in a tone of badinage, and with the full consciousness of its absurdity, as shown by the expression the expression" ante nos nostra;" whereas Jeffrey's remark is made with the simplicity and good faith of one who did not know what he was saying.

Among the numerous conceits that disfigure the poetry of what is called " the Lake School," I may notice the following passage in Wordsworth, where he carries his irreverence so far as to describe as the "daughter of God," the most diabolical of Hell's progeny :—

"But thy most dread instrument

In working out a pure intent,

Is man array'd for mutual slaughter:

Yea, carnage is thy daughter."

What does the Peace Congress say to this? Is it aware that its crusade against war and its horrors is, in effect, a crusade against the children of God? Of course, the poet's disciples are prepared to explain in what sense their great master wished this expression to be understood: but they may spare themselves the trouble. There is no sense, consistent with religion or even common decency, in which carnage can be said to be the daughter of God. If such poetico-philosophical incongruities were encouraged, the next children of God, of whom we should have an account, would be "murder," 66 rape," and "incest." On such a principle, there is no piece of blasphemy, however monstrous, that might not admit of explanation and excuse.

Sir A. Alison commences his "Essay on the Fall of Rome" with the following blunder :

"The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire is by far the most remarkable event which has occurred in the whole history