one morning put the Common Prayer Book | it,' he replied; and repeated it distinctly, though he could not not have read it more than twice. into his hands, pointing to the collect for the day, and said, 'Sam, you must get this by heart.' She went up stairs, leaving him to study; but by the time she had reached the second floor she heard him following her. 'What's the matter? said she. 'I can say "After his marriage he set up a private academy, for which purpose he hired a large house well situated near his native city. In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1736 there is the following advertisement : "At Edial, near Lichfield, in Staffordshire, young gentlemen are boarded and taught the Latin and Greek languages by Samuel Johnson.' "But the only pupils that were put under his care were the celebrated David Garrick and his brother George, and a Mr. Offely, a young gentleman of good fortune, who died early. As yet his name had nothing of that celebrity which afterwards commanded the highest attention and respect of mankind. Had such an advertisement appeared after the publication of his 'London,' his 'Rambler,' or his 'Dictionary,' how would it have burst upon the world! With what eagerness would the great and wealthy have embraced an opportunity of putting their sons under the learned tuition of Samuel Johnson!" From "The Tribune." SONNET. How two strong elements strive in the soul; sense But inner truths, and outer evidence! The inner, firm, as loadstone to the pole, While booming facts, like wild sea billows roll, Athwart belief-which is the soul's defence,On which is built its freedom,-innocence,Reason, which should, hand-locked with Faith, control. This inner sense, the poet's richest gift,- From "Fraser's Magazine." THE BEST OF THREE; OR, THE OFFICER'S CHARGER. AN unmilitary spectator, gazing upon a regiment of cavalry on the march, is apt to suppose that, like a body of chess-men in a box, it has but to be packed up, and dispatched in any direction at a moment's notice. He sees each individual private, looking straight between the ears of his charger, surrounded by his own and his horse's paraphernalia-which personal property the faithful pair carry about with them like a snail does her shell, in all their wanderings. Being a civilian, the delighted gazer has, of course, an immense idea of military punctuality and quickness; so, forgetting the difficulty with which he sets his own family in motion, to perform a journey from Ramsgate to Southampton, he fondly supposes that the blast of a trumpet, sounding "boots and saddles," is sufficient to move any number of squadrons, baggage, horses, sick men, officers'-mess-establishments, and other impedimenta, at a moment's warning, to Lisbon, Gibraltar, Quebec, or Aliwal. Little does he know the confusion created in a barrack-yard by the arrival of "the route" the hurrying to and fro of orderlies, corporals, serjeants, and trumpeters-the grave and steady bustle of the colonel, and and his admiring imitator, the regimental serjeant-major-the hurried arrangements of the doctor, probably a married man, with a host of children-the frantic state of the adjutant, and calm despair of the ridingmaster, invariably a stalwart warrior, whose corpulent proportions it appears impossible for any horse to carry-the captains completely engrossed in the affairs of their respective troops, and the movement of their own baggage-the lieutenants thinking of "the girls that we left behind us"-and the cornets (happy dogs!) with the true elasticity of youth, swamping all their cares for the present, and regrets for the past, in golden anticipations of the future. We will pass over the difficulties of the mess-man, important as that functionary must unquestionably be; nor will we dwell upon the labors of bât-men and servants, packing up baggage, and stowing the most ingenious inventions into the smallest given space; or the discomforts of the handful of women, whose privilege it is to follow a regiment on service. It is enough to know that, out of this chaos of confusion, spring the elements of order and arrangement, and that, in twenty-four hours at the outside, every thing is ready for the road, the rail, the transport, or the field. Add to all this, the knowledge that the corps thus set in motion is about to leave home on active service, where promotion and distinction are as surely awaiting the survivors, as grape and musketry, round shot and sabre-cuts, are in store for those whose fate it may be never to see merry England again, and some idea may be formed of the excitement prevailing in the cavalry barracks at York one fine spring morning early in the present century, on the receipt of "the route" for the Peninsula by the gallant -th Dragoons. Ah! I was young in those days, and would not have exchanged my lieutenancy in that distinguished regiment, with my aspirations for military glory, and hopes for the future -no! not for a dukedom in possession. Like Mazeppa, I was a goodly stripling then; At seventy years I so may say; and with youth, strength, health, and, above all, hope, with the world, not of reality, but of boyhood's dreams, all before me, could any position in life be more enviable than mine? I am old now, and, like all old men, somewhat inclined to overrate the advantages of youth. But I must strive to curb the garrulity which is so apt to steal on with increasing years, and tell my story in the off-hand fashion of the present day. It is not fair to lay hold of my courteous reader by the button, and inflict on him the unnecessary twaddle that shall dub me "bore." Well; the gallant -th were quartered at York, and "a glorious summer" we made it for the "sons of York,” ay, and the daughters, too. Balls, pic-nics, races, theatricals, all the autumn-more balls, more theatricals, capital-hunting, famous shooting, all the winter. Yorkshire has ever been celebrated for the kindness and hospitality of its inhabitants. It still keeps up its character in that respect, as I am informed on all hands; but in those days I can vouch for every man's home being literally "his castle;" and truly we were free of them all. Amongst the many from whom my brother officers and myself were sure of a hearty welcome, none were more delighted to see us, or made us more perfectly at home, than Mr. Bolton, of Newnham Dale, and his three daughters. The "Squire," as he was called, over many a broad acre was one of a class which I hope I may never live to see fading from the face of our country. A kind landlord, a hospitable and affectionate friend, a refined scholar, and an enthusiastic sportsman, Mr. Bolton was the "beau ideal" of a thorough country gentleman, in the broadest sense of the word. I see him now in the old hall at Newnham Dale; we are coming in from pheasant-shooting in the wide woods that skirt his picturesque domain. A travelling carriage has just brought up a fresh accession of guests to partake of his hospitalities; and the Squire steps forward from the old oak fireplace, with a glow of pleasure on his handsome countenance—“ a | good portly man i' faith, and a corpulent, of a cheerful look, a pleasing eye, and a most noble carriage"-receiving the ladies with all the refined courtesy of "the old school," lit up, as it were, by his own kind heart and affectionate disposition; while the cordial welcome with which he greets the rougher sex, makes the male guest at once feel completely at home. The eldest and youngest daughter are working by the light of the wood-fire, in a snug corner, so partitioned off and intrenched by ottomans, fauteuils, low chairs, tiny tables, footstools, and other lady-like encumbrances, that it almost forms a separate apartment. While coming through the billiard-room, I hear the rustle of a dress that my heart tells me can only belong to Mary Bolton, the second daughter of the hospitable "Squire," and the fairest girl in all the "north countrie." try to think of her impartially, as another might; but it was none of these qualities that gave her that indescribable charm which to me she possessed. People now-adays talk a great deal about "mesmerism;" I think it must have been that; I can only account for it by a " magnetic influence.” “Je l'aimais, parceque c'était elle, et parceque c'était moi." And if you, my indulgent and venerable reader, will look back some fifty years into life, when your heart leapt to your lips, and the color rushed to your cheek, at the mere sound of a name, or if you, young and gallant cavalier, will seriously reflect upon the singular fact, that every one of your horses (of course, you pique yourself on your riding) bends himself into a curvet on passing one particular drawingroom window, and stops short, without any indication from his master, at one particular door, you will probably be able to give no better explanation of your respective conduct than the French sentence I have just quoted, as containing the whole essence and morale" of an infatuation as mysterious as it is universal. Well, although I was as conceited as most young men of my years, and a bold dragoon to boot, I blushed up to my eyes whenever "the second Miss Bolton"-as I reverently denominated my enslaver-made her appearance; and on the occasion that now presents itself so vividly to my recollection, I could hardly muster up courage for what I was dying to do-viz., to place a chair for her by her sisters' work-table, and ensconsing myself as near as possible to the wishedfor spot, monopolize the whole conversation and attention of my ladye-love. Shall I ever forget my astonishment when, passing close to me, she whispered in a voice inaudible to all but myself, "Will you step into the library, Mr. I wish to speak to you alone.” ? I need not now be ashamed to confess that I was over head and ears in love with -or what, in military language, we irreverently denominated, spoony on-Mary Bolton; nor can such an event be a matter of "Heavens!" I thought, "what can it astonishment. As for describing her, I hold mean?" Beyond the fact of my standing in it to be impossible to describe a woman. the position customary with gentlemen in Beautiful she was, that I know, for I have polite society, and not balancing myself on heard her charms discussed in many a crowd- my head, I was conscious of nothing, hardly ed drawing room; good she was, for much of my own personal identity, though vouched as the Squire loved all his daughters, he for by a smart shooting-dress, and muchnever called Mary by any other name than soiled gaiters. Visions of a declaration, "best of three." Graceful and lady-like, began by the lady!—throwing ourselves on quiet, and "quite clever enough," all these the mercy of her indulgent father-sale of I am convinced she must have been, when I commission--retirement in the country love in a cottage-with my own governor's ite. "He was so gentle !-and would eat awful resentment in the background-all out of her hand: he was so handsome!— this whirled through my brain, as hot and and Mr. would not cut his tail, she cold by turns I stood in the library, appointed begged: and she had hunted him sometimes as our trysting-place. I never knew exactly (with a smile); and he could leap so beauhow I got there myself; and as for Mary, tifully (with a blush); and if ever I went she might have come down the chimney for into any of those horrid battles-" Here ought I knew to the contrary. However, poor Mary's voice failed her altogether, and the trance did not last long, for even as the with a hurried "good morning, Mr. —; application of the pure element to the brows we shall meet to-morrow night at the ball," of the sleeper-a process called by mischiev- she rushed away by a door that led to the ous urchins "cold pig"-dispels, like an air- secluded regions of ladies' boudoirs and bubble, the dreamy creations of fancy, so respectable married couples' chambers, in was I literally startled back to my senses that old country house, far removed from by the matter-of-fact, business-like manner the noise and racket of billiard-room range in which Miss Bolton addressed me. and bachelors' gallery. "Mr. I wished to speak to you in private, about selling my brown horse." "Your brown horse, Miss Bolton! very nice horse"-was all I could stammer out. “The fact is,” she proceeded, in the same calm, measured tones, "I wish to sell him for fifty pounds. I believe him to be worth a good deal more; and papa says he would at any time command that price; so I thought, Mr. that perhaps you could dispose of him for me: only I want the money immediately. In fact, it is absolutely necessary I should have it in two days; and I must beg of you not to say a word upon the subject to any one." I felt that this was the moment to become possessed of a treasure, so intimately associated with Mary Bolton; and accordingly, mystified as I was at the whole proceeding, I expressed my willingness to purchase the brown horse, and begged to be allowed to send for him at Miss Bolton's convenience. When buyer and seller are both of one mind, a bargain is easily concluded; and it was soon settled that the animal should be paid for by his new master in person, the very next evening, at a York ball which we were both to attend, and that, contrary to the usual practice in these cases, he should be delivered the following morning. And now, Miss Bolton having succeeded in attaining her object, began, like a true woman, to experience sundry twinges of regret at that which, a few moments before, had appeared to be the point she was most anxious to gain; and it was not without certain chokings in that white throat, and overflowings of those violet eyes, that she consigned to me the care of her dumb favor The second Miss Bolton's eyes were somewhat red when she appeared at dinner, and I thought that she studiously avoided me, so as to allow of no further explanation as regarded our mysterious "deal." When, after a fair "symposium" over our host's most excellent claret, we walked into the drawing-room, the ladies had retired for the night; and as I was to breakfast early, and hunt my way back to the barracks the following day, I could only console myself by anticipating a confidential and delightful explanation at the coming ball. "There were dandies in those days;" and as, in the present fashion, a young man prides himself chiefly on the extreme looseness of his garments, more particularly those in which he means to take violent exercise by standing in a doorway, and watching people attempt to dance,-so, in my time, we thought it impossible to gird up our loins too tightly, or to be brushed up, curled, and starched too severely, ere we offered ourselves up, willing victims to the barbarous institutions of our ancient Terpsichore. "Down the middle, and up again," through six-and-thirty couple, might well be called what old Major Dumb-bells of ours-an apoplectic dragoon, in a stock nine inches deep-hoarsely designated it, a choker, my boy!" My toilet on the evening in question was of the most elaborate kind, as befitted one who hoped to progress in the good graces of his fair. Whatever scope for decoration the military simplicity of a uniform afforded, was taken advantage of; and the buckle of my belt, on that important occasion, was drawn at least two holes tighter than any previous experience of the strength and toughness of Russia leather could warrant. I was present in the body at mess, but any thing so absent as my behavior has not often been seen at that convivial institution of the -th Dragoons. In little humor was I for that popular description of "badinage," which the vulgar call "chaff;" and my thirst was of a kind which red port wine only served to aggravate; so, after an early cup of coffee, another turn at the hairbrushes in my barrack-room, with an abortive attempt to draw that infernal belt a hole tighter, I proceeded to the dazzling scene of my anticipated happiness. Well may Byron talk of "the hopes and fears that shake a single ball." Could we look into the hearts of the merry throng who fill yon glittering hall, what jealousies, what anxieties, what flutterings of hope, what pangs of regret, should we not discover! Love and hatred, malice and revenge, generosity and ill-nature, passions both good and evil, all arising from a scene professedly of gayety and merry-making. Ladies! ladies! a ball is to you a matter of even greater importance than to ourselves. We beseech you, do not disclose your hearts as openly as you uncover your bosoms! Self-denial, and something almost akin to deception, have been the lessons most sedulously inculcated on your maiden minds; stick to the maternal precepts; smile if you will, and if your teeth are white, but not too kindly; look proper and dignified, though you feel ready to cry-calm and careless, though your hearts be breaking. Say, "I believe I'm engaged," when you would give your two dovelike eyes for but one five minutes' more conversation with him whose hand has been already accepted for a single quadrille. What matter that the opportunity may never occur again ?—that he is dying to tell you what you are dying to hear-that on the next quarter of an hour the happiness for life of two persons may depend? "Mamma" and the world have laid down certain rules of propriety, and Mamma" and the world must be obeyed; so you draw your glove a little higher, with a freezing smile, and repressing the bitter tears to curdle coldly round your heart, tears that shall gush unrestrained on your lonely pillow, when "Mamma" is enjoying the placid slumbers of conscious virtue, you bow your Grecian head, and bend your dainty ear, to the twaddle of some insipid coxcomb-one of the world's "monstrous gentlemanlike fellows"-and when you raise your eyes again, they look in vain among the crowd for that wellknown form; they glance from face to face, in search of that kind, serious brow; he is not in this room, nor in the next, nor on the staircase with some more indulgent damsel; he is gone. You have made no half-expressed, well-understood appointment to meet again; you know not whether you shall see him more; you smile on, but you are sick at heart, and your brain is beating; you smile on, but it is a pale, wan smile, for love will not be denied, and you never felt before how much you love him; you think of the encouragement that might have been given, the return of affection he so well deserved; you wish you could but live the last half-hour of your life over again; something whispers, " too late!-too late!" Mary Bolton gave me no opportunity of explanation certainly; I danced with her, but a country-dance is a bad medium of confidential communication; and declining all offers of tea, that convenient excuse for love-making, and disregarding all hints of the room being hot, and the flowers on the staircase well worth seeing, she walked me back to her aunt, a stiff old lady, well adapted for a chaperon, and receiving my note addressed to herself, and inclosing the fifty pounds for her horse, she thanked me coldly for performing her commission, and accepting "my cousin John's" arm for the next dance, left me planted by the forbidding old aunt, more in love than ever, horribly angry with myself for the little way I had made in the lady's good graces, and hugely inclined to pick a quarrel with "cousin John," as an infernally conceited fellow, and much too "bumptious," for a civilian. Had I known what the morrow would bring forth, I think I could not have found it in my heart to part thus from Mary. I think even she would have felt it not unbecoming to show some interest in one so soon to be severed from her by the hoarse call of war; but truly none of us can tell what an hour may bring forth; and neither she nor I, on that evening, anticipated a parting of more than a few days, Long, long years were to elapse, and stirring |