heart would speak if it could, for it is very full. There was a time, long, long ago, when the tears would have rushed to my eyes unbidden at the bare mention of generosity like yours, Mr. Wood; but they never come now. I have never wept since that day."

"And I trust you will never have occasion to weep again, my poor soul," replied Wood, setting down his lantern, and brushing a few drops from his eyes, unless it be tears of joy. Pshaw!" added he, making an effort to subdue his emotion, "I can't leave you in this way. I must stay a minute longer,

if only to see you smile."

So saying, he re-entered the house, closed the door, and, followed by the widow, proceeded to the fire-place, where a handful of chips, apparently just lighted, crackled within the rusty grate.

"You've but a sorry lodging, Mrs. Shep pard," said Wood, glancing round the chamber, as he expanded his palms before the scanty flame.

"It's wretched enough, indeed, sir," rejoined the widow; "but, poor as it is, it's better than the cold stones and open streets."

"Of course of course," returned Wood, hastily; "anything's better than that. But, take a drop of wine," urged he, filling a drinking-horn, and presenting it to her; "it's choice canary, and 'll do you good. And now, come and sit by me, my dear, and let's have a little quiet chat together. When things are at the worst they'll mend. Take my word for it, your troubles are over."

"I hope they are, sir," answered Mrs. Sheppard, with a faint smile and a doubtful shake of the head, as Wood drew her to a seat beside him," for I've had my full share of misery. But I don't look for peace on this side the grave."

"Nonsense!" cried Wood: "while there's life there's hope. Never be down hearted. Besides," added he, opening the shawl in which the infant was wrapped, and throwing the light of the candle full upon its sickly but placid features, "it's sinful to repine while you've a child like this to comfort you. Lord help him! he's the very image of his father. Like carpenter, like chips."

That likeness is the chief cause of my misery," replied the widow, shuddering. "Were it not for that, he would indeed be a blessing and a comfort to me. He never cries nor frets, as children generally do, but lies at my bosom, or on my knee, as quiet and as gentle as you see him now. But, when I look upon his innocent face, and see how like he is to his father, when I think of that father's shameful ending, and recollect how free from guilt he once was, -at such times, Mr. Wood, despair will

come over me; and, dear as this babe is to me, far dearer than my own wretched life, which I would lay down for him any minute, I have prayed to heaven to remove him, rather than he should grow up to be a man, and be exposed to his father's temptations rather than he should live as wickedly and die as disgracefully as his father. And, when I have seen him pining away before my eyes, getting thinner and thinner every day, I have sometimes thought my prayers were heard."

"Marriage and hanging go by destiny," observed Wood, after a pause; "but 1 trust your child is reserved for a better fate than either, Mrs. Sheppard."

"Goodness only knows what he's reserved for," rejoined the widow in a desponding tone; but if Mynheer Van Galgebrok, whom I met last night at the Cross Shovels, spoke the truth, little Jack will never die în his bed."

"Save us!" exclaimed Wood. "And who is this Van Gal-Gal-what's his outlandish name ?"

-

"Van Galgebrok," replied the widow. "He's the famous Dutch conjurer who foretold King William's accident and death, last February but one, a month before either event happened, and gave out that another prince over the water would soon enjoy his own again; for which he was committed to Newgate, and whipped at the cart's tail. He went by another name then, Rykhart Scherprechter I think he called himself. His fellow-prisoners nicknamed him the gallows-provider, from a habit he had of picking out all those who were destined to the gibbet. He was never known to err, and was as much dreaded as the gaol-fever in consequence. He singled out my poor hus band from a crowd of other felons; and you know how right he was in that case; sir."

"Ay, marry," replied Wood, with a look that seemed to say that he did not think it required any surprising skill in the art of divination to predict the doom of the indivi dual in question; but whatever opinion he might entertain, he contented himself with inquiring into the grounds of the conjurer's evil augury respecting the infant. "What did the old fellow judge from, eh, Joun ?' asked he.

"From a black mole under the child's right ear, shaped like a coffin, which is a bad sign; and a deep line just above the middle of the left thumb, meeting round about in the form of a noose, which is a worse," replied Mrs. Sheppard.

"You may see the marks on the child yourself, if you choose, sir," urged the widow.

"See the devil!-not I," cried Wood impatiently. "I didn't think you'd been so easily fooled, Joan."

"Fooled or not," returned Mrs. Sheppard mysteriously, "old Van told me one thing which has come true already."

"What's that?" asked Wood with some curiosity.

"He said, by way of comfort, I suppose, after the fright he gave me at first, that the child would find a friend, within twenty-four hours, who would stand by him through life."

"A friend is not so soon gained as lost," replied Wood; "but how has the prediction been fulfilled, Joan, eh ?"

"I thought you would have guessed, sir," replied the widow, timidly.

"Well, my dear, I've a proposal to make in regard to this babby of yours, which may, or may not, be agreeable. All I can say is, it's well meant; and I may add, I'd have made it five minutes ago, if you'd given me the opportunity,"

"Pray come to the point, sir," said Mrs. Sheppard, somewhat alarmed by this preamble.

"I am coming to the point, Joan. The more haste, the worse speed-better the feet slip than the tongue. However, to cut a long matter short, my proposal's this:-I've taken a fancy to your bantling; and, as I've no son of my own, if it meets with your concurrence and that of Mrs. Wood, (for I never do any thing without consulting my better half,) I'll take the boy, educate him, and bring him up to my own business of a carpenter."

The poor widow hung her head, and pressed her child closer to her breast.

"Well, Joan," said the benevolent mechanic, after he had looked at her stedfastly for a few moments, "what say you?silence gives consent, eh ?"

Mrs. Sheppard made an effort to speak, but her voice was choked by emotion.

"Shall' I take the babby home with me?" persisted Wood, in a tone between jest and

"So, I've found out the way to move her," thought the carpenter; "those tears will do her some good, at all events. Not part with him!" added he aloud. "Why, you wouldn't stand in the way of his good fortune, surely? I'll be a second father to him, I tell you. Remember what the conjurer said."

"I do remember it, sir," replied Mrs. Sheppard," and am most grateful for your offer. But I dare not accept it."

"Dare not!" echoed the carpenter; "I don't understand you, Joan"

"I mean to say, sir," answered Mrs. Sheppard in a troubled voice," that if I lost my child, I should lose all I have left in the world. I have neither father, mother, bro ther, sister, nor husband-I have only him."

"Give me till to-morrow," implored she, "and if I can bring myself to part with him, you shall have him without another word."

"I don't think he would leave me, even if I could part with him," observed Mrs. Sheppard, smiling through her tears.

"I don't think he would," acquiesced the carpenter. "No friend like the mother, for the babby knows no other."

"And that's true," rejoined Mrs. Sheppard; for if I had not been a mother, I would not have survived the day on which I became a widow."

"You mustn't think of that, Mrs. Sheppard," said Wood, in a soothing tone.

"I can't help thinking of it, sir," answered the widow. "I can never get poor Tom's last look out of my head, as he stood in the Stone-Hall at Newgate, after his irons had been knocked off, unless I manage to stupify myself somehow. The dismal tolling of Saint Sepulchre's bell is for ever ringing in my ears-oh!"

"If that's the case," observed Wood, "I'm surprised you should like to have such a frightful picture constantly in view as that over the chimney-piece."

"I'd good reasons for placing it there, sir; but don't question me about them now, or you'll drive me mad," returned Mrs. Sheppard wildly.

"Well, well, we'll say no more about it," replied Wood; " and, by way of changing the subject, let me advise you on no account to fly to strong waters for consolation, Joan.. One nail drives out another, it's true; but the worst nail you can employ is a coffin-nail.. Gin Lane's the nearest road to the churchyard."

"It may be; but if it shortens the distance, and lightens the journey, I care not," retorted the widow, who seemed by this reproach to be roused into sudden eloquence. "To those who, like me, have never been able to get out of the dark and dreary paths" of life, the grave is indeed a refuge, and the sooner they reach it the better. The spirit I drink may be poison,-it may kill me,-perhaps it is killing me :--but so would hunger, cold, misery,-so would my own thoughts. I should have gone mad without it. Gin is the poor man's friend, - his sole set-off against the rich man's luxury. It comforts him when he is most forlorn. It may be treacherous, it may lay up a store of future woe; but it insures present happiness, and that is sufficient. When I have traversed the streets a houseless wanderer, driven with curses from every door where I have solicited aims, and with blows from every gate way where I have sought shelter,-when I have crept into some deserted building, and stretched my wearied limbs upon a bulk, in the vain hope of repose, or worse than all, when, frenzied with want, I have yielded to horrible tempta, tion, and earned a meal in the only way

could earn one,-when I have felt, at times like these, my heart sink within me, I have drank of this drink, and have at once forgotten my cares, my poverty, my guilt. Old thoughts, old feelings, old faces, and old scenes, have returned to me, and I have fancied myself happy, as happy as I am And she burst into a wild hysterical laugh.

now."

Poor creature!" ejaculated Wood. "Do you call this frantic glee happiness ?”

"Its all the happiness I have known for years," returned the widow, becoming suddenly calm," and it's short-lived enough, as you perceive. I tell you what, Mr. Wood," added she in a hollow voice, and with a ghastly look, "gin may bring ruin; but as long as poverty, vice, and ill-usage exist, it will be drunk!"'

"God forbid!" exclaimed Wood fervently; and, as if afraid of prolonging the interview, he added, with some precipitation, "But I must be going: I've stayed here too long already. You shall hear from me to-mor row."

The Gatherer.

Curran's Description of a speech made by Serjeant Hewitt.-The learned Serjeant's speech put me exactly in mind of a familiar utensil in domestic use, commonly called an extinguisher :—it began at a point, and on it went, widening and widening, until at last it fairly put the question out altogether.

Spartan Oath. The following is a curious specimen of the laconic manner in which state business was despatched amongst the Spartans (translated from the Latin): We that are as good as you, constitute you our king, and if you defend our liberties, we well defend you; if not, not.”

An Irish gentleman, who certainly preserved most patriotically all the richness of his original pronunciation, had visited Cheltenham, and during his stay there acquired a most extraordinary habit of perpetually lolling his tongue out of his mouth!-What can he mean by it?" said somebody to Curran. -"Mean by it," said Curran,why, he means if he can, to catch the English accent.”

An observer has made the calculation, that there are in France 1,700,843 doctors, and that there are about 1,400,651 patients. On the other hand there are 1,900,403 lawyers, and 998,000 clients only. So that if the odd 902,403 lawyers do not fall ill with grief and disappointment, 900,192 doctors will have to "stand at ease." ""

1

H. M.

He who cheats the man that confides in him, in a witty manner, may make us laugh at his jests, and half disarm our anger; but reflection soon insures him our contempt and indignation.-Fry.

Sterne says, positiveness is a most absurd foible; for if in the right, it lessens our victory; if in the wrong, it adds shame to our defeat.

One night an order of Mr. Sheridan's was stopped at the box door of Drury-LaneTM Theatre, and pronounced a forgery, because the door-keeper could read it !—Matkews.

should do something for the public, if it be Public Benefactors.-Every one can and i only to kick a piece of orange-peel into the road from the foot-pavement.

A fisherman of Valery-sur-Somme lately caught in his nets one of those strange fishes called syrens. The head and the breasts bear a striking affinity to those parts in the human frame; and when the creature stands in the water at half length, it really looks like a woman. It has been dispatched to the Museum of Natural History, and will, it is hoped, reach its destination alive.

H. M.

Terrible effects of Cannibalism. At the Haihunga, where many hundred families assembled, I requested Káhika, from a feeling of curiosity, to point out to me a single family whose relatives had all died natural deaths; but he stated he could not even allude to a party who had not a melancholy tale of can. nibalism to relate, whereby their friends hal suffered, or who had not also partaken of the blood of their enemies; and added, but for the frequent fires that take place in villages, and consequent destruction of so many of the native antiquities, scarce a family existed in the country that would not possess at least the bone of an enemy, worked up either as a whistle or a bracelet, ear-ornament or fish

hook. Polack's New Zealand.

Obstinacy of a New Zealand Chief-I had at one time a fowling-piece by me, that had not been cleaned or discharged for six weeks previously. A silly servant, in my absence, had put an additional charge within it; Kawika, an elderly chief, saw me take up the piece, intending to extract the charges, and have it cleaned, but he entreated hard that I would let him discharge it. In vain I told him how long since it had been loaded; he was obdurate, neither would he allow me to extract a single charge; as he had possession of it, it was in vain to contest the point; he fired, the gun kicked, as it is technically termed, and knocked him down. He arose bleeding, "'twas from the nose," and demanded payment for his hurt, and the bad conduct of my piece. I gave him the price, viz., a head of tobacco.-Ibid.

LONDON: Printed and published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand, (near Somerset House); and sold by the Booksellers.-In FRANCFORT, CHARLES all Booksellers and Newsmen.-In PARIS, by all JUGEL.

THESE splendid buildings occupy a site of freehold ground, where formerly stood a range of warehouses belonging to the East India Company; they comprise, in addition to the Synagogue, a large open vestibule, with offices, entrances, and staircases to the ladies' galleries, a large vestry or committee room on the one pair, 42 feet by 21 feet, and two, separate residences for the reader and secretary. The first stone was laid on the 10th of May, 1837.

The façade is of Italian architecture, and extends about 110 feet from east to west. The centre is occupied by a spacious open vestibule, with coupled Tuscan columns, supporting three arches. Within the vestibule on either side are marble lavacatories for the hands, and opposite are the three doorways leading to the interior of the building. The upper part of the façade consists of

seven

large windows, with semi-circular heads, giving light to the large vestry-room and staircases. On each side of the central mass, are the entrances to the ladies' stairCases and galleries. The houses for the

The effect, when lit up, must be particularly grand and imposing; and although the light will certainly detract from the splendour of the painted windows in the ark, yet, as it is observed in the Architect's Journal, that if a few gas-burners were placed before them on the outside, they would show to even greater advantage than by day, and would diffuse a brilliancy and glow over the upper parts of the recess.

It is owing to the kindness of Mr. Davies, have been enabled to lay before our readers the architect, of Devonshire-square, that we the authentic particulars of the above noble structure in this and the preceding number.

Mr. Davies also lately erected the Marine Insurance Company Façade, Cornhill; and Messrs. Rothchild's splendid Commercial Buildings, St. Swithin's Lane.