ously under no sort of apprehension. “Ay,” resumed the persevering Mr. Croak, "they are used to it—it is their business-they are bred to the sea. "But they don't want to be bread to the fishes, any more than you or I," retorted Smart, chuckling at his having the best of the nonsense.

"Well," exclaimed Mrs. Sweetbread, "I never tasted such beer as this-flat as ditch-water; they should have put it upon the cullender to let the water run out; and yet you have been drinking it, Smart, and never said any thing about it."-" Madam," replied the party thus addressed, laying his hand upon his heart, and looking very serious," I make it a rule never to speak ill of the dead.—I am eating the ham, you see, and yet it would be much better if I were to let it exemplify one of Shakspeare's soliloquies -Ham-let alone." "La! you're such a wag,” cried Mrs. Hoggins, "there's no being up to you; but if you don't like the ham, take a slice of this edge-bone-nothing's better than cold beef."-" I beg your pardon, Madam,” replied the indefatigable joker-" cold beef's better than nothing-Ha! ha! ha!"

"How do you find yourself now, my darling?" said Mrs. Cleaver to her son, who had been driven below by a shower, and kept his hat on, because, as he said, his "'air was quite vet."-" Vy, mother, I have been as sick as a cat, but I'm bang up now, and so peckish that I feel as if I could heat any thing.""Then just warm these potatoes," said Smart, handing him the dish, " for they are almost cold."-" I'll

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thank you not to run your rigs upon me," quoth the young Cockney, looking glumpish, "or I shall fetch you a vipe vith this here hash-stick. If one gives you a hinch, you take a hell."—" Never mind him, my dear," cried his mother, "eat this mutton-chop, it will do you good; there's no gravy, for Mr. Smart has all the sauce to himself. Haw! haw! haw!". Very good!" exclaimed the latter, clapping his hands; "egad! Ma'am, you are as good a wag as your own double chin." This was only ventured in a low tone of voice, and, as the fat dame was at that moment handing the plate to her son, it was fortunately unheard. Dick being still rather giddy, contrived to let the chop fall upon the floor,—an occurrence at which Mr. Smart declared he was not in the least surprised, as the young man, when first he came into the cabin, looked uncommonly chop-fallen. Dick, however, had presently taken a place at the table, and began attacking the buttock of beef with great vigour and vivacity, protesting he had got a famous "happetite," and felt "as ungry as an ound."-" I never say any thing to discourage any body," said Mr. Croak, "particularly young people; it's a thing I hate, but t'other day a fine lad sate down to his dinner in this very packet, after being sea-sick, just as you may be doing now, when it turned out he had broke a blood-vessel, and in twelve hours he was a corpse, and a very pretty one he made."

"I'm not going to be choused out of my dinner for all that,” replied the youth, munching away with

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great industry, and at the same time calling out"Steward! take away this porter-pot, it runs."-" I doubt that," cried Smart." I say it does," resumed Dick, angrily, “the table-cloth is all of a sop.”—“ I 'll bet you half-a-crown it doesn't." Done! and done !' were hastily exchanged, when Mr. Smart, looking round with a smirk, exclaimed-" Ladies and gentlemen, I appeal to every one of you whether the pot has not been perfectly still, and nothing has been running but the beer." This elicited a shout at poor Dick's expense, who sullenly muttered, "I'm not going to be bamboozled out of an 'alf-crown in that there vay; and vat's more, I vont be made a standing joke by no man.' "I don't see how you can," replied his antagonist, "so long as you are sitting."

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Vy are you like a case of ketchup?" cried Dick, venturing for once to become the assailant, and immediately replying to his own inquiry, "Because you are a saucebox."-" Haw! haw!" roared his mother, bravo, Dick! well done, Dick! there's a proper rap for you, Mr. Smart."-Somewhat nettled at this joke, poor as it was, the latter returned to the charge, by inquiring of Dick why his hat was like a gibletpie? and after suffering him to guess two or three times in vain, cried, "Because there's a goose's head in it," and instantly set the example of the horse-laugh, in which the company joined. Finding he was getting the worst of it, Dick thought it prudent to change the conversation, by observing that it would luckily be "igh-vater in the arbour vhen they ar

rived."" Then I recommend you by all means to use some of it," said the pertinacious Mr. Smart ; 66 perhaps it may cure your squint."

Both mother and son rose up in wrath at this personality, and there would infallibly have been a bourrasque (as the French say) in the hold, but that there was just then a tremendous concussion upon the deck, occasioned by the fall of the main-boom, and followed by squeaks and screams, of all calibres, from the panic-stricken company at the dinner-table. "Lord have mercy upon us!" ejaculated Croak with a deep groan, "it's all over with us-we are going to the bottom-I like to make the best of every thing-it's my way, and I therefore hope no lady or gentleman will be in the least alarmed, for I believe drowning is a much less painful death than is generally supposed."

Having run upon deck at this juncture for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the accident, which he found to be unattended with the smallest danger, the writer cannot detail any more of the conversation that ensued until their arrival at Calais, which may form the subject of another paper.

IMITATION OF HORACE. BOOK II. ODE 16.

"Otium divos rogat impotenti."

FANATICS, both in Church and State,
While to themselves they arrogate
The exercise of candour,

The use of TRUTH to us refuse,

Forgetting that what's sauce for goose,
Is sauce, too, for the gander.

TRUTH! TRUTH! the pliant Judge exclaims,

E'en while he candidly defames

The object of his ranéour;

And courtiers, tossing on the sea
Of false Intrigue and Flattery,

Still claim her for their anchor.

But ermined tool, nor titled slave,

Nor gilded Star-and-Garter knave,

Can bribe her to compliance;
Through guards and gownsmen's dead array
Her daring whispers win their way,

And beard them with defiance.

'Tis this makes great and little curs

Unite their voice to smother hers,

And supersede the Bible :

By statutory proof, forsooth,

Shewing that welcome falsehood's TRUTH,

Unwelcome Truth a LIBEL.