formance on the bass-viol, which, considering the difficulties under which he laboured, (the instrument being twice as big as the performer,) was certainly as wonderful as the single-string sorceries of Paganini. Emma, who had just cut her last tooth, was "in fine voice," and favoured us with several exquisite little songs, amongst which we were especially pleased with "Little Jack Horner," and "I had a little husband no bigger than my thumb." Of course the baby could not be expected to take any prominent part in the performances; but her mother called my attention to the singular fact of her screaming in time, which she justly considered as indicating a strong bias towards "the joyous science." When the musical performances were over, the two male babymonsters had a "set-to" with the foils, whilst the young lady in the pinafore and curl-papers executed a waltz with her little sister, -the two exhibitions unfortunately ending in Bob getting a poke in the eye with the foil, which sent him bellowing from the room, and little Emma being gracefully whirled into the fire-place. These casualties put an end to the exhibitions; but I had seen enough to convince me that my sister had formed a very accurate estimate of the talents of her offspring in reference to external accomplishments, and I was soon convinced that she had formed an equally accurate estimate of their mental powers. Before I left the country I surprised little Emma one day, deep in a dog-eared copy of one of Miss Martineau's stories. Bob I found daily absorbed in the study of entomology; he had already made a valuable collection of spiders, blue-bottles, and beetles; and such was his devotion to the cause of science, that he had twice fallen into the fish-pond in a chivalrous attempt to capture a dragon-fly, and had once flattened his nose against a wall when in eager pursuit of a curious butterfly. Gutty had manifested unequivocal symptoms of a talent for poetry, and I was indulged, under a solemn promise of secrecy, with the sight of several sonnets, written in round hand, and addressed to Carlo the pointer, Dicky the canary-bird, and an old scrubby pony called Peter. In consideration of these poetical manifestations, his mother had arrayed the young Petrarch in a suit of black velvet, and had already decided that he should pass through the world without a neckcloth. I take no farther notice of the young lady in the pinafore and curl-papers, who was born before the great era of infant education I am describing. Indeed she had imbibed many of the vices of the old system of instruction, and wasted much of her time in watering the flowers, feeding the poultry, darning stockings, marking linen, and other menial and servile employments, now happily confined to housemaids and humble companions. I cannot conclude this brief sketch without expressing a hope that I may have drawn the attention of my readers to a very interesting subject. There is, I repeat it, in this happy country an immense fund of infant learning daily increasing. The statesman, the philosopher, and the philanthropist are equally interested in promoting its developement. Towards this great end, I would propose the immediate establishment of a baby-college, in connection with the great scheme of national education now in progress. As a necessary part of the discipline to be adopted, I would suggest the total suppression of all games and pastimes which tend to divert the infant mind from the serious pursuit of philosophy and science. In this biting (as my sister observed) the original state of huma When our first salutations were over, my sister} .it be ection walls a s for wet peration, it Diffusion of ic with cheap erhaps, anterior conformity with ssion, empowering (to be nominated by others employed in ngs to Parliament. I amissioners should not travelling expenses, and the system I am proposing, sophical beholder of the most promising monsters at enemy was at the gate." I am not (which sure enough was put into my a particular from the usual specimens little, puckered, kitten-face, of a pale on handling, that excess of "rad which I am told is the universal ch felt considerably relieved when suffered no farther inconvenience dress, the little creature having apparel, which I have since lea I cannot tell how long I mig ful gambols of my young rel up the back of my chair, and recreation of tugging my hai ear) at this moment faller similar to the dab of a yo little barbarian stared ab energies, and then set up Sleepers: it was deemed be removed. Shortly af and spirited resistance prowess of a footman To console me, how sister promised me assured me were of On the following cert, to be perfor The lean girl in t Bob, on being ca which his mothe judges as prom "Gutty," who v tasia on the Jev There is, I fancy, at the alking about town, undistinguished ld was fed with the incense of applauddd in the flattering title of the "Infant ing of the melancholy situation of a fat middleded to bear through life the horribly-ludicrous s of having a wife and ten small children, and of ps to a rule, and by no means as representing the which I submit with confidence to "an enlightened I have now fairly and honestly, however imperfectly, when perhaps at the same time he may be stone! These cases, however, are to be looked BABIOGRAPHY. 509 on the bass-viol, which, considering the difficulties under nances were over, the two male baby- devotion to the ish-pond in a ce flattened butterfly. poetry, th the ed to ony T HUNTER. 'tis true." HAMLET. in the papers of the English ne reign of Henry the Fourth, icions of its truth, he may saith the despatches of the same etary Winwood's papers. I. ND THE PRINCESS OF CONDÉ. ice was a prince comparable to any, in al virtues and the splendid successes of rtake, in a great measure, of Cæsar's conesembled in courage, in constancy, in foremency, and in the suddenness of a violent s he like the noble Roman in the variety and ns. n early age with the sister of Charles the Ninth the massacre at Paris, and the murder of his y, who had been invited for this purpose to be celebration of his nuptials. Detained in a jealous e strength of walls and fetters, but by the corruption 3, by an espionage on his words, countenance, and acndoned himself to the love of women, not from inclibut from industry, that, under the mask of carelessness ure, he might calm the jealousies of the state, and soothe -eyes of those who daily threatened his safety. The conHenry the Third, and the wantonness of the Queen of Nafurnished him not only with an excuse, but even a plausibior his conduct; and when, after an interval of three years, he ped from imprisonment, to become the head of the Hugonots, ancient partisans and allies, the lessons which he had learned in prisonment, he practised with less affectation and publicity, but with more efficacy, and no less assiduity. His wife lent herself a sedulous instrument to his intrigues, as much to colour and excuse her own, as to gain unlimited authority over him: and when her mother, Catharine de Medici, came to visit Henry upon public business, she failed not to take with her the choicest beauties of France, for whom, in the day of his captivity, he had declared his affections. Thus his licentiousness was encouraged not only by natural propensity, but likewise by habit and appetite,-by vanity and political intrigue. Nor could the bitter taunts of the assembly at Rochelle about his mistresses and their children produce any other effect upon him than a distate to themselves; as a little water cast upon a strong fire increases its intensity after a moderate interval. In the distraction of the times which followed the death of his predecessor, neither the greatness of his hopes, nor the intricacy of his affairs, could prevail upon him to change his course; true to his there would be no hardship, inasmuch as a statute is still in existence restraining the under-graduate members of the University of Oxford from the comparatively venial recreation of marbles. Professors might be procured without difficulty from the various infant schools throughout the kingdom, and their appointment should be vested in the crown. Proposals should be published for the erection of a suitable building, which should contain within its walls a nursery and a dairy, together with suitable accommodations for wet and dry nurses. When the scheme shall come into full operation, it will be necessary farther to establish a Society for the Diffusion of Infant Knowledge, which shall supply the infant public with cheap and popular works in the catechetical form. But perhaps, anterior to any steps being taken, it might be advisable, in conformity with the general practice in such cases, to issue a commission, empowering any number not exceeding ten aged gentlewomen, (to be nominated by the Crown,) to examine on oath all nurses and others employed in the care of children, and report their proceedings to Parliament. I would suggest that the salaries of the commissioners should not exceed three guineas a-week, with their travelling expenses, and half a pound of gunpowder tea. There are, I admit, some objections to the system I am proposing, owing to a certain eccentricity in infant genius. The most highlycultivated blossoms will not always bear fruit. He who is a young philosopher at four, will at six frequently return to peg-top and marbles; and the melancholy picture is exhibited of the intellects of one's children progressing in an inverse ratio to their bodily stature, which makes "the philosophical beholder Sigh for their sakes they ever should grow older." I have known several instances of the most promising monsters at three or four years old gradually become duller and duller, until at ten they have sunk into a state of morbid obesity and mental stupor, worse than the fat boy in "Pickwick." There is, I fancy, at the present time a stout gentleman walking about town, undistinguished in the crowd, whose childhood was fed with the incense of applauding theatres, and who rejoiced in the flattering title of the "Infant Rs." I say nothing of the melancholy situation of a fat middleaged man being doomed to bear through life the horribly-ludicrous soubriquet of the Infant, when perhaps at the same time he may be painfully conscious of having a wife and ten small children, and of weighing fifteen stone! These cases, however, are to be looked upon as exceptions to a rule, and by no means as representing the infant mind of England in the nineteenth century. I trust I have now fairly and honestly, however imperfectly, stated my case, which I submit with confidence to "an enlightened and discerning public." THE CONTRAST. OUR rector in his chariot rolls, F. J. H. JOYCE JOCUND. THE DIARY OF A MANUSCRIPT HUNTER. "As I do live, my honoured lord, 'tis true." HAMLET. THE following narrative is drawn from the papers of the English resident at the court of France during the reign of Henry the Fourth, and if the reader entertains any suspicions of its truth, he may sa tisfy his doubts by comparing it with the despatches of the same person, still preserved among Secretary Winwood's papers. I. HENRY THE FOURTH AND THE PRINCESS Of Condé. Henry the Fourth of France was a prince comparable to any, in the eminency of his political virtues and the splendid successes of his life. In this he did partake, in a great measure, of Cæsar's constellation, whom, as he resembled in courage, in constancy, in fortune, in wisdom and clemency, and in the suddenness of a violent death, so, above all, was he like the noble Roman in the variety and errancy of his affections. His marriage at an early age with the sister of Charles the Ninth was solemnized by the massacre at Paris, and the murder of his friends and family, who had been invited for this purpose to be present at the celebration of his nuptials. Detained in a jealous court, not by the strength of walls and fetters, but by the corruption of his servants, by an espionage on his words, countenance, and actions, he abandoned himself to the love of women, not from inclination only, but from industry, that, under the mask of carelessness and pleasure, he might calm the jealousies of the state, and soothe the argus-eyes of those who daily threatened his safety. The conduct of Henry the Third, and the wantonness of the Queen of Navarre, furnished him not only with an excuse, but even a plausibility for his conduct; and when, after an interval of three years, he escaped from imprisonment, to become the head of the Hugonots, his ancient partisans and allies, the lessons which he had learned in imprisonment, he practised with less affectation and publicity, but with more efficacy, and no less assiduity. His wife lent herself a sedulous instrument to his intrigues, as much to colour and excuse her own, as to gain unlimited authority over him: and when her mother, Catharine de Medici, came to visit Henry upon public business, she failed not to take with her the choicest beauties of France, for whom, in the day of his captivity, he had declared his af fections. Thus his licentiousness was encouraged not only by natural propensity, but likewise by habit and appetite,-by vanity and political intrigue. Nor could the bitter taunts of the assembly at Rochelle about his mistresses and their children produce any other effect upon him than a distate to themselves; as a little water cast upon a strong fire increases its intensity after a moderate interval. In the distraction of the times which followed the death of his predecessor, neither the greatness of his hopes, nor the intricacy of his affairs, could prevail upon him to change his course; true to his |