pared our readers an infliction.

We naturally fell into a train of reflection as we walked homewards, upon
the curious old records of likings and dislikings; of jealousies and
revenges; of affection defying the power of death, and hatred pursued
beyond the grave, which these depositories contain; silent but striking
tokens, some of them, of excellence of heart, and nobleness of soul;
melancholy examples, others, of the worst passions of human nature. How
many men as they lay speechless and helpless on the bed of death, would
have given worlds but for the strength and power to blot out the silent
evidence of animosity and bitterness, which now stands registered against
them in Doctors' Commons!

CHAPTER IX--LONDON RECREATIONS

The wish of persons in the humbler classes of life, to ape the manners
and customs of those whom fortune has placed above them, is often the
subject of remark, and not unfrequently of complaint. The inclination
may, and no doubt does, exist to a great extent, among the small
gentility--the would-be aristocrats--of the middle classes. Tradesmen
and clerks, with fashionable novel-reading families, and
circulating-library-subscribing daughters, get up small assemblies in
humble imitation of Almack's, and promenade the dingy 'large room' of
some second-rate hotel with as much complacency as the enviable few who
are privileged to exhibit their magnificence in that exclusive haunt of
fashion and foolery. Aspiring young ladies, who read flaming accounts of
some 'fancy fair in high life,' suddenly grow desperately charitable;
visions of admiration and matrimony float before their eyes; some
wonderfully meritorious institution, which, by the strangest accident in
the world, has never been heard of before, is discovered to be in a
languishing condition: Thomson's great room, or Johnson's nursery-ground,
is forthwith engaged, and the aforesaid young ladies, from mere charity,
exhibit themselves for three days, from twelve to four, for the small
charge of one shilling per head! With the exception of these classes of
society, however, and a few weak and insignificant persons, we do not
think the attempt at imitation to which we have alluded, prevails in any
great degree. The different character of the recreations of different
classes, has often afforded us amusement; and we have chosen it for the
subject of our present sketch, in the hope that it may possess some
amusement for our readers.

If