am I delighted with them; for his
philosophy passes through the alembic of a mind glowing with noble and
generous sentiments, of which it imbibes the hues.

The generality of readers pause not to reflect on the truth and beauty
of the sentiments to be found in novels. They hurry on to the
_denoument_; and a stirring incident, skilfully managed, which serves
to develope the plot, finds more admirers than the noblest thoughts, or
most witty maxims. Yet as people who read nothing else, will read
novels, authors like Mr. Bulwer, whose minds are overflowing with
genius, are compelled to make fiction the vehicle for giving to the
public thoughts and opinions that are deserving of a higher grade of
literature.

The greater portion of novel readers, liking not to be detained from
the interest of the story by any extraneous matter, however admirable
it may be, skip over the passages that most delight those who read to
reflect, and not for mere amusement.

I find myself continually pausing over the admirable and profound
reflections of Mr. Bulwer, and almost regret that his writings do not
meet the public as the papers of the _Spectator_ did, when a single one
of them was deemed as essential to the breakfast-table of all lovers of
literature as a morning journal is now to the lovers of news. The merit
of the thoughts would be then duly appreciated, instead of being
hastily passed over in the excitement of the story which they
intersect.

A long visit from ----, and, as usual, politics furnished the topic.
How I wish people would never talk politics to me! I have no vocation
for that abstruse science,--a science in which even those who devote
all their time and talents to it, but rarely arrive at a proficiency.
In vain do I profess my ignorance and inability; people will not
believe me, and think it necessary to enter into political discussions
that _ennuient_ me beyond expression.

If ---- is to be credited, Charles the Tenth and his government are so
unpopular that his reign will not pass without some violent commotion.
A fatality appears to attend this family, which, like the house of
Stuart, seems doomed never to conciliate the affections of the people.
And yet, Charles the Tenth is said not to be disposed to tyrannical
measures, neither is he without many good qualities. But the last of
the Stuart sovereigns also was naturally a humane and good man, yet he
was driven from his kingdom and his throne,--a proof that weakne