I find it prudent to venture
on from mere memory; the priest is rolling his eyes very benignly on
the frequenters of the chapel, as they pass by the shrine he resides
in. The story goes, that when the saint ceases winking, some great
calamity will occur to the commune and its inhabitants. Now, the last
time I saw him, he was in great vigour, ogled away with his accustomed
energy, and even, I thought--perhaps it was a suspicion on my
part--had actually strained his eyeballs into something like a squint,
from actual eagerness to oblige his votaries--a circumstance happily
of the less moment in our days, as a gifted countryman of ours could
have remedied the defect in no time. But to return; my theory is, that
when we lose our tipsy friend it's all up with us; "Birnam wood will
then have come to Dunsinane;" and what misfortunes may befal us, Sir
Harcourt Lees may foresee, but I confess myself totally unable to
predicate.

Were I the viceroy, I'd not sleep another night in the island. I'd
pack up the regalia, send for Anthony Blake to take charge of the
country, and start for Liverpool in the mail-packet.

Happily, however, such an event may be still distant; and although the
Austrians have but one Metternich, we may find a successor to our
"Knight of St. Patrick."

A NUT FOR "GENTLEMAN JOCKS."

"The Honourable Fitzroy Shuffleton," I quote _The Morning Post_, "who
rode Bees-wing, came in a winner amid deafening cheers. Never was a
race better contested; and although, when passing the distance-post,
the Langar colt seemed to have the best of it, yet such was Mr.
Shuffleton's tact and jockeyship, that he shot a-head in advance of
his adversary, and came in first." I omit the passages descriptive of
the peculiar cleverness displayed by this gifted gentleman. I omit
also that glorious outbreak of newspaper eloquence, in which the
delight of his friends is expressed--the tears of joy from his
sisters--the cambric handkerchiefs that floated in the air--the
innumerable and reiterated cries of "Well done!--he's a trump!--the
right sort!" &c. &c., so profusely employed by the crowd, because I am
fully satisfied with what general approbation such proofs of ability
are witnessed.

[Illustration: Gentlemen Jocks.]

We are a great nation, and nowhere is our greatness more conspicuous
than in the education of our youth. The young Frenchman seems to
fulfil his destiny, when, having drawn on a pair of the most
tight-fitti