wiped his beautiful eyes with
a cambric handkerchief, exquisitely _brode_) "my natural son, John
Spriggs, an industrious, pains-taking youth, who will do credit to the
bank. I did once intend to have made my nephew Ferdinand my heir; but so
curling a head can have no talent for accounts. I want my successor to
be a man of business, not beauty; and Mr. Ferdinand Fitzroy is a great
deal too handsome for a banker; his good looks will, no doubt, win him
any heiress in town. Meanwhile, I leave him, to buy a dressing-case, a
thousand pounds."

"A thousand devils!" said Mr. Ferdinand Fitzroy, banging out of the
room. He flew to his mistress. She was not at home. "Lies," says the
Italian proverb, "have short legs;" but truths, if they are unpleasant,
have terrible long ones! The next day Mr. Ferdinand Fitzroy received a
most obliging note of dismissal.

"I wish you every happiness," said Miss Helen Convolvulus, in
conclusion--"but my friends are right; you are much too handsome for a
husband!"

And the week after, Miss Helen Convolvulus became Lady Rufus Pumilion.

"Alas! sir," said the bailiff, as a day or two after the dissolution of
parliament, he was jogging along with Mr. Ferdinand Fitzroy, in a
hackney coach bound to the King's Bench,--"Alas! sir, what a pity it is
to take so handsome a gentleman to prison!"

The MS. found in a Madhouse, by the same author, is perhaps too horrific
for this terror-loving age; but it is by no means less clever on that
account; _toute en huile_ would not do. Among the other tales are the
Rock of the Candle, Irish, by the author of Holland-Tide,--nearly forty
pages; and the Queen of May and Bridget Plantagenet,--of the olden
time--which would be spoiled by abridgment for our present purpose. The
same reason prevents our giving more than our commendation of Miss
Mitford's General and his Lady, who, we think are new company for our
fair authoress.

In the Vision of Purgatory, by Dr. Maginn, (Irish, of course,) the
serious and ludicrous are mixed up with an abundance of skill and
humour; this piece should be read after the Madhouse sketch.

The Souvenir is opportunely dedicated to Mr. Peel; and whether as a work
of art, or elegant literature, it is decidedly worthy of such
distinguished notice. If the argument of the fine arts contributing to
virtue hold good, then the patronage of a minister will be patriotically
bestowed on such works as the Literary Souvenir.

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