f course,
proceeded to examine the royal thumb; which he suddenly wrenched with
such violence, that the King called him a cursed rascal, and
condescended to kick his shins. He soon found, however, that the doctor,
had as it were, magically relieved his thumb from pain: and so grateful
did he feel to Ward, whom he now termed his Esculapius, that he
prevailed on him to accept a handsome carriage and horses, and shortly
afterwards, presented his nephew, who subsequently became a general,
with an ensigncy in the guards.--_From the Georgian Era_.

* * * * *

NOTES OF A READER.

* * * * *

THE HUNCHBACK.

_A Play, by James Sheridan Knowles_.

It would be rather _mal-apropos_ to write the Beauties of the Hunchback,
but such a term is elliptically applicable to the following passages
from Mr. Knowles's clever and original play:--

INSIGNIFICANT ENEMIES.

Is't fit you waste your choler on a burr?
The nothings of the town; whose sport it is
To break their villain jests on worthy men,
The graver still the fitter! Fie, for shame!
Regard what such would say? So would not I,
No more than heed a cur.

HONOURABLE SUCCESS.

What merit to be dropp'd on fortune's hill?
The honour is to mount it.
* * * Knowledge, industry,
Frugality, and honesty;--the sinews
The surest help the climber to the top,
And keep him there.

WISE PRECEPT.

Better owe
A yard of land to labour, than to chance
Be debtor for a rood!

THE TOWN.

Nine times in ten the town's a hollow thing,
Where what things are is naught to what they show;
Where merit's name laughs merit's self to scorn!
Where friendship and esteem that ought to be
The tenants of men's hearts, lodge in their looks
And tongues alone. Where little virtue, with
A costly keeper, passes for a heap;
A heap for none, that has a homely one!
Where fashion makes the law--your umpire which
You bow to, whether it has brains or not.
Where Folly taketh off his cap and bells,
To clap on Wisdom, which must bear the jest!
Where, to pass current you must seem the thing,
The passive thing, that others think, and not
Your simple, honest, independent self!

LOVE.

Say but a moment, still I say I love you.
Love's not a flower that grows on the dull earth;
Springs by the calendar; must wait for sun--
For rain;--m