, put forth his blossoms,
is the manner, various and dissimilar, in which such persons evolve their
powers. For as in nature the finest days are sometimes in the morning
overclouded and dark, so the developement of genius follows no rule, but
is hastened or retarded by position and circumstance. But to a keen eye
there always appear, even in the first obscurity of extraordinary men,
certain internal commotions and throes, denoting some _magna vis
animi_ at work within.

_Physiognomy_.--When Atticus advised Cicero to keep strict watch over
his face, in his first interview with Caesar after the civil wars, he could
not mean that he might thereby conceal his _character_ from Caesar,
who knew well enough what that was; but he meant, that by such precaution
he might conceal from the tyrant his actual hatred and disgust for his
person. Yet for the character and secret nature of a man, _fronti nulli
fides_.

_Writing_.--It was Addison, we believe, who observed of the
schoolmen, that they had not genius enough to write a small book, and
therefore took refuge in folios of the largest magnitude. We are getting
as fast as possible into the predicament of the schoolmen. No one knows
when he has written enough; but, like a player at chess, still goes on
with the self-same ideas, merely altering their position. This must arise
from early habits and prejudices, from having been taught to regard with
veneration vast collections of common-places, under the titles of this or
that man's _works_. Tacitus may be carried about in one's pocket,
while it will very shortly require a wagon to remove Sir Walter Scott's
labours from place to place. Voltaire's _facility_ was his greatest
fault; better he had elaborated his periods, like Rousseau; who,
notwithstanding, wrote too much. The latter, however, of all modern
writers, best knew the value of his own mind. His prime of life was passed
in vicissitude and study. He did not set himself about writing books for
mankind, until he knew what they possessed and what they wanted. It was
his opinion that a writer who would do any good should stand upon the
pinnacle of his age, and from thence look into the future.

* * * * *

THE NATURALIST.

* * * * *

BIRDS CHANGING COLOUR.

_In a letter to the Editor of the Literary Gazette_.

Sir--Observing in the _Literary Gazette_ of last week, a notice of
Mr. Young's account of the c