master has found out
that Dash is a capital finder, and, in spite of his lameness, will hunt a
field, or beat a cover with any spaniel in England--and, therefore, _he_
likes Dash. The boy has fought a battle, in defence of his beauty, with
another boy, bigger than himself, and beat his opponent most handsomely--
and, therefore, _he_ likes Dash; and the maids like him, or pretend to
like him, because we do--as is the fashion of that pliant and imitative
class. And now Dash and May follow us every where, and are going with us
now to the Shaw, or rather to the cottage by the Shaw, to bespeak milk
and butter of our little dairy-woman, Hannah Bint--a housewifely
occupation, to which we owe some of our pleasantest rambles--_Miss
Mitford_.--_Month. Mag_.

* * * * *

FROM THE ROMAIC.

When we were last, my gentle Maid,
In love's embraces twining,
'Twas Night, who saw, and then betray'd!
"Who saw?" Yon Moon was shining.
A gossip Star shot down, and he
First told our secret to the Sea.

The Sea, who never secret kept,
The peevish, blustering railer!
Told it the Oar, as on he swept;
The Oar informed the Sailor.
The Sailor whisper'd it to his fair,
And she--she told it every where!

_New Monthly Magazine_.

* * * * *

NOTES OF A READER.

* * * * *

EELS.

The problem of the generation of eels is one of the most abstruse and
curious in natural history; but we have been much pleased, and not a
little enlightened, by some observations on the subject in Sir Humphrey
Davy's delightful little volume, _Salmonia_, of which the following is
the substance:--

Although the generation of eels occupied the attention of Aristotle, and
has been taken up by the most distinguished naturalists since his time,
it is still unsolved. Lacepede, the French naturalist, asserts, in the
most unqualified way, that they are _viviparous_; but we do not remember
any facts brought forward on the subject. Sir Humphrey then goes on to
say--This is certain, that there are two migrations of eels--one up and
one down rivers, one _from_ and the other _to_ the sea; the first in
spring and summer, the second in autumn or early winter. The first of
very small eels, which are sometimes not more than two or two and a half
inches long; the second of large eels, which sometimes are three or four
feet long, and which weig