pocketed it without opening, and we soon after rose and went to the drawing-room for our coffee. "Lady S sat with her back to the door, besieged by Mrs. Mimpson; and at the piano, beside Miss Bellamy, who was preparing to play, stood one of the loveliest young creatures possible to fancy. A pale and high-bred looking lady in widow's weeds sat near them, and I had no difficulty in making out who were the two after-dinner additions to the party. I joined them, and was immediately introduced by Miss Bellamy to her mother and sister, with whom, (after a brilliant duet by the sisters) I strolled out upon the lawn for an hourfor it was a clear night, and the moon and soft air almost took me back to Italy. And, (perhaps by a hint from Miss Bellamy,) I was allowed to get on very expeditiously in my acquaintance with her mother and sis ter. "My new friends returned to the drawing-room, and as the adjoining library was lighted, I went in and filled up the blank vouchers with the names of Mrs. Bellamy and her daughters. I listened a moment to the conversation in the next room. The subject was Almack's, and it was discussed with great animation. Lady S, who seemed to me trying to escape the trap they had baited for her, was quietly setting forth the difficulties of procuring vouchers, and recommending to Mrs. Mimpson not to subject herself to the mortification of a refusal. Old Mimpson backed up this advice with a stout approval, and this brought Mrs. Mimpson out horse and foot,' and she declared that she would submit to any thing, do any thing, give any thing, rather than fail in this darling object of her ambition. She would feel under eternal, inexpressible obligations to any friend who would procure, for herself and daughter, admission for but one night to Almack's. "And then came in the sweet voice of Miss Bellamy, who knew it was both wrong and silly, but she would give ten years of her life to go to one Almack's ball, and in a long conversation she had had with Mr. Brown on the subject that morning' "Ah!' interrupted Lady S, ‘if it had been the Mr. Brown, you would have had very little trouble about it.' "And who is the Mr. Brown?' asked Mrs. Mimpson. "The pet and protegé of the only lady patroness I do not visit,' said Lady Ś and unluckily, too, the only one who thinks the vouchers great rubbish and gives them away without thought or scruple.' "At that moment I entered the room. 'is that his ghost? Why, Mr. Brown!' she gasped, giving me her hand very cautiously, do you appear when you are talked of, like-like-like "Like the devil? No! But I am here in the body, and very much at your ladyship's service,' said I, 'for of course you are going to the duke's to-night, and so am I. Will you take me with you, or shall my po-chay follow where I belong - in your train?' "I'll take you, of course,' said her ladyship rising, but first about these vouchers. You have just come, and did'nt hear our discussion." Mrs. Mimpson is extremely anxious that her daughter should come out at Almack's, and I happened to say, the moment before you entered, that you were the very person to procure the tickets from Lady How very odd that you should come in just then! But tell us — can you?' "A dead silence followed the question. Mrs. Mimpson sat with her eyes on the floor, the picture of dismay and mortification. Miss Mimpson blushed and twisted her handkerchief, and Miss Bellamy looked at her hostess, half amused and half distressed. "I handed the three vouchers to Miss Bellamy, and begged her acceptance of them, and then turning to Lady Swithout waiting for a reply, regretted that, not having had the pleasure of being presented to Miss Mimpson, I had not felt authorized to include her in my effort to oblige Miss Bellamy. "And what with old Mimpson's astonishment, and Lady S-'s immediate tact in covering, by the bustle of departure, what she did not quite understand, though she knew it was some awkward contre temps or other, I found time to receive Miss Bellamy's thanks, and get permission from the mother to call and arrange this unexpected party, and, in ten minutes I was on my way to London with Lady S, amusing her almost into fits with my explanations of the Mimpson mystery. "Lady S was to be still at Hampstead for a few days, and, at my request, she called with me on the Bellamy's, and invited the girls up to town. Rose Bellamy, the younger, is at this moment one of the new stars of the season accordingly, and Miss Bellamy and I carry on the war, weekly at Almack's, and nightly at some wax-light Paradise or other, and Lady S has fallen in love with them both, and treats them like daughters. "So you see, though I passed for a ha’penny with the Mimpsons, I turned out a sovereign to the Bellamys. "Pass the bottle!" A FANTASY. BY JAMES R. LOWELL. ROUND and round me she waved swinging In a clear, low gurgle singing Her white arms floated on the air So stately fair, beyond compare And I knew by the splendor of her hair For round her limbs it went and came Hither and thither, I knew not whither, Fitfully, like a wind-waved flame, But bright and golden as flame was never, And it flowed back and forth Like the lights of the north, Round her and round her for ever and ever! She filled the cup of melody With madness to the brim, And wild, wild songs she sang to me Like those which throng the traveller's mind Blue and wide like the skies Were her misty eyes And in vague, strange light did swim. The lightning is mild To the sharp, fierce glow From her eyes did flow, Bitter as lightning, yet silent too As the sunless and starless twilight blue; And o'er the wide sky Of either eye, Sudden revealings Of awful feelings Like falling stars slid silently, And visions wondrous, Lurid and thunderous, Like clouds up-piled In a sunset wild Muttering far and low, How may I tell That drifted her words Like white sea-birds Swinging and heaving on to me? Her song came like a sudden breeze, THE recent appointment of two of the most elegant minded men our country has yet produced, as foreign ministers to two of the most powerful courts of the old world, has led us to the consideration of the many great authors, sometimes poets, who have heretofore graced the same honorable office, and thence our subject has carried us into incidental reflections on the connection subsisting between politics and literature. Our country, we may remark in passing, is not only safe as certain cautious authors observe, in such hands as those of the accomplished Everett and the tasteful Irving, but it is even highly honored by such representations. Since her earliest connection with us, England has never given us so fair a specimen of her race as we now present her with; except perhaps when the amiable enthusiast, the eloquent Bishop of Cloyne visited our shores. And Spain, since the days of Cervantes has been unable to exchange with us the equal of Washington Irving. Our two great countrymen may compare in literary merit and social worth, with the lettered statesmen of an earlier age in Eugland's literary history, and are with the Sidney's, the Wottons, the Herbert's of a purer epoch. From the earliest dawn of civilization, the ruler has been in the noblest instances, always something more than a mere ruler. He has been, also a priest; frequently, an orator; and sometimes a poet. Moses and David, and Solomon, among the Jews.Pericles was an orator and a critic: Demosthenes a great orator: Cicero, a moralist and rhetorician: Cæsar, a general, an author, an orator, and indeed an universal genius. But to confine ourselves to great Englishmen alone, and to those of that nation employed in embassies,- Dan Chaucer, the morning star of English poetry was sent abroad on a political errand, and passed the greater part of his life at the courts of Edward III and Richard II. In the time of Henry VIII, we meet the names of the courtly Surrey, the poet and lover, as well as the knight and courtier, and the all accomplished Lord Herbert, (elder brother to George Herbert.) Spencer was, if we are not mistaken, entrusted with a commission of statistical survey or something of the sort which led to his work on Ireland. All the great prose writers and poets of Elizabeth's time took a deep interest in policy except the dramatists. At home, Bacon, and Burleigh, and the Cecils, and Selden, and Hooker, and Coke: "abroad, in arms, Sidney and Raleigh, (twin brothers in gen us and glory) and those gay rivals for the favor of the maiden queen, Essex and Leicester. The great dramatists seem to have been too deeply and too delightfully engrossed by creating fair visions of their own, to trouble their heads much with the concerns of this sublunary planet. The reigns of the first two Stuarts were highly favorable to letters, both in church and state. Then were the high loyalist divines well rewarded for their learned devotion and eloquent zeal. Then arose that galaxy of brilliant names, Taylor, and South, and Barrow, and Donne; and, that rare class, who combined the elegant scholar, the high churchman, the accurate man of business, the high-toned royalist, and the fine gentleman, in a proportion and degree, we have seldom seen since. Of this class was Sir Henry Wotton, who was sent abroad on three several missions of an important nature, and finally ended his days as provost of Eton college. His name is embalmed for ever in the epitaph of Cowley, and his fame perpetuated in the artless gossip of Izaak Walton. Howell, the letter writer, was employed in the same way. So, too, was Dr. Donne, who went to France as secretary to his noble patron; Cowley, filled a similar station; and Quarles, who, at one period was cup-bearer to the famous and beautiful queen of Bohemia. The list of great names might be much lengthened by reference to books; but we are quoting from memory. During the commonwealth, the claims of literature were by no means overlooked.— The parliamentary leaders were men of education, as well as of great natural abilities, Pym, Hampden, and Sir Harry Vane. The sagacious protector himself selected the best men for his own service. The greatest poet of all time was the private secretary of Cromwell, and his assistant Marvell was a true patriot and man of fine genius. Howe and Owen, the two greatest divines of that day, were the protector's chaplains. The former of these Robert Hall pronounced to be superior to all the divines he had ever read, and to have given him more just ideas on theological subjects. The latter was the champion of the Independents, and is still regarded by his sect, as a Hercules in controversial theology. On the restoration of Charles II, those divines, and lawyers and scholars, who had given their support to his cause, by their passive sufferings as well as by their active exertions with tongue or pen, were in general amply rewarded. The noble historian of the great rebellion was created Lord Chancellor. The imprisoned divines were VOL. IL NO. I. 3 restored to their pulpits. Defenders of the faith and adherents of the king suddenly rose from the criterion of country curates, to the offices of bishop and archbishop: court poets were ennobled, and wits were on the ascendant. But, at the revolution arose another change; the whigs then came into power, and whig writers were favored accordingly. Addison and Steele were favorites with their party from their political tracts, as they were with the public from their wit, and humor, and style, and knowledge of life. Garth, the favorite whig physician, was also a popular poet. The same claim gave reputation even to the prosy blockhead, Blackmore; and both were knighted for their loyalty. The English La Fontaine, (with greater licentiousness) Prior, was sent to France. Newton was made master of the mint, and the rest were well provided for. The great tory writers were continually depressed, and gained no favor from the public, save that which their brilliant poems extorted. Among these were Pope; Swift, who never got beyond his deanship, because he could not stoop for a bishopric; the amiable humorist Arbuthnot; the charming Gay; the pensive Parnell. Two tory leaders, Bolingbroke and Atterbury, were even driven into exile, from which the latter never returned. Coming down to our own time, we may observe the close alliance between politics and law, and politics and literature. The great public characters of the state, of this century, have been for the most part originally lawyers: the Cannings, and Peels, and Broughams of England, and the Adamses, the Pinkneys, and the Websters of America. Of letters, the chiefs too, the Scotts, and Wordsworths, the Coleridges, and Carlyles, the Hazlitts, and the Macauleys, have taken a deep interest in the issue of certain political questions, too often mere party questions. In many cases, the leaders in literature have held prominent offices in some one of the departments of government. The connection of poetry with politics is not hard to make out. ardor of devotion, whether to a king, or to a great abstract principle of right, in either case exerts a most important effect upon the imagination. Where power is embodied and personified, as in a kingly government, more outward pomp is exhibited, but less by far of a high moral elevation of sentiment, than is seen in the severe beauty and stern dignity of republicanism. Cato is a nobler character for the mind to dwell upon than Charles of England; and George Washington, is a greater name than Frederick or Catharine. The A natural alliance is also easily formed between high churchmanship and royalty: and that poetry which is captivated by the splendor of both; and yet, the finest description of cathedral music has come from the pen of a puritan poet (vide Il Penseroso): and the most eloquent passage on the French revolution, from the tory poet Wordsworth. The common objection, that literary pursuits incapacitate a man for business, has been long since refuted by Bacon and a host of writers down to the time of Addison. The accuracy and nicety that certain studies of American literature, but of our age, and of English literature. These are all devoted to the cause of truth, liberty, justice, and public, as well as private honor. Generally the selection of an ambassador at a foreign court is a matter left to mere hireling politicians or determined on insufficient or impartial grounds. But, the representative of a great nation should be a great man. Ingenuity is not so much wanted, as innate tact directing solid wisdom. A gentleman is to be preferred before what is com many ceremonials, less talent is wanted. Occasions arise, nevertheless, where profound sagacity is needed, and where the weight of character is invaluable. Still, where elegance of mind and of manners may both be found united; where a talent for negotiation and public business is farther set off by a brilliant elocution, with a fund of intellectual resources and personal accomplishments, - there, we have a finished public character, and such we conceive to be no more than a just, though rough sketch, of our minister to England. Mr. Irving, we suspect, is less of a man of business, but he has other claims to prefer. He is the historian of Columbus: he has charmed thousands by his romantic tales and picturesque descriptions of Spain. His state duties will be in all probability, much less arduous than those of his illustrious compeer, and consequently demand less of the diplomatic talent. impart fit one admirably for the employ-monly called a genius. Where there are ments of legislation and diplomacy. The invariably good effects of meditation and study on mental discipline and the growth of the intellectual powers, are also discernible in every human employment, and can unfit a man for nothing. Poets alone, it may be conceded, if not originally gifted with a robust moral constitution, may easily allow an effeminate sense of beauty to obscure their sense of rugged truths. The greatest poets, however, Dante and Milton, have been the firmest political philosophers and patriots. The Moores and Cornwalls of the time, might easily sink and faint beneath the heat and burden of the day. In our own country, Bryant and Dana would fight to the last, for the principles of justice and liberty: our butterfly versifiers only, would become intimidated by the frown, and quail beneath the glances of power. American authors of the first rank are, without exception, warm advocates of the principles of a pure democracy, untainted by any mixture of radicalism. There are Bancroft, the first historian; Channing, the finest moral essayist; Dewey, the greatest pulpit orator, and Hawthorne, the most original prose-poet, not only of our day, and 'We conclude then, as we began, by congratulating our countrymen on the possession of such representations abroad: men to be honored and reverenced now, and to be known as classical writers and elegant gentlemen, to all future posterity. W. A. J. MASTER JOHN WACHT. TRANSLATED FOR THE MISCELLANY, from the GERMAN OF E. T. W. HOFFMANN. Ar the period when the inhabitants of the fair and friendly city of Bamberg, lived, as the well known proverb says "in peace, under the crozier," that is, toward the end of the last century, lived there a man, who belonging to the class of citizens, was in every respect, a singular and remarkable character. His name was John Wacht, and by profession he was a carpenter. Nature follows, with regard to the fate of her children and their preparation for life, her own dark inscrutable ways, and what |