perpetrated, he gave Nizzy the key of one of the bookcases, and sent him to fetch "Hoyle." [Nizzy, by-the-by, is the familiar appellation of Ebenezer, a poor and humble cousin of the 'Squire's.] Then, the 'Squire, who took upon himself the office of collector and paymaster, would count the fish over and over again if, instead of eighty or ninety in the pool, as there ought to have been, he found a deficiency of onestrictly examining each person at table as to how many he or she had put in; then he would call a fresh deal, upon the occurrence of any trifling error; then if one happened to say, "I'll not play this hand," and, in the same breath, retracted and said "I will," he would tell him he had said "no" first and must not. If he won a halfpenny he would chuckle and scream with delight; if he lost a farthing he would grumble and swear, scratch his head and dash the cards upon the table. Well; for nearly two mortal hours were we condemned to this execrable occupation; till Dribble, having won three-and-twopence (the whole sum that had been lost all round the table), declared it time to leave off.

At about ten o'clock supper was served: this consisted of a hot roast turkey and a dish of sausages. 'Squire Dribble, who officiated as carver, first cut off the liver wing and a slice or two of the breast, which he put upon a plate and kept at his side. This was clearly intended, and the result proved it, for no less important a personage than 'Squire Dribble himself. He then gave the gizzard to Sam, saying, Let the cook devil this for me." Having, with praiseworthy consideration, provided for himself, he politely inquired of his guests what they would choose. His own family were not subjected to that perplexing question-the 'Squire, probably, being well acquainted with their tastes. He had helped every body at table except poor Cousin Nizzy, and there remained nothing of the turkey but one leg and the dismantled carcase. Nizzy looked wistfully at the leg. Nizzy," said Dribble, in a tone of exemplary kindness," you admired the boiled veal to-day. Go, Sam, and fetch the veal for Mr. Ebenezer. And, here; let the cook put by this leg for my breakfast in the morning. There is nothing I like so much for my breakfast as a broiled leg of a turkey." After no dinner this was but a scanty supper; and the 'Squire who, I have no doubt, observed a sly look indicating thus much, which Heartall cast at me, liberally ordered some cheese to be toasted and an egg or two to be poached. He also insisted upon our tasting his ale-his very best; and there being no wine on table, nor any, indeed, being offered us, we did so. Suddenly his heart expanded, and he exclaimed, "Come! this is Christmas eve; so if any Gentleman would like wine, let him say so: but we never take it at supper. Come! What do you say? There is plenty in the cellar, and of all sorts; and I shan't mind the trouble of going down for it." To such an invitation no reply could well be given; and silence, according to Dribble's interpretation, giving dissent, he continued:-" You agree with me, I perceive: something warm and comfortable is the thing. Sam, as soon as you have removed these things, bring the spirits and plenty of hot water."

The 'Squire "brewed" (as he expressed it) for every one at table, never allowing the bottles to pass from before him.

"Mr. D.," said our hostess, "you have not given any thing to Niz." "Well, Madam," fiercely replied the 'Squire," I suppose he has got a tongue in his head, and can ask for it if he wants it."

"I-I don't care about anything, thank you, Sir," meekly interposed the poor Cousin,

"Come! it is Christmas-eve, so you must have something. Here." And here the 'Squire sent a tumbler of hot water, with a little gin in it, to his well-beloved Cousin.

From this moment till the clock struck eleven we were entertained by the 'Squire's talking at his lady, about "interfering," and "people troubling their heads," and "who was Master in the house," and other such agreeeble topics: the situation of us, the guests, not being made the more agreeable by their effects on the party for whose edification they were intended. Mrs. Dribble (who, by the way, was somewhat her husband's senior, and whom he had espoused for a few thousands which had been bequeathed to her by her former husband), Mrs. Dribble, with tears in her eyes, presently left the room. At a quarter past eleven the 'Squire ordered bed-room candles; at the same time informing us that he was sleepy, as he had sat up a quarter of an hour beyond his usual time, for the pleasure of our Company. "Good night, and a merry Christmas," said the 'Squire as we retired. A merry Christmias "After so much of it as we had experienced, there was something positively awful in the sound.

To bed. The room allotted me was commodious. It was prettily decorated, too; though, perhaps, in one respect, with stricter regard to elegance than comfort: for, although the water was freezing in the ewer, the grate was filled with party-coloured shavings, having rosettes, cut in paper, tastefully stuck here and there amongst them. I felt shiveringly that a fire would have been an ornament more in keeping with the season; but, as it is impossible for the 'Squire himself to sleep in more than one room at a time, it would have been preposterous to expect that he should have provided so expensive a luxury in any one where he did not, and where, consequently, it could in no manner contribute to his own enjoyment. Owing partly to the cold, partly to my own thoughts which involuntarily dwelt on the pleasant morrow before us, it was far in the night before I could sleep.

Next morning,-Christmas-day morn!-I was disturbed by the "Squire who knocked loudly at my door. I just ventured my nose from under the bed-clothes and, so intense was the cold, I felt as if it had been caught in a vice.

"Not stirring yet, Sir!" cried the 'Squire. "Why, Sir, it is almost nine; I have been up this hour and want my breakfast; I always breakfast at nine."

"Then, pray," Sir, said I, with an unaffected yawn, pray, get your breakfast and don't wait for me. This is much earlier than my usual hour of rising. Besides, I have not slept well, and there is nothing peculiarly inviting in the weather. I will take some breakfast two or three hours hence."

Pray get up, my dear Sir, and come down stairs, or the rolls will be cold; and I can't bear cold rolls. Now do get up: I hate-that's to say, Mrs. D. hates to see breakfast about all day long, and " (continued my kind-hearted, considerate host) " you would find it very uncomfortable to take breakfast in your own room, without a fire-for it is a bitter cold morning. I'll tell Sam to birng you some hot water."

Away he went; and, not long after, came Sam with the hot waterSam informing me that his master (polite creature!) had instructed him to say that he could not be so rude as to sit down to breakfast till I came nor could the ladies. This hint was, of course, decisive: so, greatly

to my dissatisfaction, I rose; and having dressed with as much speed as the discomforts of my position would allow, with a blue nose, shrivelled cheek, and shivering from head to foot, I descended to the breakfast-parlour.

Scarcely had I time to salute the assembled party when I was thus addressed by the 'Squire :

"A late riser, eh, Sir? We have nearly finished breakfast, but no fault of mine. You know I called you in time, and I told you I wanted my breakfast. You must be earlier, to-morrow, though, as you'll start at eleven. But, come, my dear Sir; what do you take? I'm afraid I can't recommend the tea, but I'll put a little fresh into the pot if you wish it. However, here is plenty of coffee and" [putting his fingers to the coffee biggin] "it's nice and warm still. The eggs are all gone, but you can have one boiled on purpose for you if you like-or, what say you to a slice of the cold veal? I believe found it excellent yesterday? I should have made my breakfast of it if I had not had my broiled wing of the turkey. I had just finished eating it as Mr. Worthington and Mr. Heartall came down; for they were rather late-ish like yourself." Freezing as I was, this was no time for the exercise of an over-strained delicacy, which would have inflicted upon me cold veal and cool coffee; so I requested to have some hot tea and an egg.

you

"Then bring me the tea-caddy again, Sam," said 'Squire Dribble, somewhat peevishly; "and here, take the key and get an egg out of the cupboard-or two-and let them be boiled. Be sure you lock the cupboard again, and bring me the key. And, Sam-come back. Put

a ticket into the basket for the two eggs you take out, or I may make a mistake in my egg-account." The 'Squire made some fresh tea, and, in due time, poured it out for me: for 'Squire Dribble gallantly relieved his lady from the performance of all the onerous and unfeminine duties of the breakfast-table--such as making and pouring out the tea, serving the coffee and cream, distributing the eggs, and doling out the portions of whatever else there might happen to be-by taking them upon himself.

When Sam returned with the eggs, he brought along with him the newspaper, which had just arrived. "Give that to me," said Dribble, who had not quite finished his breakfast. So, taking it from the hands of the servant, he, without offering it to any one else, put it beneath him, and sat hatching it till he himself had leisure to read it. "It is an odd fancy of mine," said the 'Squire; "but I would not give a far thing for my newspaper unless I see the first of it." This was a reason sufficient to reconcile the most fastidious to the proceeding.

For our morning's amusements we had the choice of admiring Mrs. Dribble's proficiency in the art of netting purses; of looking at Miss Flanks, who sat silently looking at the fire; of listening to her brother and Nizzy, who were scraping duets on two bad fiddles; of walking out in the snow, along with the 'Squire, to look at the grounds; or of accompanying him to the farm-yard to see him feed his pigs, count his chickens, and gather in the eggs. The 'Squire pressed us hard for the two latter, saying that it was by no means agreeable to be obliged to walk out alone when he had invited company from town to enliven his Christmas. This, however, Heartall and I resolutely declined; but Worthington, who was fearful of putting his pet bear entirely out of humour, acceded to it. Left to ourselves, we went into the library : there was no fire in it, and all the book-cases were locked up. There

was a billiard-table in the house; But," said Sam, who had informed us of that promising fact," there's no fire in the room; the balls, cues, and maces are all locked up, and the 'Squire has got the key." We were driven to our wits' end for amusement; and when, after twenty other inquiries, Heartall said, "And pray, Sam, where -?" Sam, somewhat petulantly, replied, " Lord bless you, Sir! that's locked up, too the 'Squire locks up every thing here."

The morning slowly wore away; and at length we retired to our cold rooms to dress for dinner. From thence we came down into the drawing-room, which was still colder; for the apartment was spacious and lofty, with French windows opening on the lawn; and the fire had but that moment been lighted. "It is useless to have much fire till one wants it," said the 'Squire; "as dinner will soon be ready, we shan't be here long; and when we return here in the evening, it will be cozy and comfortable." We had stood shivering here for half an hour when dinner was announced.

The dinner consisted of soup and bouilli, beef-steaks, a beef-steak pie, a boiled round of beef, and a fine sirloin of beef, roasted. The 'Squire accounted for this extraordinary bill of fare by explaining to us that he was extremely fond of beef: that by purchasing the quantity, he had got it a bargain; and that, one way or other-by coaxing and cutting and contriving-his Christmas dinner would serve his family nearly through the week. The wines, for the little there was of them, were good; and one bottle especially, which the 'Squire kept at his side, and of which he sent each of us, his visiters, one glass, was excellent.

The cloth had not been long removed, when Dribble, having finished his own bottle (and the rest of the decanters being nearly emptied), fell fast asleep or pretended to do so. After some time he started up, and apologized for his rudeness in keeping us so long waiting for coffee.

-I

This evening passed away in nearly the same lively style as the preceding the principal variation being the substitution of vingt-un for loo. When the clock struck ten, the 'Squire, with ineffable hospitality, said" If either of you gentlemen would like supper, pray say so— don't want any myself." Supper being declined, "Well, then, as you must be up early in the morning to start," continued the 'Squire, "suppose we go to bed. I feel uncommonly sleepy."

"At 11 A.M. of the 26th," the precise time which the 'Squire, in his letter of invitation, had fixed for our departure, the carriage was announced; and within five minutes of this blessed moment we had passed the boundaries of the 'Squire's domain. For some time we rode on in silence. Worthington, who, evidently, was conscious that his pet bear had not " danced to the genteelest of tunes," at length ventured (though more in the tone of a timid question than of a bold assertion) to say— "We have-ahem!-we have passed a tolerably pleasant Christmas -on the whole."

Heartall, unable to resist this, burst into a hearty laugh; and quoting the old song, exclaimed-" Why, considering that- Christmas comes but once a year.'

"And that would be exactly once too often," said I, "if one were to be kidnapped, as I have been, and inveigled down to share in its customary festivities at Dribble Hall." P*.

THE NYMPHS OF ANTIQUITY AND OF THE POETS.

H

THE nymphs of antiquity are the gentler powers of the earth, and therefore figured under the shape of beautiful females. A large or vio lent river had a god to it: the nymph is ever gentle and sweet. The word signifies a marriageable female. It is traced to a word signifying moisture; and all the nymphs, as a body, are said to have derived their origin from Neptune, or water-the first principle of all things.

:

Every fountain, every wood, many a single tree, had a nymph to it. An ancient could not stir out of doors, if he was religious, without being conscious that he was surrounded with things supernatural; and thus his religion, though full of beautiful forms, was a different thing to him from what it is to us. The nymph was lovely and beneficent; she took care of her brook or her grove for the agriculturist, and he humbly assisted her in his turn and presented her with flowers and yet a sight of her was supposed to occasion a particular species of madness, thence called Nympholepsy. A living writer, who has a young heart, has founded a pastoral drama upon it. We are informed, by a native of the Ionian Isles,† that to this day a peasant there cannot be persuaded to venture out of his cottage at noon-day during the month of July, on account of the fairies whom he calls Aneraides, i. e. Nereides. The truth is, that in this instance as in that of the modern fairies, he who thought he beheld anything supernatural, was in a fair way of being delirious beforehand.

It was otherwise with the great or the "initiated."-Poets talked of seeing the nymphs and the gods too without any harm, not excepting Bacchus, the most awful vision of them all; and multitudes of heroes were descended and received favours from enamoured Dryads and Naiads. The old poets have a favourite phrase to denote these condescending amours. § The use of the fiction was obvious; nor was it confined to the maternal side of ancient heraldry. There is a story of a girl, who, having been honoured with the attentions of the river Scamander, observed him one day standing in a crowd at a public festival; upon which the divinity was taken up and carried before the magistrate.

We shall give a list of the principal nymphs and their names; partly, because the genuine reader, who does not happen to be learned, will be glad of it, and partly on account of the beauty of the nomenclature. These were the Nereids, or nymphs of the sea, daughters of Nereus; Oreads, or nymphs of the mountains; Naiads, or nymphs of the streams; Dryads, or nymphs of the woods; and Hamadryads, or nymphs of trees by themselves; nymphs who were born and died each with her particular tree.

Those were the principal;-but we also hear of the Limnads or Lim

*See Amarynthus, or the Nympholept, by Mr. Horace Smith.

Ugo Foscolo, in his criticism in the Quarterly Review upon the “Narrative and Romantic Poems of the Italians," p. 514.

Cospetto di Bacco (Face of Bacchus) is still an oath among the Italians.

In the Homeric account of Venus's amours with Anchises, the goddess enjoins the hero, in case he is asked questions about their child, to say that a nymph was his mother; but on no account was he to dare to say it was Venus.