Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXLII. Vol. LV. April, 1844

e always called the legs of a table its props-for the word legs was highly unfeminine. She admired talent, and gave it vast quantities of tea and toast. Her drawing-room was a temple of the Muse

s the grand debut of a more remarkable phenomenon than any of the others. A youth of twenty-three, tall, modest, intellectual, and long-haired-in short, the "Ticket"-was to read the opening of a tragedy; and sculptors, painters, mechanicians, and city Croesuses, were invited to be present at the display. Among these last shone our friend Mr Pitskiver, radiant in white waistcoat and gold chains, two rings on each finger, and a cameo the size of a cheese-cake on his neckcloth

a cottage) relieved the monotony of a gentleman party by as profuse a display of female charms as low gowns and short sleeves would allow. And about six o'clock there was a highly interesting and superior party of eight, to whom Miss Hendy administered cod's-head and shoulders, aphorisms and oyster sauce, in almost equal proportion; while Mr Pitskiver, like a "sweet seducer, blandly smiling," made polite enquiries whether he should not relieve her of the trouble.-"Oh no!-it

himself to reply-while the four literary maidens turned their eyes on Aristarchus in expectation of hearing something fine. "I decidedly am of opinion," said that great man, "that woman's sphere is greatly misunderstood, and that you ma

d us in our knitting? why don't you assist us in hemming garment

Mr Whalley nearly shook his head off his shoulders on to the tabl

said Mr Bristles, "to see the Lo

ife? Oh, will the time never come when society will be so regenerated, that man will know his own position, a

y, who had probably lunched, determined to accept no surrender.-"No," she cried-"you shall not give in, till I have overwhelmed you with reasons for your submission. A great move is in progress-woman's rights and duties are

odding his remarks, and ventured to say-"Uncommon bad climbers, for the most part in general, is women

r Pitskiver for all his efforts in her behalf. A look!-it went quite through his waistcoat, and if it had gone straight on, must have reached his heart. Mr Pitskiver was amazed at the expression of the look; for he little knew that his labours under the table, in attempting to check Mr Whalley's oratory by pressing his toes, had unfortunately

cooss it would be wery different on a tree-because of

thing new in sculpture? By the by, you haven't sent me S

e Universal, in declaring that Stickleback's work (it is a female, not a jack-ass) is the noblest effort of the English chisel; there is life about it-a power-a

nk you said?" en

ful dignity," replied Bristles bowing to the e

How much more illustrious the triumph! How greater the difficulty to express in visible types, the soft, subduing, humanizing graces of the female disposi

"I have devoted much time to the study of the fine arts-I have seen many statue

ss Hendy, "in stamping on eternal marble th

ed Mr Pitskiver. "Can't you remind him, Bris

comming statty of a she-ass. I oncet was recommended to drink a she-ass's milk myself, and liked it uncomming.

be useful in getting the great artist an order to ornament some of the new buildings. I have some thoughts of recommending him to

low; and nothing pleases me so much in my good friend Bristles as his candid praise

just appreciation of others? Stickleback has often told me, that Chantrey was not altogether without merit-I myself pronounce Macauley far from stupid; and my intellectual friend, young Sidsby, who will read us the first act

her full development. The time will come when her influence is universal; when, softened, subdued, purified, and

d. For 'spose a case;-'spose it had been my sister as married Mrs Whalley instead of me-it's p

for Miss Hendy, making a signal to the four representatives of the female sex started out of

ristles, resuming his chair. "I don't believe so noble an i

r pretty?" enqui

ight blazing from within, that years cannot extinguish. I consider Miss

as a judge, and took it at once for granted. The finest woman in England had looked in a most mar

ain of eloquence which produced a wonderful amount of head-shaking from Mr Whalley, and frequent

gentleman putting down his empty glass, "

Bristles-"I haven't the, ho

t a putting of his thumb on the top of his nose, and a shaking of his fingers in my face, and a crying out for a friend of his'n

if he felt that souls were in some sort of proportion to the tenements they inhabited, and that his was of gigantic si

ho was evidently proud of his son's mercantile qualifications; "but with regard to this here pottery, and scupshire, and ot

aid Pitskiver. "Bristles, you'll send it to

such discriminating patrons of artists, that I find it difficult to de

Bristles maintained was the richest wine he had ever tasted, as it was furnished by a particular friend of his, who, in addition to being a wine merchant, was one of the most talented men in Europe, and a regular contributor to the Universal under the signature "Squirk,"