Heart

quiesced in the foolishness of secresy, and thus aided the contrivance of false witness; for aught else, their only social error had been lack of business caution among bu

long in circles of comparative wealth and wastefulness, now seemed likely to come to the galling want of necessary sustenance. Was it not to teach them deeper feeling for the poor, if ever God again should give them riches? Was it not, by poverty, to try those hearts which had passed so blamelessly through all the ordeals and temptations of wealth, in order that they worthily might wear the double crown given only to such as remain unhardened by prosperity, unembittered by adversity? Was it not to discipli

r's anger, still protracted-in addition to that vile forgery imputed to her craft, and whereof she had been made the guilty victim-in addition to their own soon pressing money-wants, and that heartless fraud of John's against her husband's little all (though she counted of it only as a luckless speculation)-she had just become acquainted, through the public prints, of her dear good mother's death, even before she had heard of any illness. What bitter pangs were there for her, poor child! That she should have lost that mother just then, witho

calculation, he might prudently have looked for some provision on Maria's part at least equal to his own: in fact, the fond young couple had reasonably set their hearts upon that golden mean-four hundred a-year to begin with. Now, however, by two fell swoops-brother John's dishonesty and Sir Thomas's resolve of disinheritance-all this rational and moderate expectation had been dashed to atoms; and the cottage of contented competence appeared but as a castle in the clouds-a mere airy matter of und

re evidence; and equity would give credit for the trust: but that the "Independent bank" had failed was a simple fact; and so long as John stood ready to swear he had invested in it, there was an end to the business. Be sure, shrewd Jack was not like

one, an eloquent pleader too (if the world would only give him a hearing), he unluckily took for his thesis the questionable 'Doctrine of Defence;' combating magnanimously on the loftiest moral grounds all manner of received opinions, time-honoured fictions, legitimated quibbles, and other things which (as he was pleased to put it) "render the majesty of the law ridiculous to the ears of common sense, and iniquitous in t

the first, and the author unpocketing the second. Thus it came to pass, that after three months' toil and enormous collation of cases-after extravagant indulgence of the most ardent hopes-glory, good, and gold, consequent instantaneously on this happy publication-after reasonably expecting

may defend, and how, I see-- Hang the fellow's impudence!" grunted a fat Old Bailey co

odest swain shall never be;

rint, notices of 'Clements on Defence.' Unluckily for his present peace of mind, poor fellow, the periodicals in question were none of the humaner sort; no kindly encouraging 'Literary Register,' no soft-spoken 'Courtier,' no patient 'Investigator,' no generously-indulgent 'Critical Gazette:' these more amiable journals would be slower in the field-some six weeks hence, perhaps, creeping on with philanthropic sloth: but fiercer

indeed upon the rolls of fame; proving to the world that a Mr. Henry Clements can reason very feebly; that his p

nt, not one conclusion but it was fixed as fate: "presumptuous?"-it was bold and masculine, certainly, but humble too; here and there almost deferential: "ignorant?"-ye powers that live in looks, testify by thousands how Clements had been studying!-And

r ache upon your idle words: forbear! it is unreasonable-for often-times a word would prove that Rhadamanthus' self is wrong: forbear, calumn

blight any young candidate's prospects, supposing that mankind respected such a verdict; if not to make him cut his throat, granting that the victim should be sensitive as Keats. The gener

e," &c., &c., and it wound up many stinging ob

ider abuses, however countenanced by high authority-and will obtrude his literary eloquence into our solemn courts of law, he deserves-what

or author had been weak enough to "deprecate censure" in his penny-wise humility, and the printer had negativ

other reason for condemning this book of Mr. Clements than that it came from the legal officina of an opponent in his trade. There was another paper or two, but Clements felt so utterly disheartened that he did not dare to

ast and only remaining document upon the table was a civil note from Mr. Wormwoo

'Doctrine of D

tising d

cent. on

author, 12

icals for revie

ly a very little more than the whole cost of that untoward publication. Mr. Wormwood hoped to hear from Mr. Clements at his earliest convenience, as a certain sum was to be m

g debt to that ill-used couple in their altered circumstances! How entirely by his own strong effort had he swamped his legal expectations! Just as a ma

capital, and a neck-chain of Maria's; and, at tremendous sacrifices, found himself once more out of danger, because out of debt. But it was a bad prospect truly for the future-ay, and for the present too; a few pounds left would soon be gone-and then dear Maria's confinement was app

nonymous this time for very fear's sake; but Providence saw fit to bless his efforts with success. He wrote a tragedy, a clever and a good one too; though 'The Watchman' did sneer about "modern Shakspeares," and 'The Corinthian,' pouncing on some trifling fault, pounded it with would-be giant force: nevertheless, for it was a famous English theme, he