interrupted at short intervals by the insertion of elaborate dissertations, suggested indeed by facts which the traveller had observed, but which, both for the sake of unity and the convenience of his readers, would have been far better reserved for an appendix. Humboldt evidently possesses a mind too prone to generalize and speculate to confine himself to the onward course of historical record, even when such is his professed object He seems, indeed, to address himself chiefly, if not exclusively, to the cultivators of geology, chemistry, botany, astronomy, and the other branches of physical science, even in the history of his own adventures. This is the more to be regretted, as the work is replete with information of great use to the politician, the merchant, the moralist, and the theologian, which would have been far more accessible had a different mode of arrangement been adopted. We are afraid too, that the same circumstance, notwithstanding the high value of the work as a depository of important facts, will operate against its popularity, in as much as a perusal of it will be found too severe a task for a large proportion of the reading public. For all which reasons, we hope we have performed an acceptable service by the present analysis, which we mean to follow up, whenever the continuation of the Personal Narrative shall make its appearance.

ART. III.-Lessons of Thrift, published for General Benefit, by a Member of the Save-All Club. London: Boys. 1820. Pp. 256. 8vo.

CONCEIVING that some of our readers, as well as ourselves, might have occasion for a few instructions on the art of saving, we thought proper to order a copy of these lessons, for special use; and this we did, we must honestly confess, without having heard a syllable in their favour, or reflecting, as we ought to have done, that the first step in economy could not possibly be the laying out of a guinea on so slight a chance of advantage. The result, though far from proving quite satisfactory, has not been a total loss; for, notwithstanding sundry objections we have to make to our instructor, we hope we may be the better for the experiment. Indeed it is impossible to look at the crimson-coloured boards of the book, to inspect one of Cruikshank's humerous though rather garish drawings with which it is decorated, or to glance over its broad-margined page, without feeling our prudential resolves as to the future mightily confirmed.

But, not to lose, what it is one of the highest exercises of wisdom to husband well and redeem, we shall offer, without farther preamble, a few observations on the nature and contents of this fanciful production.

The Save-All Club, from one of the members of which these lessons are said to proceed, is an association of various personages of saving habits and notoriety. Its essential principle is asserted to be frugality; and, in consistency with this, certain regulations are prescribed for the obedience and benefit of the members. These are on the whole very quaintly and rather vulgarly expressed; and what the author says of himself is not a bit more prepossessing, as we might easily shew. In short, the whole of the preliminary matter, we are constrained to say, is in wretched taste, and, in reality, disgusted us so much, that it was with extreme reluctance we ventured a step farther into the book. Reflecting, however, that a work so expensively got up must at least have some pretensions to notice; and believing, from the tenor of the preface, in defiance of its literary delinquencies, that nothing unfriendly to morality or religion was meditated by it, we took courage and advanced. The consequence is, our being enabled to characterize these lessons in a manner considerably more favourable than we were induced to anticipate. They are, in fact, a pretty good collection of anecdotes, humorous or striking stories, bon-mots and witticisms,-old and new, and all, in some way or other, conducive to the avowed object and title of the publication. These lessons are forty-four in number, and are generally so designated as to announce the specific virtues and advantages intended to be enforced. Any thing like an analysis of such a work, it is needless to remark, is quite out of the question; but we think we may innocently enough amuse our readers, if we cannot edify them, by a few quotations in the way of specimen.

Under Lesson 4th, "Sketches of Life," we are presented with some tolerably neat little pictures.

"The Dutch say that nothing so much resembles an honest man as a scoundrel; but it is cruel to be forced to be upon one's guard against the amiable artlessness of the fair sex. Sometimes, however, their stratagems cannot be blamed. An old Italian, on his death-bed, left little to his widow except a fine horse and a favourite cat; desiring, however, that the horse might be sold, and the price employed in masses for his soul. The widow sends the horse and the cat to market, with an injunction to sell the horse for a crown, but not except the purchaser also bought the cat, valued at four hundred crowns. In this way she honestly got the money for her own

use."

"A rich proprietor near Lyons was on his death-bed, from a sudden attack of palsy, when his son, a tall, stout colonel of dragoons, arrived on the spur from his garrison. He finds at the bed-side a Franciscan friar

and a notary. His father could not speak, but nodded, from the effect of the disease. "You leave,' says the friar, to our poor convent, your estate of, with all the appurtenances?' A nod. Notary, observe the consent, and write.-You leave to our poor convent your house here at Lyons, with all the plate and furniture?' A nod. Notary, observe the consent, and write. You leave to our poor convent your farm at with all the arrears?' A nod. You leave to our poor convent. The officer lost

all patience, My dear father, do you order me to throw this thief from the window?' A nod. Notary, observe and write.' Said and executed, while the notary was glad to escape."

"In war, and in most other situations, coolness is of great consequence. The sang-froid of the French is excellent in playing any game. As it gives an air of dignity, while all the passions tend to personal degradation, it has even been affected by men of fashion; but the reality was never better evinced than in the following instance. The Chancellor of France dying suddenly of an apoplexy at midnight, it became necessary instantly to name a successor, as a grand bed of justice was to be held next day. After a hasty council of ministers, an eminent lawyer was named, roused from his bed, and all the formalities expedited before seven in the morning. Returning to breakfast, he found his brother, an idle man who lived on his fortune, smoking his pipe by the fire-side. Ch. "Good morrow, brother." No answer. Ch. Great news, brother." No answer. Ch. " The Chancellor died last night."-Br. (hemming) "What then?”—Ch. " And I am appointed in his place." No answer.-Ch. "I am telling you, my dear brother, that I am Lord High Chancellor of France." Br. (hemming again.) Well, brother, I would rather you than me." -And he continued to smoke his usual time."

Some of the beneficial effects of laughter, as a remedy in disease, are pretty well illustrated in Lesson 5th, "Cures for Care." "A patient being very low, the physician, who had ordered a dose of rhu barb, countermanded the medicine, which was left on the table. A monkey in the room, jumping up, discovered the goblet, and having tasted, made a terrible grimace. Again, putting only his tongue, he perceived some sweetress of the dissolved manna, while the rhubarb had sunk to the bottom. Thus emboldened, he swallowed the whole, but found it such a nauseous potion, that after many strange and fantastic grimaces, he grinded his teeth agony, and, in a violent fury, threw the goblet on the floor. The whole affair was so ludicrous, that the sick man burst into repeated peals of laughter, and the recovery of cheerfulness led to that of health.

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"A foreign physician being supposed at the point of death, the first care of his servants was to seize his spoils. The ape, faithful to his character of imitation, could find nothing except his master's bonnet of ceremony, red velvet lined with fur. In this new attire he assumed such airs and such admiration of his own importance in life, that the repeated laughter of his master removed an obstruction of the spleen, the only cause of his malady.” A plausible enough reason is given in lesson 7, "Servants," for preferring a duper to a dupe that the former is content to cheat one himself, and has an interest in preventing others from interfering in his gains; whereas the latter is constantly cheated at the expense of his master. The want of quickness of comprehension, besides, is an objection to the dupe. This is exemplified by a little anecdote. Tired of the tricks, and want of attachment in town-servants, a member of our club writes to a friend, a

country squire, and is provided with a lad highly recommended for honesty and fidelity. He arrives, and is summoned to his master's bed-room. My lad, I am ill with the gout; so shall content myself with one lesson at this time. This is a wicked, cheating town, so be upon your guard. When you buy for me, never give above half what is asked.' After a sleepless and painful night, our friend began to close his eyes at eight in the morning, when he was awaked by a noisy dispute in the passage. His bell summoned the cook-maid, who informed him that his new servant was jarring with the postman, who asked fifteen pence for a letter, which Dick swore was not worth more than seven-pence-halfpenny. The master thus learned to his cost, that fools cannot discriminate circumstances."

So much for the stupidity of a country-servant. The impu dence of a town-servant is pretty well shewn in the following instance. "A gentleman of rank, being of a studious turn, was accustomed, even while taking an airing in his curricle, to amuse himself with a newspaper or a pamphlet. He was one day surprised by an intimation from his groom, who had always driven very slowly and attentively on these occasions, that he intended to seek another situation. What is the matter, John, are you dissatisfied with your wages?' Quite the contrary, Sir, my appointments are extremely comfortable; but, to be candid, I begin to be tired of your company; Sir, you have no conversation.' After a pause, or rather a stare, the gentleman coolly admitted that it was high time for him to suit himself with a servant who could tolerate his habitual taciturnity."

Lesson 15. "Economy in High Life," is one of the longest in the book, and gravely discusses a number of topics in which persons of all ranks are interested, with occasional touches of humour, that render it at the same time amusing. Among the causes of superfluous and hurtful expense, to which the rich are liable, the author mentions rivalry and fashion, law and the gaming-table. His remarks on one of these are sensible enough to be quoted, and short enough to be remembered.

"Law is a gulf which often swallows great revenues; but the very expense begins to be a remedy for the abuse. It is open, as well as the London Tavern, to all the world, but it is only fit for a rich person; and a poor man had better suffer any injury than go to law. An old cow, worth forty shillings, is said to have cost two obstinate Scottish lairds four thousand pounds in a lengthened law-suit. Poor clients had better divide the oyster between them, than suffer the lawyer to eat it, and receive each a shell. As to the rich, who can afford to sport with their money, they are free to imitate the French bishop, who, having near a hundred processes against his chapter, his neighbours, his tenants, was commanded by Louis XII. to drop those vexatious suits, as alike foreign to his religion and his station; upon which he presented a petition to the King, begging that a dozen might be left him pour ses menus plaisirs" for his little (rather private) pastimes."

A little digression that occurs in the next Lesson," Money lent, money lost," affords a pretty fair example of practical wit. We shall add to it another short quotation, which the reader may denominate as he chooses.

M. S. A. saved his money at a mock-auction, near Exeter 'Change, in this way. Seeing it consist of barkers and bawlers, who raised the prices

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merely to ensnare strangers, he got upon his legs. Pray, Mr. Auctioneer, may one bid any thing one pleases?' to any gentleman who bids even a trifle.'

I bid you good morning.'

Certainly, Sir. Much obliged
Then, Sir, (bowing very low,)

"Riches and power often pervert the faculties, and totally change the train of thinking. They form, as it were, another climate, so as to eradicate even the habitudes, as an Englishman in Hindoostan wonders even at his native countrymen. The rich world can form no idea of the poor world, so cannot feel their unaccountable wants and distresses. I remember that in 1795, when England was threatened with scarcity, a lady of distinction, and of no bad heart, on being told that the poor could not have bread, answered, with a tone of surprise, What then? Cannot they eat pastry?" Under Lesson 27, Cats and Dogs," in which the author gives the preference, on the whole, to one of the former, as a domestic in the house of an economist, we find a very curious example of canine education.

"As a save-thrift is often solitary, he may be indulged in the society of one dog, provided he be a dog of good morals; for fraud is foreign to our institution, and we only approve honest gain and honest frugality. He was no member of our club who bred a dog to steal for the maintenance of his master-a singular circumstance, thus discovered: The master had long lived comfortably without any visible means, and all the neighbourhood was embarrassed what to think, as one-half of the world does not know how the other lives. Dying at last, the dog was bought by an acquaintance of mine. The first evening after, he gently scraped, that the door of the chamber might be opened, and more roughly at the house-door, which being also opened, he made his exit. After half an hour he was heard scraping at the outer-door; and, being admitted, he leaped on the table, and emptied his mouth of five or six shillings. My informant determined to follow his dog on the next expedition, and was prepared by the usual signals. The sagacious animal passed the whole of that street, the residence of both his masters, passed also two obscure streets, and arriving at one of the most crowded thoroughfares in London, began his operations. When he heard the sound of money in a shop, he leaped over the half-door, and was on the counter in a moment, whence he snatched a piece or two, and retreated with equal rapidity. When his new master went to make resti- ́ tution, it appeared that the shopkeepers had for years suffered repeated losses of gold and silver by that dog, for he did not touch copper; and as there were hundreds of shops, he only appeared at distant periods, and the theft was either unperceived, uncredited, or soon forgotten. Confinement and chastisement cured him of this singular education."

Lesson 35, treats of the advantages and disadvantages of village life, but leaves the balance to be guessed at. Among the latter is mentioned the flagging of conversation from want of understanding the dialect. "In Hampshire, every thing is a "he, except a tom-cat, which is always she." "Have you got the "tea-urn? Set him down. Move the table: put him here." When you go north, you approach the Scottish, or venerable ancient Eolic dialect of the English. An old lady in Cumberland going to buy candles, and being told that the price was rais ed on account of the continuance of the war, answered, with inquisitive eagerness, "Ad rabbit it! are they gane a fechtin be

canel-licht?"