tages which cannot be overlooked; many will most likely strive to assist those who seem so willing to help themselves, while they would neglect, or hold in contempt, those who wanted both the heart and the hand for exertion.

Our heart glows with no small degree of pride when we reflect on the conduct of many individuals, particularly mothers of families in Scotland, who, on a reduction of their circumstances by the death of their husbands, or otherwise, submit with resignation to their humiliated condition, and enter upon occupations more suited to their necessities than either their birth or their feelings. The virtuous struggles which many poor widowed gentlewomen thus make to rear their families, and render them useful members of society, are an honour not only to themselves, but to human nature. They are assuredly entitled to a place in the honoured ranks of Makers, and may be permitted to look down with pity on the widely ramified, and frequently vicious, class of Spenders. And who will say that a blessing is withheld from the endeavours of all such meritorious individuals? Their names do not perish off the earth, but are held in esteem by all who know them; and their families, if endowed with the principles of integrity, self-denial, and industry, are almost sure of at length reaching that exalted station in society, which, without having been purified by their trials, they would in all likelihood never have attained.

DAVIE.

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Ir is now nearly three years since the family of Mr Hope of Kelbank, in Perthshire, had occasion to pay a visit to the Continent. Of this family it is unnecessary say more than that it consisted, while settled in Scotland, of Mr and Mrs Hope, with one son and two daughters, all grown up. On the present occasion, the son, Mr George,

was entrusted with the charge of the family, as the old gentleman was obliged by business to remain at home for a time, with the intention, however, of speedily joining the rest at Rome. Mr George was an elegant and dashing young man, had spent two fashionable winters in Edinburgh, and in particular had formed an intimate acquaintance with the Baron Damas, an official in the court of Charles X. at Holyroodhouse.

When Mrs Hope had determined upon the jaunt, she engaged a favourite female servant, by name Margaret, to accompany her abroad; and till a few days before the time appointed for setting out, nothing occurred to mar this arrangement. It was found, however, almost at the last, that Margaret had a "lad," from whom she could on no account part: good wages and foreign sights were no doubt tempting, and a bargain was a thing not to be lightly broken. But what were all these to plighted love? Margaret, in short, could not go. Mrs Hope found it impossible, in the very brief time which now remained, to engage another female servant. It occurred to her, however, as a last resource, that a certain clever little stable-boy, whom they had had for two or three years about the house, and who usually went by the familiar name of Davie, might be brushed up into a tolerably good footboy, provided he would consent to go. No sooner thought of than acted on. Davie was instantly called into the presence of his master and mistress, and asked if he had any objections to going abroad as a waiting-man, instead of remaining at home as only an attendant upon horses. The little fellow brightened at the very mention of such a thing. Objection!-Davie would go to the end of the world with his mistress, if his father and mother would only let him. Mr Hope dismissed the boy with commendations at once for his readiness, and his deference to the will of his parents, and immediately riding over the country to the place where Davie's friends resided, easily prevailed upon them to allow their son to go abroad.

Behold the family party, then, squired by Davie, setting out on their tour to the Continent.

In order that the remainder of our story should have its proper force, we must premise that Davie was essentially a Scotch village boy. He was one of those little Flibbertigibbets to use one of Sir Walter's ideas-who are always to be seen flying about small towns in Scotland, with bare feet and fluttering attire, working all kinds of mischief against cats and poultry, fishing for eels, and tying their skins by way of trophy round their ankles, darkened by the sun to the tinge of a filbert, and unconscious of any evil on earth except the Shorter Catechism. Such only, however, was Davie, previous to his being reduced to servitude under Mr Hope. He had since then been put into proper externals-had learned to do a little in the way of serving a table-could whistle the hunting-song in Der Freischutz, and even already had manifested a tendency to that jockeyish coxcombry which consists in turning the row of kneebuttons towards the front. In former times, Davie's sunbleached hair was arranged above the brow in a curious radiating fashion, which bears in Scotland an equally curious vaccine name; but now he had learned to train it neatly forwards, after a manner approved of by various persons of his own rank and station in life, and, upon the whole, he was a fair good-looking boy, though as yet in no respect superior in natural or acquired gifts to the humble duties which it was his lot to perform.

At the French ambassador's office in London, the family obtained a general passport, which expressed that they were going to Rome on business, and in which the redoubtable Davie was of course included as their servant. Nothing particular occurred till they arrived at a hotel in Paris, when, as they were about to sit down to take some refreshment, Miss Hope happened to cast a glance through the window, and saw a troop of gens d'armes ranked up in front of the house. "Surely," said she, "there must be some distinguished person in this hotel-see what a fine

guard of honour he has at the door!" At that moment two of the said gens d'armes entered the room, with a low bow; and while one stood as erect as a poker, the other, who appeared to be the commanding-officer of the party, said very politely in French, Sir and ladies, I am sorry to be under the necessity of informing you that you must consider yourselves under arrest."

The astonishment of our honest Scotch friends may be conceived at this unexpected and unaccountable turn of affairs. "Under arrest!" exclaimed young Mr Hope; "for what?" "I beg your pardon, sir," answered the Frenchman; "it is suspected by the French government that you have brought the Duc de Bourdeaux in your party from Holyroodhouse. I can but do my duty, by putting you all under arrest. I think, sir, you are not all here; one of the individuals described in your passport seems to be wanting. He must be immediately had."

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The mystery all at once flashed upon the mind of the younger Miss Hope, who exclaimed, in a transport in which mirth struggled with wonder, George, I declare it's Davie !" "Davie !" said her brother, "what of Davie?"—for the idea was so far beyond all natural likelihood and feasibility, that he could not yet comprehend it. Why, Davie," replied Miss Hope, "Davie is supposed to be the Duc de Bourdeaux in disguise." At this explanation, the whole party, excepting the Frenchmen, and Davie himself, who at that moment came in with a tray, burst into a fit of laughter, which hardly experienced any check even from the fear of a little temporary trouble. Davie taken for the Duc de Bourdeaux! Davie a legitimate but disinherited sovereign! Davie, who but yesterday was stable-boy at Kelbank, and is even at this very moment, all unconscious of his honours, engaged in the humble duty of marshalling vinegar and mustard cruets! The idea was too ludicrous. It was more than the risible faculties of man could well bear; and we verily believe, that though the party had seen the muskets of the national

guard levelled at them, they must still have laughed. After their merriment had passed the first burst, Mr Hope went up to the commandant, who was looking always graver and graver, and politely begged his pardon for what might appear to him as scarcely the conduct appropriate to the occasion. "I must really say, however, that the notion which the French government has formed as to our poor little waiting-boy, is so outré-so bizarre-that some little mirth is hardly avoidable."

"Pardonnez moi," said the Frenchman; "the description in the passport answers exactly to the Duc de Bourdeaux; it is known also to the French government that you, Monsieur Hope, was a visitor at Holyroodhouse. When these circumstances are taken in connection with the known intention of the ex-king to remove immediately from Scotland, it appears to me as if the probability were pretty strong."

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Well, sir," rejoined Mr Hope, "here is the boy himself; take a good look at him; examine him by question, or otherwise; show him to any person who may have seen the Duc de Bourdeaux before he left France; and if this be the illustrious personage you suspect him to be, I will be happy to submit to the consequences, however disagreeable."

Davie, who had stood for some time in a state of complete bewilderment, with a bread-knife arrested in his surprised hand, and his eye fixed alarmfully on his master (though his sensations referred rather to the gestures than the language), was now brought forward by Mr Hope, and subjected to the scrutiny of the soldiers, none of whom, however, were able to identify him.

"Comment s'appellez vous?" said the commandant, with an evident mixture of involuntary respect in what would have otherwise been the blunt question of a person in authority.

Davie only stared, for the very good reason that he did not understand the question. His master, however, hav