So far as I may judge from my own short experience, however, the Scottish ladies, in general, are very far from pushing these advantages to any undue extent. It is not necessary to enter minutely into the causes of their forbearance in this respect; for a much slower person than Mr David Williams would have no great difficulty in forming a pretty fair guess, as to the most efficient of them. The merit which they do certainly possess and exemplify in this part of their conduct, may perhaps be divided into pretty equal shares between the influences of Nature and those of Art. Those gentler and more delicate feelings of our nature, which all their modes of life-their hopes, fears, pleasures, and sorrows, render them better able to appreciate, are alone, I should think, more than enough to weaken with the best of them the influence of those lighter and more transitory feelings, which derive gratification or uneasiness from the conscious possession or conscious want of such a measure of literary information, as is common among either the men or the women with whom they can be called upon to associate. With those of a less feminine and less just character, in point of mere feeling, there cannot be wanting enough of penetration to teach them, that

the confession of inferiority is one of the most cunning treacheries with which to bait the hook of female fascination; and thus it is that the highest and most sacred of inspirations, on the one hand, co-operate with not a few less lofty and generous suggestions on the other, to keep within limits the infection of blue-stockingismthe one set of motives, as might befit their origin, attacking the secret root and essence of the mania for insignificant acquisition-the other no less appropriately, and no less powerfully, chilling and repressing the mania for insignificant display.

There are, however, abundant exceptions to this rule even here. Innate and incorrigible vanity in some; particular incidents in the early history of others, too minute to be explained in any general terms of description; and in a few cases, without doubt, the consciousness of capacity of a really extraordinary nature, have been sufficient to create a certain number of characters, which are somewhat inaccurately and unjustly classed together by the gentlemen of Edinburgh, under the appellation of "our Bluestockings." With the chief and most prominent persons of this class, it has as yet been my good or evil fortune to come very little in contact.

My introductions into society in this place, have been mostly through the intervention of the men of high literary character, and these are here, as everywhere, the greatest, that is to say, the most contemptuous enemies the Blue-stocking tribe has to encounter. Last night, however, I was present at a small rout, or conversatione, which, although the lady of the house is by no means a Blue-stocking, had not a little of the of a Blue-stocking party about it. A number of the principal Bas bleus were there, and a considerable proportion of the literati, small and great, were, of course, in attendance. In short, I suspect it was as near an approach to the true and genuine scene, as I am likely to have an opportunity of observing,

appearance

I was ushered into a room decently crowded with very well-drest people, and not having any suspicion that much amusement was likely to be had, I privately intended to make my bow to Mrs, and retire as soon as possible-for I had left a very snug party over their claret at my friend W's, and certainly thought I could spend the rest of the evening more agreeably with them, than at any such rout as I had yet met with in Edinburgh. I had not been

long in the room, however, when I heard Mr Jannounced, and as I had not seen him for some time, I resolved to stay, and, if possible, enjoy a little of his conversation in some corner, When he entered, I confess I was a good deal struck with the different figure he made from what I had seen at Cg C-k. Instead of the slovenly set-eut which he then sported-the green jacket, black neckcloth, and grey pantaloons-I have seldom seen a man more nice in his exterior than Mr J- now seemed to be. His little person looked very neat in the way he had now adorned it. He had a very well-cut blue coat-evidently not after the design of any Edinburgh artist-light kerseymere breeches, and ribbed silk stockings-a pair of elegant buckles white kid gloves, and a tri-color watch-ribbon. He held his hat under his arm in a very degagée manner-and altogether he was certainly one of the last men in the assembly, whom a stranger would have guessed to be either a great lawyer or a great reviewer. In short, he was more of a Dandy than any great author I ever saw-always excepting Tom Moore and David Williams.

Immediately after him, Dr B—— came into

h

the room, equipped in an equally fashionable, though not quite so splendid manner, and smiling on all around with the same mild, gentle air, which I had observed on his entrance to his Lecture-room. Close upon his heels followed Professor L, with a large moss-rose in his bosom. The Professor made his obeisance to one or two ladies that stood near him, and then fixing himself close by the fire-place, assumed an aspect of blank abstraction, which lasted for many minutes without the least alteration. The expression of his massy features and large grey eyes, rolling about while he stood in this attitude, was so solemn, that nothing could have formed a more amusing contrast to the light and smiling physiognomies of the less contemplative persons around him. I saw that Mr J was eyeing him all the while with a very quizzical air, and indeed heard him whisper something about heat, to Lady with whom he was conversing, which I fear could have been nothing more innocent than some sarcasm against the ruminating philosopher. For my part, I now perceived plainly, that I was in a rout of no ordinary character, and, rubbing my spectacles, prepared to make the best use of my time,