high crime and misdemeanour in this age of hypocrisy.'

'The king of France seems disposed to assert his prerogatives beyond what his subjects--or, as they pleased to be called, his fellow-citizens, can probably relish,' I replied.

Yes: Louis Philippe will surprise them yet, I verily believe: and the young Queen of Portugal has taken the reins with considerable spirit. English air braced her to it; or, to speak more properly, her sojourn in this land of light and liberty, appears to have been blessed to the opening of some promise, even for unhappy, distracted, lacerated, interesting Portugal.'

'And the king of Holland, uncle'

'Oh, he is a king indeed; and see how princely, how unflinchingly, and in what security, after manfully withstanding his vapouring foes, he rules the territory of Nassau, a noble encouragement to monarchs similarly menaced. There is a blessing in it,' continued my uncle, energetically, ' and among the evil deeds, for which England has yet to repent, in dust and ashes, preeminently stood forth that most ungrateful, most unnatural outrage, of sending her flag, combined with the tricolor of infidel France, against her old, her faithful, her protestant ally and benefactress.'

I had nearly forgotten that,' I observed.

Ay, and many have forgotten it, whose day of reckoning for the deed, is still to come.'

'But now, uncle, what results do you look for in Ireland, from the present sudden change in our government?'

Good, undoubtedly, there is a right protestant

spirit awakened, rendered too wise, by useful experience, to be lulled to quiescence again under the mere influence of names. Deeds, not words, must mark the feeling of our present ministry towards that portion of the empire; and, in whatsoever mode they may set about it, to support the sinking church there, is a duty to which they are pledged beyond recal. I trust we shall hear no more of intimidation, now that the time is come to lop off, at least some branches, of the tree which they felt themselves compelled to plant at the point of shadowy pikes, and the muzzles of imaginary muskets. I dare not anticipate any real reparation for past mischief, or a bold manifestation of protestant authority over popish aggression: but I do hope to see the tide checked, in the height of its advancing fury, and I most firmly believe that a very small measure of decided support, a distinct aspect of encouraging approval, in behalf of the loyal portion of the Irish population, will so strengthen their hands, so dishearten their opponents, as to subdue the mountain billows into the ripplings of a very fordable rivulet.'

I hope so too: but now uncle what is become of Our POLITICAL ECONOMY?'

Oh, to be sure, it has been sadly neglected. We must see about it again. Do you continue your lucubrations through the ensuing year?'

6

Why, yes, I believe so. The Editor says she must go on with her Chapters on Flowers, and we may as well retain our old finishing too.'

Then, I'll tell you how to manage it; we will occasionally have very short lessons on Political Economy, and put them under their separate head: for, to say truth, these things that are actually pas

sing around, are too exciting to be mixed up with what is comparatively abstruse and dry. We may anticipate an eventful year; may the Lord be with us, to soften all asperities, to calm the rising storms of human passion, and, working all things after the counsel of his own will, to bring forth good to this church, for our country, and the world!'

'Amen. We have to remember, thankfully, one glorious event of the past year, Negro emancipation.'

'Yes; and yield credit to those who achieved it. I will not deny that it stamps a ray of unfading brightness on the political history of those, at whose removal we are compelled to rejoice, because by a false step they placed themselves under the intimidating influence of evil men, combined for evil purposes. There are men among them, whose private character would reflect lustre on any situation; and whose patriotism is as ardent, as pure, as that of any Englishman existing. May they be found, not numbered in the ranks of a selfish, a factious opposition; but generously aiding in whatsoever their better sense may assure them shall conduce to the welfare of their country.'

I am sure,' said I, 'the savage attacks made on the name of that illustrious Lady, whose worth is well known to them, must operate powerfully in detaching men of right principle and honourable feeling, from the degrading privileges of mob patronage.'

Very little of that has of late been enjoyed by the whigs,' said my uncle. The mob abhor them, for showing an early inclination to pause in the work of demolition. It is the radical party which occupies that disgraceful eminence, compared with whom the

stoutest whig was a conservative. O'Connel dealt the death-blow to the late administration. Beguiled and bullied by turns, they conceded so much to that unprincipled demagogue, that their fall was inevitable: it might, however, have been so protracted in its operation, as to leave space for incalculable mischief to work, even irretrievable ruin in one part of the empire. All is well; and all will still be well, if those, to whom the navigation of the state-vessel is entrusted, will, in humble consciousness of man's insufficiency, submit to the pilotage of HIM whose omniscient eye alone can discern, his omnipotent hand alone avert, the perils that menace her progress through the dark and treacherous deep!