Wythe mie hondes I'll dente* the brieres Theere mie boddie stylle schalle be;- Gon to his death bed, Al under the willow tree. Come wythe acorne coppe and thorn, Gon to his death bed, Al under the willow tree; Waterre wytches crownede with reytes,§ I die! I comme! mie true love waytes; These are evidently modern-it would be preposterous to assert that they are not. Whatever the fifteenth century witnessed, it did not witness the birth of such artificial and complicated versification as we have given. That did not take place till the freshness of English poetry had departed, and till a degenerate age sought its equivalent in stale and miserable puns and paltry conceits, and looked upon them as the sure signs of the inspiration of the muse, and crowned with the laurel, and adorned with the appellation of poet, the man who had been the most active in this crusade against nature. Succeeding writers adhered to them as models for style, but rejected with disdain their coldness and their staleness-they drank the waters at the fountain-head: hence the odes and the songs of our greatest poets. Thus it was with Chatterton, in the verses we have quoted; they are evidently the production of a later age; they have no connection with English poetry as it grew with Chaucer or languished with Cowley, but with English poetry as reinvigorated, bursting the fetters which enchained it: it appears in the writings of Gray's Elegy and Beattie's Minstrel, of Goldsmith's Traveller and Collins' Odes. Another circumstance which leads to the conclusion that they are mere forgeries is their similarity to forgeries. Many of the poems professing to be ancient ballads are exactly like imitations of ancient ballads. There is a simplicity, and a beauty, and a strength in the genuine ballads which the imitations do not, or but rarely, possess. The simplicity degenerates into childishness-the verse becomes feeble-they have all the defects and none of the beauties of the original. Dr. Johnson, who made even little fishes talk in the style of great whales, to quote one of Goldsmith's best sayings, and who had a deep contempt for everything simple, as if it were necessarily childish, thus happily hit off the imitators of ancient ballads in such lines as these: "The tender infant, meek and mild, Fell down upon a stone; The nurse took up the squalling child, Wordsworth is a case in point: he tries to imitate the ancient ballads, and has imitated them most excellently in their defects, but has failed to copy their beauties. We have none of Wordsworth's poems by us: but a parody, or rather a fair, by no means a ridiculous or spiteful, imitation of that great § water flags. * fasten. +grow. elfin. poet, for, with all his faults, he is a great poet, will show our meaning; it is extracted from the Rejected Addresses, a verse or two will suffice. "My brother Jack was nine in May, Jack's in the pout; and this it is— Takes out my doll, and, Oh, my stars! We shall skip the rest of the young lady's narration, and conclude with this verse: "At first I caught hold of the wing, And kept away, but Mr. Thing Umbob, the prompter man, Gave, with his hand, my chaise a shove, And said, Go on, my little love; Speak to 'em pretty Nan." Now this feeble simplicity-we might say, this downright childishnessis a sure sign that the poem is an imitation, or at least has been modernized. The reader will remember the ballad of Chevy Chace, which was thus modernized: "Of Widrington I needs must sing, As one in doleful dumps, For, when his legs were smitten off, We meet with several instances in the Rowleain MSS. One that is called The Bristowe Tragedie on the Death of Sir Charles Baldwin is so manifestly an imitation that it is a wonder Chatterton permitted it to be published. Again, Rowley is made to write tragedies, in which there is much that is beautiful-but they even were not in existence when Rowley is said to have lived. Mysteries were then the order of the day-moralities did not come into vogue till after Rowley's time, and regular plays like his were not thought of till about one hundred years after his death. The general plan of the mystery was this: Adam and Eve would appear, sometimes naked, sometimes not; the serpent would join them; they were then driven from Paradise; the serpent would make his exit leaping; Adam would go and dig; Eve would spin and pass away the time; Cain would kill Abel, which was the cause of no little sorrow to Adam when he came home. That was the common run of these mysteries. Chatterton allows this: he makes Rowley say in a letter to his patron Canynge: "Plays made from hallie tales I hold unmeet; These sentiments are highly creditable to Thomas Rowley; but surely plays like his, so totally different from the mysteries which were then so popular, are to be considered as forged, not as the production of that age. To say the least, so great a revolution as he appears to have effected could not possibly have been passed over in silence; and it would not have been left to Chatterton to discover the writings of Rowley. Thus have we for a few minutes thought of "The marvellous boy who perished in his pride "— of him who, young and gifted, cowered beneath the world's dread laugh, who ignobly fell; for his heart failed him in the hour of need. Genius has too often taught the bitter lesson that her smile is a blight-that her embrace is death; and Chatterton was not the exception. We blame not those who, conscious of the trials that await them, tread the path along which genius and poesy have shed their golden light; rather we blame the world that can honour the turtle-soup eating alderman and can let the poet starve. We blame those who can turn from the altar where alone men should worship and bow the knee to Baal. J. E. R. MILLINERS' AND DRESSMAKERS' APPRENTICES AND ASSISTANTS. ONE of the most joyful considerations in connection with the movement in behalf of the early closing of drapers' shops is, that, by its triumphing, the milliners' and dressmakers' assistants and apprentices will be emancipated from much of the rigours of their lowly labours. Thomas of the shop cannot be enjoying himself without Anne of the work-room keeping him company. It is one of the pleasing conditions of every movement which has truthfulness as its characteristic, that whatever has a relation to it, no matter how remote it may be, still its triumph will add an additional impulse in the right direction. So, should the drapers' assistants carry their views into operation, and cause all their employers' shops to be closed at early hours, the young men employed in other species of shops will be likely to have a similar boon meted out to them; and an impetus will be given to the total emancipation of labour from the shackles of overtoil. Hence it is apparent that a few observations on the conditions of the milliners' and dressmakers' apprentices and assistants cannot be deemed as misplaced in a periodical of this description. It will be found, on an examination into the various trades of the United Kingdom, that the most hardly tasked persons as to physical and mental sufferings employed in them are the females. Why this should be is somewhat difficult of solution, and different individuals would be likely to give dissimilar reasons as to its existence. We shall endeavour to enumerate reasons which may in the aggregate, or taken separately, account for a seemingly unaccountable fact. The two leading causes in my mind tending to make women's employments so lowly are the opinion as to the inferiority of their strength in respect both to body and mind, and the peculiarity of their situation, which precludes their bruiting their wrongs abroad, and combining to bring about their suppression. Hence we find no female employment in those trades where skill is considered a requisite, such as the watchmaking, jewellery, &c. So the employments of women are narrowed very much, and into channels where severe labour is ever flowing. Let this fact be deeply pondered on, and the cruelty of its existence be loudly pronounced against, in order that a speedy amelioration of the state of female labour be brought about. The crying injustice of subjecting young and tender females to labour which no other animal could endure should rouse men to the rescue of their sisters from the degradation of pining in unhallowed occupations. In a poem, designated London, from the pen of Wordsworth, we find an invocation to the spirit of Milton to come amongst the people again, and for this reason :— "We are selfish men. Oh! raise us up, and return to us again, And give us virtue, manners, freedom, power." So now might some person invoke the spirit of an illustrious philanthropist to come amongst us, and tear away the stain from the occupations of these kingdoms, and in particular from the over-toiling ones of the females. It is not proper that females should undergo severities; as we find that wherever they are depreciated, bad consequences arise from their depreciation. As enlightenment has dawned on countries, so the respect paid to the female character increased. From injuries and insults offered to females many important consequences have followed. The Tarquins fell by reason of an insult having been offered to a woman. Many historical facts could be brought forward to illustrate this assertion; yet, as each reader is likely in vividness to hold them in remembrance, it will not be necessary to have recourse to their recapitulation. It should never be forgotten, in any discussion or mention of any question with respect to females, that they are those who will be the mothers of future generations. As our own home is, so is generally our feelings towards other ones; and if we respect not our own mothers, scarcely shall any respect on our parts be extended to other mothers. The great Richter has beautifully said, "Unhappy for the man whom his own mother has not made all other mothers venerable." Mother is a sweet word-redolent of kind thoughts and pleasing memories, fond caresses, and the happy pillowing of our infant limbs on a bosom beating in fondness towards us. If we deteriorate in any way mothers, to a far greater extent will that deterioration be visible in their children; and the future degeneracy of the children will make posterity mourn for the depreciation of the mothers of the past. It has been well said, that "the future always atones for the past;" and so any present neglect to females is an inheritance of evil to our children: but it would be apparent even in our own time, as children are of quick growth, and the young can teach the old. Apart from any maternal consideration, females, as wives, sisters, and companions, exert a large influence either for good or bad on society. Hence it must be obvious how important an object must be the obtainment of their being of that species which shall be serviceable to the causing in the breasts of their companions pure motives, happy thoughts, and balmy influences. We find, in looking at the Second Report of the Commissioners of the Children's Employment Commission of 1843, details of the circumstances respecting the millinery and dressmaking trades of London and other localities. The age at which females commence the millinery business is fourteen; spending two years as apprentices, then they enter the large and fashionable houses as 66 improvers." Great numbers of girls of the age of sixteen or seventeen come up to London from the country to enter the houses as such. The numbers of females employed in those occupations are very large; and in London it is estimated, from the fact of there being 1500 employers, there must be 15,000 individuals employed in the occu pations mentioned. The numbers employed in the establishments varying from two or three to twenty-five or thirty-five; hence the average is ten. "To this number must be added the journeywomen who work at their own homes, and of these there exist a numerous class." As to the other cities and towns, the actual numbers employed in the above alluded to occupations are not mentioned, with the exception of Liverpool, wherein it is stated that the numbers are about a thousand. So, from the numbers employed in those trades, the treatment of the employed cannot be deemed as unimportant. We find, as to London, "In some of what are considered the best-regulated establishments, during the fashionable season, occupying about four months in the year, the regular hours of work are fifteen, but on emergencies, which frequently occur, these hours extend to eighteen. In many establishments the hours of work, during the season, are unlimited—the young women never getting more than six, often not more than four, sometimes only three, and occasionally not more than two hours for rest and sleep out of the twenty-four; and very frequently they work all night." Similar courses are pursued at particular periods throughout the kingdom, with few exceptions. Liverpool stands forth as a bright exception to other localities in its extreme devotion to the interests and comforts of the toilers for bread. As to this town we find, "Of milliners, dressmakers, and bonnetmakers, the number employed in Liverpool, under eighteen years old, may be calculated at one thousand. I made many inquiries into the hours of work. The result of the evidence is, that there are establishments where, in what is called the season, they are frequently kept to a late hour without any additional remuneration; that in general in Liverpool, as well as in Warrington, the usual time of work is from eight o'clock in the morning till eight o'clock at night, allowing an hour and a half for meals. These young persons are not generally of the poorer classes. None are employed under eighteen, except those who are apprenticed (the general term is for three years); and, as they receive no wages during that time, and in the higher establishments pay a premium, it is clear that their friends or parents are in a respectable situation in life, and are able to maintain them. They generally can write and read, and some attend Sunday-schools as teachers." (Austin's Report.) As to the Sabbath, we find that it is almost an impossibility that much attention can be given to its sacred duties. From young women's statements we find, "On Saturday night they are never out of the room earlier than twelve; frequently the work is carried on till one and two in the morning." Another "On Saturday night it is usual to work till three, four, and five on Sunday morning." Again: "It frequently happened that the work was carried on till seven o'clock on Sunday morning. If any particular order was to be executed, as mournings or weddings, and they left off on Saturday night at eleven, they worked the whole of Sunday; thinks this happened fifteen times in the two years. In consequence of working so late on Sunday morning, or all that day occasionally, could very scarcely go to church; indeed it could not be thought of, because they generally rested in bed." The food in some establishments is not good, though extremely nourishing victuals are required by females subjected to so severe toil. We will pass from this consideration to the results of the over-toil. proprietor says, "The effects upon the health are lassitude, debility, loss of appetite, pain in the back, shoulders, and loins; should think there is not one in twenty who does not suffer from this. Indigestion is very common. Pulmonary affections, such as cough and tightness in the breath, One |