not fore we could round the point, and just as we did so, I saw a four-oared boat pulling right into us. I shouted out, "Look ahead;" but on they came straight for us, although I jammed the helm down as hard as I could. "Look ahead, you lubbers," I cried, just as the boat was laid alongside of me, and the man who had been steering her sprang on board. "I say, though-this is my boat-my private property-I'll trouble you-" "And I will trouble you for your carpet-bag," said the man, very civilly. It was lying on the top of the half-deck, and he very coolly took it up and opened it, and then turned out every thing, including Julie's pre sent. "This is it," said he, opening the parcel. "Ah! as I thought-splendid Valenciennes lace-not a bad morning's work. I'll trouble you to step aboard our boat, sir, and I will take charge of your yacht, and be at Gravesend nearly as soon as you." To cut a long story short, I was convicted of smuggling lace, in which trade Harduppe and Mademoiselle Julie-for she was no more Madame Harduppe than I was-had long been engaged. I lost my yacht, and had to pay a large sum of money; and but for my true friend Pumpkinson, should have fared worse than I did. Since then, I have been living quietly in the country with my new yacht, which Pumpkinson bought for me upon the condition that I would not venture within fifty miles of London, nor correspond with Harduppe as long as he remained in England. CHAP. V. THUS ended Brutus Grumps's story just as we landed at Swanage and sought that comfortable inn, the Ship, kept by as jolly an old sailor as ever had the gout, and called it a sprained ankle. I stayed a few days with Brutus, gave him the best advice I could, and got him to put me ashore in Portsmouth harbour. In a few months I saw in a London paper that Mr. Toofast Harduppe was transported for fifteen years for borrowing a gentleman's nag without his permission; and in the same paper, by a strange chance, the marriage of Mr. Brutus Grumps to Miss Georgina Pumpkinson. I concluded that the lawyer had wisely thought that the best thing he could do to save a nice snug property, was to appoint a guardian for life over a man who had on so many occasions proved himself such A VERY SOFT ONE. MEMOIRS OF A BABYLONIAN PRINCESS.* THE autobiography of an authentic Babylonian princess, born, only forty years ago, amid the ruins of Nineveh, and now actually living in London, is a book to make a sensation in all circles. When we originally heard of it we had some grave misgivings about its veracity. We thought that Babylonian princesses were not the most likely people in the world to write their own lives; that they would rather sit in their arabesque chambers, sipping coffee and smoking nerghilahs; and that whatever elements of the wonderful or the picturesque might really enter into their experiences, they would themselves be the last to think them either wonderful or picturesque. In fact, we did not believe that this class of modern confessional literature had become sufficiently fashionable in the East to be cultivated by the daughter of an emir of wealth, and we were, accordingly, as incredulous as if the work had pretended to be the Memoirs of a Babylonian Sarcophagus. But we have now read the two volumes attentively. Not a line has escaped us—not a word of the whole narrative; and we are bound not only to recall our doubts, but to aver explicitly that the memoir is curious and absorbing in the highest degree. The character of the writer goes far in itself to attract and concentrate the attention of the reader; her truthfulness and zeal, and the fortitude with which she has borne up against a succession of sufferings and calamities, are qualities that command respect. The scenes to which she introduces us are all more or less connected with scripture history, and her familiarity with them, and with the usages of the tribes and nations inhabiting them, enables her to enter into closer details than are ordinarily within the reach of the best informed travellers. Her descriptions of oriental customs and manners— of cities and deserts-buildings and costumes-of arts, literatures, and languages-of domestic usages and natural productions-interwoven into a narrative replete with exciting adventures, contribute altogether to render this publication singularly interesting. It is certainly the most remarkable work that has issued from the English press for many years. We hope nobody will confound Maria Theresa Asmar with the popular ideal of a Babylonian princess. She is not a creature made out of shawl draperies and pearl ear-rings, with a turban of gilt floss, looking intensely vacant, as if she were longing for a balancing-pole and tight rope. Our princess is of a different mould and inspiration; and although, as we shall show presently, she could in her "palmy days" dress in the height of the Eastern fashion, we are happy to say that she has a soul of more seriousness than commonly falls to the lot of the lustrous race to which she belongs. The intellect of the princess is of a high order. She owes something of this to her family, who all seem to have been elevated above the level of the oriental character; but still more to her Christianity. The Christian religion is the school in which her faculties have been trained up; and she has responded nobly to her opportunities. * Memoirs of a Babylonian Princess (Maria Theresa Asmar), daughter of Emir Abdallah Asmar; written by herself, and translated into English. 2 vols. that Babylon 1 OF A BABYLONIAN PRINCESS.* Tax autobody of an authentic Babylonian princess, born, only forty years t and the roles of Ninesch, and now actually living in Londou, is a lek wake a sensation in all circles. When we originally beard of it we hele grave misgivings about its veracity. We thought wes were not the most likely people in the world fives; that they would rather sit in their arabesque Ree and smoking nurghilahs; and that whatever de or the picturesque might really enter into their would themselves be the List to think them either wonIn fact, we did not believe that this class of moLegare had become sufficiently fashionable in the be ensted by the daughter of an erair of wealth, and we were, delaurus if the work had pretended to be the Manoirs are now ad the two volumes attentively. Not a line has worl of the whole atrative: and we are bound not 3f our doubts, but to aver explicitly that the memoir is curious The character of the writer goes and alerting and tanhest degree. The wo fwd seentrate the attention of the realer: her the faces and real, had the fortitude with which she has home un tor los offerings and calamities, are qualities that com to which she introduces us are all more or los del with seriptas history, and her faciliarity with them, and with the usage of the tribes and nations inhabiting them, enables her to enter into closer details than are ordinarily within the reach of the best informed travellers. Her deeptions of oriental customs and manners-of cities and dent, dubcaps and costumes-of arts, literatures and langanges et domde ages and natural productions-interwoven into whb existing adventures, contribute altogether to gly interesting. It is certainly the m based from the English press for many bound Maria Theresa Asmar with the peysar rices. She is not a creature made out of bowl arings, with a turban of gilt loss, looking in she were longing for a balancing-pole and tight is of a different mould and inspiration; and although, psently, she could in her "palmy days" dress the height of the Lasbena fashion, we are happy to say that she has e end of more seriousness than commonly falls to the lot of the lustrous race to which she dogs. The intellect of the princess is of a light order. owes sunething of this to her family, who all seem to have been elevated above the level of the oriental character; but still more to her Christianity. The Christian religion is the school in which her faculties have been trained up; and she has responded nobly to her opportunities. *Memoirs of a Babylonian Princess (Maria Theresa Asmar), daughter of Emi Abdallah Asmar; written by herself, and translated into English. 2 vols. |