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I have written and quoted so much, that I must hasten to a conclusion, after having given to Eton two more exquisite stanzas from "Peter Bell:"

“At noon, when by the forest's edge,
He lay beneath the branches high,
The soft blue sky did never, melt
Into his heart, he never felt
The witchery of the soft blue sky!
On a fair prospect some have look'd
And felt, as I have heard them say,
As if the moving time had been

A thing as steadfast as the scene

On which they gaz'd themselves away."

I have but a few words to say more, and I will then put an end to a very long, though I confidently hope not uninteresting letter. If the passages, which have been quoted, were the only ones known by experience to be of that degree of merit, whatever that be, which they may lay claim to, yet most assuredly all the laws of good reasoning would infer, that it was highly probable, at least, that he who could write a hundred such lines on different subjects, could also write other hundreds with more or less of the same power. Now I declare, and every one, who knows Wordsworth's poems well, will bear me out in the assertion, that almost every page contains similar passages ;-nay, there are many who will think I have not selected the finest specimens of his genius, which is indeed true, as I have not touched upon the Platonic Ode, the most magnificent of all his efforts, simply because I was anxious to show Wordsworth only in the character of a great poet, independent of what he may be thought to gain or lose by his own peculiar theory.

If I find that these remarks have not been distasteful to the generality, or even to a few of your readers, I will at some future period advance one step farther, and endeavour to explain and illustrate Wordsworth as a very singular and peculiar poet, quite set apart from the troop of every-day metrists, and living and breathing in a world of his own. This I think would not be without its amusement; at least I am sure the fault would be in the critic if it were so, and not in the Poet himself. I end all by leaving in the ears of all objectors and sneerers the eloquent words of Edmund Burke :

"I am sensible I have not disposed my materials to abide the test of a captious controversy, but of a sober and even forgiving examination; that they are not armed at all points for battle, but dressed to visit those who are willing to give a peaceful entrance to-Truth."

G. M.

YES AND NO.

"We came into the world like brother and brother,

And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another."-SHAKSPEARE.

MR. LOZELL'S TREATISE ON THE ART
OF SAYING "YES."
"He humbly answered 'Yea! Bob.""
ANON.

MR. OAKLEY'S TREATISE ON THE ART
OF SAYING NO."

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"My son-learn betimes to say No." MISS EDGEWORTH.

OUR opinion is very much OUR opinion is not a jot weakstrengthened by the relief that ened by the probability that many many of our friends will assent to of our friends will dissent from it, it, when we assert that no art when we assert that no art rerequires in a greater degree the quires in a greater degree the attention of a young man on his attention of a young man, on his entrance into life than that of say-entrance into life, than that of ing "Yes." A man who deigns not saying "No." A man who is to use this little word is a bull-dog afraid to use this little word is a in society; he studies his own gra- spaniel in society; he studies to tification rather than that of his please others, rather than to befriends, and of course accom- nefit himself, and of course fails plishes neither in short, he de- in both objects: in short, he deserves not to be called a civilized serves not to be called a man, and being, and is totally unworthy of is totally unworthy of the place the place which he holds in the which he holds in the creation. creation.

Is not it right to believe the possible fallacy of one's own opinion? -Yes. Is not it proper to have a due consideration for the opinion of others?—Yes! Is not it truly praiseworthy to sacrifice our conviction, our argument, our obstinacy, upon the shrine of politeness?-Again and again we answer- -Yes! yes! yes!

Nothing indeed is to us more gratifying, than to behold a man modestly diffident of the powers which nature has bestowed upon him, and assenting, with a proper sense of his own fallibility, to the opinions of those who kindly endeavour to remedy his faults, or to supply his deficiencies. Nothing is to us more gratifying than to hear from the lips of such a man that true test of a complying dis

Is he a rational being who has not an opinion of his own?-No. Is he in the possession of his five senses who sees with the eyes, who hears with the ears of other men?-No! Does he act upon principle who sacrifices truth, honour, and independence, on the shrine of servility?-Again and again we reply-No! no! no!

Nothing indeed is to us more gratifying, than to behold a man relying boldly on the powers which nature has bestowed upon him, and spurning, with a proper consciousness of independence, the suggestions of those who would reduce him from the rank he holds as a reasonable creature, to the level of a courtier and a timeserver. Nothing is to us more gratifying than to hear from the

position that sure prevention of all animosity-that immediate stop to all quarrels-that sweet, civil, complacent, inoffensive monosyllable-Yes!

Yet, alas! how many do we find who, from an affectation of singularity, or a foolish love of argument, do as it were expunge this admirable expression from their vocabularies. How many do we see around us, who are in the daily habit of losing the most advantageous offers, of quarrelling with strangers, and of offending their best friends, solely because they obstinately refuse to call to their assistance the infallible remedy for all these evils, which is to be found in the three letters upon which we are offering a brief comment.

lips of such a man that decided test of a free spirit-that finisher to all dispute-that knock-down blow in all arguments-that strong, forcible, expressive, incontrovertible monosyllable-No!

Yet, alas! how many do we find who are either unable or unwilling to pronounce this most useful, most necessary response! How many do we see around us, who are in the daily habit of professing to know things of which they are altogether ignorant, of making promises which it is impossible for them to perform, of saying (to use for once a soft expression) the thing which is not,solely because they will not call to their assistance the infallible re medy for all these evils, which is to be found in the two letters upon which we are offering a brief comment.

We are sure we are only chim- It is dreadful to reflect upon ing in with the opinion of other the evils which this neglect must people, when we lament the mani- infallibly produce. It is dreadful fold and appalling evils which are to look round upon the friends the sure consequences of this dis- and relatives whom we see sufferinclination to affirmatives. To using the most appalling calamities it is really melancholy to look from no other misconduct than a upon the disposition to contradic-blind aversion to negatives. It is tion by which some of our friends are characterized, to observe the manifest pride of some, the unreasonable pertinacity of others.Of a surety, if we are doomed at any future season to put on the yoke of wedlock, Mrs. L., and all the Masters and Misses L. shall be early instructed in the art of saying Yes."

Look into the pages of history! -You will find there innumerable examples in support of our opinion. When the Greeks begged Achilles to pocket his affronts and make an end of Hector, he refused. Very well, we have no doubt he did all for the best; but we are

disgusting to observe the flexible indecision of some, the cringing servility of others. Forgive us, reader, but we cannot help soliloquizing-God save the King of Clubs, and may the Princes of the Blood Royal be early instructed in the art of saying "No."

Look into the pages of history! You will find there innumerable examples in support of our opinion. Pompey was importuned to give battle to Cæsar;-he complied. Poor devil!-he would never have been licked at Pharsalia if he had learned from us the

queror, Cæsar! You remember the words of Casca," I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown, and he put it by once; but for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it!" Now this placid “putting by" was not the thing for the Romans: we are confident Julius Cæsar would never have died by cold steel in the Senate, if he had given them a good decisive insuper

morally sure that Patroclus would | art of saying "No." Look at the not have been slain, if Achilles had conduct of his rival and conknown how to say "Yes." We all know how he cried about it when it was too late. To draw another illustration from the same epoch, how disastrous was the ignorance which Priam displayed of this art, when a treaty was on foot for the restoration of Helen. Nothing was easier than to finish all disputes, to step out of all difficulties, by one civil, obliging, gentlemanly "Yes." But he re-able "No!" Whatever epoch fused-and Troy was burned. What glorious results would a contrary conduct have produced! It would have prevented a peck of troubles both to the Greeks and the Etonians. It would have saved the Ancients ten years, and the Moderns twelve books, of blood-Silius, who was unlucky enough to shed. It is almost unnecessary to be smiled upon by the Empress allude to the imprudent, the luck- Messalina. The poor boy knew less Hippolytus; he never would the danger he ran-he saw the death' have been murdered by a marine which awaited him; but an Empress monster, if he could but have said sued, and he had not the heart to "Yes:" but the word stuck in say "No!" He lost his heart first, his throat, and he certainly paid and his head shortly afterwards. rather dear for his ignorance.

"Yes," cries a critic, "I agree with all this, but it's all so old." We assent to your opinion, my good friend, and will endeavour to benefit by your suggestion. Come then-we will look for illus-trations among the characters of our own age.

There's Lord Duretete the misanthrope. He has a tolerable fortune, tolerable talents, and tolerable person. He plays a tolerable accompaniment on the flute, and a tolerable hand at whist. Yet, with all these tolerable qualifications, he is considered a most intolerable man. What is the reason of this seemingly anomalous circumstance? The reason is obvious-His Lordship can't say "Yes." This abo

we examine, we find the same reluctance to say "No" to the allurements of Pleasure and the mandates of Ambition, and alas! we find it productive of the same consequences. Juvenal tells us of an unfortunate young man, one Caius

"Dam'me," says a blood, "all that happened a hundred years ago."-An Etonian has occasionally great difficulty in carrying his ideas a hundred years back. Well then-we will go examplehunting nearer home.

There's Sir Philip Plausible, the Parliament man. He can make a speech of nine hours, and a calculation of nine pages: nobody is a better hand at getting up a majority, or palavering a refractory oppositionist; he proffers an argument and a bribe with equal dexterity, and converts by place and pension, when he is unable to convince by alliteration and antithesis. What a pity it is he can't say “ No!”

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minable ignorance of our favourite "Sir Philip," says an envoy, art interferes in the most trivial "you'll remember my little busiincidents of life; it renders him ness at the Foreign Office!". alike miserable and disagreeable." Depend upon my friendship," "Will your Lordship allow me says the Minister. "Sir Philip!" to prefix your name to a dedi- says a fat citizen, with two votes cation ?" says Bill Attic the sa- and two dozen children, "you will tirist. "I must go mad first," remember Billy's place in the Cussays his Lordship. "Duretete! toms!"-" Rely on my promise!" lend me a couple of hundreds!" says the Minister. "Sir Philip!" says Sir Harry. "Can't, 'pon ho says a lady of rank, "Ensign Roenour!" says his Lordship. "You buck is an officer most deserving dear creature! you'll open my ball promotion!" "He shall be a this evening!" says Lady Germain, colonel!-I swear by Venus!" "I'll be damned if I do!" says says the Minister. "Exitus ergo his Lordship. See the catastrophe. Bill Attic lampoons him-Sir Harry spits in his face, and Lady Germain votes him a bore. How unlucky that he cannot saying what he spoke ? Quite the

❝ Yes!"

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quis est?"-He has outraged his friendship--he has forgotten his promise-he has falsified his oath.Had he ever an idea of perform

reverse! How unlucky that he cannot say 66 No!"

Look at young Eustace, the man Look at Bob Lily! There lives of honour!-He came up to town no finer poet! Epic, elegiac, salast year with a good dress, a good tiric, Pindaric,-it is all one to address, and letters of introduc- him!" He is patronised by all the tion to half a dozen great men. first people in town. Every body He made his bow to each of them, compliments him, every body asks spent a week with each of them, him to dinner. Nay! there are a offended each of them, and is now few who read him. He excels starving in a garret upon inde alike in tragedy and farce, pendence and cold mutton. What and is without a rival in amis the meaning of all this? Eustace phibious dramas, which may never learned how to say "Yes!"— be called either the one or the "Virtus post nummos! Eh! young other; but he is a sad bungler in man? › says old Discount the negatives. "Mr. Lily," says the usurer. "I can't say I think so," Duchess, his patroness, you will says Eustace. "Here! Eustace, be sure to bring that dear epiboy," says Lord Fanny, " read thalamium to my conversazione over these scenes, and let me have this evening!" "There is no de your opinion! fit for the boards, I nying your Grace," says the poet. think! Eh ?" "You'll excuse me I say, Lily," says the Duke, his if I don't think they are, 66 says patron, you will dine with us at Eustace. "Well! my young seven?" Your Grace does me friend," cries Mr. Pliant, "we must honour," says the poet. 66 Bob!" have you in Parliament I suppose; says the young Marquis, "you make an orator of you! You're are for Brookes's to-night?" on the right side I hope ?" "I" Dam'me! to be sure," says the should vote with my conscience, poet. Mark the result. He is gone

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66

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