Is not the question of Reform, also, as far from settlement as ever? The strife of old was wont to rage in front of the outworks of the Constitution. These have been carried; and Insurrection now attacks the citadel. It is only wise that we should acquaint ourselves with the means moral, intellectual, and physical that they possess, to carry it. A poem is the highest exertion of human genius and wisdom: such an one we have before us. It is a type of greater peril that belongs to ordinary occasions. No man of common intelligence should remain uninformed that danger is abroad, not vulgarly attired, but arrayed in singing robes, and anointed with sanctity, at once a Prophet and a Priest.

To the transcendental influences that pervade our literature at the present time, the generation of this character is mainly due. For what is man? as he truly is-as he is in the idea? Man immortal-the inhabitant of eternity? What is he but the right-hand fellow of the Infinite? How inadequately do time and space represent those ideas, which grow on the human reason, as if divinely produced there by sympathetic union with the Divine! With the partial inadequate representations of the senses, it is, however, not the part of wisdom to be discontented or dissatisfied. Suffice it to know, that representations are inadequate by a primary law, and that, however comparatively perfect the temporal conditions are, they must still, nevertheless, remain so.

The man who attains to the dignity of his nature, as the image of the eternal and the infinite,-like him of whom he is the uttered idea, will, with equal eye, contemplate the excellent criteria which are projected from his own being, as the standards of persons and things, that only exist as the instances or substitutes of the principles thus announced. At best, these instances or substitutes can but approximate their sublime exemplars, nor will the man who is renewed in the divine image, commit the folly of expecting from them, what cannot be performed by them.

The human spirit itself is the standard by which man measures all other things. Do they fall short? What then? hast thou, O man! thyself no measurer? Nay, do not the eternal and the infinite measure thee? Are they the growth of, or the law over, thy being? Verily, the law! verily, the law! Thou art but the growth-a shrunk and shrivelled one; else, wherefore do we find thee in this time-estate at all, murmuring at the insufficient and unsatisfying shadows of good things, that hover, in illusive vision, before the dream-gaze of the equivocating and merely equivocal, somno-vigilant seer? The eternity that comprehends thee, and is not comprehended by thee, yearns (as it unconsciously penetrates and encircles thee, and would consciously embrace thee,) for intimate and most loving contact. But thou dwindlest to a narrow point, the centre of a poor circle in phenomenal time, or, poorer still, the focus of a mean oval in phenomenal space. How art thou fallen, O man, from that which is thy standard! Blame not, then, the things which thou measurest, for falling short; since thou thyself art fallen so miserably from that which measures thee! If So, how short art thou of Him who is the measurer of the infinite, the mea

surer of the eternal? What hast thou to do, O carper! with the institutions of the world, whether in church or state, and their manifold imperfections; so long as thou remainest thyself so imperfect? Turnest thou in scorn from them, and from thy fellows, and from the things that are created on the earth? What if the measure thou metest should be meted unto thee again? Should the Eternal, that still is (yet, because of thy defection, so distantly) clasping thee, with unceasing and unweariable desire,-should, we say, the Eternal (were it possible) withdraw in scorn from thee? Verily, thou hast reason to rejoice for the immutability of that embracing mercy. More so, that He who is its measure, changes not in his love, and repents not of his purposes for ever and ever.

Yet, though not in scorn, nor in anger, turn thou, O man! from them, and from thy fellows, and from the things that are created on the earth. Turn from them to their criteria, to principles, to transcendental ideas. Turn from them to the Eternal and the Infinite -turn from them to Him who is the Only Perfect-the only, the absolute Good, whose tender mercies are over all his works.

Contemplate what is above thee, what surrounds thee, what comprehends thee! Enlarge the circle of thy being-or to Him who is the standard for all, surrender thy being to be enlarged-not only beyond that narrow circle of time, and still narrower sphere of space, to which thou hast contracted it--but beyond the orbits of time and space themselves, with all their populous planetary worlds; -nay, thou may'st ascend above the very eternity itself the eternal and the infinite-to Him, who is the Measure and the Measurer, of whom no tongue can speak, no heart conceive, no spirit idealise; yet who speaks in every tongue, conceives in every heart, and idealises in every spirit; yes, thither by his aid, thou may'st ascend again, and yet again. Thou wilt then apprehend that thou art but an echo of his affirmation, and that all other things through thee, are but the echoes of that echo. Hear but that utterance in thy spirit-keep silence, that thou may'st hear, and thou wilt recognize the Affirmation and its Echoes more and more distinctly. Nay, thou thyself shalt echo it; and, thus pronouncing, teach the other echoes an improved response. Thus shall the things that are created on the earth, thy fellows, and the institutions of society, learn of thee, the nobler way; exhibit to thee a more excellent reflection; and all incentives to discontent and motives to dissatisfaction shall diminish, as thou permittest the love and wisdom, and power of God to increase in thee, and thus by enlarging thee, to draw thee nigher unto Himself.

REMEMBRANCES OF A MONTHLY NURSE.

SECOND SERIES.

No. VI.-REBECCA LEVISON.

THERE are not more beautiful eyes in the whole world, than those we often see amongst the race descended from old Father Abraham!

Many a young Jewess do I know, possessing such jet-black, sparkling, and intelligent orbs, that they make one cease to wonder, that the Patriarch Jacob should have served fourteen years to have so brilliant a pair always within his view; to call the owner of them, the Hebrew maiden, Rachel, his own.

But however pleasing the expression of the young Jewess's eyes are here within our own observation, I cannot account for it why the dark ones of all the ladies descended from that ancient nation, should acquire in later life, a sinister, and almost repulsive look? The whole contour of their handsome, well-formed features, altogether give one then the idea of both boldness and cunning, and the piquant archness and playfulness once beaming from those beautiful dark fountains, of intelligence are changed into a look of defiance, almost of impudence !-yet so it invariably is amongst them. Can it be, that, living as they do in a stranger land, where they meet with many slights, not to say insults, they lose by degrees the calm and happy look of nature, and habitually learn to answer scorn with scorn? This is a bad state of things; but it is gradually mending.

I have mixed much with some of the higher classes of the Jews settled in this country; have been often a guest at some of their magnificent feasts, fit for the entertainment of princes; and have received much hospitality at their hands. I purpose in this sketch, to give an account of one Hebrew family with whom I have been intimately acquainted, and whose names are recorded in my notebook.

Not many years ago, I was invited to one of those expensive festivals, given in honor of the marriage between the son and daughter of two very opulent Jew merchants, where pine-apples and the choicest hot-house fruits and flowers, were heaped up in such abundance upon the board, that I could have fancied myself at one of our great horticultural dinners, only for the highly flavoured wines and liqueurs of every description, that accompanied them.

Towards the evening, the four elegant rooms furnished en suite, were thrown open to admit a crowd of less favoured guests, and they were literally crammed with the Hebrew youth of both sexes, together with their still handsome, but showily dressed mammas, each having the bold expression I have just mentioned, attended by their money-getting, keen-eyed husbands—.

"Let us go round the circle" said I to my friend Mrs. Lascelles, who had been invited also; "let us take a circuit of these splendid rooms, and behold the brilliant eyes with which they are illuminated and pray make particular observation to see, if we can find a single pair of female ones, whose owner is past five and twenty, which still boast of the unadulterated look of nature, simplicity, and good humour?-No-there they stand, you observe, and sit by hundreds, all with that shrewd, knowing, and artificial expression, bold as amazons! But then the young girls-O what a contrast! If Mahomet wanted a fresh supply of bright-eyed Houries for his Paradise above, surely he could not do better than

send down a host of his best strong-armed Mahometans, to capture and carry off (as did the Sabines of old), some of these young Jewish maidens !-But Houries never get old they tell us So. New-ones are not wanted; unless indeed, some of the present ones wished to retire upon brevet-rank."

But I must give a description of the bride of that gay scene. Walter Scott has portrayed to the life, his Rebecca, in that gorgeous work "Ivanhoe;" my heroine, unfortunately for me, was a Rebecca also; but if attire and beauty could make her equally as attractive, the bride of that evening was surely so, and being under happier circumstances than old "Isaac of York's" daughter, she had a sun-light on those oriental eyes of hers, that made it dangerous for other eyes, belonging I mean to the opposite sex, to gaze upon them.

There were many Jews, and some Gentiles I believe also, who envied no doubt the young and handsome bridegroom of that evening his name was Joel Levison, Esq., or in other words, he was the son of Levi, who had changed his cognomen, thinking it sounded better, into Levison, now called by courtesy as I have first spelt it.

What a profusion of costly jewels adorned the person of Rebecca Salomons, soon to be Mrs. Levison, on that day! Then the veil that hung back upon her dark curled tresses; of what immense value! It had been brought from Brussels for the purpose, and was as fine a one as ever was made there-her bracelets, ear-rings, armlets, and the girdle round her slender waist, were of brilliants; the clasp of the latter formed of emeralds-her white velvet reticule was fringed and tasseled also with diamonds and seed-pearls; her fan rivetted with two sable ones of the former-but her eyes eclipsed all this lustre; there was no resisting the attraction of this dazzling young creature, so Mrs. Lascelles and myself thought ourselves exceedingly fortunate in procuring seats close to her, where we could gaze our fill, and watch every look of the youthful Hebrew bride.

As I was thus employed, I could not help thinking of those beauties of the same nation now no more-of Sarah, the sister and wife of the Father of the Faithful; of Jacob's beloved wife, and his lovely daughter Dinah-of Bathsheba, and Susanna, and a whole galaxy of Jewish damsels who were so fair to look upon! "What a pity it is," said I, whispering to my friend, "that this handsome race, especially the women, should so soon lose the greatest charm of their beauty, their innocence and purity of look! What a difference between the mothers and daughters! I cannot account for it!"

It seems that Rebecca Salamons, the young bride, with a quickness of hearing that quite astonished me, had overheard every word of my late observations; for, leaning gently towards me, and placing one of her slender fingers on my arm, she said with a smile of peculiar sweetness, blended with a little archness, and a slight shade of melancholy; it might be intended for reproof she said-It is all owing my dear madam, to you naughty Gentiles! It is your fault not ours, that we are so soon despoiled of that openness and freshness

of look, you seem so much to deplore !-you all teach us to feel (of course I except yourself) that we are of a despised race; tolerated more than loved-misrepresented, and only prized for the wealth we happen to possess, not for the virtues of our hearts-can it be wondered at, that we should become indignant at such treatment, and consequently watchful, insinuating, artful, and insincere!Let us only feel at our case amongst you, as you do with each other, and you will see that our countenances will preserve, equally with your own, all the graces of confidence and repose."

I own I felt somewhat abashed at the sweet rebuke of Rebecca Salamons, and I told her so with a candour, that seemed to please her, for she tried to assure me, by saying "that she had observed the same thing herself of her people;-Come hither, Joel," said she to her bridegroom, who was then leaning over the couch on which we were seated, nigh to the canopy under which his Rebecca was to be placed like an eastern princess: "come hither, and convince this lady, that the perpetual consciousness of being contemned, and thought inferior by those amongst whom we dwell, gives to us in after-life, a discontented and often hypocritical look, and frets away all the bloom of our beauty."

Although Rebecca Salamons said this to her intended husband in a playful manner, and with extreme sweetness of look, yet I thought I saw a slight shade, or cloud, pass across his brow as he glanced upon me, and wondered no doubt what observation of mine had called forth this question from his fair bride.

"What! this from you?" answered he, half reproachfully, half fondly, as he bent over her-" Is it possible that I hear Rebecca attribute to her favourite Gentiles any injustice to her people? any unpleasant consequence arising from it? I assure you, madam," continued he, turning courteously to me, "this lady is always an advocate for the Christians, and is never so happy as when she is in conversation with them;"-then turning to her, he whispered something in her ear, which seemed to intimate, that he feared she liked them better than her own nation: but observing that I had partly overheard him, he suddenly broke off and changed the discourse.

What could be the meaning of that bright blush, which mantled over the face, bosom, hands and arms, even to the finger-ends of the fair bride, at hearing what her bridegroom said to her respecting her partiality for the Christians?-Surely, thought I, it is more than what the occasion merited! There was a confusion in her whole countenance, that puzzled me much; and little light did either Mrs. Lascelles or myself gain upon the subject by the next remark of the interesting young Jewess, when she had sufficiently mastered her feelings, whatever they might be, to make one, wholly disregarding the turn her bridegroom wished to give the conversation, and the eyes of the whole multitude fastened upon her.

"How fortunate it is, my dear Joel," said Rebecca, with some peculiar meaning couched in her observation, although it was said very gaily;" how fortunate it is, that with us, as with the Romau Catholics, we Hebrew girls, are not obliged to have a Father Con

N. S.-VOL. II.

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