Some of our friends are now leaving this abode of literature, not to return to it again. On the countenances of these the joy which is supposed to be felt upon such an occasion is still less manifest. They have finished the course which, as boys, they had to run. The few duties which devolve upon life at this age have been concluded, by some of them heedlessly, by others with credit; but they are concluded; and the industrious and the idle, the steady and the wild, participate in the regret which their conclusion occasions,—a regret which the scholar endeavours to subdue by looking forward to academical honours, and the trifler to dissipate by examining the Russia and the Morocco of his leave-books. We believe there is no one, however frivolous may be his pursuits, however strong his dislike of scholastic literature, who sees his final departure draw near without a considerable degree of regret, bordering on melancholy. Some may smile, and others may sneer, when we assure them that the best relief they can prepare for this painful sensation is the consciousness that their time in this place has been honourably and profitably employed. Wiser lips than ours have declared that the terrors of a death-bed are only to be dispelled by the remembrance of a life well spent. This final departure from "That dear schoolboy dwelling which we love,” : is, as it were, the death-bed of our Eton life and we can confidently assert that it stands in need of a similar consolation. Agathus and Eugenio are two of our schoolfellows who have now bid their final adieu to " Father Thames." The first, though possessed of only moderate talents, has succeeded, by regular habits and conciliating manners, in obtaining the applause of many, and the esteem of all. The latter, though adorned with talents sufficient to raise him to the highest honours, has so misap plied these natural endowments in wild or trifling pursuits, that he has been considered by many a madman, and by some a fool. Agathus withdraws from us with the gratifying consciousness that he enjoys the respect, if not the admiration, of his schoolfellows; while the farewell address of Eugenio was, "Ay, Sterling! I've been a sad fellow !-but it can't be helped, we can't live over again." Distant be the period of our departure! but often, ere that period arrives, we shall derive a profitable lesson from the recollection of poor Eugenio's last words,"We can't live over again !" M. S. A NIGHT ADVENTURE. "Fit pugil, et medicum urget."—HOR. SIR, I will not preface the detail, which I am about to transmit to you, by any long introduction. It is sufficient to inform you that I am one of those who are afflicted by a romantic imagination, which, however it may inspire or enchant us in our moments of poetical inspiration, is, as we all know, troublesome beyond measure in the ordinary affairs of life. The circumstances which I am going to relate are an exemplification of this trite but true observation. Is was on a beautiful Autumn evening that I stole out unperceived, from a party engaged in discussing the merits of some of my Father's oldest claret, and left him eloquently and feelingly declaiming in its praise, to take a solitary ramble through the extent of grounds that had so often witnessed my infant gambols, or seen me, at a more advanced age, performing the voyages of Æneas by means of a horse-pond and washing-tub;-or imitating my favourite Hector in the destruction of the Grecian Navy, to the imminent peril of Farmer Ashfield's neighbouring hay-rick. It was an evening, to delineate whose beauteous grandeur would require a heart teeming with all the inspiration of the Muses-a pen dipped in the brightest colours of imagination. A soft mellow silence pervaded the whole expanse of air and earth; the sun, just sinking beneath the horizon, still retained influence sufficient to leave a bright tinge of red upon the western sky, and to deepen the verdure of the aged oaks, which, wreathing their huge gigantic branches into a thousand fantastic forms, overshadowed my path, and scarcely deigned to wave beneath the passing zephyr that agitated their foliage for a moment, and in the next had left all as still and solemnly silent as the grave. It was such an evening as would be peculiarly fitted to conjure up all the fantasies of a warm imagination; which might easily have pictured to itself Queen Mab, and her fairy attendants, tripping nimbly over the herbage, or holding their sportive gambols far from the sight of intruding mortals, beneath the shade of some favourite beech. "On such a night as this," I wandered unconsciously along, forgetful almost of my own existence, totally absorbed in contemplation, and forming in idea the most unearthly and romantic images. Long had I thus roamed, indifferent to every thing around me, and in a kind of delicious forgetfulness of the world and its unpleasant accompaniments. Already had the darkness of night succeeded to the shades of evening, but so gradually had its sombre light given way to the gentle brightness of the moon, that I was far from perceiving the change, and still pursued my way, unconscious of the dews that began to fall around me, till a sudden cloud obscuring the rays of the bright luminary above, and a sharp air that died 66 away in threatening forebodings through the grove below, recalled my scattered senses, and, arousing me to the knowledge of myself and my situation, brought to my recollection the deserted party, and the supposition that, in all probability, the family would be alarmed at my absence. I was next reminded of a still more unpleasant circum-stance; that, having no small distance to return, I should, in all probability, be caught in the storm which I now, for the first time, perceived had been accumulating all its horrors from every point of the heavens, and was just ready to burst forth with terrifying violence. As all this passed in quick revolution through my brain, I had already turned my face homewards, and, with buttonedup coat, was on the point of starting forward with as great rapidity as the increasing darkness and devious path would admit, when my purpose was suddenly checked by the rain of which I had been but so lately forewarned. It fell in torrents so violent, that to proceed was impossible. I took refuge under a spreading tree, and had much adó to console myself by the reflection that I had met with " an Adventure." "An Adventure," Sir, it certainly was, and a most lamentable one. I had not remained a minute in my uncomfortable situation, before I perceived two figures, of a most mysterious appearance, sheltering themselves from the storm, beneath the next tree. They were muffled up closely in thick cloaks, wore large slouched hats, and carried in their hands most villainous sticks. What could I suppose? what conclusion could I form, but that which all your readers, Sir, would form, under similar circumstances?-I was within a few yards of a brace of highwaymen ! What could I do? escape was impossible! the least noise was death to me! Silently and anxiously I listened to the conversation of my foes; and my terror was not abated, when I overheard these dark and terrible expressions: 66 Upon the word of a gentleman!" said the first, "I have not touched a single guinea since I came into this part of the country!" "Business is in truth very dull !" said the other. "I have practised here for twenty years, and never was there a time when people have been so shy of putting themselves in my hands as they are at present!" No wonder! thought I. "I am afraid,” resumed the first, "there is a strong prejudice gone abroad against our profession!" Prejudice! thought I. “ You are right!" replied the other; "not one blockhead can die within ten miles round, but a hundred other blockheads cry out that I killed him!" My blood ran cold; but at this moment the violence of the tempest increased, and for some minutes I heard no more of the discussion. 66 By degrees the tumult of the elements abated, and I again caught a few words. "Your system, Brother! is too violent; I have always employed milder methods." (Blessings on you, thought I.)" I disapprove of your indiscriminate use of steel in all cases." "Steel, Sir !" cried the other, " steel!-Nothing is to be done in our without steel." They began to move towards me! I felt my brow grow clammy-my hair stand on end— my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. They approached!-nearer !-nearer! Despair gave me courage. I seized a large branch which had been rent from its parent tree by the wind, and dashed it, with all the fury of hopelessness, way "Full on the footpad's forehead! down he sank I heard my name vociferated as I fled; but I stayed not for this. With inconceivable rapidity I fled from the place of combat, and, after traversing a space of many miles, perceived, to my great satisfaction, that I was not pursued. I was endeavouring, though without much chance of accomplishing this desirable object, to discover the road |