of the proceedings; suffice it to say that we heard a man sentenced to transportation for fourteen years, for an instance of daring burglary. The prisoner was middle-aged and heavy looking, one of whom nothing could be made, and who appeared as obstinate as he was criminal. Then came an old man, one on the very verge of the grave, charged with stealing wood: he seemed scarcely to understand why he was there, but wept piteously when discharged with a severe reprimand. It was his first offence, and he had been prosecuted by a rich neighbor with malicious intent, for taking that which appeared to him "to belong to nobody." The next cause referred to a dance at a village feast or revel, where one young man "for a spree," had carried off the coat and hat of his friend. The latter, who appeared a testy gentleman, resented the insult by bringing his comrade before the law. The case was made more ridiculous by the singing accent of "the friends," (both Cornishmen,) who unlike Damon and Pythias, could not remain constant to the end, but accused each other in most unamicable terms, of all kind of envy and uncharitableness. We left them in the heat of bitter recrimination to return to our inn, where we found our old friends and fellow lodgers in the midst of a four o'clock tea; they would insist on my taking a cup with them, and seeing me fatigued, were as kind and attentive as if I had been their own daughter. Neither mistress nor maid had stirred from the room in which they were placed, but they had seen a "brave lot" of things from the window, and had, I doubt not, acquired knowlege enough of the world to last them as a theme of conversation for the rest of their lives. I should like to have heard their evidence, but we had not time to remain ; and after receiving an affectionate farewell from our simple friends, we took leave of Launceston and proceeded on our journey homewards. Our way was

beguiled by conversing on all we had seen; my companions, as well as myself, had remarked Lord Denman's extraordinary power of memory in summing up the evidence, apparently without the least aid from notes. We considered him a fine example of a dignified and upright judge, and were not a little pleased to hear soon after of his being made Lord Chief Justice of our land. May every great office of State be as ably filled!

Reference was made to the days when the witty Jekyl was on the western circuit. My father remembered the time when the old hall of Launceston resounded with laughter, as every opponent hid his diminished head at the sharpness of Jekyl's repartee. He was often employed by the smugglers in defending them for having opposed revenue officers. One of these had the misfortuue to be surnamed Crab, which gave the jocose barrister a fine opportunity of displaying his humor. Having discovered that his client had a wife and five children, he made a pathetic appeal to the court, earnestly and solemnly intreating that the old Crab might be allowed to crawl backwards in quiet to his dear Mrs. Crab, and the five young Crabs! Two elegant young women, his nieces and housekeepers, were once brought before him as witnesses in court; they were in rather gay attire, which Jekyl thus turned to account :— "Observe those damsels," said he, "according to the law they are spinsters, albeit they neither toil nor spin, and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." The abashed ladies dropped their veils: without doubt they chid him for his ill behavior when again at home.* Jekyl at one

* One of his nieces being requested to seal two letters which he had addressed, one to a solicitor and the other to an attorney-at-law, asked him the difference between the titles, when he replied, "Why, my dear, pretty much the same difference as between an alligator and a crocodile!"

time rang changes on all the moods and tenses of verbs, and cases of nouns and pronouns, &c., in ridicule of an unfortunate domine, who had avowed himself of the "scholastic" line. The scholastic line! a fine theme for Jekyl.

But the town-hall of Launceston has lost its attractions: the assizes are now held entirely at the more central and commodious court of Bodmin; and Launceston has sunk into neglect and apathy. Except when the coaches make their short transit through the place, or the Saturday's market arouses the attention of the inhabitants, both town and people are quiet enough: there is "nothing doing" as the saying is. But the time of the awaking may come; the deadening influence of a too favorable patronage may pass away, and Launceston again be aroused to vigor and independence. There is sterling worth in the character of the people; there are energies which display themselves in many amiable accomplishments; they possess a musical taste superior to what is met with in most country towns; a fund of intelligence and amiable feeling is evinced in all their social meetings. Why then is Launceston behind hand in most of the improvements of the day? It possesses every advantage of situation and climate, and we may add of society, for the sojourn of strangers. A variety of natural beauties are within its reach: there are the romantic shades of Trebartha-the architectural magnificence of Lifton park-the woods of Werrington -and (within a day's drive) the time-honored ruins of Tintagel. Let us hope that Launceston may yet regain its former importance, and take a stand as one of the principal towns of the west.

And now our home Scenes are concluded. I have wandered far enough over hill and dale, and by wood and stream, to tire the most patient reader; yet one would fain linger in each well-known spot. So much

pleasure is afforded in tracing she steps of our youth; in sounding the praises of our native place; in dwelling on pleasures gone by; that we resign with pain the character of an egotist, and return to the level of the world, above which, like a drop from the ocean, we are raised. Our way has been beguiled by the sweet melodies of Carrington, the Bard of Devon, whose muse has celebrated his favorite places of resort, in strains of never-dying poesy. Once more recalling his words, let me add

"Too soon we lose

"Woods, rocks, and verdant hills, and smiling lawns.
"Farewell, enjoyments of the fast-flown day!

"Farewell! a word best understood by him,
"And felt, on whom the world has firmly fixed

"A chain, but seldom loosened through the flight
"Of the long toiling year! *

"Let not the Cynic look with jaundiced eye

"On those enlivening hours, which, like the bursts
"Of sunshine on the wayworn pilgrim's head
"Dispel the mental gloom. They are the salt
"Of this our short existence; they oft brace
"Anew the slackened nerves, refresh the brain,
"Rouse up the spirits, and revive the heart.

The Author desires to express her grateful acknowlegements to the intelligent Correspondent who has so kindly furnished her with such valuable scientific information on the very interesting subjects treated of in the subjoined letter, and little doubts that every reader will feel an equal pleasure with herself in the perusal of it.

MY DEAR MISS EVANS,

IN compliance with your request, I hasten to forward my mite of contribution to your notices of "Tavistock and its vicinity;" and it will afford me great pleasure if my endeavors, in the few following pages, may be found answerable to your wishes in regard to such an account of Dartmoor, and its most remarkable objects, as so brief a sketch can convey. The subject, although seeming at first mention an unpromising one, does in reality furnish matter of considerable interest to the artist, the antiquarian, and the poet,—all of whom may discover that the wild regions of the moor, are the home of scenes, remains and productions, congenial to their research, and even to their enthusiasm; and I trust in the course of these selections from memoranda and observations made by my sisters and myself during our residence there, to convince many who are yet strangers to its romantic wilds, that they contain much to invite attention and speculation.