seat; "all we want is unrestrained freedom | allowed to read my very soul? The fate of and sincere friendship. Well, then, what kings is a sad one; their word is of less value news from the provinces? Are my people than that of the meanest of their subjects. happy? Do they love me?" Rudbek, you were present when I swore* to the Act of Safety. I have forgotten nothing of what I then promised. Believe me, my old friend-believe me."

to what they hoped. In this general de-surdity of such apprehensions, he returned rangement all authority tottered to its base, to his palace, where tranquil and collected, both that of the estates and that of the crown. he attended a representation at the court The ground, which trembled under every theatre on the evening of the 18th, after footstep, was about to be covered with ruins which he gaily did the honours of a supper -but who would build himself a pedestal of eighty covers to the senators, the prinout of the wreck? Would the hidden hand cipal officers, and the ambassadors of forwhich had unchained the tempest be able to eign powers. restrain or direct it?

On that same morning, at two o'clock, Gustavus was alone in the apartment in which Rudbek had received his oath and witnessed his tears to flow at the mere suspicion of being an accomplice, or even conscious of the revolt.

Numerous patrols of mounted militia traversed the street on duty, until a battalion of the regiment of Upland and another of that of Sudermania should come to the assistance of the city. Rudbek's activity was sufficient for every emergency of the "One more sleepless night," murmured occasion, and he filled with equal diligence he, "and to-morrow I shall be a king! For his functions of a member of the secret a little gold and a few smiles, I shall be the committee and of governor-general. Seve- arbiter of this vile nobility, so venal and ral times during the night his challenge corrupted! To-morrow I shall be enabled was answered by the voice of Gustavus. In to spurn this silly mole with my foot, and fact, the king, who was a prisoner in his to rub off the fetid odours of its misery; capital, but was not confined to his palace, to-morrow I shall be able to replace the went the rounds personally; mingled fami- muzzle on this imbecile people, which fanliarly with citizens of all ranks, but address- cies that its master flatters it for the pleasure ed himself in preference to the poorest of soiling himself by the contact! Some classes; clinked his glass against that of the mechanics, who were as much intoxicated by his gracious speeches as by the strong liquors he poured out to them, and took their dirty and callous hands in his with every appearance of cordiality and regard. On one side he distributed money to poor families; on the other, he listened with sympathy to the narratives which he invited of the people's daily sufferings from the famine, which the estates, by their indifference, neither foresaw nor alleviated. He professed his ignorance of their distresses, and was surprised that his paternal intentions had not been understood and fulfilled by those whose duty it was to act as intermediaries between him and the people. Every word and gesture was hailed with shouts of "Long live Gustavus!" The multitude only saw in him a friend and an equal, nothing of the master was visible. One of the lowest labourers on the wharfs said to him, as he slapped him on the shoulder," You are worthy of being our king!" Gustavus's only response was a smile. In the brief space of two nights he had become the idol of the populace, and had established a sudden and spontaneous militia among that class of men whose strength of body and energy of will can overthrow walls and break asunder bars of iron. Once, while he was ordering a baker to weigh some loaves short of weight in his presence, and condemned him to feed gratuitously for two days those whom he had defrauded, a rumour, the source of which could not be traced, was industriously circulated to the effect that the Caps, alarmed by the king's popularity, were determined to gain pos-death!". session of his person, and to surrender At ten o'clock the next morning, the Sweden to Russia. Had Gustavus then 19th August, Gustavus repaired to the arsegiven the signal, ten thousand men wouldnal, where he found a numerous body of have sworn to devote their lives to his service; but he exerted himself to calm the popular effervescence; and, to show the ab

few hours still... ah! what an abyss is con-
tained in the last hour which separates the
design from the execution! When we have
reached that point where the ground is eve-
ry where undermined beneath and around
us, the foot may slip, and we are then caught
in the trap we have prepared for others.
One imprudent word might now be my
ruin. I was but a child, when fifteen years
ago 1 presumed to teach lessons of wisdom
to the king my father! A man's mind
embraces every thing-the present and the
future; but he requires instruments for his
will; he wants arms to gather in the har-
vest of the fruit he has sown. If I could
act alone, I should be easy now, and
certain of success.
Who could guess my
purpose? Is it the senate which suffers me
thus to levy two armies under its eyes;
which could not recognise my hand in the
manifesto of Hellichius; and is satisfied
with closing the gates of Stockholm upon
me, after I have afforded my brothers the
pretext they wanted to raise soldiers? Or
is it the credulous crowd whom I have
starved for a year past, to make it roar
with delight because to-day I fling it a
loaf of bread? Or is it this simple Rudbek,
who believes in the sincerity of tears, and
who does not yet know that, when a man
is put upon his oath, he is furnished with the
easiest and readiest means of lying? Before
the destined moment, the truth may always
be revealed, and the fidelity of confidants
may waver. Never mind, the die is cast;
and whether lucky or unfortunate, I must
make the dénouement of the comedy I have
acted. It is a throne, or exile-perhaps

young officers assembled, all devoted to his cause and person; he traversed the city at their head, and passed though the midst

MY DAY-BOOK.

not,

*

*

*

*

of the populace, his allies of the preceding | evening, all of whom he recognised and addressed by their names; he then returned Deeds, thoughts, and words, perhaps remembered to the palace at the very moment the guard was relieved. Here throwing off the mask, he declared that he was resolved to free himself from the shameful dependence in which he was held by an insolent aristocracy,and protested that no Swede could hold absolute power in greater abhorrence than he did. As he finished his harangue, and received the oaths of all present, a senator demanded to be introduced to him.-"Tell him to go to the senate," said Gustavus, "perhaps I shall be there before him. "

The senators had scarcely taken their seats in their hall, when the gates were occupied by thirty grenadiers, and the senators held as prisoners. From this moment the revolution was accomplished. The secret committee dissolved itself as soon as it learned that, in less than two hours, the king had gained to his side all the armed force of Stockholm, and that Captain Hellichius had delivered up Christianstadt to Prince Charles, who was advancing with a portion of his troops on the capital. Rudbek was the only person who attempted any resistance; incensed at having been the dupe of the king's cajolery, he hurried through the street, calling the Swedes to arm. As he endeavoured to oppose the king's passage, and menaced him with his sword, Gustavus turned to his escort, and quietly said—" Arrest this

madman."

Things light or lovely in their acted time.-BYRON. A man would do well to carry a pencil in his pocket, and write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable, and should be secured, because they seldom return.-LORD Bacon.

It has been said, that a very curious and inter. esting book might be composed, if one of ordinary experience, and acquaintance with letters, were to set down but one fresh idea or one anecdote, which he had either heard or read every day: I here begin such a collection, and will write till I am dry.

BISHOP SANDFORD.

April 1.- What sort of morning?-Old General used to ask his servant-"John,

what sort of morning is it?"

"A slibbery, slobbery morning, sir." "Then close the curtains, John, and call me this time to-morrow, if it be fine." April 2d. On receiving Crabbe's works from a friend :

In me this paradox behold,

I prize your Crabbed works like gold,
Yet not for gold would I again

Have crabbed word pass 'twixt us twain.

Samuel Cooper, an eccentric character, was April 3d.-The best Patent Plough.- Mr. nine of his men: a gentleman passed and once ploughing one of his own fields, with said,

ploughs in a field, but never saw them all
"My man, I have often seen as many
going at once before; tell me how do you
manage it?"

somehow they all follow me.".
"Oh, sir," said Samuel, "I lead them, and

shilling for being so good a leader, and was
The gentleman gave the ploughman a
turning to ride off: checking his horse, he
said, "I forgot to ask whose farm this is?"
of the plough.
"Why, I believe, sir, it is mine," said he

The multitude was frantic in its joy. Delivered from the odious power of the estates, it bent its neck with enthusiasm to a new tyranny; and the king, whom the morning saw a prisoner, was an absolute despot in the evening. Two days afterwards the members of the diet were convoked in the palace, which was filled with troops and surrounded by cannon, with lighted matches, and loaded with grape-shot. The king entered, and striking the table thrice with the silver hammer of Gustavus Adolphus, commanded silence. He then pronounced a long speech, in which, in bitter and contemptuous terms, he reproached the estates with their disgraceful venality, which made them all hang their heads in evident confusion. He next read the articles of a constitution which he had himself digested, the preamble of which claimed the liberty of Sweden as the royal prerogative. He April 4.-Extract from a letter to B, in then dictated to all present an oath of fidel-romantic, which, after all, do not make the "But enough of the poetical and ity. To give a fitting wind-up to this long whole substance of life's web, though they be series of trickery and falsehood, after blended curiously among its threads. Ro. placing the crown on his head, he pro- mance is to reality not what the novelist nounced the Te Deum in a loud voice, and uttered an extemporaneous thanksgiving to the Almighty for his success.

P.

the stranger, laughing.
"Then give me back my shilling," cried

66

keep it if you please, for I never earned a Nay, thank you, sir," said Sam, "I'll shilling easier in my life."

India.

paints-not what the poet sings-not what the young believe, the embroidered rosewreath, added after the warp is set, after the weft is woven, and the full colour dyed. No: it is in the fleece that first they blend; the sorts are mingled equally, as Time's old shuttle moves, and inch by inch, and tint by tint, and thread by thread, the real and the romantic weave together; till, when the price is paid, and Life's old robe laid by, 'twere

hard to ravel from its tinctured shreds the April 8.-The Deaf Adder.-How often do real from what was hoped-believed--expect- we see a man of active habits, close heed to ed-wished for-feared!

"These, which are not the stern stuff of the real, are the romantic threads of life! Tiny, yet strong in texture-changing, yet bright in hue-and smooth or tangled as the web may be, they mingle evenly in its course, and to the last sad remnant of existence lend material and rainbow dyes to eke the dull worn real!"

business, and of anxious thrift, toil on to some one favourite goal, some promised mark in life, some spot which, when attained, shall be the resting-place in his career! Some measure out their sum of toil by years, and say, "When I am threescore years, I will retire from business, and then seek only ease;" others determine such or such a sum shall put the closing unit to their vast possessions, but all have some chalked boundary to their worldly race, which, when

April 5th.-Equals always say, "My Lord Durham has returned from Canada," &c.; an inferior will say, "Lord Durham has re-achieved, they mean shall mark the future turned from Canada," &c.

April 6th.-The Voice of Spring.-How different does every sound appear in spring from any other season! From the chirp of a robin to the human voice divine, each sound hath in it such life and glee on a soft spring morning as it hath not at other times; a tone runs through the air, which is essentially the "voice of spring."

April 7.- Loved Memories.- Parents, and those who teach, are very wise to choose a happy hour and scene to stamp those epochs in their children's youth which colour after life. Learning, of whatsoever kind, whether of thought, or word, or deed, should be made pleasant to the infant mind. The pleasure which I felt when first I tottered towards my father on his return home, and proudly cried, "I can say self, self, self!" (difficult achievement!) is scarcely less delightful in the recollection than at the time 'twas uttered.

holiday. Alas! how seldom is such meaning carried into force! scarcely a day flits by but we see proofs around us of the fallacy of such presumptuous will.

A man shall toil, and save, and gain, till wealth enable him to claim some dormant title, or to redeem his father's lost estate, or till it fits his place to mate his children with the high-born of the land, or it shall lift him up to triumph over some less prosperous enemy: such things do happen daily-but what succeeds such things? The slave to gain no sooner sits him down, and folds the hands for rest, than, with the occupation which had fed its light, the lamp of life goes out! Hundreds of mortals preach this truth to thousands, yet still the thousands take the first page of their lives for lesson, and refuse to read the last.

April 9.-We all build walls betwixt ourselves and death, and, while they stand, believe I can still see the cheerful fire-light casting that we are safe from pestilence and fear. its welcoming glow over the happy hearth; Our lives have sundry landmarks scattered can even understand, better than when I saw through their course, whose sad removal by the quiet smile of joy which filled the moth- the death of friends shadows the scene they er's eye as it replied to his!-I can still call gladdened, and each removal helps to batter to mind the carved escritoire, and the com- down our strong defence betwixt us and the plexed, and part-mysterious-looking spider enemy. No terser corollary on this text need table, which, occupying mostly the same be, than the few words once uttered by a places in the room, were chosen by my fath-grey-haired man, who askeder to teach me to distinguish the right hand from the left. Their place and mine caused me to stand with face towards the fire, and still I see the loving smile, one moment lost, then by a flash revealed as we, a close-knit band of younglings, stood around the bright and ruddy fire!

How strangely close is woven the minute chain of memory and association! I have no doubt that, prompt as may be every action, thought, or word, to which my will gives rise, (having a bearing on right hand or left,) a prompter impulse on the instant passes before the sense, the old carved escritoire with its queer jingling knobs, its quaint, black, inlaid stars, and nondescript adornments, (which often yielded food for wonderment,) and the slim taper legs of the dear spider-table, with many tender recollections joined. The same fire lends its ray, the same kind circle gathers close around, the same loved parents lend their beaming smile, and childhood and its healthy innocence prevail to prompt a healthy tone even at three score and ten.

"For whom does that knell sound ?"" "For Doctor Latimer it tolls, sir." "Then I am now the senior prebend." There was no exultation in the tone-no brightness in the glance-all told the train of thought which filled the inquirer's mind"No one now stands betwixt the grave and me."

April 10.-Death is the sternest moraliser that reads his homilies to man, and yet man cheats the preacher! How jealous is the hearer not to own the stern impression! How studiously does each conceal, even from ourselves, the warning tacitly conveyed in every summons those around us meet! How cunning are the reasons, nice the pleas, and subtle the arguments, by which we hush to silence the still small voice which finds an echo in the hardest heart!

"All men think all men mortal but themselves."

April 11-A Child's Geography.-"Mamma, where is C (the town he lived in) fixed?" asked little Hal.

"In England, Hal."

we are

"And where is England, mamma?" "In the wide world, dear." "Then when we are out of C in England, and when out of England we are in the wide, wide world?" "Yes."

principle, which binds society and its too willing votaries with links through life. Is it, indeed, no fable that the gay butterfly of happiness becomes a dull dim moth, if rest succeed to chase?

April 14-Extract from a letter to B- in India.-"Our Priory is a fine old place, which Soon after this conversation, mamma dis-in old times hath had the Vesci for its lord; covered her young son gazing out of the great gates." What are you looking at, Hal?" she asked.

"Mamma,” replied he, with befitting seriousness, "I am looking at England!"

April 12.-Cui bono?—Perhaps there are few epochs when a father's hopes are more engaged than at the time of receiving, in India, an English daughter in her prime of youth. The precious charge has been consigned in babyhood, with generous self-denial, to other clime and tutelage; even at the time when parental love is all play and no care, he bravely sends her from him, and denies himself the holiday which infant smiles create; he cheerfully resigns the luxury of love, and to secure her health and education, she is sent, while yet an infant, to his native land: how many years divide the parent from the child, the habit from the home!-how many accidents may hinder that they never meet again! Or even if both survive, in common circumstances the girl is placed at school, where filial love is but one of the hundred

in older still hath owned monastic sway; and now, after a series of some centuries, is herited by Vesci Vassall, a commoner of the best blood in England. Its parks stretch far and wide, and skirt the fine cathedral town of whose citizens enjoy the luxury without the cost; and in their summer rambles, underneath its trees, may mayhap whisper with the guardian oaks, (in confidence,) as did the Chinese mendicant of old to the decked mandarin, who paraded near him his magnificence. "Thanks, noble sir, for the use of your jewels."

April 15.-Rhyme upon Rime.-During a hard frost, which had encrusted every window with the most delicate tracery, the writer scratched with a bodkin upon the vanishing medium Moore's lines,

"All that's bright must fade,
The brightest still the fleetest;
All that's sweet was made
But to be lost when sweetest.

"ah

lady, on seeing it, said quietly, that is rhyme upon rime;" which, at seventyeither poet or scribbler exhibited in the pronine, showed more quickness of wit, than duction or transcript.

April 16.-Old wife's saw.

"A sempstress that sews,

And would make her work redde (i. e. scarce)
Must use a long needle
And a short thread."

other duties she must learn by rule. Letters An old at stated times, in words as measured as the style she writes, relieve the weary years, which the bereaved father fills up by ceaseless toil, to win a competence: occasionally some friend, before embarking, calls, and tries to tell the daughter what the father is, and afterwards describes to him his child! Vain effort! puny sketch from an untaught hand-each scorns the picture so unlike what memory and the heart combine to paint. At intervals limned portraits are exchanged, and thus they nurse a faint remembrance of April 17.-Despatch.--The handsome walls each other's face. She fondly flatters love, of the parks at Woburn Abbey, which exby thinking every striking manly figure tend many miles, were, under the extraor"must be like papa's ;" and he finds soothing dinary despatch of his Grace of Bedford, pleasure in believing every face that pleases begun and completed entirely in the time of "has a slight resemblance to my daughter." one Knight and one Day. (A night and a April 13-At length comes the return, day.) when hopeful expectation is on tiptoe at the bare idea of once more clasping the so che. rished child. That child, who last seen was a babe, is now a helpful woman! O the delicious dreams that fill the father's sleep, the waking musings which have her for their sole theme! Nothing contents him in his preparations for her ease; affection and pa- April 19.-Refinement in Art.-The Hon. rental pride incite the costliest lavishment of Mr. to make his wig look perfectly decoration, the nicest care for health; and natural, has grey hair mingled with the for what end is all?-a few brief weeks' en- brown, and fresh saw-dust sprinkled therein joyment of her beauty and its bloom; for every morning. scarcely is the precious freightage come on shore, than busy speculation is astir to find a brilliant settlement before that first fair blush of loveliness (which is a dower in India) shall lose one rose-leaf from its chaplet of bright youth. Alas! that such should be the hereditary chain of forced conclusion and false

April 18-This reminds us, that Buckingham Palace, notwithstanding the grumbles of the ignorant and its own magnificence, is clearly the cheapest royal residence that England, or perhaps any other kingdom, can boast; having been built for one sovereign and furnished for another.

9

April 20.-An old song.

"And what is your mother, my pretty maid,
What is your mother, my pretty maid?
My mother's a dairy-woman, sir, she said,
Sir, she said; sir, she said;

My mother's a dairy-woman, sir, she said.