Wherever prayer and praise arise Ere toil-worn men can rest, From each humble cottage fane

Is the place that I love best!"

Nor should we forget Elder John, in tracing the happier influences of Nicoll's youth-that noble old man, who so well deserved the enthusiastic admiration and love which dictates those fine lines in which his poet grandson addresses him :

"Hale be thy honest trusty heart,

And hale thy beld and snawy pow,
The hand of eld ne'er furrowed o'er
A baulder or a maulier brow.
The laddie wha was ance thy pet,
Has been in places far awa',
But he thy marrow hasna met
Amang the great nor yet the sma'.

"Thy daily fireside worship dwalls

Within this inmost soul of mine:
Thy earnest prayer, sae prophet-like,
For a' on earth I wad na' tyne.
And you and granny sang the Psalms
In holy rapt sincerity;-

My granny-dinna greet, auld man-
She's looking down on you and me.

"Be blessings on thy reverend head,
I dinna need for thee to pray;
The path is narrow, but nae een
E'er saw thee from it stray.
God bears his ancient servants up;

He's borne thee since thy life began:-
I'm noble by descent:-thy grave
Will hold an honest man.'

By-and-by we find Robert Nicoll in a grocer's shop in Perth. He has bound himself apprentice to this business, in the hope of thereby improving his prospects in life, and applies to it with a dili gence and steadiness which warrant the remark of his biographer that, "he was one of those youths of whom the most prosaic might have safely predicted that, if life and health were spared, he must, in spite of the dangerous gift of poetic genius, become a prosperous, and in any case a good and respected, man; for he possessed in ample measure those qualities which insure success in life of the highest kind, and in the best way." Study, however, was zealously pursued as well as business, far too zealously indeed for the health of the young man. Business hours being from seven in the morning till nine at night, literature must come before and after these seasons. In summer, the youth was to be found at five o'clock in the morning on the North Inch of Perth-a fine open space on one of the banks of the river Tay-surrounded by books and papers; and here two busy hours were spent. After nine in the evening, study was again resumed, and carried on far into the morning. At this time, he taught himself grammar with the assistance of Cobbett's English Grammar. In the letter from which we have already quoted, written to Mr. Johnstone, near the close of Nicoll's apprenticeship, he says: "As nearly as I can remember, I began to write my thoughts when I was thirteen years of age, and continued to do so at intervals until I was sixteen, when, despairing of ever being able to write the English language correctly, I made a bonfire of my papers, and wrote no more till I was eighteen."

"When I first came to Perth, a gentleman lent me his right to the Perth library, and thus I

procured many books I could not get before: Milton's prose works, Locke's works, and, what I prized more than all, a few of Bentham's, with many other works in various departments of litera ture and science, which I had not had the good fortune to read before.

"I was twenty years of age in the month of January last, and my apprenticeship expires in September next. By that time I hope by close study to have made myself a good French scholar, and I intend, if I can raise the monies, to emigrate to the United States of North America."

To his brother William he writes from Perth, in a very cheerful spirit, as to the progress of his studies, and dilates with true poetic enthusiasm on the joys which the poet's gift bestow upon him; but adds with characteristic good sense, "You must not suppose, for all that, that I will not work while I write; for, as Thomas Moore says in the midst of a sentimental love song, 'We must all dine.' So say I; and though Moore has often been laughed at for the ridiculous expression, I am tempted to think it the most sensible thing he has ever written. I get on trippingly with my grammar, and always, as I proceed, feel myself understanding it better; and I hope I may yet be a good grammarian. If once learned and practised, I will not be afraid, if health be spared me, to fight my way through the world. . .. As to America, my plan is this: I will try and get a good engage. ment for a year or two, and then when I have got as much cash as will carry me, go to it; and when I can get myself comfortably settled, you and the rest may come out also without fear, as you would have a home awaiting you. But this always supposing we get no encouragement at home."

Another letter informs the same confidential correspondent of that great event in an author's life, the publication of his first article. "I have great news to tell you!" writes Robert." About the beginning of last month I wrote a tale for one of my exercises in composition, and as I had be stowed some pains upon it, I was loth to lose it. Accordingly I sent it, addressed to Mr. Johnstone, for insertion in Johnstone's Magazine, and to my surprise it has been inserted in last number..... I have told no person of it but Mr.—, and on Wednesday my aunties M. and L., who observed, Dinna be an author; they are aye puir.' In this world's goods they may be, but they have better riches than these. At least, my works will not hinder my riches; for I sit down to write when others go to sleep, or to amuse themselves, and I find myself fitter to do my work after half a night's writing than others after half a night's idiotical amusement, or worse debauchery."

At this time, the young tradesman suggested to his mother the plan of opening a shop in her cot tage at Tulliebeltane, and attending the weekly market at Perth, where she could dispose of those articles of country produce which she should receive from her customers in exchange for her groceries. With two pounds which he had ma naged to save, a commencement was made, and the little business succeeding, the circumstances of the family were considerably improved, and the worthy mother enabled to give her other children a better education than her eldest son had enjoyed. [TO BE CONTINUED.]

Marylebone. The inmates observed, "There's no danger," and refused admittance to the firemen. In one hour after the mistake was made manifest, and the firemen's aid earnestly solicited. The fire had communicated to the joists and rafters, several of which were burned, the ceilings in back and front rooms pulled down, and the contents much injured.

A PIC-NIC IN AUSTRALIA.

A PIC-NIC had been a long-planned project among the large party of relatives with whom I was staying at S, and a day, at some fortnight's distance, was at length fixed upon for the excursion. Amid the eager discussion that followed, I ventured to suggest a supposition that the weather might not prove favourable, but was interrupted on all sides by the assurance, "Oh! it never rains at S" to which assurance, strange though it sounded to my English ears, I found that the trees and grass around bore melancholy testimony; for they vividly recalled to my mind Thomson's" russet meads" and "embrowned woods." Indeed, grumble as we will at our variable English climate, to what we are apt to consider its superabundant moisture we owe those vivid emerald tints which form so striking a beauty in an English landscape.

Cloudless skies and a beaming sun ushered in the appointed day, and at an early hour we were in readiness to depart. I was surprised, as we assembled at the gate, to see an infant of three months old among the party, but was told that in this antipodean clime it would enjoy it quite as much as any of its elders; its nurse appeared fully of this opinion, and was somewhat indignant at my astonishment. Horses were provided for the seniors of the party who preferred riding, and the remainder went in a vehicle that seemed a compound of the spring cart and phaeton, while the juniors were accommodated in a substantial cart, well lined with mattresses. The horse that drew this vehicle was a stallion, of the cart-horse species-a very rare animal in that part of the country. A most affectionate understanding appeared to exist between him and the man who took charge of him. No one else might drive this favoured animal; "for," remarked he, with most profound gravity, "if any of you young gentlemen drive him, you'll make him trot, and then he always has a headache next day." How this sensitive quadruped contrived to communicate such painful intelligence, is quite beyond my comprehension, high as my estimate of equine sagacity has always been. Certain it is that when, on some subsequent occasions, we did take the horse out without his sympathizing driver, the man was sure to examine him on his return, as carefully as a mother would her child after a dangerous excursion, to see if he could detect any signs of rash driving.

But, to resume-the equestrians having mounted, and every one else being comfortably arranged in the carriage and cart, with the hampers, etc., we set forth. Our road lay through the bush, and we found the shade, partial though it was, very agreeable, for the sun was now scorching. The news that we were to cross a brook gave us a welcome prospect of relieving our thirst; but on arriving

we found that all the cups were safely stowed away in the cart, which, being drawn by the horse that never trotted, was far behind; fortunately a basket of fruit was in the carriage, and one of the young men selecting a large apple, speedily scooped out the contents, and we were all very glad to drink in turns from this rustic cup. I never saw apples in England attain the size they do in this colony; I have actually seen a codlin as large as a quart basin. After this stoppage we proceeded, by a path undistinguishable to my unpractised eyes, but which appeared perfectly well known to my compa nions, and in about an hour and a half we arrived at our destination. It was a beautiful spot, on the steep bank of a river. At this season of the year, the stream consisted only of large pools, six or seven feet deep, with perhaps a space of half a mile between, quite dry enough to walk upon. How these pools are connected with each other is a mystery. Some suppose that the water flows between them by an underground channel. When the water dries up in the shallow ones, the cattle are taken further in quest of the deeper, some of which are inexhaustible. Of this latter description was the pool we had fixed on for our destination. It was quite refreshing to look into it, as it lay cool, clear, and deep beneath us.

When we had all dismounted, our host proceeded a few miles further, to give some directions to his men respecting the lining out of some new sheepstations; some of the party stole away further up the river to bathe; and those of us who remained behind employed ourselves in unpacking and making our arrangements. The first thing done | in all bush pic-nics is to light a fire, even when there is nothing to be cooked, and I could not help thinking that, with so scorching a sun, we could have dispensed with it; but nobody in the bush appears to feel at home without one. A careful examination was next instituted, to ascertain that there were no scorpions' or ants' nests in our im mediate vicinity. After these preliminaries the carriage-cushions and the mattresses from the cart were arranged for seats, and branches of the trees round were nicked, so as to make them hang down and thereby afford more shade overhead. An English gentleman, lately arrived in the colony, commenced the operation of fishing in the pool, which abounded with what we there dignified with the name of trout, though I rather suspect they would not have passed muster as such in England. Fully equipped with an English rod, line, and basket, he most zealously whipped the water for above an hour, with very poor success, while in the meantime one of the young men, climbing a tree that overhung the pool, with a line and piece of raw meat, drew the fish from the water as fast as he could bait his hook, to the astonishment of our Izaak Walton, who appeared greatly disgusted at such unartistic proceedings, and seemed to con gratulate himself that he had met with but little success with fish of so perverse a nature. The trout, however, were speedily consigned to the frying-pan, and proved to be most delicate eating, causing me to appreciate fully the use of the fire. In the absence of ice, the bottles of wine were wrapped in cloths and suspended from the trees in the shade, and it was the business of the elder children to keep these cloths constantly wetted;

Our party now began to reassemble, and we were also joined by a young officer, lieutenant P., who had the command of the few troops deemed sufficient for the protection of those peaceable parts-for the period of our pic-nic was before the days of the gold-diggings. He was accompanied by a brother officer, on a visit to him, and to whom everything appeared as new as to myself. The contents of the ample baskets were now spread out, and, strange to say, nothing was forgotten. I remember thinking the turkey and cold plumpudding the finest I had ever seen; and have a vivid recollection of a parrot pie, which two of the youngsters were recommended not to touch "for fear they should talk more than usual"-a feat which I should have fancied impossible of per formance.

his

After dinner, lieutenant P. strolled away with gun in quest of some shooting. Some days previously, a soldier under his command, when a long day's march was nearly ended, had been found fast asleep in the bush from fatigue, with his musket by his side, and had consequently incurred the displeasure of lieutenant P., who, in reprimanding him, remarked that a soldier should never, on any pretext whatever, be found sleeping with his arms in his hands. Our young friend, overcome by the heat, the wine, and the talking, had not proceeded far when he yielded to the allurements of Morpheus, and was found some time afterwards still fast asleep with his gun in his hand, and minus any game. As the circumstance above mentioned, relating to the soldier, was known to us all, the opportunity this afforded of applying his own reproofs to himself was too good to be lost, and a shower of good-humoured jokes greeted him on his return to us. As we sat in groups on the grass, some one exclaimed near me, in a mock-pathetic tone:

"Lo! o'er the couch where infant beauty sleeps,

Her silent watch the mournful mother keeps."

On turning to see what had called forth this poetic burst, I beheld a young foal, belonging to one of the horses, which had been allowed by our benevolent host to accompany us, as he would not permit it to be so long parted from its mother. The little creature was very comfortably reposing on the grass, while the mother stood over it, eyeing it with no small complacency.

We now began to think of turning homewards, and all being repacked and adjusted, we started. I exchanged my horse for the carriage, as we had determined on pursuing a different route to that of the morning, and our road now lay through a marsh. Under the guidance of a most reckless driver, a lad of fifteen, we flew along with a velocity that was almost frightful. The grass in the marshes is burnt annually, to cause a thicker growth, and it abounds with large tussocks, which, as the fire does not penetrate to their roots, rise higher every year. I expected nothing less than an upset, as the wheels ever and anon came in contact with these; but my young friend told me, by way of reassurance, that there was not time for anything of the kind in so speedy a course as ours. As we came up to a road which we were to cross,

our young charioteer jumped down, rushed about till he seized up a stick, and commenced a violent attack on a large black snake that was wriggling its way across the road; he very soon despatched it, and remounted the box in triumph with the snake, which he somewhat foolishly insisted on bringing with him to show to my maid, that he might have the pleasure of hearing her scream; and when the cart came up, and he brandished it aloft before her face, her shrieks of "La! oh, dear! dear!" 'Are you sure it won't sting, sir?” must have fulfilled his most sanguine expectations. It seemed to me rather hard on the poor reptile, who was not molesting us, and who, perhaps, had only been to a pic-nic, like ourselves, and met with this tragical fate on his return. They told me, however, that snakes were always killed whenever met with; I suppose it comes under the head of one of the duties we owe society, for I have observed that too often when people do something very disagreeable to others, it is a duty they owe society, but if it is anything superlatively selfish, it is a duty they owe themselves.

Though it was only seven o'clock when we reached home, it was quite dark, as there is no twilight in Australia; the absence of this delightful connecting link between day and night, the season that appears so peculiarly appropriate for calm retrospection and meditation, was one of the things whose loss I greatly regretted on my first arrival in the colony. We found an ample tea prepared in the dining-room, to which, however, our superabundant dinner prevented our doing full justice. We concluded the evening, however, very agreeably, and separated after one of the pleasantest days I remember spending in Australia.

BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.

MOST of our readers are, doubtless, acquainted with the name and fame of Benjamin Robert Haydon. Many among them may have seen his great pictures, and more must have heard of him as a man of undoubted genius, embarrassed all his life, and peculiarly unhappy in his mind; but few may have had the opportunity of reading his autobiography, edited by Professor Taylor. A more sadly instructive record of a life has scarcely ever been published. The editor informs us that it was compiled out of twenty-seven folio volumes of manuscript, filled with Haydon's thoughts, feelings, and remarks.

That an artist who worked so hard and was so often in difficulties, should have found time for such extensive journalizing, is itself an evidence of extraordinary energy and application; but the published extracts from his voluminous manuscript also prove, that however a man may deceive his own judgment, the written page will reflect a faithful likeness, and show in all their breadth the real defects of character. In Haydon, these seem to have been overweening self-esteem and its too frequented concomitant, undisciplined self-will.

Born in 1786, the only son of a respectable bookseller in Plymouth, and descended from what is called a good but reduced family, neither his father nor mother, though evidently affectionate and