new and a permanent aristocracy—an order of men devoting their power and their wealth to great and noble works. Shall we, the most highly privileged class in the world, leave poor poets and half-starved thinkers to dream of philanthropic schemes in their lonely studies, and sigh because they are only dreams, when we have the power to turn these visions of the brain into realities? Shall we leave all the work for the future to be done by others, and content ourselves with travelling over the continent, collecting a few pictures, or, perhaps, breeding some fat cattle? If we would maintain our station, we must be superior men, and help others to rise. Several noblemen have lately become antiquarians, and have been poring among the ruins of old abbeys and castles. That is an innocent amusement; but I would propose to them a nobler object. Let them become members of the Society for the Future. Let them study not only the developements of art and industry in the past, but those developements of genius and art which the present day requires; let them place themselves at the head of every movement for human elevation and advancement; let them achieve works proportioned to their power and privileges, and thus assert and defend their station as a true aristocracy. THE IRON ORE. A world of wealth is sleeping In subterraneous night; What the mountains have in keeping Shall soon be brought to light; And wealth and strength and beauty Shall be spread o'er all the land, When awakens to its duty The mighty human hand. To fell the forest soaring, In the chasms under ground, Till the iron-ore is found! But not with pike and sabre It shall thunder o'er the nation, The loads of precious grain. In wheels and axles spinning, No! not for bloody battle Will we whet the iron blade; On the oak i' the forest-glade, And hew the marble white, "Till it make our beauteous planet With toil's creation bright! X. MONEY OR NO MONEY: A SKETCH. SCENE I. A meanly-furnished Apartment. Grigg (alone.) And this is life in London! Here are no shops-where I can be trusted; no cabs-in which I can ride; and not another week's credit from my landlady!— Oh, Lawyer Snip, your text was true. Said he "My boy, beg your uncle's pardon! Don't talk of trusting in your talent, your enterprize; believe me, in these times, money is every thing." So it is !-A few weeks ago, I was heir-apparent to Weston Hall, with fifteen hundred a-year! I invited that foolish party, drank too much wine, enraged my crazy old uncle, would not beg pardon, came to town with a few pounds in my pocket, and here I am-too poor to live here another week, and too proud to return. And Fanny, too, has forsaken me! Mr. Calculate enters. Calculate. How are you my dear fellow ? Grigg. Very near day-break if the old saying is true. Grigg. I have arrived at the "darkest hour" of my life. Can you lend me one sovereign? Calculate. My dear fellow! These are terrible times! How I should love to help you; but-oh dear! oh dear! my money is all tied up in the "Grand Semicircular Railway Company." I cannot safely spare a crown; but have you received no news from Weston ? Grigg. Yes; a letter this morning; the worst news in the world. I have told you that my uncle was a confirmed hypochondriac, and of an irritable and revengeful temper. He has been, for some time, under the care of a German quack-doctor who has, at last, killed him with the "coldwater cure." This quack, Dr. Wasser, took my uncle to a spa, and there, it seems, enticed him to make a will, devoting Weston Hall and its property to be made a "cold-water Hospital," of which the Doctor is to be the proprietor. And worse than that! Calculate. Nay; nothing can be worse. Grigg. Oh yes!-Fanny has become a convert to Snip's text-"money is every thing!" and is going to marry that little German Doctor! Calculate. Why it is worse than any thing in a romance! It cannot be true; or, if it is, it must go for nothing in law; for your uncle was crazy. You have no doubt of that? Grigg. Of course, I have not; but it is quite another thing to establish the point legally. The Landlady enters. Landlady. Here is another letter, sir; rather thicker than the other I am glad to see. If it contains any thing, sir,my landlord will have his money, sir, next Monday, and I must have mine! (Grigg opens the letter. Several bank-notes fall out.) Calculate, picking up the notes. Oh you beauties! Grigg. Heaven be praised! Here, landlady; take this and satisfy yourself. (Gives a £5 note.) Landlady. I'm in no hurry, sir. If it will be inconvenient to you, I can wait. Grigg. No, no; take it while you can. [Exit Landlady.] Calculate. Now let us see what is in the letter. My dear fellow! remember, I am your friend. Is there any little thing I can do for you? Grigg. Not just now. This is a letter from Lawyer Snip who, after all, seems to be my friend. He tells me that my prospects are still uncertain; but that he will venture a little money upon my case. He retains in his possession the old will made in my favour; but he fears that Mr. Screed, a lawyer at the Spa, has a later will, made by my crazy uncle in favour of this German quack. Calculate. And what will you do now? Grigg. I will buy a new hat and go down to Weston immediately. Calculate. Right! And remember I am your friend. If little sum would be convenient any Grigg. Oh but your money is all "tied up" in the Railway Calculate. Yes; but I'll see the whole "Semicircular Company" broken before you shall suffer! And now let us go and buy the hat. I defy you to realize the fact that you are a gentleman while you have a bad hat on your head.— [Exeunt.] SCENE II. The Garden at Weston. Dr. Wasser alone. I vill alvays say of John Bull dat he is one John Simpleton: he vill give de money for de cold water if de foreign doctor tell him a long story about it. Vell now I vish de lawyer vould come from de Spa vid de vill. I have played de deep game. I vas not sure dat de old man vould leave me de money; so I have paid my addresses to de niece, Fanny, to be sure of de money. Now I vill preak de engagement as softly as I can. I vill not have de girl vid de small annuity. I vill have a Countess. Oh here comes Miss Fanny. (Fanny enters.) Good morning, Miss Fanny. Fanny. Good morning, Doctor. Dr. Wasser. I have, Miss Fanny, someting serious to speak to you. You have not been taking my jokes for de downright earnest, have you? Fanny. Your jokes? Dr. Wasser. Ven I did make you de offer of my hand and say dere vas none like you to be de lady of Weston Hall, you did not believe me, did you Miss Fanny? Fanny. Oh, oh! the perfidy of men! And this is your cool way of leaving me to die of a broken heart? Dr. Wasser. Now you shall not talk of any such ting as die of de broken heart. If dere is any such symptoms, you must have de cold-water cure. First, every morning you stand under de pump one hour-den Fanny. Stop doctor! you need not prescribe any more. I will prescribe for you. Mark my words; for I will keep my engagement. You have practised your imposture here too long! My cousin, the rightful owner of this property, is expected every hour, and, as surely as he comes, you shall have "the cold-water cure." Yes, sir; you shall be dragged through yonder pond! Dr. Wasser. You dare insult me so! Den I vill tell you dat your cousin, the runavay, de disgrace of de family, shall not have one square foot of dis estate. And now you valk avay, Miss Fanny-I say valk avay-Dis is my garden.(The sound of a horn is heard.) Fanny. See! yonder comes the coach, bringing my cousin, very likely, Remember the pond, my dear, little doctor! Remember the pond!-[Exit.] SCENE III. The Library in Weston Hall. Grigg. Here I am again! and master of Weston Hall, I |