and heaping Pelion upon Ossa in my dreams of future eminence; when a letter from the Editors was brought in, announcing that the next number of the Magazine was to be the last.

The angels in Milton's Pandemonium did not more suddenly contract into pigmies than did my fancied self-importance at this sad intelligence. From the port and aspect of one of the enlighteners of mankind, I shrunk at once into an obscure village schoolmaster unknown beyond the next township, and unnoticed save by a few of my humble patrons,

I looked round in my despair upon the naked walls, and they seemed to stare at me, as even they had never heard of me. An impertinent cricket in the wainscot was the only audible being near me and he kept on with his idle song, as if in derision. The feeling of disappointment for a time overpowered my philosophy, and I did not see my gorgeous hopes vanish into air without a bitter feeling of regret. To be thus cut off in the very bud of expectancy of authorship—to have that genial current of thought and feeling which was but beginning to flow turned back to its source, are misfortunes which none but an author can estimate, and which send us back to the dull routine of life with altered feelings.

Why should I not please myself with the imagination of what I might have achieved? It is true that of the many into whose hands these numbers have fallen, the greater part may have passed over my essays unnoticed.

An inharmonious period—an uninteresting sentiment may have caught their attention, and they have turned away with indifference. Of those who have perused them, many have done it in a spirit of captious criticism, some with forced and struggling attention, and a few perhaps with real kindness and interest. Yet all this ill will and kindness and indifference has been lost upon me, and disturb not the dreams of vanity. The stillness of my retreat has not been broken by a sound of murmur or approbation, nor do I know that I have lightened for a moment the brow of sorrow, or attracted for a still shorter period, the attention of the busy, or the idle:—happy if from this failure also, I shall learn another lesson of humility and shrink without repining into my own proper dimensions.

I have not entered my first and fortieth year without being armed against such disappointments, nor will I part from them with whom I have thus sojourned in ill will or moroseness. What, though I may have overrated my own powers of entertainment, I have only proclaimed that which is the open or secret vanity of all. What though my readers have gone unsatisfied away from the table which I had spread for them?—the fruits of wisdom though harsh and austere in their taste, have not lost their savour with me; they still hang upon the tree of nature, and I can yet gather them for my own sustenance, though it be in solitude and obscurity. Minds, to whose gigantic proportions I feel myself a pigmy have exhausted their skill in portraying the beauty of virtue, and the world still lingers in corruption and defilement. My own efforts would have been more important, and I begin to think that I should have wasted my strength in idle display; if indeed I had not met with rueful discomfiture.

Reader! if in thy journeyings through the heart of Pennsylvania thou shouldst pass the quiet hamlet of Plainfield—if the recollection of these essays still linger in thy heart and thou shouldst seek a further acquaintance with their author—stop, and inquire at my landlord's for

THE VILLAGE TEACHER.

EXCURSION FROM EDINBURGH TO DUBLIN.

BY AN AMERICAN.

Glasgow, Friday, April 11, 1817.

At the hour of dinner we went to 'North wood-side,' a delightful country residence about two miles from Glasgow, the property of an opulent merchant. It is situated upon the Kelvin, a tributary stream of the Clyde, and together with its grounds, exhibits striking evidences of the elegant but costly taste of its proprietor. The gentleman has been in America, and was not a little attached to its form of government,—a partiality which naturally extended itself to the individuals concerned in its administration; and, accordingly we were gratified with beholding the portraits of several of our most distinguished countrymen adorning the walls of his apartments. The afternoon passed highly to our satisfaction; and we would gladly have accepted an invitation, which was given with a sincerity which could not be mistaken, to protract our visit beyond the day, but for engagements which required our return to Glasgow. After coffee we left North Wood-side, and reached the city in season to sup at the Rev. Dr. Chalmers'.

It had been my good fortune to meet and become partially acquainted with this extraordinary man in Edinburgh. He has politely invited me to visit him in Glasgow, and this morning I called at his house, and passed half an hour with him. I found him then much engaged in completing some preparations for a journey to London which he is to commence on Monday. He desired my company at supper in the evening, and extended the invitation to my companion. We found a few friends at his house, among whom were several ladies. Mrs. C. possesses a pleasing person, and engaging manners, and performed the honours of the table with great propriety. Dr. C. had finished the necessary arrangements for his journey, and entered freely into an animated and instructive conversation. His colloquial powers are of a high order. Even in familiar conversation, he is impressive and striking;—although he seems not to be ambitious of display or the distinction of taking a lead.—He is at home on most of the popular topics of the day. In discussing any of interest, he engages 'totus in illis.' His thoughts in that case are rapid, and his remarks,—assuming the complexion of his fervid mind,—abound in glowing but easy illustrations. He spoke very feelingly upon the subject of the English poor laws, and the alarming increase of mendicity in Scotland. As in instance of the unnatural state of things in Glasgow itself, he referred to the sum of 14,000l. sterling, which in less than a month had been raised by subscription in this single city, for the relief of the poorer classes. To the honour, however, of the wealthy population of Glasgow, it should be added, that the moneys thus contributed, have been more than enough, with other private benefactions, to supply the present need; and the surplus has been funded to meet some future, and I hope, very distant exigency.

Conversation at table turned upon that dark and malignant spirit of infidelity, which under various forms, seems insidiously stealing like a pestilence throughout society. Dr. C's. remarks upon this subject were very eloquent, both in commenting upon the different masks which it assumes, and the coverts wherein it lurks, and in suggesting some seemingly effectual checks to the prevalence of this tremendous evil. The inquiries of Dr. C. relative to America, as well now as during a former interview, indicated no small degree of attention which he has paid to its civil and religious institutions. He spoke in terms of great commendation of the writings of the late Jonathan Edwards, and pronounced them to be among the ablest in English theology. In metaphysics he considers Edwards to have equalled the deepest thinkers of his age.

The supper at Dr. C's. was liberally and tastfully provided. Immediately after its removal, and before the wine was placed upon the table, the service of evening devotion was introduced. It was simple but engaging; consisting of a portion of scripture, which was read with great solemnity, and a prayer,