Andrew Paralino, a very wealthy yeoman; and this name of Paralino does not come from their pedigree or any family descent; but they have acquired it because the whole race of them is paralytic; and so, in order to improve the sound, they are called Paralino; though, to say the truth, the young lady is a perfect oriental pearl, and when you look at her, on her right side, seems to be a very flower of the field; on the left, indeed, she is not quite so amiable, being blind of an eye, which she lost in the smallpox; and although the pits in her face are very large and numerous, her admirers say that these are not pits, but graves, in which the hearts of her lovers are buried. Then she is so cleanly, that to prevent her face from being defiled, she carries her nose cocked up, as the saying is, so that it seems to be running away from her mouth; yet, for all that, she is extremely beautiful, for she has a very wide mouth, and if she did not want some ten or a dozen teeth, might pass for a very phoenix of beauty. Of her lips I shall say nothing, but they are so thin and delicate, that if it was the custom to reel lips, they might be made up into a skein; but as they are of a different colour from common lips, they appear quite miraculous; for they contain a mixture of blue, green, and orange tawny. My lord governor will pardon me for painting so exactly the parts of her who is to be my daughter, for I love her exceedingly, and like to dwell upon the subject."

"Paint what you will," said Sancho, "for my own part I am hugely delighted with your description, and if I had dined, should not desire a better dessert than the picture you have drawn."

"That shall be always at your service," replied the countryman; "and though we are not at present known to each other, the time will come when we shall be better acquainted. And now, my lord, if I could describe her genteel deportment and tall stature, you would be struck with admiration; but that is an impossible task, because she is so doubled and bent that her knees touch her mouth; and yet, for all that, one may see with half an eye, that if she could stand upright, her head would touch the ceiling; and she would have given her hand in marriage to my bachelor before this time, if she could have stretched it out, but it happens to be shrunk and withered; though, by the long-channelled nails, one may easily perceive the beauty of its form and texture."

"Very well," said Sancho. "Now, brother, let us suppose you have painted her from head

to foot; tell me what is your request, and come to the point without going about the bush, through lanes and alleys with a parcel of scraps and circumlocutions."

"Well then, my lord," replied the countryman, "my request is, that you would give me a letter of recommendation to the young lady's father, entreating him to give his consent to the match, as the parties are pretty equal in the gifts of fortune and of nature; for, to say the truth, my lord governor, my son is possessed, and scarce a day passes but he is three or four times tormented by the foul fiend; and, in consequence of having once fallen into the fire, his face is shrivelled up like a skin of parchment, and his eyes are bleared, and run woundily; but yet he has the temper of an angel, and if he did not beat and buffet himself, he would be a perfect saint."

"Do you want anything else, honest friend?" replied Sancho.

"I did want something else," said the countryman, "but I dare not be so bold as to mention it: but out it shall go. Why then, my lord, I wish your lordship would bestow three or six hundred ducats, to help to set up my bachelor; I mean, to furnish his house; for the truth is, the young couple are to live by themselves, without being subject to the peevishness of us old folks."

"Consider if you want anything else," said Sancho, "and speak without bashfulness or restraint."

"Truly, I want nothing else," replied the countryman. Scarce had he pronounced these words when, the governor starting up, and laying hold on the chair that was under him, exclaimed, "I vow, you Don lubberly, rascally rustic, if you don't get you gone, and abscond from my presence this instant, I will with this chair demolish your skull, you knavish rascal, and painter for the devil himself; is this a time to come and demand six hundred ducats? Where the devil should I find them, you stinkard? or, if I had found them, why the devil should I give them to you, you idiotical scoundrel? What have I to do with Miguel Turra, or any of the generation of the Paralino's? Begone, I say, or, by the life of my lord duke, I'll be as good as my word; thou art no native of Miguel Turra, but some fiend sent to torment me; hark ye, miscreant, I have been governor but a day and a half, and you would have me already in possession of six hundred ducats!"

The gentleman sewer made signs to the countryman to leave the place; and he accordingly quitted the hall, hanging his head, and

cute his threats; for the rogue acted his part to admiration.

We left the great governor out of humour, and enraged at that same painting country wag, who had received his cue from the duke's steward and gentleman sewer, sent thither on purpose to make merry at his expense: nevertheless, he held out toughly against the whole combination, Rude, and brood, and simple as he stood; and addressing himself to all present, and among the rest to Doctor Pedro Positive, who, after the duke's letter was read, had returned to the hall: "Now," said he, "I am fully convinced that judges and governors are, or ought to be, made of brass, so as that they may not feel the importunity of people of business, who expect to be heard and despatched at all hours and at all seasons, come what will, attending only to their own affairs; and if the poor devil of a judge does not hear and despatch them, either because it is not in his power, or it happens to be an unseasonable time for giving audience, then they grumble and backbite, gnaw him to the very bones, and even bespatter his whole generation. Ignorant man of business! foolish man of business! be not in such a violent hurry; wait for the proper season and conjuncture, and come not at meals and sleeping time; for judges are made of flesh and blood, and must give to nature that which nature requires, excepting myself, unhappy wretch that I am! who cannot indulge my appetite, thanks to Doctor Pedro Positive Snatchaway here present, who intends that I shall die of hunger, and affirms that such a death is good living, which I pray may fall to the share of him and all of his kidney! I mean, bad physicians; as for the good, they deserve palms and laurel.

Everybody who knew Sancho was struck with admiration at hearing him talk so elegantly, and could not account for his improvement any other way than by supposing that posts and places of importance enlarge the faculties of some, while they stupify the understanding of others. Finally, Doctor Pedro Positive Bodewell de Snatchaway promised to indulge his excellency with a plentiful supper at night, even though he should transgress all the aphorisms of Hippocrates. The governor rested satisfied with this declaration, waiting for the approach of night and supper with great impatience; and although time seemed to stand stock-still, the wished-for hour at length arrived, when they treated him with an hachis of beef well onioned, and some calves' feet not very fresh: nevertheless he attacked

been served with Milan godwits, Roman pheasants, Sorrento veal, partridges of Moron, or geese of Lavajos: and, in the midst of supper, turning towards his physician,

"Take notice, doctor," said he, "that from henceforth you need not take the trouble to provide dainties and delicate dishes for me; they will only serve to unhinge my stomach, which is used to goat's flesh, cow beef, and bacon, with turnips and onions; and, if by accident it chances to receive any of your titbits, it contains them with loathing, and sometimes throws them up: but Master Sewer may bring me those dishes called olla podridas,1 and the staler they are, so much the better. In one of these he may crowd and cram all the eatables he can think of, and I will thank him for his pains; nay, one day or other I shall make him amends; and let no man play the rogue with me: either we are or we are not; let us live and eat in harmony and peace; for, when God sends the morning, the light shines upon all. I will govern this island without favour or corruption: and let everybody keep a good look-out, and mind his own affairs; for, I would have you to know, the devil's in the dice; and if you give me cause, you shall see wonders-yes, yes; make yourself honey, and the flies will bite."

"Assuredly, my lord governor," said the steward, "your lordship has said nothing but the truth; and I promise, in the name of all the islanders of this island, to serve your lordship with perfect love, benevolence, and punetuality: for the agreeable sample of government which your lordship hath given in the beginning leaves us no room to do, or even to conceive anything that shall redound to the disgust and detriment of your honour."

"I believe what you say," replied Sancho; "and indeed they must be fools to think or act any otherwise. And I say again, let the maintenance of me and my Dapple be taken care of; for that is the main point in this business: and when the time comes, let us go and make the round; my intention is to clear the island from all sort of filth, such as vagabonds, idlers, and immoral people; for I would have you to know, my friends, that your idle and lazy fellows are the same in a commonwealth as drones in a bee-hive, that consume the honey which the industrious labourers have made. My resolution is to protect the farmers and handicraftsmen, maintain the prerogative

1 Podrida signifies rotten or mortified, hence the olla podrida is in French styled pot-pourri.

of gentlemen, reward virtue, and, above all things, respect religion and the honour of the clergy. Tell me, my friends, what is your opinion of my plan? Does it smack of something? Or do I thresh my skull to no purpose?"

"My lord governor," said the steward, "your lordship speaks so much to the purpose, that I am struck with admiration to hear a man so illiterate as your worship (for I believe you do not know your letters) make so many observations full of sagacity, and give counsel so much above everything that was expected from your lordship's capacity by those who sent us, as well as by ourselves who are come hither. Every day produces something new: jokes are turned into earnest, and the biters are bit."

To think the affairs of this life will always remain in the same posture is a wild supposition; on the contrary, everything goes in a round; I mean goes round. Spring succeeds winter, summer follows spring, autumn comes after summer, and winter comes in the rear of autumn; then spring resumes its verdure, and time turns round on an incessant wheel. The life of man alone runs lightly to its end, unlike the circle of time without hope of renewal, except in another life, which knows no bounds. Thus moralizes Cid Hamet, the Mahometan philosopher: for the knowledge of the frailty and instability of the present life, together | with the eternal duration of that which we expect, many, without the light of faith, by natural instinct have attained. But here our author makes the observation on account of the celerity with which Sancho's government was finished, consumed, destroyed, and dissolved into smoke and vapour.

This poor governor being abed on the seventh night of his administration, not crammed with bread and wine, but fatigued with sitting in judgment, passing sentence, and making statutes and regulations; and sleep, maugre and in despite of hunger, beginning to weigh down his eye-lids, his ears were saluted with a terrible noise of bells and cries, as if the whole "island had been going to wreck.

Sitting up in his bed he listened attentively, in hope of comprehending the meaning and cause of such a mighty uproar: however, he not only failed in his expectation, but the noise of the cries and the bells being reinforced by that of an infinite number of drums and trumpets, he remained more terrified, confounded, and aghast than ever. Then starting up, he put on his slippers, on account of the dampness of the ground; though without wrapping himself up

in his morning-gown, or in any other sort of apparel, and opening the door of his apartment, saw above twenty persons running through the gallery with lighted torches, and naked swords in their hands, exclaiming aloud, and all together,

"Arm, arm, my lord governor, arm! a vast number of the enemy has landed on the island; and we are lost and undone unless protected by your valour and activity."

With this clamour, fury, and disturbance, they rushed towards Sancho, who stood astonished and perplexed at what he saw and heard; and when they came up to the spot, one of them accosting him,

'Arm, my lord," said he, "unless you want to perish and see the whole island destroyed."

"For what should I arm?" replied Sancho; "I neither know the use of arms, nor can I give you protection. These matters had better be left to my master, Don Quixote, who in the turning of a straw would despatch the whole affair, and put everything in safety; but for me, as I am a sinner, I understand nothing of these hurly-burlys!"

"How! my lord governor," cried another, "What despondence is this? Put on your armour, signior; here we have brought arms offensive and defensive; come forth to the market place, and be our guide and our general, seeing of right that place belongs to you, as being our governor."

"Arm me, then," replied Sancho. At that instant they took two large bucklers they had brought along with them, and putting over his shirt (for they would not give him time to clothe himself) one buckler before and another behind, they pulled his arms through certain holes they had made in the targets, and fastened them well together with cords, in such a manner that the poor governor remained quite inclosed, and boarded up as straight as a spindle, without being able to bend his knees, or move one single step; and in his hands they put a lance, with which he supported himself as he stood. Having cooped him up in this manner, they desired him to march out, and conduct and animate his people; in which case, he being the north star, their lanthorn, and Lucifer, their affairs would be brought to a prosperous issue.

"How should I march, unfortunate wight that I am," said Sancho, "when my very knee-pans have not room to play, so much am I cramped by those boards, which are squeezed into my very flesh? Your only way is to take me up in your arms, and lay me across, or set

me upright in some postern, which I will defend either with this lance or this carcass."

Come, my lord governor," replied the other, "you are more hampered by fear than by your bucklers. Make haste and exert yourself, for it grows late; the enemies swarm, the noise increases, and the danger is very pressing."

In consequence of this persuasion and reproach the poor governor endeavoured to move, and down he came to the ground with such a fall that he believed himself split to pieces. There he lay like a tortoise covered with its shell, or a flitch of bacon between two trays; or, lastly, like a boat stranded with her keel uppermost. Yet his fall did not excite the compassion of those unlucky wags; on the contrary, extinguishing their torches, they renewed the clamour, and repeated the alarm with such hurry and confusion, trampling upon the unhappy Sancho, and bestowing a thousand strokes upon the bucklers, that if he had not gathered and shrunk himself up, with drawing his head within the targets, the poor governor would have passed his time but very indifferently; shrunk as he was within that narrow lodging, he sweated all over with fear and consternation, and heartily recommended himself to Heaven that he might be delivered from the danger that encompassed him. Some stumbled, and others fell over him; nay, one of the party stood upon him for a considerable time, and thence, as from a watch-tower, gave orders to the army, exclaiming with a loud voice,

This way, my fellow-soldiers, for here the enemy make their chief effort! Guard this breach; shut that gate; down with those scaling ladders; bring up the fire-pots, with the kettles of melted pitch, rosin, and boiling oil; barricade the streets with woolpacks?"

In a word, he named with great eagerness all the implements, instruments, and munitions of war, used in the defence of a city assaulted; while the bruised and battered Sancho, who heard the din, and suffered grievously, said within himself,

"O! would it please the Lord that the island were quickly lost, that I might see myself either dead or delivered from this distress!"

Heaven heard his petition, and when he least expected such relief his ears were saluted with a number of voices crying,

Victory! victory! the enemy is overcome! Rise, my lord governor, and enjoy your conquest, and divide the spoil taken from the foe by the valour of your invincible arm."

The afflicted Sancho, with a plaintive voice, desired them to lift him up; and when they

helped him to rise, and set him on his legs again,

"I wish," said he, "the enemy I have conquered were nailed to my forehead. I want to divide no spoils, but I beg and supplicate some friend, if any such I have, to bring me a draught of wine; and that he will wipe me dry of this sweat, which has turned me into water."

They accordingly wiped him clean, brought the wine, untied the bucklers, and seated him upon his bed, where he fainted away through fear, consternation, and fatigue. Those concerned in the joke now began to be sorry for having laid it on so heavy; but Sancho's recovery moderated their uneasiness at his swooning. He asked what it was o'clock, and they answered it was daybreak: then, without speaking another syllable, he began to dress himself in the most profound silence; and all present gazed upon him with looks of expectation, impatient to know the meaning of his dressing himself so earnestly. At length, having put on his clothes very leisurely, for his bruises would not admit of precipitation, he hied him to the stable, attended by all the by-standers, where, advancing to Dapple, be embraced him affectionately, and gave him the kiss of peace upon the forehead, saying, while the tears trickled from his eyes,

"Come hither, my dear companion! my friend, and sharer of all my toil and distress: when you and I consorted together, and I was plagued with no other thoughts than the care of mending your furniture and pampering your little body, happy were my hours, my days, and my years! but since I quitted you, and mounted on the towers of pride and ambition, my soul has been invaded by a thousand miseries, a thousand toils, and four thousand disquiets."

While he uttered this apostrophe, he was employed in putting the pack-saddle on his ass, without being interrupted by any living soul; and Dapple being equipped for the road. he made shift to mount him, with great pain and difficulty: then, directing his words and discourse to the steward, secretary, sewer, Doctor Pedro, and many others who were present.

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'Make way, gentlemen," said he, "and let me return to my ancient liberty; let me go in quest of my former life, that I may enjoy a resurrection from this present death I was not born to be a governor, or to defend islands and cities from the assaults of their enemies. I am better versed in ploughing and delving, in pruning and planting vines, than in enacting laws, and defending pro

vinces and kingdoms. I know St. Peter is | well at Rome-that is, every one does well in following the employment to which he was bred; a sickle becomes my hand better than a governor's sceptre, and I would rather fill my belly with soup-meagre than undergo the misery of an impertinent physician who starves me to death. I would much rather solace myself under the shade of an oak in summer, and clothe myself with a sheepskin jacket in the winter, being my own master, than indulge, under the subjection of a government, with Holland sheets and robes of sables.—God be with you, gentlemen; and pray tell my lord duke, Naked . I was born, and naked I remain; and if I lose nothing, as little I gain. That is, I would say, Penniless I took possession of this government, and penniless I resign my office; quite the reverse of what is usually the case with governors of other islands. Make way, therefore, and let me go and be plaistered; for I believe all my ribs are crushed, thanks to the enemies who have this night passed and repassed over my carcass."

"It must not be so, my lord governor," said Doctor Positive: "I will give your worship a draught, calculated for falls and bruises, that will instantly restore you to your former health and vigour; and with respect to the article of eating, I promise your lordship to make amends, and let you eat abundantly of everything you desire."

"Your promise comes too late," answered Sancho; "and I will as soon turn Turk as forbear going. These are no jokes to be repeated. I will as soon remain in this, or accept of any other government, even though it should be presented in a covered dish, as I will fly to Heaven without the help of wings. I am of the family of the Panzas, who are all headstrong, and if once they say odds, odds it must be, though in fact it be even, in spite of all the world. In this stable I leave the wings that carried me up into the clouds, to make me a pray to martlets and other birds; and now let us alight, and walk softly and securely on the ground, and if my feet are not adorned with pinked shoes of Cordovan leather, they shall not want coarse sandals of cord or rushes, Let ewe and wether go together, and, Nobody thrust his feet beyond the length of his sheet. Now, therefore, let me pass, for it grows late."

ment to submit his administration to a scrutiny, and if your lordship will give an account of yours during the seven days you have stood at the helm, you may depart in peace."

"Nobody can call me to an account," said Sancho, "but such as are appointed by my lord duke. Now to him am I going, and to him will I render it fairly and squarely; besides, there is no occasion for any other proof than my leaving you naked as I am, to show that I have governed like an angel."

"The great Sancho is in the right," cried Doctor Positive, "and in my opinion, we ought to let him retire; for the duke will be infinitely rejoiced to see him."

All the rest assented to the proposal, and allowed him to pass, after having offered to bear him company, and provide him with everything he should want for entertainment of his person, and the convenience of his journey. Sancho said he wanted nothing but a little barley for Dapple, and half a cheese, with half a loaf for himself, the journey being so short that he had no occasion for any better or more ample provision. All the company embraced him, and were in their turns embraced by the weeping Sancho, who left them equally astonished at his discourse as at his resolute and wise determination.

A LOVE-LETTER.

[Edward Robert Bulwer, Lord Lytton, born 8th

November, 1831; the only son of the late Lord Lytton.

Educated at Harrow and at Bonn. In 1849 he went as attaché to his uncle Sir H. L. Bulwer, then British minister at Washington; and since that date he has held important appointments in the government service at Florence, Paris, the Hague, Vienna. Copenhagen, Athens, Lisbon, Madrid, &c. As a poet and under the nom de plume of Owen Meredith, he has earned high His works are:

reputation at home and abroad.

Clytemnestra, and other Poems (1855); The Wanderer, a Collection of Poems in Many Lands-one of which we quote; Lucille, a novel in verse; Serbske Pesme, a collection of the national songs of Servia; The Ring of Amasis, a romance; Chronicles and Characters, chiefly poems on historical subjects; Orval, or the Fool of Time, a dramatic poem, paraphrased from the Polish, with other paraphrases in verse from the Greek, Latin, Italian, and Danish literatures. "He has an eye for colour; his ear is open for the cries of nature; and that which he thinks clearly and feels deeply he can express with rare