tury—Mrs. Opie, Miss Porter, Mr. Cary-had mingled there with poets, still in their earliest dawn. It was a heart-tug to leave that garden.

But necessity (may I not say Providence?) works for us better than our own vain wishes. I did move-I was compelled to move from the dear old house; not very far; not much farther than Cowper, when he migrated from Olney to Weston, and with quite as happy an effect. I walked from the one cottage to the other on an autumn evening, when the vagrant birds, whose habit of assembling here for their annual departure, gives, I sup. pose, its name of Swallowfield to the village, were circling and twittering over my head; and repeated to myself the pathetic lines of Hayley, as he saw those same birds gathering upon his roof during his last illness:

"Ye gentle birds, that perch aloof,

And smooth your pinions on my roof,
Preparing for departure hence,

The winter's angry threats commence;
Like you my soul would smooth her plume
For longer flights beyond the tomb.

May God, by whom is seen and heard
Departing men and wandering bird,

In mercy mark us for his own

And guide us to the land unknown !"

Thoughts soothing and tender came with those touching lines, and gayer images followed. Here I am in this prettiest village, in the snuggest and cosiest of all snug cabins; a trim cottage garden, divided by a hawthorn hedge from a little field guarded by grand old trees; a cheerful glimpse of the high-road in front, just to hint that there is such a thing as the peopled world; and on either side the deep silent lanes that form the distinctive character of English scenery. Very lovely is my favorite lane, leading along a gentle declivity to the valley of the Loddon, by pastoral water meadows studded with willow pollards, past picturesque farm-houses and gaunt old mills, the beautiful river glancing here and there like molten silver, until it disappears through a rustic bridge among the shades and avenues of the Duke's park, a scene of historians.

We have another historical mansion close at hand, where

558

RECOLLECTIONS OF A LITERARY LIFE.

is

Lord Clarendon wrote his thrilling tale of the Great Rebellion,
and where the inhabitants and the library are worthy of such a
predecessor. And they are so kind to me! and every body is so
kind; and the new cottage is already dearer than the old.
The very gipsys have found us out. Even as I write, my lit-
tle maid is bargaining for baskets with my friend of the lane, and
seems likely to be as well taken in as I could be; the pony
rolling in the meadow; the mill-wagon, with the jolly miller's
handsome son, is looming in the distance; and on the green be-
fore our court, little Henry is driving Fanchon in the wheelbar-
row, while her brown curls are turning into gold in the wintry
sun, which lends its charm and its glory to the simplest land-
scape and the humblest home.

THE END.

r

Harper's Catalogue.

The attention of gentlemen, in town or country, designing to form Libraries or enrich their Literary Collections, is respectfully invited to Harper's Catalogue, which will be found to comprise a large proportion of the standard and most esteemed works in English and Classical Literature -COMPREHENDING OVER THREE THOUSAND VOLUMES-which are offered, in most instances, at less than onehalf the cost of similar productions in England.

To Librarians and others connected with Colleges, Schools, &c., who may not have access to a trustworthy guide in forming the true estimate of literary productions, it is believed this Catalogue will prove especially valuable for reference.

To prevent disappointment, it is suggested that, whenever books can not be obtained through any bookseller or local agent, applica tions with remittance should be addressed direct to Harper & Brothers, which will receive prompt attention.

Sent by mail on receipt of Six Cents in postage stamps.

Address

HARPER & BROTHERS,

FRANKLIN SQUARE, NEW YORK.