conceived it, probably, to be an official house belonging to his station, and reposed upon that conviction, without taking any pains to ascertain its correctness.

Sir James has not been highly distinguished as a parliamentary debater. He hardly ever dashes, to use Tierney's phrase, ding-dong into a debate. It is chiefly as a speaker of elaborate dissertations upon general questions of international polity, that he is heard with attention; and he repays it. He puts forth much that strengthens, all that adorns his reasoning. But the House of Commons is not the place for the umbratiles doctores. His language, indeed, is always polished, and occasionally nervous. The total want, however, of graceful action and pleasing manner, the rattling harshness of his dialect, which seems to be of no province or country, but peculiarly his own; above all, the iron inflexibility of his tones, are insuperable obstacles to his speaking either usefully or impressively in that assembly. Charles Moore, the brother of the unfortunate general, and contemporary with Mackintosh at the bar, and the most consummate imitator of public

speakers that ever was heard, used to say, that he took the greatest pains to catch Jemmy's tones; but, fortunately, whilst he was making the effort, and almost despairing of success, an old Jew clothesman happened to pass under the window of his chambers, whose cry was so exactly in unison with the intonations of Mackintosh's voice, that he followed him for a quarter of an hour; and was, by means of that lesson, enabled to give us a tolerable specimen of Mackintosh's delivery of his lectures, which he executed with great spirit, and to our unspeakable amusement.

But Sir James Mackintosh, as a thinker and a writer, has secured a less brilliant, perhaps, but less transient reputation, than that of a parliamentary orator. Had he aspired to a reputation still more valuable, he would have kept the promise, that has so long tortured both readers and booksellers; he would have commenced or completed his celebrated historical work, which has never appeared. It was to have been continued down to the period of the French Revolution, too late a period perhaps (a recent failure has

proved it) for legitimate history; but the difficulty would have vanished in his hands, had he sat down to it with spirit and resolution. It is, I fear, destined to await the Greek calends.

I. O. U.

THE Sixty-sixth Regiment of Foot, commanded by General Gabbet, was quartered, some years ago, at Nenagh, in Ireland, a populous and fashionable neighbourhood, where the officers had received great civility and attention. To return this, in some sort, the general invited all the gentry round about to a ball and supper, the evening before their departure for other quarters.

However reluctant the writer may be to mention this fact, truth demands the avowal; that, though the general was a most magnificent fellow, it was very difficult to extract payment of the debts which he was in the habit of contracting, from the untoward circumstance of his expenditure vastly exceeding his means. Whatever debts he did pay, however, were usually dis

charged by his Aide-de-camp, Major Vowell, a gentleman of as much tact in the settlement of a bill, as his commanding officer was in contracting the same: the major was quite au fait at lopping off extra charges; or, if need were, in genteelly evading payment altogether.

On the day appointed, Nenagh, and its vicinity, were all in motion. The company being arrived at the principal inn, or hotel, which was kept by one Forrester,-tea, coffee, and excellent punch were served-card-tables were displayedthe dance commenced-dozens upon dozens of the best claret and champaigne were decantered, and quaffed; all was hilarity; and, at length, a most splendid supper was set before the guests. During the whole of this time, the gallant general, with his grand chamberlain and secretary, the major, did the honours of the assembly, in a manner which did great honour to the regiment. They were to be seen every where, in polite attendance on the guests-the male portion of whom, loudly and repeatedly expressed their satisfaction, by toasts and healths "to the Sixty-sixth!" whilst the ladies sighed at the prospect of being to be so