breakfast. It was thoroughly Oxonian, and would have done credit to a prize essayist of Alma Mater. He gave a summary of an imaginary history of riddles, gravely descanted upon their historical importance, the part they played in oracular responses, and their influence in private families; was eloquent upon Edipus, his fate, and of the Sphynx. "The Theban monster that proposed Her riddle, and him who solved it not, devoured; That once found out and solved, for grief Cast herself headlong from the Ismenian I will not trouble you with his learned disquisition, nor take you in his travel from Egypt to Greece, and I know not where. He exhibited the whole heathen mythology as a phantasmagoria of riddles, questioned the muses of Herodotus, and authors that you and I, Eusebius, never knew, or have forgotten. In short, he proved that the world would never have been the world it is, but for the ancient riddle. He was critical also upon some very poor ones of antiquity—upon their trifling nature, how under the Romans they were deteriorated from their ancient dignity; was severe upon Virgil's "Dic quibus in terris;" passed on to their moral effect, and proved that we owe to the riddle our very virtues, and finally our liberties; strenuously insisted that we should not lose sight of the fact that all the world is still a riddle, as is everything in it. The great riddle is life. He would have us again, as we would value the blessings we enjoy, restore the honour it has lost from the decadence of time, or the base and malicious plain-speaking of the present very vulgar age, to the riddle, and not to leave it as we have done to the practice of our wretched politicians, both in and out of Parliament, and to those ministers who are practically but trifling enigmas, incapable of solving anything themselves, or of doing anything which can be rationally solved by any one else. At this part of the essay the Doctor put his handkerchief to his mouth, but it would not do; he broke out into a hearty laugh, and cried "Bravo!-fit for any stage and platform, institutions and athen æums really it is a capital burlesque." "Burlesque," said the Oxonian, with affected gravity and wounded dignity, holding himself upand he had purposely dressed in black, all but a white waistcoat, and had not forgotten his white kid gloves—“ burlesque, indeed! I appeal to the present judicious assembly, or assemblage rather, of honest hearts and smiling and beauteous faces, if the gentleman who has, as I think, and I perceive you think, improperly interrupted me, has solved my riddle. Treating, then, this unseemly interruption as it deserves, I come to my Peroration." He shortly recapitulated, and thus addressed us, with his hand upon his heart :"Ladies and gentlemen, I have scarcely touched upon the delicate subject, the object of this meeting. I am confident you will understand me, when I compare this happy, this truly philanthropic scheme of our friend to a bell-to the bell which, I trust, with its parochial voice, will proclaim in its cheeriest notes a general Reconciliation. It is indeed like a bell, for it has the same requirements, without which bells must be mute. It equally requires good metal. Ladies and gentlemen, it shall be of silver! yes, silver, bountifully supplied by the generous owner of this honourable mansion. It is like a bell too, for it, as a bell, requires a clapper; and I see before me many ready to supply that want. It must also have a rope, which we will endeavour to make, to weave, and to twist. It will also require a good hand to pull it; and where shall we find one more fit for the work than this (and here the sly fellow took my hand and exhibited it), which, let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, receives its pulsation from the best of hearts?" Ralph Rhymer sat down amidst "unbounded applause," which was speedily followed by such unextinguishable laughter as arose among the gods when Vulcan handed about the ambrosia of celestial Reconciliation. When seriousness was restored, a few specimens of our intended collection were read, and we each went to prepare more. Some days have passed, Eusebius, since the reading of our Oxonian's essay. We have been very busy, and having called in the aid of the doctor's curate, I am enabled to send you some portion of our collection, and I hope you will dignify it with the title of a "Florilegium," although I should not wonder if you thought it fitter for a "Hortus siccus." You will observe that a few things were agreed upon before we commenced our labours. We were to ignore charades, enigmas, rebuses, and id genus omne, and know nothing but the word riddle; that, in writ ing them, we were to consider sound, as it is proposed that they should be at least first read aloud; consequently that you and I may be com monly put for the letters U and I; POSTSCRIPT. You ought to have received this letter, my dear Eusebius, long ago: by mistake it was put aside with other papers and not sent. I have, therefore, now an opportunity of adding the solutions, made by the Riddling Committee, to be read after the business of the meeting. Rhymer, I suspect, was the chief composer. I also have to tell you that the Family Junction Party went off satisfactorily: "coit amicitia," and I hope not "malè sarta." I took Rhymer with me to our old friend Meanwell's ever hospitable mansion. He was busiest among the guests, and contrived, by his sly whispered helps, that every one should A. Q. S. win a prize. But he is so little PREFATORY AND APOLOGETICAL. Speaker-RALPH RHYMER. Ye gentles all, who listen to our rhymes, 1. Most given by nature to be low, And raised to station eminent, And strangely I'm constructed. For though five letters make my name, And turn them round, I'm just the same, But more-I stand for one (if you 2. All locks I break, yet strange am found, I'm found in yellow, white, and red,(Nor more be said upon that head ;) I'm often in the papers found, Then make more noise than all around. Though sprung from sire most slow, I ape All travellers, oft have touched the Cape; Born where hot suns hold fierce control, I'm always warmest near the Pole. 3. I'm in the highest circles known, And trusted, for my truth is shown I sailed around the world with Cook, Though much at sea, no fight I've seen, And still can show my scratches. More perfect still my face is. I'm bound, I'm hang'd, and I'm cut down, Although I never marry; Sly trickster-hold-you well behave; There sports the brightest jewel. What minds you of your grave, sir. 4. Have you my first, in perfect state? You've no bad speculation; 'Tis silent, yet is thought to speakIs keen in observation. My second's a commanding air, My first it keepeth under; What Homer made a Jovial thing, That oft denoted thunder. My whole is suited to a hair Both to my first and second; Without it would the gentlest she A barefaced jade be reckon'd. 5. My two first letters show the man, Of wisdom, wit, and knavery. And even bind the sea in fetters. I'm quite at home in letters six,— To friendship warm, to coldness hateful; And still th' inconstant heart I fix, That without me would be ungrateful. 6. My first is of most ancient date, Yet so that where my first is not, My second runs apace. My first had never feet; but once, Tis said, was known to stand; And by that act, my second won, Brought blessings on the land. My whole is a most precious thing, Yet often vilely spent, And e'en though thrown away, returns To give your heart content. 7. The greatest contrasts mark my firstTis praised, abused, the best, the worst; Preferred before the good and great, Yet with the beggar at your gate. At Court admitted-oft with fear Lest it should reach a monarch's ear; Yet courts of law it much frequents In search of flaws and precedents, Good, vicious, false, and true-in brief, Favours the plunder'd and the thief. Is truth itself-a very lie,— Loud-tongued, and silent in the eye, Or gently whispers in a sigh The lover's charm. O lady fair, Of the known faithlessness beware; Yet should my first your lover make, My second be, or second take Precedence first, then drop behind, And the two things be one combinedAccept the promise of his tender, And to his heart your heart surrender. 8. My first is beauteous, and to pride gives birth; My second is the meanest thing on earth; Though one most vile, the other precious reckon'd, My first owes all its being to my second; My whole the theme of Grub Street bardsno bride, Yet few the weddings she does not provide; A mantua-maker, yet doth ne'er a pin stir, And will for ever be a noted spinster. 9. My first, by help of needle fine, you cross all o'er and o'er, 'Tis blue, green, yellow, red, and white, and black, I think no more; My second is what all men are, and one alone was not; What most would have-a fool, the wise, the sober, and the sot; Yourself, if you're a gentleman, king, beggar, orphan, heir: My whole is changeful as the wind, it is both here and there, And ranges all the world, and takes new manners everywhere; 'Tis hot, 'tis cold, 'tis wet, 'tis dry; fish, flesh, fowl, love and treason Are in it, and are not in it, and so is rhyme and reason. 12. Cut off my head-look in your glass, Oh! what complexion, red and white; I make your sparkling eyes surpass The precious ray of diamond bright- Now take it, Chloe, to thy breast; Cut off at once both head and tail, Behold a word which shows the will, What many wish to do, and fail, Of those who spare, and those who kill, In war, peace, arms, in arts, and skill. Restore, dear maid, the severed parts, The change declares what I would do Around your very heart of hearts; If Hymen would but let me woo ;- 13. There are two words that you and I 14. I am certainly very handsome, and ought to be married, for the birds on St Valentine's Day are not more given to pair than I am. And many a lady offers me her hand-besides, I have received several love-letters; but, alas! one too many, and that has destroyed all my affection. Since then I have been on and off with many-have even gone to the altar-and have there been cast off at a moment's warning; the very priest has refused to unite me. Yet, still, all seek a match for me, hold out their arms to receive me, and yet I am single. 15. Beyond the earth, above the skies, To courtly persons close allied- Though one, not always one, in name, 16. My dawn of life was fair to view, Joy came with each succeeding morrow, Until, alas! I met with you; You turn'd my every joy to sorrow. A brighter day will chase my sadness; 17. What days were they, when I was not, As long as there's a world, shall last; A Proteus, in changing position and shape, It reaches the Pole, and it doubles the Cape. 'Tis proud, and 'tis humble, as peacock and daw, Is clothed in purple, or lying in straw. Capricious and sly, it all colours can showNor Cupid himself has more strings to his bow. You love it so well, my dear Chloe, this minute Your tongue, head, and heart, are set on it, or in it. 19. My first and second are so fond a pair, Refuse the knot, and shun the marriage tie. Nay, though he seemed to love the very ground, That my first treads on, is not to be found. I was in our First Parents' guilt, In love I live not, but in strife; 24. I'm great, I'm small, I'm high, I'm low- |