the greatest indignation, upon the subject of the enormity of corporal punishment in the Army; and, whilst he flogged unmercifully with a dreadful whip, the most generous and willing animal that Heaven has conferred upon man, he cried out upon the barbarity of giving, perhaps a greater scoundrel than himself, the chastisement of the lash. This rather startled us, we must confess, and when we began to consider, that as the recent inquest on the Dragoon at Hounslow had made the subject very popular, most likely the sixteen enormous people inside the vehicle, were equally indignant and discussing the same topic, we began to consider the matter very curiously. Whilst we ruminated, and the omnibus conductor wearied his strong arm with the violence of his exertions-now, nearly breaking the horses' jaws, as he pulled suddenly up for the convenience of one of the humane passengers, whipping, and jerking, and cursing, and pulling, in order that the soles of the boots of his fare might find a dry spot on the crossing; and all the time he lashed, crying out upon the Horse Guard authorities for their cruelty-lo! our ruminations were suddenly interrupted by the near horse falling dead in the road, absolutely whipped to death. This catastrophe still more excited our curiosity, and again called forth sundry contemplations on the eccentricity of mankind. Upon the sudden stoppage of the 'bus, a rush was made to escape by the portly passengers, and a scene of riot ensued over the dead carcase of the horse, which we rather conceived disgraceful to a civilized country, celebrated as it is for its humanity, and at that precise moment exhibiting the most intense horror because a soldier had been sentenced by Court-martial to be flogged. A couple of the corpulent insides, in endeavouring to escape without paying their sixpences, had so seriously involved themselves with the cad that a fight ensued. A young and an old lady discovered that during the operation of whipping the horse to death, and, whilst their attention had been given to a nice young man, who had vehemently exclaimed against the atrocious flogging match at Hounslow, he had adroitly cut both their pockets off, and escaped with the booty. Others again (having congregated around the fallen horse) were uttering their indignation against the conductor for the annoyance they were subjected to; disgracing both himself and his passengers, as they affirmed, by driving a rascally brute without a leg to stand on or a particle of flesh on his bones to apply the whip to with effect. "What," I said to myself, as I looked upon the sweet and placid face of the dead horse (for a horse, like a sheep, has a most amiable and expressive countenance), "does no one here pity this poor lacerated creature, with some thousands of wheals upon his dead carcase, consequent upon his morning punishment?" "Yes," said a knacker, who happened to be passing at the moment with his cart, "I commiserates him uncommon; and in a wery short time I shall skin him; and when that's done, if you will come and look at him in my yard, you will see better how well he has been whipped. Why, Sir, when we skins these here omnibus brutes as happens to die in the streets, we finds the flesh underneath whipped into a jelly. Only come and take a look at this 'un, in my yard, in an hour's time, and you shall see as many dark red cuts on his poor flank, as he has hairs in his mane and tail." "Out upon it," I said, "and yet this executioner of innocence was talking about the infamy of punishing a criminal by the lash." "You surely forget, Sir," said a Methodistical-looking man, who had been one of the passengers, "there is some slight difference between applying the lash to a human being, a Christian, and whipping a brute.” "I do, indeed, Sir," I said; "I cry you mercy for the mistake. I was indeed about to confound the matter sadly. I was actually looking upon this poor dead horse (and who has worn out his strength, and forfeited life, under torture, in man's service,) as the nobler animal of the two. Nay, I was about to consider this fellow here, whose life is wearing out in gin-drinking and blasphemy, as the brute instead of the Christian." Let us for a moment consider the condition which the wretched cab and omnibus horse is reduced to, whilst, to the utmost of his power, he serves the cruel wretches we ofttimes observe using the lash in our streets and thoroughfares. For the most part purchased at low prices, the unfortunate cripple is unable to throw his natural weight and power into the collar; for, as he is generally lame, he cannot bear to apply his tender foot or feet to the hard road. In this miserable state (with a tremendous load behind him) the most terrible chastisement compels him to draw. Lashed into a swift pace, his jaws at the same time jerked and tugged at, he is forced to proceed hour after hour, so as best to save his lame limb or limbs, using the sound ones as much as he can, so that at last he seems to go sound on all four legs. The torture such a wretched creature is subjected to day after day, and hour after hour, in our public streets, exceeds any punishment exhibited in any country in the most barbarous age. But custom, since cabs and omnibuses and swift driving have come into vogue, hath made it a habit of easiness. We see and hear the lash, but we disregard it. To continue, however, our picture of the "rascally brute.' The muscles soon becoming overstrained, every part at length gives way, and rapid exhaustion ensues. The lash is redoubled upon him as he fails, and he is whipped vigorously whilst in the agonies of death, as if his presuming to die under torture were a crime. Whip him," said an omnibus cad to a conductor, who was belabouring a fallen horse one wet night in the Strand. "Whip him up. Take the butt end to him. He's only cunning, and playing sham Abraham." The cruel wretch did whip, till he fatigued himself with the exertion and was obliged to stop. But the horse, after several efforts and half-a-dozen slips upon the wood pavement, managing to place his fore feet upon the ground, could only sit up like a dog for a few moments; he then rolled over, under a further storm of blows which fell upon his poor head, and died. "Oh!" said the gentleman with the lank hair, laying a prolonged and marked emphasis on the word Oh. "That's it, is it? Then, Sir, I presume you are of opinion that the body public have neither any right to avail themselves of speed in an omnibus, or to exert their eloquence upon the subject of corporal punishment in the army?" "Pardon me, good Sir," I said, "I think they have the greatest right to both. Only, before we display such an immensity of mawkish feeling upon a popular subject, let us exhibit a few grains of real humanity; let us try and regulate the pace of cabs and omnibuses, and cast an eye U. S. MAG., No. 225, Aug., 1847. 2 N of pity upon the poor horse; let us not disregard the daily infliction of ten thousand lashes upon the worn animal we luxuriate behind; whilst we cry out because an atrocious criminal may be subjected (for his crimes, mind ye,*) to fifty. When the cruel fall into the hands of the cruel, we read their fate with horror, but with no jot of pity. If three parts of the cab and omnibus drivers in London and its environs were made to experience half-a-dozen strokes of the cat, occasionally, in recompense for the atrocities and cruelties they daily commit, it might benefit the cause of humanity much more than such popular exhibitions of humbug as we sometimes hear. Cruelty towards the horse, and without which useful quadruped civilisation must have made but little progress comparatively, and we should have been later by several centuries in emerging from barbarism, is a subject calling for interference. A ROMANCE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. BY WILLIAM H. G. KINGSTON, ESQ. "Incubuere mari, totumque a sedibus imis Unà Eurusque Notusque ruunt, creberque procellis Teucrorum ex oculis: ponto nox incubat atra. Intonuere poli, et crebris micat ignibus æther; Presentemque viris intentant omnia mortem."-ENEIDOS, Lib. I. HENRY LESLIE was one of my best and dearest friends. I had known him from my earliest days. He cut me out the first boat of which I was ever possessed; he taught me to pull an oar, to knot and splice, to reef and steer, and to manage the light skiff which floated on his father's lake. In truth, from his exciting tales and conversation I first imbibed that love of the ocean, and of all things appertaining to it, which has now become a very part of my existence. With him I first went to sea, where, continuing the instruction he had commenced on shore, he initiated me in all the mysteries of seamanship. There, though watching over me with the care and solicitude of a father, he kept me under the strictest discipline, for which I believe I loved him the better. He was then a Mate, the senior in the mess, but was soon promoted. I almost regretted his good fortune, for I was afraid of being separated from him, but to my great joy he remained in the same ship, when he gave me the use of his cabin to study in and his books to read; a benefit I knew how to appreciate. I cannot describe Leslie as he deserved. High-minded and generous, with a heart tender as a woman's, yet brave to an extreme, his appearance was highly in his favour; the blood of his race (for he was highly born) being marked by his noble bearing and his courteous *There are a sort of men whom nothing but the lash will do good to. That such men are a disgrace to human nature, as well as the corps to which they belong, is But most officers know that such is the case. true. and independent manners. By his equals in rank he was beloved, by the crews who served with him he was idolized. Having good interest at the Admiralty, he always contrived to have me appointed to the ship to which he belonged; I thus served with him for several years in various climes. For some months we were in the North Seas, and then on the South American station; we were next sent to cruise on the Coast of Africa, and in the West Indies, and, lastly, we served together in the Mediterranean, on board the Juno, 74. Although of a highly poetical and enthusiastic temperament, Leslie was generally considered by his shipmates to be rather unsusceptible of the fascinations of woman. In truth he did not seek to win the affections of any, nor would he throw away his own on one who might not appreciate their value. At length, however, a change came over him. The last time we were in England together, while I repaired to the part of the country where my family were residing, he set off to enjoy the amusements of what is called the London season, which had just then commenced. He frequently wrote to me during our separation, describing the scenes and people among whom he found himself. Handsome, lively, and of good family and fortune, he was welcomed in those circles of the metropolis composed of men of the highest rank and talent, and of the most lovely and fascinating women in England, and consequently in the world. Several weeks flew by, while he quaffed deep draughts from the glittering chalice of gaiety, the bitter and nauseous dregs of which prove how unwholesome is too often the bright-coloured potion. Yet he, it appeared, had not hitherto found it so. As far as I could judge by his letters, he had as yet escaped the attractions by which he was surrounded, and was looking forward with satisfaction to the time when his duty should again call him to sea, when he happened to be introduced to the family of the Earl of Ravelin. The earl had an only daughter, a young and very lovely girl, yet her beauty, as Leslie assured me, compared with her other perfections, appeared her least attractive quality. She was slightly formed, with a skin of snowy whiteness, and long fair hair, just tinged with an auburn hue; her eyes of deepest blue were shaded by dark eye-lashes, which increased their soft and tender expression, and her height was sufficient to make her appear tall among others without being conspicuous. Of the sweetest temper, graceful in mind as well as in form, with abundance of talent and wit, yet never obtruding it, and a voice of perfect melody, she was doted on by her father and beloved by all who had the happiness of knowing her. Thus did Leslie describe the Lady Emily Manning; nor did I find, when I subsequently became acquainted with her, that he had at all overdrawn her portrait. To see such a being was, in his opinion, to love her. To love her, as he felt she ought to be loved, was to deliver his whole soul into her keeping, to let his thoughts dwell alone with her, to weave every hope of future joy round her bright presence. She too was of an enthusiastic temperament, nor did the devoted admiration of the young sailor fail of working that effect on her feelings, which the common-place attentions of those ordinary beings, the butterfly lovers and carpet knights of society, by whom she was generally surrounded, had no power of doing. She yielded her heart gradually but completely she loved as woman only loves. Leslie discovered his happiness just as he received orders to join his ship. She did not disguise her fond affection, but referred him to her father The Earl, as might be expected, for his sanction to their union. exhibited no great satisfaction at the event. "Before he could give an answer he must examine the state of his Her happiness was his first consideradaughter's feelings," he said. tion. Her preference might be evanescent, she might be happier with a more influential husband-he with a more wealthy bride." The result of the Earl's conference with Lady Emily was a promise to Leslie, that on his attaining post rank her hand should be his, and that all his influence should be exerted to get him forward in the Service. This was as much as the lover could reasonably expect; although more than two years must elapse before he could by any possibility obtain the desired rank and his anticipated happiness. When we are young even a few years only before us appear far distant and indistinct. I, for one, considered this period a long time to wait, and was rather surprised at his philosophy in bearing this decision of the Earl's with so much resignation. How many events, I thought, might not occur in the mean time to mar his bliss. Matters had thus been settled only the day before the Juno was ordered to sea, and he had but time to bid his mistress farewell, and to hurry down to join us at Spithead before we sailed for the Mediterranean. A considerable change had come over him since we parted. There was that pride in his eye and boldness in his step, which every man must feel who knows that he possesses the pure affection of a lovely woman, but there was also at times a subdued melancholy in the expression of his countenance, which I never before observed, while his spirits had lost that buoyancy which formerly distinguished them. To all he was kind and gentle as ever; but even the men whispered among themselves, that Mr. Leslie had lost his heart while on shore. As we touched at Lisbon and Cadiz, some time elapsed before we reached Malta, and ere we again sailed for the Ionian Islands, Leslie's commission as Commander arrived from England, and at the same time his appointment to the command of a 10-gun brig, the Seahorse, whose post then on the station. He was to supersede Captain Bcommission had come out by the same packet, and as the brig was expected from the Levant every day, he remained at Malta to join her. Great was my grief at being thus compelled to continue on board my old ship, for had the Seahorse been there, I dare say he would have contrived to have taken me with him. I then thought this was the How little do greatest misfortune which could have happened to me. we mortals know what is for our benefit. Could we but remember that all things are ordered by Omnipotent Providence for the best, of how much dissatisfaction and ingratitude should we be guiltless; how much misery should we be saved. I make this observation from a deep conviction of its truth. Although thus attached to Leslie, I should have quitted my own ship with much regret, for she was in every respect one of the happiest in the Service, and had as nice a set of officers belonging to her as I have ever met. I will not describe any of them except our Captain, Sir Roland Bertram. Of him I must speak, as he was my beau idéal |