[B] Leading counsel, indeed all counsel much engaged in business, necessarily place their time almost altogether at the disposal of their clerks, whose duty it is to keep an exact record of their employer's engagements, and see that no incompatible ones are made for him. Counsel find quite enough to do, in adequately attending to the matters actually put before them by their clerks, without being harassed by adjusting the very troublesome arrangements and appointments, for time and place, where their duties are to be performed or, at all events, doing more than keeping a general superintendence over their arrangements thus made. To all this must be added those innumerable contingencies in the arrangements of the courts, and the course of business, which no one can possibly foresee; and which often derange a whole series of arrangements, however cautiously and prudently made, and render counsel unable, after having carefully mastered their cases, to attend at the trial or argument. [C] The clerk of a barrister has a fee on every fee of his employer, in a long-settled proportion of 2s. 6d. on all fees under five guineas; from, and inclusive of five guineas, up to ten guineas, 5s.; from ten guineas, 10s., and so on for higher fees. [D] _Phil._ c. vi. sec. 7. [E] Adapted from Edmund Burke. [F] Sir Walter Raleigh--_History of the World_, last paragraph. LET NEVER CRUELTY DISHONOUR BEAUTY. The words chosen as the subject of the following verses, form the first line of an antiquated song, of which the remainder seems not to have been preserved.--See Mr Dauney's "_Ancient Scotish Melodies_," p. 227. "Let never Cruelty dishonour Beauty"-- Be no such war between thy face and mind. Heaven with each blessing sends an answering duty: It made thee fair, and meant thee to be kind. Resemble not the panther's treacherous seeming, That looks so lovely to beguile its prey; Seek not to match the basilisk's false gleaming, That charms the fancy only to betray. See the great Sun! God's best and brightest creature-- Alike on good and ill his gifts he showers: Look at the Earth, whose large and liberal nature To all who court her offers fruits or flowers. Then, lady, lay aside that haughty scorning-- A robe unmeet to deck a mortal frame; Mild be thy light, and innocent as morning, And shine on high and humble still the same. Bid thy good-will, in bright abundance flowing, To all around its kindly stream impart; Thy love the while on One alone bestowing, The fittest found, the husband of thy heart! THE LAST HOURS OF A REIGN. A TALE IN TWO PARTS.--PART II. CHAPTER III. "A deep and mighty shadow Across my heart is thrown, Like a cloud on a summer meadow, Where the thunder wind hath blown!" BARRY CORNWALL.