"Love's shafts are weak"--"my chestnut kicks"-- "Heart broken;"--"broke the traces"-- "What say you now of politics?"-- "Change sides and to your places"-- "A five-barred gate"--"a precious pearl" "Grave things may all be punn'd on!"-- "The Whigs, thank God, are"--"out of curl!"-- "Her age is"--"four by London!" Thus run the giddy hours away, Till morning's light is beaming, And we must go to dream by day All we to-night are dreaming; To smile and sigh, to love and change-- Oh! in our heart's recesses, We dress in fancies quite as strange As these our fancy-dresses. _New Monthly Magazine_. * * * * * THE GATHERER. A snapper up of unconsidered trifles SHAKSPEARE. Tho' lang an lonely be the road Between me an my dearie; Yet I the gate hae aften troad, When I've been tired and wearie. Be't stormin rain, hail, win or snaw-- A lonely road and drearie-- There's nought wad e'er keep me awa Frae gaun to see my dearie!!! M. * * * * * FRENCH BALL CONVERSATION. During the French revolution, parties danced as gaily as ever; the following is a ball conversation, which took place in the month of Frimare, year 7.:--Well, the Ottoman Porte has declared war against us! Oh yes, there is no doubt of it, (_En avant deux_) It is an enemy the more--(_chassez_) and the Russian fleet they say has passed the Dardanelles, (_en avant quatre_) yet the papers say that the emperor sincerely desires peace.--Yes, but Count Metternich wishes for war, (_balancez_) so we have also a new coalition against us. England, Portugal, Naples, Turkey, the Emperor, Russia, perhaps the empire of Prussia, (_Faites face et chassez tous les huit_)--well we have bayonettes, (_la poussette_) besides it is not so far from Dover to Calais, (_traversez_)--Do you belong to the conscription?--Yes, and I too; (_pirouettez_) what makes me uneasy is to know what will become of our partners when we are gone: (_La chaine des dames_)--what will be left to amuse them (_La queu du chat_.) It was thus that days of terror were preceded by evenings of amusement and pleasure. * * * * * INTUITIVE AFFECTION. "There are three things," said a wit, "which I have always loved without ever understanding them, painting, music, and woman." * * * * * RETORT UNCOURTEOUS. A lady, well known in the fashionable vicinity of Portland-place, always accosts a stranger, with "I think I have seen you somewhere," which often leads to a clue for her finding out the history of the party. One evening she played off the same game on a gentleman, who replied, "Most likely, madam, for I sometimes go there." * * * * *