of the motions and force of the enemy, to get accurate intelligence of the most remarkable public proceedings in the country, and to receive and convey letters and presents smuggled into the coast from a certain quarter abroad.

Another beggar of importance in these times flourished in the west of Scotland, under the familiar cognomen of Cabbage Charlie. He was a mendicant on a wholesale plan of operation. Not contented with his own simple exertions, he kept a numerous band of beggars in pay, who went abroad as his servants throughout the county, and who, on coming back to the appointed rendezvous at the end of the week, gave up all the proceeds of their industry to him, and received a certain allowance, previously agreed upon, amounting to from 10s. to 15s. per week. By a talent that might not have disgraced more celebrated names, he contrived to organise and reduce to a perfect system what would appear almost impracticable, considering the habits of those with whom he had to deal. He even found means of detecting the smallest dishonesty on the part of his men; and he acquired such a strange influence over them, that they durst make no remonstrances against the severity of his rules, nor complain of the penalties and taxes to which he sometimes subjected them. Indeed he was a perfect autocrat among them.

The principles of the system which gave him this absolute command, and induced them to pay implicit obedience, were founded upon a few well-known data, completely calculated to produce non-resistance.

In the first place, the persons whom he employed could make more of their labours by entering his service than by going upon their own bottom; for it must be understood that the alms given by the country people to the poor consisted chiefly of meal; and as none would take such an article off their hands except the humblest class of cottagers, who gave them only half-price for it, they would have suffered a very considerable loss had not their master found out an expedient by which he got

almost market-price, and by which he could afford to allow them greater wages in money than they of themselves could have gained by disposing of their own individual collections. Charlie's method of selling his meal was to collect and mix the whole contributions of his men, and to make it up into loads and bolls for the regular market. It thus escaped the hateful imputation of being beggars' meal—a thing generally abhorred, and only bought, as we have said, by the very poorest people.

At seed-time, too, when alms were frequently given in the shape of corn, Charlie found a method of selling the stock, more profitable to all parties, by disposing of it in bolls to stablers, &c.; a method more profitable, we say, than if his men had gone with it in smaller quantities to ostlers, when, though it might not be objected to on the same plea of delicacy which lessened the value of their meal, they would have been obliged to be content with a diminished price, and at the same time would have been led into treating the ostler and his insatiable myrmidons with as much as they could drink.

In every respect, indeed, did Charlie's deputies find it their interest to keep on good terms with him. After they had once enlisted under his banner, he had them completely in his power. If they misbehaved, or grew lazy, or became inattentive to business, he had it in his power to discharge them; and if they were discharged from Charlie's employ, there was no more good to be expected of them in this world. They in a manner lost caste-they forfeited the esteem of the country! contrived to undermine their exertions on all hands; he circulated evil reports concerning them; he prejudiced the minds of the country people against their necessities and pretensions to charity: in short, he ruined their character! They either wandered about like ghosts, despised and unassisted, or they had to leave the county, and seek for better success in a district beyond the reach of Charlie.

He

Upon the principle which awards such severe punishment to mutineers at sea, he was at all times inexorable

in punishing them if they grumbled at the extent of his profits or the scantiness of the allowance he made them. In such cases a severe fine at least was inevitable; and if the offence was attended with heinous circumstances, so as to exasperate his temper, he discarded them entirely from his employ. He was always very relentless, too, in discharging any one that attempted to get an increase of wages without leaving it to himself alone to settle the modicum of promotion. It is said that he once scored off about ten or a dozen hands on hearing that a conspiracy had been entered into by a number of his band to get an addition to their wages by a general strike!

Nevertheless, like many other despots when they get their own way, Charlie was, when not fretted by opposition or misfortune, a kind and generous master. He seldom if ever failed, on settling accounts with his men on Saturday night, to treat them, 'brats and callets, and all,' to such a scene of festivity as that described in the inimitable 'Jolly Beggars.' Some of them, too, were allowed such wages as, considering their rank in life and little necessity of expenditure, were certainly respectable. An industrious single man, with a good faculty of groaning, had perhaps 10s. a week; if blind, he was worth 2s. 6d. more. One with a wife that could tell fortunes was worth 13s. or 14s.; if with eight or nine children, they were no bad bargain at L.1. A shrivelled wretch who could exhibit a good running ulcer in his leg, or shake a well-scorched arm in the eyes of the charitable, was in himself worth almost as much as a whole man with ten children; but the detruncated sailor, who had neither arms nor legs, and who yet could sing one of those melancholy sea-songs the cadence of which resembles nothing so much as the wind whistling through the shrouds-whose rude but pathetic strains of

or

William Glen was our captain's name,'

'I am a poor sailor,

And far from my home!'

while they melted the hearts of the rustics, could elicit showers of sympathy in the substantial shape of halfpence such a beggar, we say, was invaluable-his deserts could scarcely be stated: he was worth his weight in oatmeal every Saturday night!

LEOPOLD OF BRUNSWICK AND HIS
WRITING-MASTER.

Or all the young princes who in their early years were remarkable for kindness of heart, none is more deserving of notice than Prince Leopold of Brunswick-a prince whose name is engraven on the hearts of thousands. The manner of his death has added to the interest with which he was regarded when living. In the terrible inundation of the Oder in 1785 he perished whilst attempting to save some poor persons who were in imminent danger from the flood. Honour be to his memory!

The very pleasing anecdote now about to be related is not only interesting as an illustration of the prince's real kindness of disposition, but is instructive, since it shews us what may be accomplished in the way of surmounting difficulties by a good will, determined resolution, and invincible patience of purpose.

Prince Leopold was distinguished as a child for his exuberant spirits. He possessed that engaging and fascinating liveliness of manner which usually accompanies a good disposition and a happy temperament. He had already learned to read, and a portion of every day was agreeably employed in this amusing and instructive occupation. A book that at once informs and delights us is a true friend. We can leave off and return to it at our pleasure. It can accompany us wherever we go, and will occupy but little space. To be able to read, therefore, what others have thought and said is

doubtless very pleasant; but to be able to write down what we ourselves think, and so to converse with distant friends-a beloved mother, sister, or brother-is a far greater pleasure. Leopold anxiously wished to learn to write.

With great zeal and energy he commenced this new study, in which he was instructed by a respectable old gentleman named Wagner. This gentleman was kind and amiable, a perfect master of his art, and possessed of a patience that nothing could overcome. And much indeed was his patience tried by his ardent and impetuous little pupil. The novelty of his new occupation having worn away, the young prince's natural vivacity rendered him impatient of the restraints that were necessarily laid upon him. He ceased to be industrious and attentive to his tutor's directions. Sometimes he complained that he was made to write the same letter over and over so often that he was quite tired of it; then, that the words given him to copy were too long and too hard. In short, there was no pretence that he did not make use of to excuse the dislike which he had now taken to writing. The venerable Wagner was almost in despair of seeing his pupil make any progress in the art in which it was his business to instruct him. How could he be otherwise? When he saw him intentionally go above the line in writing, he would say: 'Now, my prince, you are going above the line.'

'Do you think so, Mr Wagner?' he would indolently reply; and then, out of impatience or mere gaiety of heart, he would run to the opposite extreme.

Now, my prince, you are below the line."

'Ah, you are right.' And then he would write still more awkwardly and perversely than ever. Then he would find fault with his pen, which he would require to be mended perhaps twenty times in the course of one lesson, on the plea that it would not write well. Then the ink was thick, or he was tired, or his head ached, or he wished to do something else; and often, could he have done so without incurring his tutor's severe dis