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possible for a young man to wear a good coat and white linen. journeyman bricklayer may beat him at wages, but he must beat, if possible, the man of independence, in the fineness of his apparel. It has been stated to us that, at this moment, there is a conspiracy among the shopmen in a certain West-end house, to outdress an illustrious Count; and, sinking the shirt-studs, it is thought that one Assistant has already achieved the undertaking!

Next, for time: we know it to be the custom of many establishments to give at least one whole hour per diem to the shopmen, for needful recreation of limb and abstraction of thought from the pressing demands of business. One whole hour! Now we very much doubt if any patriotic prime minister, with the good of his country thumping at his heart, could ever boast of so much positive leisure in the whole live-long day. (It is one of the objects of this work to eschew all personalities, or we would incontinently send to Brighton, that this our speculation might be satisfactorily resolved.)

We have thought it due to the interests of the world at large, to dwell thus at length on the present movement of the LinenDrapers' Assistants; for we see, in the success of their struggle, the beginning of an utter change in our whole condition. Let it be granted, that the linen-drapers succeed in their demand for leisure— in their cry for time to unroll their minds, to see of what stuff and pattern they are composed; let us allow that they have obtained their end: well, does any reasonable tradesman suppose that the evil is finished? Certainly not. What, then, is the next calamity? Why -yes-absolutely—

"We see, as from a tow'r, the end of all!".

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we behold the fluttering of ribands-the waving of handkerchiefs; we see the milliner's girls in wild rebellion! They, too, cry for leisure!

The result of all this is as plain as the nose in Mamma's facethe result is an utter subversion of the present principles of society.

John Bull-should the linen-drapers succeed, and after them, the milliners, and after them, whatever class chooses to march through the breach made in the outworks of trade-John Bull must undergo an utter change of character. By the way; it was but three days since that we viewed the type of trading John Bull, in all his fulness; and, at the risk of offending a few of the sons of John, we will tell them what it was :—

A mountain of an ox, almost crushed upon its knees by its own unnatural fat, limping through Fleet Street, triumphant from the

Smithfield show-its horns decorated with sky blue ribands—its eyes dead as lead-its tallowy glories a burthen and a misery to it! "What a beautiful animal!" cried some of the unthinking worshippers of superabundant fat. "What a lovely ox!" exclaimed (it might be, from his looks) the purse-proud owner of thirteen drapers' shops. "What a lovely ox!" cried he, and stood to gaze. "What a nasty beast!" said we, and pushed through the crowd.

Now the John Bull of trade is but too often little more than the prize ox; an animal whose whole nature is to eat and eat, and to accumulate in its own carcase, a weight that makes it hideous. Have we not the oxen of commerce, crammed with oil-cake from the bank; with a thousand and ten thousand lean and withered feeders of the one thing, all mouth? "Well," they begin to say, we will not for twelve hours a-day do nothing but cram this ox; let us, at least, have a little leisure to look about us, and see what the world is made of, and not pass all our lives at the meal-tub of another!" This is the present cry of the linen-draper; a cry that will sooner or later be heard from one end of the kingdom to the other; and, as the cry be unheeded or responded to, will the great mass remain mere money-diggers, or become thinking, reasoning men! A guinea is a good thing—an excellent thing; but, after all, it is not the best thing; there is a leisure that is better than gold.

To return, in conclusion, to our Linen-Draper's Assistant. There may be, among our readers, those who have felt annoyed at the perseverance with which the man has prayed them to purchase: alack! he may have had the dearest cause for his pertinacity. We will illustrate this probability by a true story:-A gentleman entered a certain shop, and was shewn some article by a youth of the establishment: the article was rejected as unfit; and the stranger was about to leave, when he was earnestly entreated by the lad to "buy something." The agitated manner of the boy excited the curiosity of the customer, who begged to know why he so earnestly pressed goods that he might perceive were not required.

"I am obliged to do it, sir," said the boy. "I have nobody in the world to help me, and have to do what I can for my widowed mother; and, sir, it is a rule in our house, that whoever lets a person leave the shop without buying something is discharged that very night."

The gentleman, doubtful of the truth of this, enquired of the master, who could not deny the statement of his servant. Fortunately for the lad, he had appealed to one with heart and means to assist him, and he was immediately preferred to a better situation. Now THIS IS TRUTH!

His eyes were grey and piercing. They nailed a bidder at a glance, and could detect him, 'spite of the shabby coat, dingy neckcloth, and flopped hat in which he was disguised.

LITERARY SPECULUM.

THE AUCTIONEER.

BY HENRY BROWNRIGG, ESQ.

"MR. REDBREAST, when you shall have a sale of any importance-" "Sir," interrupted Mr. Redbreast, hooking one thumb in the arm-hole of his waistcoat, and swaying majestically round upon the speaker, "all my sales are of importance!"

In this brief sentence did the Auctioneer, on a certain memorable occasion, avow and publish the whole philosophy of his calling; nothing could by possibility fall into his professional hands that— till sold-did not increase in value, becoming priceless until it was knocked down. "Gentlemen,- -a most remarkable-a most curious and admirable specimen of diseased spleen," exclaimed an Auctioneer, honoured by the late Professor Brookes with the sale of his anatomical preparations; "what shall we say for this most valuable article? -really, an extraordinary specimen-a most beautiful thing-quite a bijou for the young student! Thirty, thank you, sir-only thirty for this delightful-thirty-five-this delicious-forty, thank you, sir -this most inestimable preparation; only forty? gentlemen, this is not selling-this is giving away the spleen! No advance on forty? Yours, sir. The next number is -;" and then the Auctioneer proceeded to descant upon the extraordinary attractions of an ossified heart, late the personal property of a distinguished attorney, assuring his auditory, that never since hearts began to beat had there been a heart "so peculiarly and so thoroughly ossified." On this, a slight titter was heard among the company, when the Auctioneer ventured to observe, in a low voice-audible in every part of the room-that the heart was worth double the sum bid for it, if only to be manufactured into chess-men or tobacco-stoppers. This sly jest, to the astonishment of its author, convulsed his audience; and with renewed hopes of bidders, and a rubicund face, shining like carbuncle with self-complacency, the Auctioneer proceeded in his task; and, to our mind, proved himself especially worthy of his office for the true Auctioneer would "put up" some of the plagues of Israel, with a grave assurance that there never had been "such locusts," and that

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