CHAPTER V.

"And whom a mercy's name have we here? breaks in Mrs. Lambert as a sedan chair covered with gilding topped with no less than five earl's coronets, carried by bearers in richly laced clothes and preceded by three footmen in the same splendid livery now came up to Madame de Bernstein's door, The Bishop, who had been about to enter, stopped and ran back with the most respectful bows and curtseys to the sedan chair, giving his hand to the lady who stepped thence."

THE VIRGINIANS.

Much risibility has before now been aroused amongst the modern public by a stage representation of that somewhat antiquated, and we think much maligned means of transit called a "sedan chair."

Now this machine-it has as much right to the title as a bathing machine-clearly had an even date with the pillion, and in those days too, the carriages as constructed were enormously heavy lumbering things, almost of sufficient weight themselves without passengers for the strength of the one horse of the period.

The appliances we particularly desire to allude to, were of course more commonly made use of in the metropolis, and the large provincial towns and watering places than elsewhere, such as Tunbridge Wells, Bath, and the like-and although the manual labour necessary to their use was such as in these days would be an irremovable barrier to the condescension of "Jeames de la Plush," yet the comfort to the party conveyed was complete, and they were much more easy and luxurious than the wheel chairs and ordinary spring carriages we see now.

As an illustration of their usefulness even in these times, let us suppose a case.

We are a young lady of blushing sixteen-we were told last year by mamma that next year, that is this, we should go to our "first ball," be brought out in fact!

The the ball of the season to which par excellence it was to mamma's mind and to ours most particularly desirable, nay, essential we should go takes place this very night-our invitation has long since arrived and been accepted, everything is ready, our ivory white satin with all that lovely lace and chaste trimming which cost so much-calculated to make our entrée into the beau monde such as to give the coup de grace either to the honourable Theodore Thinbrain, or the young Sir Reginald Pip!

But alas the rain and the sleet, hard hearted things descend relentlessly in torrents-our entrance doorway leads inconveniently down a flight of steps, over pavement and to a considerable distance before we can hope to reach our carriage, and no awning seems practicable!

We lately were on the ice too, and unaware of the proximity of a dangerous part, we skated headlessly on to it-Oh! the dreadful crash, we shall never forget it-there was nothing left, in we went overhead and a long way out of our depth, fortunately not to remain under the ice, for we were clutched at most providentially on our uprising by another skater, and conveyed drenched to the skin, to a house hard by, and from there home.

We could not thoroughly recover circulation and the ordinary warmth of the body-we fell ill, in fact, fever set in, and inflamation of the lungs had its sway, but we got over all, yet at this particular time when the very entertainment, the acme of our enjoyment we have for so long been looking forward to is at hand, we know, for our medical man has told us, that we are scarcely robust enough to risk going out in such weather as we are now having, more especially at night.

We will hope however if not pray, that the rain may yet cease or at least become less violent so that in some form or another we may traipse to our carriage.

"But who is here? Oh, how kind and considerate, how good-yes, we have only to go into the next square, not more than five or six minutes walk I'm sure."

"Yet it is ridiculous! the very idea of aping the manners and customs of Tunbridge one hundred years ago! But still how sensible,-why, it could be brought into this very room if it were needed-it will be delightful, and I can both go and return in it.”

Is it necessary to say that by the kindness of a dear neighbour who knew the anxiety of our young debutante, and foresaw the disappointment she would sustain by her inability to reach the ball, an actual bona fide sedan chair of the past period, had been brought to the house and in it she was by and bye to ensconce herself, and with steady tread be borne to and from the coveted destination!

It does not require much proficiency to draw such a picture as this, for something very similar happened to a relative of our own, who having a delicate throat, was deterred by an unlooked for wet night from attending an evening party some three doors off.

We have already learnt that necessity not only knows no law, but exercises a maternal influence over invention of all kinds, and so in this case, taking a hint from the Eastern practices of the Rajahs, we improvised the best, the biggest gingham we could lay our hands upon, and hanging it all round with bed or window curtains, we forget which, we walked our friend off, or rather he departed in the centre -the whole scene presenting the anomalous apparition of a shower bath going for a walk on a rainy night!

Some people may say sedan chairs are ante-diluvian, but here is a case where such an apparatus was the only sensible mode by which an important service was rendered, and a great disappointment frustrated!

Did we live in a square, and did our hospitable entertainers live near us, we most certainly should in these days of bronchial irritations set up a sedan chair. Such an institution indeed would be invaluable under such a condition of the tubes for conveying us even from our own warm hall to our brougham, on the other side of the wet and cold pavement.

We naturally hesitate then, and refuse to say, that the abolition that took place of these organs of progress is an advancement, an improvement, or a progress!

CHAPTER VI.

"Gaming goats and fleecy flocks,
And lowing herds, and piping swans,
Come dancing to me,"

SWIFT.

When we referred to the ass of the period, we little dreamed that its consideration should have led us to a contemplation of the honorable Mr. Thinbrain, or yet the more extraordinary transformation scene of a sedan chair-such however is, we suppose, the march of intellect in these days of rapid stride.

One would have thought rather that we should have turned from the horse to the cow, or generally into the farm yard, where the grunting of the pigs, the bleeting of the house lambs, the lowing of the cattle, the gobble gobble, of the turkeys, the harsh scream of the peacock, or the proclamation of bright chanticleer, together, should remind us forcibly of Herr Von Joel of old and his whistling stick.

Nothing so joyous we think, of the sort, as the music of nature in the quadrangle of an English homestead, where the colts and fillies neighing after their dams run without restraint amongst the poultry on the soft straw, and where the blackbird or the thrush upon an adjacent branch gives forth "his wood notes wild"!

'Cow' did we say-cows indeed! cows there are, and cows with crumpled horns too, but we doubt very much if the maiden all forlorn,' whom we have a distinct recollection was affectionately kissed