The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 12, No. 336, October 18, 1828

The proportion of deaths to the population is nearly one-third less in England than in France. Comparing the two capitals, the average mortality of London is about one-fifth less than that of Paris. What may appear a more singular statement, the proportion of deaths in London, a vast and luxurious metropolis, differs only by a small fraction from that of the whole of France; and is considerably less than the average of those Mediterranean shores which are especially frequented by invalids for the sake of health. In Italy, the proportion of deaths is a full third greater than in England; and even in Switzerland and Sweden, though the difference be less, it is still in favour of our own country.—Q. Rev.

NEWSPAPER LOVE

The paper so highly esteemed, entitled, The Courier de l'Europe, originated in the following circumstances:—

"Monsieur Guerrier de Berance was a native of Auvergne, whose fortune in the origin was very low, but who by his intrigues succeeded in gaining the place of Procureur General of the Custom-house. He married two wives; the name of the last was Millochin, who was both young and handsome. She soon began to find out that her husband was very disagreeable; and what caused her more particularly to remark his faults was her contrasting him with M. Cevres de la Tour, with whom she fell most desperately in love. This passion became so violent, that Madame Guerrier fled into England with her lover, who, in his turn, left his wife behind him in Paris. The finances of these two lovers growing rather low, M. Sevres de la Tour, who was a man of talent, thought, as a plan to enrich himself, to turn editor to a newspaper, and for this purpose started the Courier de l'Europe, which succeeded beyond his most sanguine hopes. Disgust, which commonly follows these sort of unions, caused Madame Guerrier to be deserted by her lover, and she was obliged to turn a teacher of languages for her subsistence.—The Album of Love.

THE GATHERER

 
"A snapper-up of unconsidered trifles."
 

SHAKSPEARE

REPLY TO THE DIRGE ON MISS ELLEN GEE, OF KEW

(See Mirror, page 223.)

 
Forgive, ye beauteous maids of Q,
The much relenting B,
Who vows he never will sting U,
While sipping of your T.
 
 
One nymph I wounded in the I,
The charming L N G,
The fates impell'd, I know not Y,
The luckless busy B.
 
 
And oh recall the sentence U
Pass'd on your humble B,
Let me remain at happy Q,
Send me not o'er the C.
 
 
And I will mourn upon A U,
The death of L N G,
And all the charming maids of Q
Will pity the poor B.
 
 
I will hum soft her L E G,
The reason some ask Y,
Because the maiden could not C,
By me she lost her I.
 
 
To soothe ye damsels I'll S A,
Far sooner would I B
Myself in funeral R A,
Than wound one fair at T.
 

F.H

THE BITER BIT

In the reign of Charles II. a physician to the court was walking with the king in the gallery of Windsor Castle, when they saw a man repairing a clock fixed there. The physician knowing the king's relish for a joke, accosted the man with, "My good friend, you are continually doctoring that clock, and yet it never goes well. Now if I were to treat my patients in such a way, I should lose all my credit. What can the reason be that you mistake so egregiously?" The man dryly replied, "The reason why you and I, Sir, are not upon a par is plain enough—the sun discovers all my blunders, but the earth covers yours."

G.I.F

EPITAPH

On a tablet in the outside wall of the old church, at Taunton, in Somersetshire, is the following on "James Waters, late of London, aged 49."

 
Death traversing the western road,
And asking where true merit lay,
Made in this town a short abode,
Then took this worthy man away.
 

W.R

LIFE

 
Grass of levity,
Span in brevity,
Flower's felicity,
Fire of misery,
Wind's stability
Is mortality.
 

NOTICE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Purchasers of the MIRROR, who may wish to complete their volumes, are informed that the whole of the numbers are now in print, and can be procured by giving an order to any Bookseller or Newsvender.

Complete sets Vol I. to XI. in boards, price £3. 19s. 6d half bound, £3. 17s.

LIMBIRD'S EDITION OF THE

Following Novels are already Published:

s.d

Mackenzie's Man of Feeling .............. 0…6

Paul and Virginia ....................... 0…6

The Castle of Otranto ................... 0…6

Almoran and Hamet ....................... 0…6

Elizabeth, or the Exiles of Siberia ..... 0…6

The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne ...... 0…6

Rasselas ................................ 0…8

The Old English Baron ................... 0…8

Nature and Art .......................... 0…8

Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield .......... 0..10

Sicilian Romance ........................ 1…0

The Man of the World .................... 1…0

A Simple Story .......................... 1…4

Joseph Andrews .......................... 1…6

Humphry Clinker ..........................1…8

The Romance of the Forest ............... 1…8

The Italian ............................. 2…0

Zeluco, by Dr. Moore .................... 2…0

Edward, by Dr. Moore .................... 2…6

Roderick Random ......................... 2…6

The Mysteries of Udolpho ................ 3…6