it is now played, was known among us. According to Daines Barrington, who had his information from a player much advanced in years, it was not played upon recognised principles till about 1730," when it was much studied by a party that frequented the Crown Coffee-House, in Bedfordrow," of whom the first Lord Folkstone was one. Even then, it should seem that merely the skeleton of the game was in existence; there were but few rules, and its theory was undefined. Early in the present century Mathews published at Bath his Advice to the Young Whist Players. It ran through many editions, and in a great measure superseded Hoyle. The fifth edition appeared in 1811, but this, and all other treatises upon whist, have been rendered useless by Mr. Bohn's admirable Hand Book of Games. Reader, we have written for you a sketch of the history of cards; but, if you will know the poetry of cards, read Charles Lamb's Captain Jackson, or his essence of wit and humour, Mrs. Battle's Opinions on Whist. In the latter he writes, as only he could write :- "To those puny objectors against cards, as nurturing the bad passions, she would retort-that man is a gaming animal. He must be always trying to get the better in something or other: that this passion can scarcely be more safely expended than upon a game at cards: that cards are a temporory illusion-in truth, a mere drama; for we do but play at being mightily concerned as those whose stake is crowns and kingdoms. They are a sort of dreamfighting, much ado, great battling and little bloodshed, mighty means for disproportioned ends, quite as diverting and great deal more innoxious than many of those more serious games of life which men play, without esteeming them to be such. a "With great deference to the old lady's judgment on these matters, I think I have experienced some moments in my life when playing a cards for nothing has even been agreeable. When I am in sickness, or not in the best. spirits, I sometimes call for the cards and play a game at piquet, for love, with my cousin Bridget-Bridget Elia. "I grant there is something sneaking in it; but with a tooth-ache, or a sprained ankle-when you are subdued and humble-you are glad to put up with an inferior spring of action. "There is such a thing in nature, I am convinced, as sick Whist. "At such times, these terms which my old friend objected to, come in as something admissible-I love to get a tierce or a quatorze though they mean nothing. I am subdued to an inferior interest. Those shadows of winning amuse me. "That last game I had with my sweet cousin (I capotted her-dare I tell thee how foolish I am?) I wished it might have lasted for ever, though we gained nothing and lost nothing, though it was a mere shade of play: I would be content to go on in that idle folly for ever. The pipkin should be ever boiling that was to prepare the gentle lenitive to my foot, which Bridget was doomed to apply after the game was over; and, as I do not much relish appliances, there it should ever bubble. Bridget and I should be ever playing." Here we close our paper is the reader vexed? If so then let him remember the moral advice engraved on the old Whist Markers-KEEP YOUR TEMPER. Physiologie du Gout, ou Méditations de Gastronomie Transcendante; ouvrage théorique, historique et à l'ordre du jour, dédié aux Gastronomes Parisiens Par Un Professeur, membre de plusieurs Sociétés savantes. Edition précédée d'une notice par M. Le Baron Richerand, suivie de "La Gastronomie, Poème en quatre chants, Par Berchoux. Paris: Charpentier. 1842. "Lulled in the countless chambers of the brain, the title page of the book before us, one memory is awakened, True for you, Sam, and we feel it now; even as we look upon and a thousand others come welling up from the mind's "countless chambers." Brillat-Savarin! Physiologie du Gout. How the bright Paris of twenty years ago rises before us, when Véfour's or the Trois Frères; with a dinner at Véry's or the Café de Foy; with a supper at the Café de l'Opéra. Bright times when Grisiand Mario could sing, when Dejazet acted as none acted since Peg Woffington, when Rachel was the glory of the stage. Sunny times before we had heard of lace stockings or thought of colchicum. Sunny days when our appetite was deep as Sir Walter's, and when nothing came amiss from suprême de volaille to boullebasse and vin ordinaire. And if we did feel seedy, if carafes became to our "somnia vera" as desert fountains to the panting Arab, we had our remedy for that horrid flavor of "the lime burner's wig," and here it is : One ounce of camphor julep, One tea spoonful of sal volatile, One tea spoonful of tincture of capsicums. Mixing these and drinking, we were fresh for the day. But now,-well no matter, its all past and over, "So we'll go no more a roving So late into the night, 81 For the sword outwears its sheath, Therefore we return to Brillat-Savarin In the work before us he has drawn a most interesting and faithful picture of himself; the principal events of his own life and times are here so pleasingly and minutely recorded, that little is wanted to complete his history. Brillat-Savarin, (Antheleme) Counsellor of the Court of Cassation, member of the Legion of Honour, of the society for encouraging national industry, of the society of antiqueries of France, the emulation society of Bourg, &c., &c., was born the 1st of April, 1755, in Belley, a small tower situated at the foot of the Alps, near the banks of the Rhone, which, in this place, separate France from Savoy. Following the examples of his ancestor, who, for centuries, were devoted to the profession of the bar and the bench, he distinguished himself as a lawyer, when in 1789, he was unanimously elected by his fellow townsmen, member of the constituent assembly, which was composed of the most distinguished and enlightened men that France at that time possessed. Being a practical philosopher, a disciple rather of Epicurus than Zeno, he was never known to connect himself with the memorable events of that time: he was not however, inactive, always associating himself with the most sensible and moderate party. At the close of his legislative career, he was appointed president of the civil tribunal for the department of Ain, and afterwards raised to the Court of Cassation then lately instituted. An upright magistrate, an impartial and firm administrator of the laws, and, above all, being of a mild, conciliating and amiable disposition, he was well calculated to calm the asperities of civil strife, if the rage of political parties had been guided by his example and adhered to his counsel always for prudence and moderation. When Mayor of Belley, towards the end of 1793, he courageously opposed anarchy, and saved, for a time, his native place from the frightful reign of terror; but borne down by the revolutionary torrent, he was compelled to fly, and take refuge in Switzerland from the fury of his persecutors. We may well picture to ourselves the state of society during those fatal days, when this man who never made an enemy for himself, was forced to leave his country to save a life always devoted to its service. It is now that the fine character of Brillat-Savarin appears in its true light exiled, a fugitive, without any pecuniary resources-for he had scarcely time to save his life-we see him always gay, consoling his companions in misfortune, holding up to them an example of courage in adversity, and lightening its weight by labour and the pursuit of bonest industry. However, the times becoming still more stormy, and his own situation more unpleasant, he sought in the new world, for that repose which Europe could not afford him; he embarked for the United States, and settled in New York, spent two years there, giving lessons in French, occupying the first places in the orchestre of one of the theatres-for he was a skilful musician-and, like other exiles, made what formerly served as an agreeable pastime, now contribute to his support. Brillat-Savarin always referred with pleasure to this period of his life, during which he was in full enjoyment of everything that can constitute happiness, peace, liberty, and ease, acquired by toil; and like the philosopher he could say, "I carry all about me." The love of country alone could induce him to give up such an agreeable existence. Happier days seemed about to dawn on France, he hastened to return, and arrived at Havre in the beginning of September, 1796. During the reign of the Directory, Brillat-Savarin was successively employed as secretary at the general head quarters of the republican army in Germany; afterwards as government commissioner to the tribunal of the department of Seine-et-Oise, at Versailles : he occupied this post on the 18th Brumaire; a memorable day when France thought to purchase her repose at the expense of her liberty. Called by the unanimous decree of the Senate to preside at the court of Cassation, Brillat-Savarin held this distinguished position for the last twenty-five years of his life, enjoying the respect of his inferiors, the friendship of his equals, and the love of all who had the happiness of his acquaintance. A man of profound wit, an amiable guest, always gay and cheerful, he was the delight of all who had the happiness of meeting him; willingly yielding to the pleasures of society, which he never resigned, but for the still purer enjoyment of private friendship. Whatever leisure moments he had after |