Cakes And Ale

t has ever been with me a point of reputation to attend to the minutest details of historical costume, I am desirous of learning the reign in which Saint George fought the dragon, in order that ? you perceive, sir ? fidelity in these matters " - " Let's look at the rags," interrupted the master of the forthcoming pageant ; " and, ha ! ha ! never mind the reign ! " We narrate this little anecdote, in the hope that it may serve at once as preface and apology to the legend we are about to recount ? a legend to which we are totally unable to ascribe a date, and for which questionable advantage we earnestly trust the reader cares no more than the master of the revels above cited, in the more important case of our national saint. The trials of Tobias, albeit unsung, unsaid, may be no less true than the victories of Saint George, who still slays his dragon on sovereigns and crown-pieces, and thereby affords to the least imaginative of her Majesty's subjects a consolatory assurance, that he who possesses many records of his glory is, in proportion to the number possessed, charmed from the assaults of many ills; whilst the trials of Tobias, though probably of high moral value, may not so unequivocally manifest their sterling worth. Notwithstanding this conviction, we are induced to bring our hero on the page, confessing that the time of his life and acts is equally uncertain as the date of the knight of fairyland, and hoping to meet with readers to whom it is e...