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solicitation what was by no means agreeable to himself. Indeed, in one instance he is said to have yielded a baronetcy for a jeu d'esprit. The late Dr. Elliot had never been a favorite; and when Lord George Germain requested his Majesty to confer the title on that physician, the King manifested much unwillingness, saying, at length," But, if I do, he shall not be my physician." "No, sir," replied his lordship, he shall be your majesty's baronet, and my physician!" This excited the royal smile, and the bloody hand was added to the doctor's arms.

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On another occasion, passing through a rally followed in a landau, or other open town near Windsor, a rabble were collected carriage. But in these excursions he was interrupting the devotions of some itinerant unable to manage his own horse; in conseMethodists, when the King, inquiring the quence of which two of his attendants were cause of the riot, was told that it was only close by him, one of whom carried a little some affair between the townspeople and stick, with a hook at one end, holding on these enthusiasts: but he immediately re-that part of the bridle next to the curb, so plied: "The Methodists are a very quiet that if the horse should start or stumble, kind of people, and will disturb nobody instant assistance might be given. and if I learn that any persons in my employ Towards the close of 1810, the heavy and disturb them, they shall instantly be dis-heart-rending affliction, which for so many missed." years separated a venerated sovereign from This soon spread through the place, and his people, was first observed to take place, The King was always mindful of his pro- tranquillity was almost instantly restored. hastened, if not actually brought on, by domises and this year he conferred the bi- Zoffany was once engaged as a portrait mestic sorrow for the loss of his beloved shopric of Winchester on Lord North's bro-painter, of whom the following anecdote has daughter, Amelia, on the second of Novemther, then Bishop of Worcester, in compli- been related. ber, the last act of whose filial tenderness ance with an engagement pledged to Lord When he commenced his first picture of evinced that it was not in the power of sickNorth a few years before, obtained under the royal family, there were ten children. ness, severely as it operated on her, to lessen circumstances which display a little of the He made his sketch accordingly, and attend- the amiable temper of her mind; for, languid general system of court intrigue. Lord ing two or three times, went on with finish- as she was at some periods, and tortured by North had been particularly anxious to pro-ing the figures. Various circumstances pre-pain at others, a desire of testifying her afvented him from proceeding. His Majesty fection for the best of fathers was one of the was engaged in business of more conse-strongest feelings of her heart. quence; Her Majesty was engaged; some of the princes were unwell. The completion of the picture was consequently delayed, when a messenger came to inform the artist that another prince was born, and must be introduced into the picture. This was not easy, but it was done with some difficulty. All this took up much time, when a second messenger arrived to announce the birth of a princess, and to acquaint him that the illustrious stranger must have a place on the canvass. This was impossible without a new arrangement: one-half of the figures were therefore obliterated, in order that the grouping might be closer to make room. To do this was the business of some months; and before it was finished, a letter came from one of the maids of honor, informing the painter that there was another addition to the family, for whom a place must be found. "This," cried the artist, "is too much: if they cannot sit with more regularity, I cannot paint with more expedition, and must give it up."

cure the see of Winchester for his brother, and took a singular method of obtaining it, by asking for him the archiepiscopal mitre of York, on the demise of Dr. Drummond. He well knew that the King intended to confer this dignity upon the Bishop of Chester, Dr. Markham, as a reward for the particular care which he had taken of the Prince of Wales's education; he asked it, therefore, expecting a refusal, but still appeared to use the privelege of a prime minister in urging his claim. His Majesty, as he was well aware, continued resolute; and the premier, as if on a forlorn hope, said, "I hope then your majesty will have no objection to translate him to Winchester, when that see may become vacant." To this the King assented; and the death of Dr. Thomas shortly after completed the arrangement.

Besides attending divine worship, he made it a rule to read Barrow's Sermons every Sunday evening; having previously marked off with a pencil the divisions which he intended to read, so that the entire collection, with a little variation, lasted all the year round.

He was always a friend to religious liberty. The King's joiner was a Methodist preacher and his body coachman was a rank Methodist. The person last alluded to was old Daddy Saunders. It was known to the King that his coachman was a Methodist, but that never caused him to get one unkind word; and His Majesty, when the old man had retired, if he met him, never failed to stop his carriage to say, "Saunders, how do you

do?"

Lord Mansfield, on making a report to the King of the conviction of Mr. Malowny. a Catholic priest, who was found guilty, in the county of Surrey, of celebrating mass, was induced, by a sense of reason and humanity, to represent to His Majesty the excessive severity of the penalty which the law imposed for the offence. The King, in a tone of the most heartfelt benignity, inmediately answered," God forbid, my lord, that religious differerce in opinion should sanction persecution, or admit of one man within my realms suffering unjustly issue a pardon immediately for Mr. Malowny, and see that he is set at liberty."

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We now take a few

passages from the closing scenes of his Majesty's life at Windsor-1810.

His personal appearance then was ruddy, and full; his voice sonorous; he conversed with cheerfulness, but with his usual rapidity, mingled with a little hesitation.

Though his hat was formed so as to shade his eyes, yet his actions sufficiently manifested his decayed, or decaying sight, as he always felt before him with his cane, especially in ascending or descending the steps; so that it was affecting to see him, though he himself always appeared cheerful when he spoke, and in other respects seemed as if nothing was the matter with him.

After breakfast, except on Sunday, His Majesty generally rode, out on horseback; and, considering his age and infirmity of vision, he still mounted his horse with almost his former agility.

In his ride he was always accompanied by two of the princesses also on horseback, whilst some of the ladies of the court gene

She wished to present that royal parent with a token of her filial duty and affection; and she had the satisfaction of placing on his finger a ring, made by her own directions for the express purpose, containing a small lock of her hair, inclosed under a chrystal tablet, set round with a few sparks of diamonds. The effect of that present on His Majesty's heart, after so many trials during the progress of her illness, the public had too soon cause to lament; for the circumstance of an amiable and beloved daughter, in the prime of life, passing rapidly on to her dissolution, in the midst of the most acute sufferings, naturally preyed on the mind and the parental feelings of the good old King. Indeed, it seemned that his whole soul became absorbed in the fate of his daughter: he dwelt on it with harassing and weakening grief and despair; till at length the powers of his understanding gave way, and he fell a prey to that mental disorder, under which he had suffered so much about twenty years before.

On some occasions he kept the physicians, when they made their reports, two or three hours in minute enquiries; indeed, so restless was his anxiety, that he was accustomed to receive a report every morning at seven o'clock, and afterwards every two hours of the day. At three o'clock regularly he went to her lodge to visit her, and the effect of these visits upon his heart was visible in his tears.

To describe the exact progress of the unhappy malady would now be as little interesting to public curiosity, as indecorous to public feeling; it is sufficient to state, that the violence of the relapse staggered the hopes even of the most sanguine of the medical attendants, though the state of bodily health suggested no fears for his life: indeed, his constitution must have been of the best stamina, to resist the copious bleedings, and violent opiates, which it became necessary to administer, independent of a second paralytic attack, which seized him in the month of July.

Prayers for recovery, which had been for some time discontinued, were now resumed

n all the churches and chapels throughout | been shaved. His beard was very long.* both aduitted in 1754; and Sir Ilay CampThe empire; indeed, very soon afterwards, His usual dress was a silk night-gown, in bell, and James Ferguson, of Pitfour, the all the symptoms became so alarming, that which, from his age and physical infirmities, present members of Parliament for Aberit was even thought necessary to prepare he reminded the spectator of the person and deenshire, both admitted 1757. Of the and arrange all the ceremonials used in the appearance of King Lear. Her Majesty society of writers to the signet, at the accesproclamation of a new sovereign; and the visited him once a-week; but the princesses sion, only one, Cornelius Elliot, of Woolfee, due notices were issued to the proper officers had not seen him for a considerable time. is in existence. Of the peers of England for that purpose. During the progress of the war, the news of and Ireland, at the commencement of this At this period of awful suspense, it was the day was read to him, but latterly his reign, five are alive, the Earl, now Marquis gratifying to understand, in the month of want of sight had been further aggravated of Drogheda, the Earl of Carlisle, Earl September, that the unhappy monarch was by total deafness. His small stock of intel- Fitzwilliam, Viscount Netterville, and Visnow become more tranquil and composed; lectual enjoyment had been thus greatly re-count Bulkely, all of whom were under age and that he experienced occasional intervals, duced, as he could no longer hear any news, at the accession, with the exception of the in which he could recognize those about him; nor amuse himself with the harpsichord, of Marquis of Drogheda, now in his ninetieth and was also susceptible of the consolations which he was very fond, and on which he year, and at the head of the generals of the of religion: notwithstanding which, how-played with taste. As might be naturally army. ever, it was soon officially announced that expected, the recovery of Hanover gave him The venerated monarch may thus be said all his medical attendants, except one, con- peculiar pleasure. After the battle of Al- to have been almost left alone in an empire, sidered his ultimate recovery as extremely buera, and before the lancers were intro- which had been so long under his paternal improbable, though they did not entirely duced into our army, he repeatedly recom-sway: yet even then, all hopes of mental despair of that happy event, hoping much mended them, and stated, that, in that im-recovery were not entirely lost; for although from the remaining vigour of his bodily provement, the British army would be com- a gentleman, who, by particular favour, saw health and constitution. plete. His Majesty's memory still conti-him in the month of November, describes nued unimpaired. him as sitting in a satin night-gown, lined with fur, his head reclined upon a table, evidently unconscious of every thing, still were there reports of flashes of intellect like recovery; but too soon followed with hints of a decline of constitution, and even some surmises of an approaching demise. It is a fact, however, that a few months ago, the organs of his constitution seemed quite unimpaired; and it was remarked, that few lives promised a surer duration for several years, notwithstanding His Majesty's advanced age; but about December a gradual loss of strength and flesh were perceptible; since which time the medical gentlemen attendant on him considered themselves bound to prepare the public mind, by alluding to the infirmity of his age in the monthly bulletin.

that event.

The year 1812 opened with very little hopes of the king's resumption of his royal In 1816, we are told, respecting his health functions; as the report, on the eighth of at that period, we may state that at times he January, acknowledged the positive continu- was tolerably composed. The number of ation of the mental disorder to its former ex-persons specially appointed to attend him by tent; and, though certainly not in a worse the doctors were reduced from six to two, state absolutely, yet that all the physicians and his principal pages admitted, and had in attendance then agreed in stating that they been for some time, to wait upon him, as considered a final and complete recovery when he enjoyed good health. His Majesty improbable, but under certain modifications dined at half past one o'clock, and he in of hope or despair as to the possibility of general ordered his dinner; he invariably had roast beef upon his table on Sundays. He dressed for dinner, wore his orders, &c. His Majesty, together with his attendants, occupied a suite of thirteen rooms, which are situated on the north side of Windsor Castle, under the state rooms. Five of the thirteen rooms were wholly devoted to the personal use of the King. Doctor John Willis slept in the room adjoining the royal apartments, to be in readiness to attend His Majesty At the period in question, also, the con- every morning, after breakfast, about halfsciousness of regal state gave a peculiarity to past ten o'clock, he waited on the Queen, to his complaint, which increased the medical report to her the state of the King's health; difficulties: yet, upon the whole, his percep- he afterwards proceeded to the princesses, tion was good, though accompanied by a and other branches of the royal family, who multitude of erroneous floating ideas. His happened to be at Windsor, and made a memory too was firm and tenacious: he de- similar report to them. In general, Her Matailed anecdotes accurately, but could not jesty returned with Dr. Willis down a priexercise judgment; his powers of conversa- vate staircase leading into the King's suite of tion were still strong, but frequently mani-rooms, and conversed with her royal husfested the deep effect which the suppres- band. The Queen was the only person adsion of royal authority had made upon his mitted to discourse with the King, except

Still must it be remembered, that at intervals his Majesty was capable of attending to general politics, and even of giving very just opinions on the probable success of the operations in Spain. Indeed, the physicians agreed that there was no fatuity in his Majesty's case, though his blindness was certainly unfavorable to recovery, because it was thence more difficult to manage him.

mind.

But the final scene is now over; briefly, then, we shall throw together a few of the observations which the interest of the case has excited in almost every breast, and drawn from almost every pen.

First, then, we may observe, that the present age has not done justice to the King's abilities. His conversation in public was sometimes light and superficial; but he often had a purpose in such dialogue, and as often entered into it to relieve himself from the weight of superior thoughts. The King taking exercise, and amusing himself with those about him, and the King in the cabinet, were two different men. In the discussion of public affairs, he was astonishingly fluent Of the peers of Scotland at His Majesty's and acute; and his habits of business enaaccession, only the Duke of Gordon, born bled him to refer with ease to the bearings of 1743, who inherited the title 1752, is alive. every subject. His successive ministers have The twenty judges of the courts of session each borne testimony to the dignity of his and exchequer in Scotland have been exactly manners, as well as the readiness of his adthree times renewed during this reign; the dress, when he put on the character of the appointments to the bench being sixty in sovereign. Nothing which was submitted to number, exclusive of two promotions of him was passed over with indiference or pulsne judges to the president's chair. Of haste. Every paper which came under his the members of the faculty of advocates at eye contained marks of his observation; and the accession, four are alive, viz. Robert the notes, which he almost invariably inCraig, of Riccartoun, and Robert-Berry, serted in the margin, were remarkable as *We have reason to believe that this is a mis-well for the strong sense as the pithiness of taken notion; though not shaven, the beard was their character. His moral and religious clipped close Ed. character was above all praise.

the medical gentlemen and His Majesty's In 1813, the fortunate results of the con-personal attendants. tinental warfare once more restored Hanover to the House of Bruswick; and in 1814 it was erected into a kingdom, in order to preserve the balance of diplomacy with the other German States at the General Diet; and soon after the imperial and royal visit to this country took place, an occurrence which would have afforded to the secluded monarch the highest satisfaction, had he been permitted by Providence to enjoy it.

It was said indeed at the time that he was aware of the circumstance, and wished much to see the two royal personages; but his situation would not admit of it, as it was upwards of two years since His Majesty had

some energetic and beautiful composi-
tion, in lieu of the prettinesses of his
prior verse.

The subject is taken from Professor
Suhm's Historie af Danmark.

vocation to Norway, we are thus introduced to the younger warrior.

Sons of the rock, in strife and tempest brave, Thine offspring roam'd, like seamews, o'er the wave;

Yet faithful Love, by the pure-glowing light Of thy bleak snows, with northern streamers bright,

And high-born Honour and chaste Truth abode.

Strong was thy race, and matchless in the
fight,

Bold in the battle's surge, and first in glory's
But none unrival'd as young Hedin strode,

road.

among a "matchless” race.

The poem proceeds to describe the scene of contest.

Gay laugh'd the sun on Danish Isseford,
And fast in Leyra's Port the fleet was moor'd:
And there were lists, as if for combat boon,
And in the midst twelve thrones; on every
throne

Hedin; or the Spectre of the Tomb. A Tale, from the Danish History. By the Honourable William Herbert, clerc. London, 1820. 8vo. pp. 45. The "honourable clerc," whose Spencerian stanzas we sit down to notice, "Hogni and Hedin were very celebrated inspired us with a very unfavourable in the reign of Frode the Third. Hedin, the opinion of his performance by the sin-son of Hiovard, a Norwegian prince, came gular affectation of his title-page; and vessels he preceded the rest of his fleet, with 150 ships to King Frode. With 12 we have been agreeably surprised to having placed a shield on his mast, as a tofind that, though strongly tainted with ken that his purpose was amicable and the same species of absurdity, the work friendly terms were speedily arranged. A displays unquestionable marks of ta- tributary king in Jutland, named Hogni, had Here we find "abode" without any. lent, and furnishes several passages of a daughter of exquisite beauty, called Hildur. a nature so truly poetic, as to excite She and Hedin, having been both preposses-relation to place or people, an insulated our wonder at their being produced sed in favour of each other by previous re-verb without a meaning; and here we by the same mind which descends to port, met privately, and became exceedingly find a comparison where there can be enamoured. Hedin and Hogni afterwards such puerilities. We never, indeed, sailed together on maritime expeditions, the rival'd" hero can have no equal even no comparative degree, since an “unperused a book so illustrative of charac- latter not being aware of Hedin's affection ter. All the early parts are disfigured for his daughter. Hogni was a person of with a sort of literary dandyism, which majestic carriage, and very imperious dispois exceedingly annoying one feels in-sition; Hedin of inferior stature, but remarkclined, notwithstanding the smoothness ably well made. Hogni offered his daughter of the verse, to toss the thing into the selves by joint oaths to revenge the death of in marriage to Hedin, and they pledged themfire; but as it is short, read on, and fi- each other; after which they sailed against nally discover, that as the author warms the Orkneys, which they subdued. After and becomes in earnest with his sub- their return home, Hogni received informaject, his native genius surmounts his ar- tion that Hedin had seduced his daughter tificial foppery, and he pours forth before her marriage to him, which was look-And many a lordly knight from Denmark's court ed upon as an heinous offence; and giving * Some injudicious friend of this author had credit to the report, he attacked Hedin, who very recently the temerity to call the attention was at sea under the king's orders, but haof the public to him by a superlative panegyric in the newspapers in which "Scott, Byron, Ilerving an inferior force, took refuge in Jutland. bert, and Moore," were classed as the four great When Frode heard this, he summoned them, bards of the age. Not only were Campbell, and tried to bring about a reconciliation: Southey, Crabbe, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Gif- but Hogni was inflexible, and demanded the ford, Rogers, Montgomery, Croly, Croker, restitution of his daughter; whereupon the Cornwall, Millman, Wilson, and many others, king gave orders for a duel, in which Hedin set aside as unworthy of comparison, but it ap- received a severe wound; but Hogui took peared in the sequel that Herbert was infinitely compassion on his youth and beauty, and supérior even to the three who had the honour spared him. But sometime after they met to be mentioned along with him. Nothing can again on Hithin's island, near Rogaland, in be more injurious to a writer than such pre- Norway, and slew each other. It was ruposterous attempts at bolstering up a name cer- moured in those superstitious times (A. D. tainly not yet so celebrated whatever it may be hereafter. We quote the conclusion as an in-360), that Hildur so deeply regretted them, that by means of incantations she waked up the dead, who thereupon renewed their confliet: and that they would continue to do so every night till the end of the world. This story was the original cause of battle being called by the old Scalds the sport of Hilda."

stance of the puff superb.

A scepter'd prince, in gorgeous garb array'd.
They waited on the voice of Dan's great son;
His sovereign word twice fifty kings obey'd,

outrade.

In this stanza the antiquated expressions “boon" and " outrade" are hardly tolerable in modern poetry, which is bound to employ the improved language of the age to which it belongs, and not revive what is obsolete, merely, as it seems, for its quaintness. The position of the twelve thrones, too, in the midst of the lists, is an oversight, as no spot could be, of necessity, more clear of incumbrance than this site : and "word," here implying order or command, does not convey that meaning, and cannot be said to be "obeyed.”

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"Herbert's poetry is more equal than either The warriors are painted; the lovely Scott's or Byron's, and it would be more difficult to point out defects of taste in it. He has, perHilda the spectator of the strife, the haps, more variety of character than Byron; king endeavouring in vain to procure a but does not dive so deep into the recesses of reconciliation, forbidden by the chivalthe human mind; though the last Canto of From this story Mr. Herbert has, in rous feeling of that era the whole is Helda shews strong powers of terrible pathos; nor has he that striking talent of representing do some degree, departed, and, for the animated and flowing; but we object to mestic manners, which is almost peculiar toScott. sake of greater unity of action, caused such phrases as "kindred strife," for He ranges more in the fields of the imagina- the heroes to fall in the first combat. the strife of kindred, and to " bewray" tion than Scott, but does not cling to the deep The name of Hogni, as unmusical to and “ bewraying," for betray and bepassions, like Byron. In the description of scenery, he is fully equal to the Scotch Poct. It might British ears, he has changed to Harald; traying. Our grammar will not aube difficult to say, which of the three displays the and in other respects availed himself thorise the former, and the latter is greatest beauties. There are passages in the very effectively of ancient Scandinavian precisely in point to prove, that if the works of Scott and Byron, and in Herbert's Helmanners and superstitions, to enrich his author had been content to employ good ga, which may be placed in competition with any poetry that was ever written. The union of po- picture with appropriate accessories. words in common use, instead of afetical force with correcter judgment, renders it It is our disagreeable task now to ani- fecting less certain and older phraseoprobable that Herbert might be eminently suc-madvert upon the blemishes of which logy, he would have been more intellicessful in heroic poetry. His enumeration of we have complained: we shall, in con-gible, and less liable to blunder*. Beheathen deities, though by no means the finest passage in Helga, will not lose a jot by compa-clusion, perform the pleasant duty of We are aware that he may defend himself pointing out excellences. After an in- on the authority of Dryden; but that authority

rison with that of Milton." !!!

wray means to discover, expose, and is derived from a Saxon verb bearing that sense betray, on the contrary, far from being synonymous, is derived from the French trahir, and is used by Milton and Addison to signify show. In the Bible, and in Shakspeare, the distinct and separate sense of these words is always preserved, and to confound them is a recent corruption of the English tongue.* Hilda ineffectually prays to be sacrificed instead of seeing her father and lover engaged in mortal combat.

"If kindred feuds require a forfeit life, "Let Hilda fall, sole cause of civil strife! "And thou, dread sire, if ever free from stain "I sooth'd thee, sang to thee in grief or pain, "Winning with virgin skill the sprite of woe, "Let thy proud daughter still small grace regain !

"Grant her with joy to meet the murderous blow,

"And o'er her cold check hear a parent's blessing flow."

The "still regain" is objectionable, and "hear a blessing flow," is rather confusedly metaphorical: but the next stanza is even more liable to censure, the first line for want of euphony, and all the rest for want of meaning.

She ceased; stillness ensued, as when the deep Foretells a storm, and yet the whirlwinds sleep.

Like the sad beam of reason faintly spread
Round the lorn maniac on his dying bed;
Like the last radiance of the setting sun,
Ere night's wild tempest wraps the sky in
dread;

A gleam, that show'd like hope, though hope

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Or weep unseen upon the dreary stone,
And in her sorrow there was nothing meek;
Gloomy her eye, and lowering seem'd to speak
A soul by deep and struggling cares distraught;
And the bright hectic flush upon her cheek
Told the mind's fever, and the darkling thought

Of her lost Hedin gnawed with secret fire. There is, we think, exquisite force and beauty in the following anticipation of Hilda's horror, when, awaking from her swoon, she shall find her dearest With haughty high designs and stedfast passion ties on earth "dead, gory, stiff."

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Nor is her restoration to sense ma naged with very inferior skill.

She did not rend with one wild shriek the air,
Nor gave her soul to frantic vain despair;
Nor did her bosom heave one piteous sigh.
Say, was she faithless to love's hallow'd tie?
Was her heart pangless? or her feelings light?
Could woman's cheek in such an hour be dry?
Or the keen anguish of that deadly sight
Pass like a summer dream, and yield to new
delight?

O never yet was sire more fondly loved!
Nor ever heaven's all-judging eye approved
A pair more closely link'd by nuptial band,
Than he, whose cold grasp holds his comrade's

hand

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The lowness of "wink'd" is perhaps, sufficiently exalted by the knowledge that to meet death without winking was reckoned the noblest proof of northern courage. The first line of the last stanza bears a resemblance to that sweet couplet

O'er their warm checks and rising bosoms more The bloom of young desire, and purple light of

love.

It is however very fine. Iilda's visit to the grave, and her incantation, are truly poetical, and worthy of the fearful interest of the subject..

To the still grave she bent her fearless way,

fraught.

Strange signs upon the tomb her hands did trace;

Then to strong spells she did herself address, And in slow measure breathed that fatal strain,

Whose awful harmony can wake the slain, Rive the cold grave, and work the charmer's will.

Thrice, as she call'd on Hedin, rang the plain; Thrice echo'd the dread name from hill to hill;

Thrice the dark wold sent back the sound, and all was still.

Then shook the ground as by an earthquake rent,

And the deep bowels of the tomb upsent
A voice, a shriek, a terror; sounds that seem'd
Like those wild fancies by a sinner dream'd;
A clang of deadly weapons, and a shout;
With living strength the heaving granite
teem'd,

Inward convulsion, and a fearful rout, As if fiends fought with fiends, and hell was bursting out.

And then strange mirth broke frantic on her

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There have been those, who, longing for the dead,

Have gazed on vacancy till reason fled;
And some dark vision of the wandering mind -
Had ta'en the airy shape of human kind,
Giving strange voice to echoes of the night,
And warning sounds by heaven's high will de-
sign'd;

But this was bodily which met her sight,
And palpable as once in days of young delight.
High throbb'd her heart; the pulse of youth

swell'd high;

Love's ardent lightning kindled in her eye; And she has sprung into the arms of death, Clasp'd his cold limbs, in kisses drunk his

The italic letters will indicate what we dislike in the foregoing, for reasons it would be prolix to state.

We shall be as brief as possible in bringing all the important facts toge

ther.

There is no land properly called Hannover, and this is the only monarchy in Europe whose title is borrowed from the chief city of its territories. This title was first used when Ernest Augustus, the father of George I. obtained the dignity of an elector of the Empire, and it is now applied both to the newly acquired and to the long possessed German dominions of his majesty. The history of this part of Germany prior to the above period, mentions the Dukes of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, or Lüneburg, or the prince of Kalenberg, or the Archbishop of Bremen, but the name Hannover was then used only to designate an almost independent city, which often refused obedience to its nominal sovereigns, and never obeyed them but on stipulated conditions.

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Hannover, (properly so spelt) consists of eleven provinces, viz. Ist. the Archbishoprick of Bremen, dukedom of Verden, and Land Hadeln; 2d. Dukedom of Lüneburg; Principality of Kalenburg and county of 3d. Counties of Hoya and Diepholz; 4th. Spiegelburg: 5th. Bishoprick of Hildesheim; County of Lingen; 9th. Circle of Meppen and hagen; 7th. Bishoprick of Osnabruck; 8th. 6th. Principalities of Göttingen and GrubenEmbsbruhen; 10th. County of Bentheim and 11th. Principality of East Friesland. There are 11,045 square geographical miles of territory; and the population amounts to between 1,300,000 and one million and a half of souls. Seventy-three cities and above 5300 market towns are scattered over the kingdom; the annual births are from 43,000 to 45,000; and, owing to the influx of emigration, they have recently exceeded the deaths by nearly one-fourth. "The eastern is the boundary Elbe, with the exception of a small portion of territory which lies on the eastern side of that river; West Frieztherlands, bounds it on the west: that porland, belonging to the king of the Netion of Westphalia which belongs to Prussia, and the principality of Lippe-Detmold, lie on the south-west; Hesse Cassel on the south; Brunswick and Magdeburg, belonging to Prussia, on the south-east side." In

breath;

In one wild trance of rapturous passion blest, And reckless of the hell that yawn'd beneath. On his dire corslet beats her heaving breast, And by her burning mouth his icy lips are press'd.

Stop, fearless beauty! hope not that the grave Will yield its wealth, which frantic passion gave!

Though spells accursed may rend the solid earth,

Hell's phantoms never wake for joy or mirth! Hope not that love with death's cold hand can wed,

Or draw night's spirits 'to a second birth!

Mark the dire vision of the mound with dread, Gaze on thy horrid work, and tremble for the

dead!

All arm'd, behold her vengeful father rise,
And loud, "forbear, dishonour'd bride!" he
With starting sinews from her grasp has

cries.

sprung

The cold wan form, round which her arms
were slung;

Again in panoply of warlike steel
They wake those echoes, to which Leyra rung;
Fierce and more fierce each blow they seem

to deal,

And smite with ruthless blade the limbs that no-
thing feel.

Darkling she stands beside the silent grave,
And sees them wield the visionary glaive.
What charm has life for her, that can compare
With the deep thrill of that renew'd despair?
To raise the fatal ban, and gaze unseen,
As once in hope on all her fondest care!
In death's own field life's trembling joys to
glean,

And draw love's keen delight from that abhorred
scene!

genius, but of affectation. Let Mr. | gant in style as often to employ a fo-
Herbert leave off clerc-ing it, and all reign idiom t; and though guilty of
such weaknesses; give the rein in a mixing up more of home comparisons
manly way to his powerful imagina- than is necessary in foreign travel, it
tion; and we will be bound for him he has occurred to us that we might ex-
will produce works more deserving of tract an account of the kingdom of
the eulogy of his newspaper panegy- Hannover from Mr. Hodgskin's recent
rist than either Helga or Hedin.
publication, more satisfactory than any
that we are aware of in the possession
of the British public, deeply interested as
it is in the circumstances of that portion
of the mighty Empire now united under
the sceptre of George the Fourth.

HISTORICAL VIEW OF HANNOVER.

[Abridged from Hodgskin's Travels.] Though deformed with opinions which we cannot but consider as reprehensible both in politics and morals; though frequently led astray by the silly metaphysics of a school, which under the pretence of superior knowledge, tends to plunge mankind into vices and crimes worse than those of savage ignorance; though so inele

For example, in censuring the punishment fends, but which no one of common sense unof child-murder by torture, which no one deperverted by the lights of a false philosophy would condemn for these reasons, he thus, as it seems to us, becomes the apologist for the crime. At present it is no longer doubted, that society is rather injured than benefitted by a number of children being thrown upon it. So far, therefore, as the increase of the society is concerned, it is not injured by infanticide. Though an infant be born alive, a few moments of misery can give it no connection with the world; it can have no knowledge of enjoyment: and if its being be extinguished before it have well existed it may be doubted if it suffer any injury. How common is the exclamation, that the poor child was well rid of a troublesome world. Neither The paths of bliss are joyous, and the breast the child, therefore, nor the society, can be said Of thoughtless youth is easy to be blest. There is a charm in the loved maiden's sign:child is in fact a part of the mother, and might to suffer by the crime of the mother. But the There is sweet pleasure in the calm blue sky, be as great a source of enjoyment to her as the When nature smiles around: the mild control faculty of vision. To deprive herself of a moOf buoyant fancy bids the pulse throb high; But when strong passion has engross'd the with doing herself a serious injury. The state ther's love, and her child of life, is synonymous All other joysare dead; that passion is its whole. ciety must be reduced before she can bring her. of misery to which a woman in European soThe beaming sun may wake the dewy spring, self to do so foul a deed, gives her a claim to The flowers may smile, and the blithe green- our pity; and it is most cruel to add to her wood ring; misery, by torturing her to confess what she had done herself so much injury to conceal. Infanticide is a terrible crime, inasmuch as it is a terrible injury to the unhappy mother who commits it; but while it is. concealed, it can do the society no injury whatever.

soul,

Soft music's touch may pour love's sweetest
lay,

And young hearts kindle in their hour of
May:

But not for Hilda shall life's visions glow;
One dark, deep thought must on her bosom
prey.

Her joys lie buried in the tomb below,
And from night's phantoms pale her deadly

bliss must flow.

There still each eve, as northern stories tell,

Being, unknown, it could have no effect as an example; and the more perfectly it was concealed, the more exclusively did the whole evil belonging to it fall on the unhappy mother. By lawgivers endeavouring to discover such a crime, and by making it known, they spread that By that lone mound her spirit wakes the spell; occasion, through a greater number of bosoms. horror which men so naturally feel on such an Whereat those warriors, charmed by the lay, Renew, as if in sport, the deadly fray: and they inform all those from whom it was Till, when as paler grows the gloom of night, most desirable such information should be for And faintly 'gins to peer the morning's ray, ever concealed, that it is possible to commit such The spectre pageant fadeth from the sight, a crime, and yet escape punishment. An idea And vanisheth each form before the eye of light. trouble the lawmakers took to discover and inthat they never could have formed, but for the This spirited and admirable conclu-flict punishment on the crime. In this case it is sion would redeem a thousand faults, the law itself, it is the meddling of legislators, far more enormous than those we have fall on the society from the conduct of the fe which in reality causes all the evil which may designated...faults, we repeat, not of male. And if the evil which any action causes

to the society be the measure of the guilt of that action, legislators are, in such cases as this, far more guilty than the unhappy mothers.

+ Ex. Gr. "In Hannover so well as in England," &c. &c. a hundred times repeated.

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