THE

YOUTHS' MAGAZINE;

OR,

EVANGELICAL MISCELLANY.

JUNE, 1847.

ROMAN WALL.

THE wall represented in our engraving is supposed to be that erected by the emperor Severus, early in the third century of the Christian era; and is consequently more than sixteen hundred years old. It ran in a south-westerly direction across the northern part of our island, from the neighbourhood of Newcastle, beyond Carlisle; and was intended as a barrier against the invasions of the fierce and warlike clans of Caledonia.

Agricola had raised a wall of earth, flanked by a deep ditch, and fortified with castles at unequal distances, with the same intent. These works had been repaired by Hadrian, who dug an additional and much larger ditch, and raised a higher rampart of earth, running in nearly parallel lines with the other. But it was left for Severus, when old and invalided, to erect the massy wall of stone represented in our plate. It was originally about eight feet thick and twelve high, to the base of the parapet, or battlement, on its northern face. To this wall were added, at unequal distances, a number of stations or towers, 81 castles, and 330 castelets or turrets. At the outside of the wall, to the north, was dug a ditch about 36 feet wide, and from 12 to 15 feet deep. These stupendous works ran nearly parallel to the other walls referred to, the greatest distance between them being less than a mile, the least, about twenty yards; and the mean, rather more than twice the latter distance.

M

THE NINE BEST FRUITS.

CHAP. VI. "A PATTERN FOLLOWED, BUT TOO LATE."

THOSE Who know something of the domestic scenes of military life, will require but few words to explain the coup d'œil which presented itself when, led by little Harry Forster, I reached the large room at the head of the stairs of the inn on the quay of Liverpool, in which our female party had established themselves.

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There were three windows, opening towards the water and the shipping. In one of these sat a soldier's wife, in a black bonnet, with the youngest Forster asleep on her knee a large baby with red stockings. The second window was piled up with all manner of packages and litter, which seemed to have been thrown from the centre table when the cloth had been laid, as it was, with covers for a very numerous party.

As to the human beings who flitted about this room, I for an instant, could make nothing of them-such an omnium gatherum there was of odd people, and so busy and loud they all were. There was Mrs. Forster herself, bartering in a loud voice with a man who had brought an assortment of leather caps for her boys, and there were the two centre pieces of her family, insisting on fitting their own heads, wrangling with another soldier's wife in another black bonnet: then there were two of our officers, well known to Mrs. Forster, and slightly to me, just returned from leave of absence, besides servants of the inn rushing in and out preparatory to the meal about to be served up; and it is hardly to be marvelled at if at first I neither saw nor was seen by Margaret, who had withdrawn into the third window, and was half hidden by a gentleman in black who stood with his back to The boy was not with her; she had laid him to sleep in her bed-room, the delicate little one having been pulled about by the Forsters till he had wept from weariness.

me.

Unkind as I often was, yet I never met my Margaret again after a separation of a few days, without feeling a fresh burst of that affection which she had inspired in our early married days, ere yet my vicious habits had intruded between her and myself, to the utter destruction of our peace; I hastened to her, therefore, with something of my former warmth, and was not a little surprized to find that the gentleman who was with her was her own

father, Dr. Ellis. He had heard of the movement of the regiment, from his daughter, and had hastened from his country parsonage in Staffordshire, to meet her before she embarked,

I could have no private conversation with Margaret or Dr. Ellis during the remainder of the evening, having much to look after when we had dined, and the young Forsters being such an hindrance to anything approaching to quiet or privacy, that had I desired it, which I did not, I must have given up the matter as hopeless—at least till the children had been sent to bed.

On their withdrawal, accompanied by their mother and the attendants, Dr. Ellis wished us good evening, and Margaret and myself were left together, my wife being determined to enter upon the execution of a scheme, which, I afterwards found, had filled her mind ever since I had attempted to induce our child to follow in the dangerous course pursued by his father.

Out of compliment to Dr. Ellis, I had not indulged as usual that day at the table, I was, therefore, more clear-minded than common, added to which, I had been separated from my wife for a few days and, as I said before, I always returned to her with renewed affection. My poor Margaret was perhaps, more awake to these particulars than I was myself, and seizing the favorable opportunity, she rested not till she obtained my consent to allow our child to return with her father to his quiet parsonage.

"You imagine, I perceive,” said I, “that Charles is more likely to be profited by the example of his grandfather than of his own father. I don't deny it, Margaret, but at the same time, I think it would be at least better taste in you to conceal such thoughts from those around you; every one must see what your feelings are on this subject, and I have no cause to thank you for sparing mine."

"But our boy is so delicate," urged my wife; "those young Forsters to day quite wearied him out with their rough and boisterous play."

"And whose fault is that?" I asked; "and if it is so, who so fitted as his mother to nurse him through the weaknesses of childhood."

"My mother will be to him a mother," sobbed my poor Margaret, "she will do all I could do, and more." Her tears interrupted her farther speech, and my conscience telling me why