At this time "a change came o'er the spirit of my dream." I did not wake, but I seemed to lose sight of my pilgrims for a time: how long, I cannot tell; but when I afterwards saw them again, they were walking by the sea-shore, and I thought they looked older than they did when I saw them last with the shepherds in the Delectable Mountains. Moreover, another couple were added to their number, and before I had done pondering in my mind who these new friends might be, I heard Myra call out,— "Dear Phoebe, come and look at this pretty seaweed." So I soon found that they were not new but old friends, for in them I recognised Marcus and Phoebe; now a married pair, and joining their former favourites and companions in their pilgrimage. It was a wide sandy shore, extending as far as the eye could see the ocean on one side, and cliffs, which in some places were very high, on the other. Many deep caves were hollowed out within these cliffs at various distances, and, on raising my eyes to the top, I was rather startled at beholding these words, in letters of flame," The Caverns of Death." There were several fishermen's huts along the coast, and with the owner of one of them Paul was holding a conversation.

"From what you tell me of these caverns," said "I suppose we must all enter them, at one time or another?"

he,

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Yes, all," replied the man.

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I never heard but of two who have not done so, when they left this Land of Imperfection, since the world began. Death has the dominion over all these caves, which communicate with each other, so as to form one vast cavern with divisions, and to which there are many entrances. He has been called the King of Terrors,'" continued the fisherman, but I think that is a nickname given him by his enemies, rather than his true one; for I have known many a good pilgrim by whom he was considered the King of Consolation and Hope: for in his territories the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at

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"And may any one enter the caverns whenever he chooses?" inquired Paul.

Fisherman. There are not many who choose it, for they are oftener avoided than sought; but when Death summons a man he must obey, whether he like it or not; for no sooner is he touched by his icy wand than he is drawn, as by magnetic power, to * Enoch and Elijah.

CEPHAS, THE FISHERMAN.

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his dark domain, To enter them unbidden is not allowable, though not a few have rashly done so, and by such irretrievable act committed the only crime which leaves them no time for repentance; they seem to forget that, when once in, they can never more come out, however they may, when too late, lament their precipitate folly in fleeing from the transient evils of their present state, to risk unknown and eternal ones in their future state of being.

Now I saw that they came to the abode of their new companion, the narrator, which was more of a cottage than a hut, being larger and better than any other on the beach; as was its master superior in mind and manner to the neighbouring fishermen, and a man of true but unobtrusive piety.

There being no inns in this part of the country, the fishermen, or their wives, usually supplied travellers with such things as they could afford for a fair remuneration. As the weather was fine and warm, Cephas, for that was his name, brought some seats and a small table out from his house for the pilgrims to rest and refresh themselves out of doors, and he set before them some excellent fish that he had caught that morning.

During the meal their conversation was renewed, and I observed that the only thing which seemed to cast a gloom over the otherwise happy party was the idea of the separation that must ensue when either of them should be called away to the caverns of Death.

'I should not mind," said Grace, "if we could but enter it together, as we have hitherto done other places on our journey; but if you, dear Paul, or my brother Luke, were summoned thither, and I left behind, how wretched and desolate should I feel!"

"Those separations are, indeed, heavy trials," said Cephas, "as I have myself experienced; for some that were near and dear to me are now hid from my eyes in that awful cavern: but the Lord gave, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.' Sometimes they linger near the entrance for a time, and at others they appear to vanish from the sight in a moment. I have also seen persons in the flower of youth hurried away, and their friends and kindred have exclaimed, How untimely was their departure!' but I have lived to see the same mourners afterwards thank their Creator that they had been mercifully taken from the wrath to come."

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DREAD OF SEPARATION.

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Now I saw in my dream that they still wandered on this sea-coast. The secret dread that had long weighed on the mind of Grace, of surviving her beloved companions, was spared her, for she was the first whom Death, with a gentle touch of his wand, compelled to follow him into the cave.

The deep sorrow of those she left may be more easily conceived by these to whom I tell my dream than described by me, especially that of her faithfully attached spouse, and of her fond brother Luke.

In like manner must I, briefly as I can, relate how, one by one, I missed three others of this loving party! The next taken was Marcus; and oh, how changed was the once lively Phoebe after his loss! Her friend Myra did all that her affectionate heart suggested to console her, till her own turn came, and she was bidden to follow her dear Grace into Death's dominions. Then was poor Phoebe bereft indeed; but when she beheld the grief of the widowed Luke she strove to subdue her own: the effort was, however, unavailing,—that innocent and once merry heart could no longer respond to the note of joy, and she knew no gladness till she felt the friendly stroke of Death, which soon called her to join her loved and lost associates. And now was the number