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possessions of the Spaniards, they rejoice that the souls of their forefathers have repulsed those of their enemies, and call out aloud to them to give them no quarter. When the contrary happens, they are troubled and dejected, and encourage the yielding souls to rally their forces and summon up the last remains of their strength."VIDAURE, p. 122. Meiner.

"SOME of the pagan Arabs believed that of the blood near the dead person's brain was formed a bird named Hâmah, which once in a hundred years visited the sepulchre; though others say this bird is animated by the soul of him that is unjustly slain, and continually cries Oscâni, Oscûni, i. e. give me to drink, meaning of the murtherer's blood, till his death be revenged; and then it flies away."-SALE.

"Mohammed having hung up his arms on a tree, under which he was resting himself, and his companions being dispersed some distance from him, an Arab of the desart came up to him and drew his sword, saying, "Who hindreth me from killing thee?" to which Mohammed answered, "God!" and Gabriel beating the sword out of the Arab's hand, Mohammed took it up, and asked him the same question"Who hindreth me from killing thee?" the Arab replied, “Nobody!" and immediately professed Mohammedism."-SALE.

The Love Language of Colours. From AGUSTIN DE SALAZAR Y TORRES. O SOVEREIGN beauty, you whose charms All other charms surpass, Whose lustre nought can imitate

Except your looking glass.

A choir of nymphs, the planets they
Who live but by your light,
For well we know the sun bestows
The borrowed rays of night.
A choir of graces they, for sure
That title they obtain,

If they are graces who attend

In Cytherea's train.

These nymphs by various colours now
Their various feelings tell,
For Cupid, though the boy be blind,
Can judge of colours well.
For faith and constancy they blend
With white the azure blue,
To show the tyranny of power

Alone the straw's pale hue.

A constant and an ardent love
In fiery tints is seen,

And hope, that makes affection sweet
Displays itself in green.

The mingled red and white display
A love triumphant there;
The copper's cankerous verdure speaks
Love, envy, and despair.

A faithful and devoted heart,

The girdle's circling white, And thus a simple ribband speaks A woman's heart aright. The hue of burnish'd gold, so bright,

That emulates the flame,

The gay and gorgeous emblem shines
Of power and love and fame.
O sovereign beauty, you whose charms
To all superior shine!
Whatever colour pleases you,
That colour shall be mine.
May, 16, 1798.

[Ancient London Pastimes.]

"THE youths of this city also have used, on holidays, after evening prayer, at their masters' doors, to exercise their wasters1 and bucklers, and the maidens, one of them playing on a timbrel, in sight of their masters and dames, to dance for garlands hanged athwart the streets. Which open pastimes in my youth being now suppressed, worser practises within doors are to be feared."-STOW.

1i. e. cudgels. See NARES' Glossary in v. who quotes this very passage from STOW's London. J. W. W.

The Ten Tribes.

"IN that same regioun ben the mountaynes of Caspye that men clepen Uber in the contree. Betwene tho mountaynes the Jews of ten lynages ben enclosed, that men clepen Gothe and Magothe, and their mowe not gon out on no side. There weren enclosed 22 kynges with hire peple, that duelleden betwene the mountaynes of Sythye. There Kyng Alisandre chacede hem betwene tho mountaynes, and there he thoughte for to enclose hem thorghe werk of his men.

But whan he saughe, that he myghte not don it, ne bryng it to an ende, he preyed to God of Nature, that he wolde parforme that that he had begonne. And alle were it so, that he was a Payneme and not worthi to ben herd, zit God of his grace closed the mountaynes togydre; so that thei dwellen there, alle faste ylokked and enclosed with highe mountaynes alle aboute, saf only on o syde; and on that syde is the see of Caspye. Now may sum men asken, sithe that the see is on that o syde wherfore go thei not out on the see syde, for to go where that hem lykethe? But to this questioun Ischal answer, that see of Caspye gothe out be londe, undre the mountaynes and renneth be the desert at o syde of the contree; and aftre it strecchethe unto the endes of Persie. And all thoughe it be clept a see, it is no see, ne it touchethe to non other see, but it is a lake, the grettest of the world. And thoughe thei wolden putten him into that see, thei ne wysten never, where that thei scholde arryven, and also they conen no langage, but only hire owne, that no man knowethe but thei, and therefore mowe thei not gon out. And also zee schulle undirstonde, that the Jewes han no propre lond of hire owne for to dwellen in, in alle the world, but only that lond betwene the mountaynes. And zit thei zelden tribute for that lond to the Queen of Amazoine, the whiche makethe hem to ben kept in cloos fulle diligently, that thei schalle not gon out on no syde, but the cost of hire lond, for hire lond

marchethe to tho mountaynes, and often it hathe befallen, that sume of the Jewes han gon up the mountaynes, and avaled' down to the valeyes; but gret nombre of folk ne may not do so, for the mountaynes ben so hye and so streght up, that thei moste abyde there, maugre hire myghte, for thei mowe not gon out, but be a littille issue, that was made be strengthe of men, and it lastethe wel a 4 grete myle; and aftre is there zit a lond alle desert, where men may fynde no watre, ne for dyggynge, ne for non other thing, wherfore men may not dwellen in that place: so is it fulle of dragounes, of serpentes and of other venymous bestes, that no man dar not passe, but zif it be strong wyntre. And that streyt passage, men clepen in that contree Clyron; and that is the passage that the Queene of Amazoine makethe to ben kept; and thoghe it happene, sum of hem, be fortune to gon out, thei conen no manner of langage but Ebrow, so that thei can not speke to the peple. And zit natheles, men seyn, thei schulle gon out in the tyme of Antecrist, and that thei schulle maken gret slaughtre of Cristene men, and therfore alle the Jewes, that dwellen in alle londes, lernen alle weys to speken Ebrew, in hope that whan the other Jewes schulle gon cut, that thei may undirstonden hire speche, and to leden hem into Cristendom, for to destroye the Cristene peple. For the Jewes seyn that thei knowen wel, be hire prophecyes, that thei of Caspye schulle gon out and spreden thorghe out alle the world, and that the Cristene men schulle ben undre hire subjeccioun als longe as thei han ben in subjeccioun of hem. And zif that zee wil wyte how that thei schulle fynden hire weye, after that I have herd seye, I schalle telle you zou. In the time of Antecrist, a fox schalle make there his trayne, and mynen an

1i. e. descended. See MENAGE in v. Avaller. It is an old Anglo-Norman word made up from the Latin. Spenser and Chaucer both use it. "Such a rain from heaven 'gan availe." Troil, and Cress. Book iii.-J. W. W.

hole, where Kyng Alisandre leet make the zates;1 and so longe he schalle mynen and perce the erthe til that he schalle passe thorghe, towardes that folke; and whan thei seen the fox, thei schulle have gret marveylle of him, because that thei saughe never suche a best; for of alle othere bestes thei han enclosed amonges them, saf only the fox, and thanne thei schullen chasen him and pursuen him so streyte, tille that he come to the same place that he came fro, and thanne thei schullen dyggen and mynen so strongly, tille that thei fynden the zates that Kyng Alisandre leet make of grete stones and passynge huge, wel symented and made stronge for the maystric, and tho zates thei schulle breken, and so gon out, be fyndynge of that issue."-MAUNDEVILLE.

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playn that highte Megon, anon this cursed Emperor mett with hem with his hoost, for to have slain hem and hewen hem to peces. And anon the Cristene men kneleden to the grounde and made hire preyeres to God to sokoure hem, and anon a gret thikke clowde cam and covered the Emperor and alle his hoost, and so thei enduren in that manere, that thei ne mowe not gon out on no syde; and so schulle thei ever more abyden in darknesse tille the day of dome, be the myracle of God. Also zee schulle understonde that out of that lond of derknesse, gothe out a gret ryvere, that schewethe wel, that there ben folk dwellynge be many redy tokenes, but no man dar not entre in to it." -Ibid.

Province of Darkness.

"In the kyngdom of Abcaz is a gret marvaylle; for a provynce of the contree, that hathe wel in circuyt 3 jorneyes, that men clepen Hanyson, is alle covered with derknesse, withouten ony brightnesse or light; so that no man may see ne here, ne no man dar entren in to hem. And natheles thei of the contree seyn, that som tyme men heren voys of folk, and hors nyzenge, and cokkes crowynge, and men witen wel, that men dwellen there; but thei knowe not what men, and thei seyn that the derknesse befelle be myracle of God; for a cursed Emperor of Persie that highte Saures, pursuede all Cristene men to destroye hem, and to compelle hem to make sacrifises to his ydoles; and rood with grete host, in alle that ever he myghte, for to confounde the Cristene men. And thanne in that contree, dwelleden manye gode Cristene men, the whiche laften hire godes, and wolde han fled in to Grece: and whan they weren in a

It is hardly necessary to say that this is the old form for gates. It is a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon 3 and y, as may be seen in the next extract, and is not said to be found except in MSS. written after the twelfth century.

J. W. W.

The Faery Falcon.

"In the contree of litille Ermonye is an old castelle, that stont upon a rocke, the which is cleped the castelle of the sparrehawk, that is bezonde the cytee of Layays, beside the town of Pharsipee, that belongethe to the lordschepe of Cruk, that is a riche lord and a gode Cristene man: where men fynden a spare-hauk upon a perche righte fair, and righte wel made, and a fayre lady of Fayrye that kepethe it, and who that wil wake that sparhauk 3 dayes and 3 nyghtes (or 7) withouten companye and withouten sleep, that faire lady schal zeven him whan he hathe don, the first wyssche that he wil wyssche of erthely thinges, and that hath been proved often tymes. And o tyme befelle that a Kynge of Ermonye, that was a worthi knyght, and doughty man, and a noble prince woke that hauk som tyme, and at the ende of 7 days and 7 nyghtes, the lady cam to hym, and bad him wisschen, for he had wel disserved it; and he answered, that he was gret lord ynow, and wel in peece, and hadde ynowghe of worldly ricchesse, and therfore he wolde wisshe non other thing but the body of that faire lady, to have it at his wille; and sche answered hym, that he knew not what he asked, and

seyne, the feld florisched; for als moche a a fayre mayden was blamed with wrong and sclaundered, that sche hadde don fornycacioun, for whiche cause sche was demed to the dethe, and to be brent in that place, to the whiche sche was ladd. And as the fyre began to brenne aboute hire, sche made hire preyeres to oure Lord, that als wissely as sche was not gylty of that synne, that he wold helpe hire, and make it to be knowen to alle men, of his mercyfulle grace; and whanne sche hadde thus seyd, sche entred into the fuyer, and anon was the fuyr quenched and oute; and the brondes that weren brennynge, becomen white roseres, fulle of roses; and theise weren the first roseres and roses, bothe white and rede, that ever ony man saughe. And thus was this maiden saved be the grace of God."— Ibid.

seyde that he was a fool to desire that he myghte not have; for sche seyde that he scholde not aske but erthely thing, for sche was non erthely thing, but a gostly thing; and the kyng seyde that he ne wolde asken non other thing. And the lady answerd, 'Sythe that I may not withdrawe zou fro zoure lewed corage, I schal zeve zou withouten wysschinge, and to alle hem that schulle com of zou. Sire kyng, zee schulle have werre, withouten pees, and alleweys to the 9th degree zee schulle ben in subjeccioun of zoure enemyes, and zee schulle ben nedy of alle godes.' And never sithen, nouther the Kyng of Ermonye, ne the contree weren never in pees, ne ther hadden never sithen plentee of godes; and thei han ben sithen alleweyes undre tribute of the Sarrazines. Also the sone of a pore man woke that hauke and wisshed that he myght cheve (chevir1) wel, and to ben happy to marchandise. And the lady graunted hym; and he became the most riche and the most famouse marchant that myghte ben on see or oner the; and he becam so "THE true story of this lady, which hapriche, that he knew not the 1000 part of pened in this century, is as frightfully rothat he hadde; and he was wysere in wiss-mantic as if it had been the fiction of a chynge than was the Kyng. Also a knyght She was the wife of one of of the temple wooke there, and wyssched a the lords of session in Scotland, a man of the purs everemore fulle of gold, and the lady very first blood of his country. For some graunted him. But sche seyde him, that he mysterious reasons, which have never been had asked the destruccioun of here ordre, discovered, she was seized and carried off in for the trust and the affiance of that purs, the dark, she knew not by whom, and by and for the grete pryde, that thei scholde nightly journeys was conveyed to the Highhaven; and so it was. And therfore loke, land shores, from whence she was transporthe kepe him wel, that schalle wake; for zifed by sea to the remote rock of St. Kilda, he slepe, he is lost, that nevere man schalle where she remained amongst its few wild inseen him more."—Ibid. from the History of habitants, a forlorn prisoner, but had a conMelusine, by John of Arras. stant supply of provisions, and a woman to wait on her. No inquiry was made after her, till she at last found means to convey a letter to a confidential friend, by the daughter

Origin of the Rose.

"BETWENE the cytee and the chirche of Bethelem, is the felde Floridus, that is to

"Ce mot est vieux, et signifie venir à bout de quelque personne, ou de quelque chose, et s'en rendre mâitre." RICHELET, in v.-J. W. W. 2 See poem, The Rose, p. 439.-J. W. W.

gloomy fancy.

LADY GRANGE.3

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of a catechist, who concealed it in a clue of yarn. Information being thus obtained at Edinburgh, a ship was sent to bring her off'; but intelligence of this being received, she was conveyed to M'Leod's island of Herries, where she died."-BOSWELL.

LANE BUCHANAN says, "It was supposed a courier was despatched over land by her enemies, who had arrived at St. Kilda some time before the vessel. When the latter arrived, to their sad disappointment, they found the lady in her grave. Whether she died by the visitation of God, or the wickedness of man, will for ever remain a secret; as their whole address could not prevail on the minister and his wife, though brought to Edinburgh, to declare how it happened, as both were afraid of offending the great men of that country among whom they were forced to reside.

"A poor old woman told me," he adds, "that when she served her there, her whole time was devoted to weeping, and wrapping up letters round pieces of cork, bound up with yarn, and throwing them into the sea, to try if any favourable wave would waft them to some Christian, to inform some humane person where she resided, in expectation of carrying tidings to her friends at Edinburgh."

Lines found in the pocket book of Mr. WHITESIDE, a Dissenting Minister of Yarmouth, reputed mad, who destroyed himself. "WITH toilsome steps I pass thro' life's

dull road,

No pack-horse half so weary of his load;
And when this dirty journey shall conclude,
To what new realms is then my way pur-
sued?

Say-does the pure-embodied spirit fly
To happier climes, and to a better sky?
Or, sinking, does it mix with kindred clay,
And sleep a whole eternity away?

Or, shall this form be once again renew'd,
With all its frailties and its hopes endued,
Acting once more on this detested stage

Passions of youth, infirmities of age?
I've read in Tully what the ancients thought,
And judged unprejudiced what moderns
taught;

But no conviction from my reading springs,
I'm dubious in the most important things.
Yet one short moment will in full explain
What all philosophy has sought in vain ;
Will tell me what no human wisdom knows,
Clear up each doubt, and terminate my woes.
Why, then, not hasten this decisive hour
Still in my view, and even in my power?
Why should I drag along this life I hate
Without one hope to mitigate the weight?
Why this mysterious being forced to exist,
When every joy is lost, and every hope

dismist ?

In chains of darkness wherefore should I stay,

And mourn in prison, while I keep the key ?"

May-day in the Highlands.

"It was a custom, till of late years, among the inhabitants of whole districts in the north of Scotland, to extinguish all their fires on the evening of the last day of April. Early on the first day of May, some select persons met in a private place, and by turning with great rapidity an augre in a dry piece of wood, extracted what they called, Tein-Egin, the forced or elementary fire. Some active young men, one from each hamlet in the district, attended at a distance, and as soon as the forced fire was kindled, carried part of it, with great expedition and joy, to their respective villages. The people immediately assembled upon some rock or eminence, lighted the Bel-tein, and spent the day in mirth and festivity.

"The ceremonies used upon this occasion were founded upon opinions of which there is now no trace remaining in tradition. It is in vain to enquire why those ignorant persons who are addicted to this superstition, throw into the Bel-tein a portion of those things upon which they regale them

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