known him singly embark in a little boat, in assertion, as he would say, of man's prerogatives, and to trample on the enemy which seemed to oppose his free agency over nature and her works.

which rushes from the heart and thrills through the frame, at the sight of beauty in whatever guise displayed, uninstructed, unaltered, by the sophistications of art→ fresh, luxuriant, and perfect, the visible. At the termination of our maritime strug- and tangible evidence of that unerring gles, finding his very soul enervated at the system of harmony and arrangement by prospect of indolent peace, he obtained which the Divine Ruler conducts the unithe command of a revenue-cutter, and I verse. The inhabitants, too, of W parted with him in the full glow of health, were generally uncultivated and illiterate. on his departure for the coast of Norfolk || Education had there been tardy in its to enter on his new service. Engaged in || civilizing influence; and there was amongst active pursuits, I had little opportunity the lower classes-the mass of the populafor correspondence; but my heart often tion-little of that amenity of feeling and held communion with him, who was the manner which may in some measure atone dearest friend it had ever known. An for the absence of the higher mental qualiinterval of leisure having occurred in ties.-The service in which Captain Tanmy occupation, I had resolved on visit- cred was engaged drew an almost entire ing him a few days subsequently to the line of demarcation between himself and period when chance again united us. And his neighbours. He met them, and perwas it could it be Tancred, the gay, the chance the bow and curtesy of compelled handsome, the volatile Tancred, who stood deference were accorded; but there was before me? His very voice seemed changed; neither glance, nor tone, nor word of its accents now had a mournful and dreary sympathy exchanged. He was looked upon, cadence, like the responses of a rifted by those even who stood unconnected with cavern, and they were the echoes of a bare the illicit traffic which it devolved on him and shivered heart. There was still about to oppose, with distrust and suspicion. him the exquisite polish of demeanour He was one of those men, however, whose so often instinctive with high birth-for activity and healthiness of temperament Tancred was nobly connected-which had supply to themselves the deficiencies of always distinguished him; but the lofty place or people. Still there were moments bearing, the unquailing eye, the sunny when his customary employments failed of smile, were gone for ever! At an interview amusement; when even his own beloved which I afterwards had with him, he dis- element was gazed upon with the eye of closed to me the events which had pro- listlessness and dissatisfaction; when he duced such a metamorphosis in his aspect would more gladly have enjoyed comand manner. The substance was as fol- munion with living than inanimate nalows:ture. In one of these moods he wandered forth on the beach. It was at that hour when

The signal-station which Captain Tancred commanded was situated, as I have said, on the coast of Norfolk. It was near a remote hamlet, and partook in an eminent degree of that dulness and insipidity which so often distinguish a country village. The localities exhibited no peculiar points of interest. The scenery was not of that elevated and picturesque character which, in many parts of England, rivalling in loveliness and grandeur the landscapes of Italy or Switzerland, might well content a people less migratory than ourselves with the native samples it displays of nature's power. Whad none of this: the painter or the poet might have looked on it without the faintest glow of that kindling enthusiasm

The moon was up, and yet it was not bright.

The sun was still in the sky, and the ocean blushed in the gorgeous beams which crimsoned the west. A thousand clouds floated around the throne of his expiring glory, as though they were anxious to bear away to some favourite and distant clime a trace of his splendour. A few stars were out to mark and guard the orbit of the timid moon, which, pale and more beautiful than all, seemed the type of that blissful world of peace and rest, from which she had just emerged. Tancred felt in its full force the might and majesty of the scene around him. Who can look on the bound

less deep, the uncircumscribed firmament, the stars, which are the poetry of heaven," and not feel his own insignificance in the scale of creation? Who can think of the world, its empty distinctions, its feverish passions, its trivial pursuits, while gazing on the immensity of nature? The heart must be dead to every finer impulse, the mind destitute of every noble desire, which can restrict its views and wishes to mortality, while contemplating the symbols of immortality!

the possession of beauty, grace, and dignity. She was eighteen, yet looked even childishly young for that brief date of years. Her form was bounding and light, and there were a freedom and elasticity in her step, which her natural quietness of spirit and demeanour at times could scarcely control. There were moments when a dark and melancholy shade of sadness would steal across a brow pure and clear as the fair and stainless snows of heaven; and the small rosy mouth, which seemed blushImmersed in his own reflections, the ing for the peril its matchless beauty exhours glided imperceptibly on, and Tancred posed others to, would compress and almost started on finding the waves were "winning quiver with internal agony. The eye, too, their way to the golden shore." He was so blue and bright, would sometimes lose about to retreat hastily, when a form at a its look of boundless radiance; while a distance met his observation. Perhaps it glance of deep, mournful, and passionate might be humanity to warn the individual || feeling, would beam from its azure depths, of the danger of her situation, or curiosity and the dark silken fringe which shrowded to discover who was the lonely wanderer- its glory become gemmed with the tears or gallantry, as that wanderer bore the of silent sorrow. outline of a female, which led him hastily forward to offer protection. It was declined by the young and lovely girl to whom it was proffered, with such bewitching yet shrinking timidity, such trembling apprehensiveness, that his interest was far more powerfully awakened by her refusal than if she had acceded to his request. Casual and slight, however, as this introduction to each other may seem, it formed the basis of a permanent acquaintance. It is unnecessary for me to trace its progress,|| or to follow it through all its gradations, while germinating into friendship, till it arrived at the maturity of love. The development of a passion, which involves the whole sum of earthly happiness of two individuals-which embraces in its issue anguish or bliss to them, here and hereafter, may yet be too deficient in striking peculiarity of incident to engage the sympathies of others. To a certain point this was the case in the attachment of Captain Tancred and Helen, for so was his idol called. There was a mystery about her which she seemed most unwilling to account for or unravel. Beyond the name of Helen, he was even ignorant how the object of his worship was designated. "A rose by any other name will smell as sweet;" and, while gazing on the exquisite being before him, he often thought how little accessory were name, birth, or situation, to

Tancred often interrogated her as to the cause of her unavowed grief. To imagine it the result of personal misconduct was incompatible with the angelic purity which so peculiarly distinguished her, and which, even more perhaps than her extreme loveliness, captivated his imagination, and enthralled his heart. Of her relations and friends she spoke little, She talked indeed of her father, but it was evident that fear and awe were blended with filial love and duty. That she moved in the lower walks of life her appearance indicated, though in her conversation, and in the soft and gentle repose of her manner, there was not discoverable the slightest taint of vulgarity. They met but seldom, and each time with the resolve on Helen's lips of parting for ever! But who shall tell the struggle it requires voluntarily to separate from the being most dear to us? Policy, prudence-worldly wisdom may bid us burst the fetters which enchain our souls, but when those fetters are, at the same time, the only connecting links between us and happiness-when the snapping of them rives asunder, too, the ties of confidence, sympathy, and affection— oh! who shall marvel that we hugs the chain closer and closer, till the meshes become so woven and entangled with our very heart's strings, that the breaking of the one may shiver the others too!

Tancred, convinced that the destiny of || be almost said, by nature. In early life he his future life depended for light or dark- || had filled a subaltern situation in the navy ; ness on his beloved Helen, offered his but the moroseness of his temper led to a hand, though literally ignorant of the very quarrel with his captain, and he quitted an name of her to whom he tendered it. His honourable service to engage in dishonouraproposal was received in silence and tears: ble traffic. He had fancied himself wronged, still it was not rejected; indeed a faint though he himself was his only enemy. smile illumined her countenance, and a The conviction, however, of having been slight pressure of the hand was his when injured, combined with the loss of a wife, he talked of the ensuing week for their who, though he tyrannized over while nuptials. This was superstructure enough living, he bewailed ceaselessly when dead, for Tancred to build a fairy castle of hope and the accidental death of an only son, upon, and he anticipated, with boundless soured his disposition to absolute maligjoy, the near prospect of calling Helen, the nity. The constant poverty which he fair, the delicate Helen, his own for ever! | struggled with, his exclusion from all soBut now to deviate from the order of my | ciety, and even the beauty of Helen, which narrative. might render her so accessible to design In a rugged and rarely-trodden path and danger-all lent their aid in making which led to the beach stood a mean and || Denham an object of restless misery to lonely hut. It was of that coarse and rude || himself, of anxiety to his child, and detesdescription which the mind involuntarily || tation to his neighbours.

associates with the idea of even squalid It has been stated, that, in ignorance of poverty, and from which the eye retreats, her condition in life, in ignorance that he while the bosom yields a sigh of pity for || had proffered his hand to one whose father those condemned to inhabit it. It wore a would have had little compunction in stabcheerless aspect, an air of negligence and bing him to the heart, Captain Tancred gloomy desolateness, which seemed as had fixed the following week for uniting though it were wilfully indulged, and even himself to the smuggler's daughter. For prided in. The inmates of this hut consist- several nights a vessel had been observed ed of an old man and his daughter-little || floating on the dark waters, which had was known of them. The ascetic and un- aroused the suspicions of Captain Tancred. compromising sternness of the father ope- || On the Saturday night preceding the week rated so powerfully against the daughter, in which he fondly hoped to realize his that her meek demeanour and singular heart's dearest wish, it was again descried. loveliness could hardly subdue the general || On that evening a seaman, who had refeeling of dislike which was entertained for cently been added to the detachment, was them. Of their former occupation, or even on watch for the first time. By the moon's of the precise nature of their present em- light he recognized, in the commander of ployment, none were aware. Some ima- the little vessel, a notorious smuggler who gined that the father laboured under a par- had long infested the coast of Kent, where tial alienation of reason; for there was at he had previously served, but had always times a savage moodiness about him which eluded pursuit, and had for some months approximated to insanity. He seldom was disappeared from the neighbourhood. The met in the hamlet, and neither visited nor intelligence was communicated to Captain received his neighbours, by many of whom, Tancred, who, with a party of men, put off as he had been more than once surprised in a boat in chace. It was a wild and in the exercise of fire-arms, and the arrange- stormy night; the moon at intervals only ment of sea-tackle, it was suspected that he broke through the huge masses of cloud followed the dark, desperate, and unli- which drifted along the sky, the darkness censed trade of smuggling. The unavowed of which received frequent illumination exercise, too, of any other occupation, ren- from the lightning's blue glare. The wind dered the belief prevalent and strong. Nor howled around, and was suspicion false. Old Denham, which was the appellation of Helen's father, was a smuggler by vocation and choice, it might

From peak to peak the rattling crags among,
Leap'd the live thunder.

Many a heart might have blenched from

daring man's and heaven's wrath on such terest, and pity, in many a rugged breast, a night as this; but Tancred and his com- and overwhelmed one with a tide of misery panions were fearless; duty incited them, that never ebbed. Perception at first reand they sped onwards dauntlessly. The fused to yield credence to the reality of vessels met, and a short but determined the appearance presented to it. Horror encounter ensued. The numerical strength without limit, despair without hope, were of the smugglers was trifling in comparison in the conviction; but conviction did come, with their opponents; but despair lent and the mind sickens with the contemplathem gigantic energy, and they fought as tion of the matchless agony of the moment. though this world and the next had been Yes! it was the corpse of Helen that lay staked on the issue of the engagement. before him-killed, too, by his own hand! After a brief space," however, the scuffle The fair, the fond, the beautiful being terminated in the defeat and capture of the whom he had worshipped with the idolatry smugglers. Yet there was one amongst of devoted love; who had lain on his bothem who stood unharmed, unyielding, || som in the sweet confidence of pure affecundismayed. Throughout the combat a tion, and to whom he had been the whole savage desperateness and ferocity of con- earthly sum of weal and woe! He put duct had distinguished him from his com- aside the soft golden hair, which was now rades. His arm brandished a huge cutlass, clotted with gore, and kissed the marble which he raised to strike at the head of cheek, whose whiteness was stained with Captain Tancred, who, at the same mo- blood. Her eyes were closed, yet on ment, discharged his blunderbuss. One the lids still lay a few glittering tears, the ball entered the heart of the smuggler, and|| latest mementos of human suffering. The a gurgling splash of blood welled from his little flower which he had that very evening side. One deep short groan, and the heart presented to her, was yet hidden in her stopped its pulsations, and he fell a heavy bosom. It was crushed and faded; but, corpse at the feet of Tancred! worthless as it appeared to some, to him the world's riches would have seemed poor for the purchase of the holy relic. its scattered shot de-On inquiry it was proved that Denham, in struction dealt around." In the comhis wayward moods, would often take his mencement of the affray a slight figure, daughter to be his companion in his unmasked, and enveloped in a large cloak, lawful and dangerous enterprizes. No had escaped observation by crouching in reasonable motive could be assigned for the corner of the vessel. As the danger such proceeding by others; it could only thickened, however, that form sprang from be traced to the natural tyranny of his disconcealment, and was about to interpose position, or might find solution in the fears between the combatants, when the fatal that he sometimes expressed lest his daughtrigger was pulled, and a random bullet ter's state of unprotected loveliness might entered a bosom heaving with love for its be invaded by insult. There was no ostenmurderer. The brave and the weak, the tatious parade of grief about Tancred; not stern and the delicate, alike had been anni- a single tear did he shed over the grave, hilated by Tancred's arm, and lay prostrate when it opened to receive his life's essence. before him! The vessel steered hastily But the blight had struck at his heart, back to shore, and then was the discovery withered up every blossom of joy, and made, which stamped with unalloyed and blasted, as with volcanic influence, the soft unmitigable grief the future life of Tancred. || verdure of hope that had grown there. No The bodies of the smuggler and his com- amusement beguiled him of his woe, no rades were removed from the boat. There occupation robbed him of one pang of rewas no mask to hide the features of old collection. "Memory ceaselessly plied Denham, and his ascertained identity creat- the work of pain," and at the age of thirtyed little sympathy. But the tearing off five he appeared before me, bankrupt of the mask, the removal of the fatal dis-joy, with a shattered frame, haggard looks, guise from the figure of his youthful ad- and a wasted and decrepid heart! herent, awakened a thrill of horror, and in

But the smuggler was not alone in his death-not a single victim to Tancred's fatal weapon; 66

ELIZA.

THE ASTROLOGER.

wards him. Every stroke of their oars brought them nearer and nearer to his assistance, and even now he could hear the pleasing but melancholy chaunt of their " Miserere, Domine," as it sounded like the anthem of a spirit far over the bosom of the lake. In about twenty minutes the servants of the monastery had rowed their vessel alongside him, and after the usual formal inquiries had been made and satisfactorily answered, the stranger was lifted-for he was unable to rise without assistance-into the boat, his own little shallop was towed behind it, the oars were again unshipped, and away went the whole party, laughing, singing, and chattering, towards the landing-place at the foot of the monastery.

ON a dark stormy evening towards the || ment, came bounding like an antelope toclose of autumn, 1524, a stranger was seen crossing the lake of Talley towards a little monastery situated on one side of the water, but rather at the extremity. In those days—it was some time before the suppression of Catholicism throughout England-the lakes (or tarns, as they were called) of Wales had usually some small religious establishment attached to them, in order that the fraternity might be enabled to afford assistance to any adventurers who chanced to be tossed about on those small but very dangerous pieces of water, or else, perhaps, for the conveniences of situation in case of attack. From the summit of these monasteries, and just in front, over the iron entrance or archway, there was usually a huge bell suspended, || which rang out its shrill alarum whenever While this was going forward the monks, a storm occurred upon the lakes, in order with the abbot at their head, had been that travellers might know where and from preparing themselves for the arrival of a what quarter succour was likely to arrive. stranger; and as that holy fraternity, like On the present occasion this welcome har- the rest of the world, were by no means binger of help was heard echoing far over insensible to the blessings of a good supthe bosom of the water; for a retainer of per, a repast of most respectable dimenthe convent had seen the distressed situa- sions was laid out, to which the strangertion of the stranger, and applied with such after being duly refreshed with cordials good-will to the bell, that the old monastery and clean linen-did exemplary justice. itself, with the neighbouring cliffs and In the course of the night, when the conmountains, seemed all alive with music; versation began to assume a more unrewhile the stranger, who guessed the import strained and familiar vein, inquiries reof the sound, renewed his exertions with specting the reasons of his having been oar and sail to make good his landing in out so late on the lake were made, all the only accessible place, viz. the direction which he answered with good-humoured of the convent. For upwards of half an sincerity, informing the abbot, among hour he persevered in his solitary task, other unimportant particulars, that his aware only of his position by the lightning name was Edward de Lancaster, that he flashes that every now and then stream- was on his way home to his father's (the ed in fitful splendour along the water- Earl of Chester) estates in Somersetwhile the bell still kept up its incessant shire, on his return from Ireland, whither peals, and lights from the peaceful little he had been despatched by the government village came glimmering through the fog in to assist in quelling a dangerous rebellion. the direction of the lake-until, exhausted" And now, father," he continued, in a with fatigue, he resigned both helm and somewhat more lively vein, "that I have sail to the mercy of the waves, and laid answered all your inquiries, oblige me in himself down in the boat, fully expecting return by being equally communicative every moment to be freed by death from yourself. When I first started on the all further anxiety. At this critical period lake, while the storm was yet in its ina loud shout, accompanied by the splash of fancy, I saw to the right hand of me a sort oars, was heard, and the convent boat, of grey tower dimly gleaming through the rowed by twelve retainers of the establish- twilight, from which proceeded the sounds No. 19.-Vol. IV. C