consolation, do you? I'll have another physician,' replied the patient, in terror. I only meant, that you were the worse for being ill, which nobody can dispute,' said the Doctor, soothingly. And that you are the better for it.' The physician looked comically perplexed, to be sure; nobody could dispute it. After a few moments of embarrassment, the man of drugs was able, so far to arrange his ideas, as to ask, 'What ails thee?' in a very tender tone. That you must find out; had I known that, I should not have sent for thee,' retorted Alexis, somewhat peevishly. It was the strangest patient the Doctor had ever been called upon to treat. He rubbed his lank hair flat over his brows, in cogitation, and then came the next question, What can I do for thee?' even more softly expressed than the former. 'What's the use of a doctor, if the patient must prescribe for himself?' answered Alexis, sharply. It was a settled case; the patient answered too much to the purpose to be of sane mind, thought the Doctor-his love has driven him mad; and then the good man looked anxiously about him, to seek for some implement of defence, or ready way of escape. It was, however, the better plan to shew courage; so, after a desperate mental struggle, the Doctor asked to feel his pulse. Alexis gave his hand to the follower of Esculapius, and watched him attentively, while, in an under tone, he counted the beats, and compared their speed with the movements of the second hand of a watch he was gravely regarding. Towards the end of this serious piece of business, the Doctor screwed his mouth into a circular form, like a bachelor's-button, and shaking his head, said, in a terrific tone, A quick pulse, and a hot skin-symptoms of high fever; you are very ill, and unless you are closely attended to, this disease may cause your death.' Whether Alexis was alarmed at the Doctor's judgment, and wished to try his strength, or whether he had some whim in his brain, is of little import-but he suddenly leaped out of bed, much to the consternation of the sage, and cried out, Quite wrong, Doctor, I am as strong as I was the first day I was born!' (Gone! gone!' muttered the Doctor-strength in an infant!'and have not the least fever upon me!' This is delirious excitement,' said the Doctor to an attendant, he must be bound down to his bed.'Not I, Doctor; I am as sane as yourself; aye, or saner.' 'His judgment's totally gone-to call me mad!' interrupted the Doctor, in glowing self satisfaction. How could a man in his senses ever call so learned a physician a madman? By this time the attendant had brought an armful of cords and bandages to constrain the limbs of the rebellious patient; but when an attempt was made to adjust them scientifically, Alexis burst away, overturning the attendant upon the Doctor, and the Doctor upon a basin of household abomination. Do not let him escape out of the room,' said the physician-wiping his face with his handkerchief-to the attendant; but he was as unwilling to make another struggle as the Doctor himself, and merely grumbled something unintelligible by way of reply. Here was another strong proof that Alexis was stark mad; for certainly no sensible man would ever object to be bound with cords and treated as a maniac. The Doctor arose, and shook himself, like a Newfoundland dog just come to land. He was about to leave the

room to seek for assistance, when Alexis approached him, saying, You have made a strange mistake, Doctor. Listen to me.' The physician, suspicious of the other's intention, and conjuring up into his brain all the instances he had ever heard of the cunning of madmen, looked at him warily, and drew back two or three footsteps before he would open his ears to the communication. What this was I cannot tell; but it is the genuine truth, that on hearing it, the Doctor, at first opened his eyes wide abroad, then closed them thoughtfully, and ended his reflections by ordering the attendant out of the room. Well, well,' said he, if this is your disease, I can cure it; a few passes of the tractors will send you into a sound sleep; and leave the rest to me.' 'Remember, Doctor, nothing more than a slumber, and give me a bell: if I never awake again, I'll haunt you, sleeping or waking, eating or drinking, in the shape of a death's head. and tractors. Don't fear, I have a reputation to support; and the fame of Mesmer shall not suffer in my hands. Come, lie down.' Alexis obeyed; and the Doctor took his instruments, and after he had warmed them by the fire, making an evolution at the same time on the top of his toes, drawn three magic circles, in the several centres of which he stood, muttering incantations, turning up the whites of his eyes, and crossing himself, he made three passes over the body of the patient, who fell into as sound a sleep as an alderman after his dinner. The Doctor, seeing the effect of his magnetism, left the apartment, enjoining the attendants without not to enter for the next six hours, lest they should disturb his repose.

"The six hours elapsed, and the attendant, mindful of the injunctions of the learned doctor, now entered the apartment to attend to the wants of his young master. He approached the bed cautiously, drew aside the curtain, and found Alexis apparently asleep. His repose was of so mild a character, that the attendant was, at first, unwilling to awaken him, but remembering that the Doctor had ordered a vial of medicine to be given precisely at the hour, upon the proper administration of which, the overthrow of many symptoms depended, he ventured, gently to move his shoulder, in order to rouse him; it produced no effect: from a gentle motion he proceeded to a rougher one, thence to a positive shake, first of one shoulder, then of both; but still no consciousness on the part of the patient. 'Twas very strange; and so muttered to himself the attendant. He then conceived the plan of pinching his nose; for,' said he, that will rouse any gentleman's spirit, if the ghost be in him.' He pinched once-no recognition; twice, thrice; Did he wink his eye?—No.' -A harder pinch. Plague on it, 'twould be as easy to awake a mummy. Mynheer Alexis! the medicine is ready for you, are you ready for it? No answer. Surely his lips move:' and the attendant placed his ear close to his mouth; not a sound came. 'Are you too sleepy to open your mouth?-shall I pour the physic down your throat?' Still no answer; and the attendant, thinking that silence gave consent, immediately proceeded to dose his master. He held the patient by the nose on an approved tonsorial principle, and opened his mouth wide enough for the admission of the stream of the Oronooko, and, giving the bottle a sudden inclination, its contents

were soon within the gaping cavity. The physic gurgled in the pa tient's throat, a groan escaped, and the attendant, dropping his bottle in horror, fled from the room, declaring that he had heard the deathrattle, and that his young master had given up the ghost. In a few minutes the whole household was alarmed; the servants fled in all directions; the Count stamped his foot, and beat his bosom, when he heard the intelligence, and, at the head of an inquisitive and mournful group, hastened to the fated apartment.

"'Twas a dreadful sight to behold the old man's grief, when he cast his eyes upon the son he adored, lying on the bed of death; but the scene would baffle description, and I shall relinquish the task. Doctor Trapander, who was sent for, came in haste, and after he had made the requisite examination, declared that life was extinct. The winding sheet was thrown over the body of the unfortunate Alexis, and every other preparation was made for his interment.

"It is odd, but although the whole family, on account of the intensity of their sorrow, fasted for the whole of one day, and the butler actually drank twice the quantity of wine he was accustomed to bottle up daily, to compensate, as he said, "for the loss of fluid by weeping" yet Adelheid bore the awful event with a serenity perfectly incomprehensible to those who were aware of the strength of her affection for the deceased. Some said, that it was unnatural, and that, sooner or later, her body would be found in the Hun; others, that appearances were delusive, and that silent grief was the deepest; while a few, more uncharitable, believed that she never had any love at all for the youth. It was a perplexing question, and one which, at this lapse of time, cannot be easily unravelled. However it may have been, she had a suit of mourning duly made, and what sorrow she lacked at heart, she was resolved should appear in external demonstration.

"At last the morning came, when the lamented youth was to be carried to the grave of his fathers; and the funereal visitors, who were more inclined to do honour to him when dead, than living, were already assembled. The young noble, to whom the heart of Adelheid had been long pledged, was there; but, with a delicacy, naturally arising from the occasion, he did not venture upon an enunciation of his mysterious nothings; but seemed rather to avoid, than seek the retiring girl. The poor old Count was sorely grieved, and scarcely lifted his head once, during the awful preparations. The coffin, in which his son lay, was borne past him: impelled by some incomprehensible feelings, he stopped it at the door, but he said nothing;-it proceeded, and he groaned.

"The procession departed for the church, and all were grieving for the dead man in the hearse; but very few gave a thought to the living man that was there. Little indeed did they imagine, that Dr. Trapander was seated by the side of the young Alexis, watching over him like a guardian angel, and endeavouring with much anxiety to restore him to life. Yet there he was; and he took two pieces of iron from his pocket, and rubbed them together, now crossing them transversely and diagonally, and then running them parallel, in a variety of geometrical, or more properly magnetical relations. After this cabalism

had been performed, he placed a thumb over the internal angle of each eyebrow, and then drew it rapidly outwards, which was considered an infallible mode of awakening the magnetic dead. He had just done this for the last time, when the coach stopped, and the men came to the door to remove the coffin. Perceiving them long before their eyes could pierce the obscurity to observe him, he threw a black mantle over himself, and crouched in a corner, when the men removed the coffin with unsuspicious gravity, and he, on the first opportunity, made his escape.

"The coffin was carried into the church, and the mourners collected in a circle around it. The priest then advanced, and began in a devout tone to read the service for the dead. It was very solemn, and the bystanders felt it so, for they mourned in earnest, and the tears fell over their cheeks; when suddenly the ring of a small bell was heard. 'Ah!' burst from every bosom, and each man started back, and gazed in an affrighted manner on his neighbour, and then at the coffin. 'Twas heard again, and louder than before-their flesh began to creep, and their blood to run cold; when lo! a tall pale figure in white grave robes, rose slowly and solemnly from the coffin. Eyelids were stretched beyond their natural limits, lower jaws fell in an inanimate manner, and arms were raised in convulsions of astonishment. Some of the women screamed, others fainted, and the rest satisfied their horror by turning as pale as the ghost itself. Every individual seemed to be struck by a flash of lightning, and, perhaps, Dr. Trapander's magnetism produced this effect upon their minds. The women, for a moment recovered themselves, screamed again, and rushed where they thought they were most likely to meet with succour, into their husbands' arms. If a few mistakes were made in the excitement, these can be easily forgiven. And what did Adelheid do? Just like the rest of the women, she rushed into the arms of the resuscitated Alexis. Yes, there they were, locked in a convulsive embrace, and the first words that broke from the group, were from the mouth of the dead man, Dear Adelheid,' said he, they shall never again separate us; our hearts are one, let our lives be one also.' The beautiful girl looked into his eyes, and thus yielded her consent.

6

"Meanwhile the priest, who had been struck with great alarm, was now sitting, screwed up in an angle of the sanctuary, whither he had fled when the ghost first appeared, and was muttering in a rapid manner, missing every third word, his prayer of exorcism. The Doctor approached him, and rallied him from his stupor, desiring him to hold himself in readiness for a further performance of his duty. The old Count, too, had now so far recovered his surprise, that he ran, and embraced his son, greeting him with every endearing appellation that he could summon; but once, as if suddenly struck by a doubt, he stepped back, and asked tremulously; But are you really alive?' 'Ask the Doctor, my dear father, if you are in doubt, but I believe this is flesh and blood:' answered he, extending his hand. It is! it is !' cried Adelheid. I see it all,' said the Count, 'ye love one another, and ye shall be bound this day, ay, this hour: I am glad, my son, that I hold you once more.' The Count then placed the proffered hand of his son in that of Adelheid, and kissed the blushing girl. Priest, come

N. S. VOL. I.

4 D

hither! change the ceremony, read the marriage vow-and you, my friends, come to my house, to celebrate the happy event; the wine will have as sweet a flavour after a marriage, as after a funeral." The Count stopped abruptly, as if remembering there was something yet to be done. The cause was soon disclosed, for he approached the young noble, whose happiness had been thus summarily annulled, and requested his consent to the ceremony. This gentleman, seeing how matters stood, and being of an indolent disposition, supinely acquiesced in the arrangement, and said, “he did not know but that Alexis would make a better husband than himself." Adelheid thought so too, and Alexis, it may be presumed, did not esteem himself less highly. Our hero, dressed in his white shroud, then led his beautiful bride, attired in deep mourning to the altar, and the priest, who had been literally pulled out of his hiding place, now came forward, and turning from the ceremony for the dead, to that for marriage, read on without interruption.

"The youth who had been brought to the church to be made an associate of the angels of heaven, left it an associate of an angel of earth. Adelheid said that he was the only man who ever died for love, while the Doctor asserted that the cause was animal magnetism, and Alexis maintained against them both, that he never died at all. This dispute happened before they had left the church doors; how their afterlife proceeded, I am unable to say. The Doctor was well pleased at the success of his experiment, and many hints were thrown out, that since this time, he had dug a potful of gold from under a tree in his garden; but, however this may be, his circumstances were much improved. The Count was delighted that the death ended in a marriage, and I believe, all parties, not excepting the young noble, were made happy."

"Who now can doubt the powers of animal magnetism?" said the Doctor triumphantly, as soon as the last word had issued from the lips of the narrator. "Ay, who can, Doctor?" answered Ned; " facts like these would convert even a Mussulman." 'Tis a marvellous tale, said Manlove, I shall propose the introduction of animal magnetism to the Humane Society, for the purposes of resuscitation, especially after the vital spark has fled."

The President now looked at his watch, and finding that the usual hour of dispersion had long past, he arose, and broke up the meeting. "Before we go, Doctor, let me ask where you sleep to night?" inquired the Major. Hartshorn hesitated, "Come, come, added the worthy officer, Mrs. Rawbone will be disappointed, if you do'nt go home to night, to take your water gruel, and make an end of the proposal, which, she says, you broke off in the middle." The Major seized the philosopher's arm, but-" "Excuse me, I-Mrs. Rawbone;" "No excuses!" responded the Major; come along!" and, so saying, he hurried the Doctor out of the room, being resolved to conduct him to the door of his lodging.