the process. Before long, I had added a third prop, and had got the edge of the boulder considerably elevated. The labour and the close atmosphere together were so exhausting, however, that I was obliged to lie down then, and recuperate my strength by a longer season of rest. And so, hour after hour I laboured, growing more and more weary, but still upheld by a fascination which I felt was infused into me by the invisible powers whose will I was working. At last I con centrated my strength in a final effort, and the stone rolled from its position. I can never forget the overpowering sense of awe that sank down like a great darkness upon my spirit at that moment. After a solemn pause to prepare myself, with bowed form and uncovered head, I slowly turned my gaze till it rested upon the spot where the great stone had lain. There wasn't any bones there! EVELYN HOPE.* Mr. ROBERT BROWNING was born at Camberwell in 1812, and was educated at London University. He married Miss Elizabeth Barrett, the poetess, but was left a widower in 1861. He is a D.C.L. of Oxford.] BEAUTIFUL Evelyn Hope is dead! Sit and watch by her side an hour. That is her book-shelf, this her bed! She pluck'd that piece of geranium-flower, Little has yet been changed, I think : Perhaps she had scarcely heard my name; Her life had many a hope and aim, And now was quiet, now astir, Is it too late then, Evelyn Hope? What, your soul was pure and true, And our paths in the world diverged so wide, No, indeed! for God above Is great to grant, as mighty to make, THE EARL OF STRAFFORD TO HIS SON. [This was written by STRAFFORD just before his execution, in 1641, to his son.] MY DEAREST WILL,-These are the last lines that you are to receive from a father that tenderly loves you. I wish there were a greater leisure to impart my mind unto you; but our merciful God will supply all things by his grace, and guide and protect you in all your ways: to whose infinite goodness I bequeath you; and therefore be not discouraged, but serve him, and trust in him, • By kind permission of Messrs. Chapman and Hall. OLD IRONSIDES. and he will preserve and prosper you in all things. Be sure you give all respect to my wife, that hath ever had a great love unto you, and therefore will be well becoming you. Never be awanting in your love and care to your sisters, but let them ever be most dear unto you; for this will give others cause to esteem and respect you for it, and is a duty that you owe them in the memory of your excellent mother and myself; therefore your care and affection to them must be the very same that you are to have of yourself; and the like regard must you have to your youngest sister; for indeed you owe it to her also, both for her father and mother's sake. Sweet Will, be careful to take the advice of those friends which are by me desired to advise you for your education. Serve God diligently morning and evening, and recommend yourself unto him, and have him before your eyes in all your ways. With patience hear the instructions of those friends I leave with you, and diligently follow their counsel; for, till you come by time to have experience in the world, it will be far more safe to trust to their judgments than your own. Lose not the time of your youth, but gather those seeds of virtue and knowledge which may be of use to yourself, and comfort to your friends, for the rest of your life. And that this may be the better effected, attend thereunto with patience, and be sure to correct and refrain yourself from anger. Suffer not sorrow to cast you down, but with cheerfulness and good courage go on the race you have to run in all sobriety and truth. Be sure, with an hallowed care, to have respect to all the commandments of God, and give not yourself to neglect them in the least things, lest by degrees you come to forget them in the greatest; for the heart of man is deceitful above all things. And in all your duties and devotions towards God, rather perform them joyfully than pensively; for God loves a cheerful giver. For your religion, let it be directed according to that which shall be taught by those which are in God's church the 79 proper teachers, therefore, rather than that you ever either fancy one to yourself, or be led by men that are singular in their own opinions, and delight to go ways of their own finding out: for you will certainly find soberness and truth in the one, and much unsteadiness and vanity in the other. The king, I trust, will deal graciously with you, restore you those honours and that fortune which a distempered time hath deprived you of, together with the life of your father; which I rather advise might be by a new gift and creation from himself, than by any other means, to the end that you may pay the thanks to him without having obligation to any other. Be sure to avoid as much as you can to inquire after those that have been sharp in their judgments towards me, and I charge you never to suffer thought of revenge to enter your heart, but be careful to be informed who were my friends in this prosecution, and to them apply yourself to make them your friends also; and on such you may rely, and bestow much of your conversation amongst them. And God Almighty of his infinite goodness bless you and your children's children; and his same goodness bless your sisters in like manner, perfect you in every good work, and give you right understandings in all things. Amen. Your most loving father. You must not fail to behave yourself towards my Lady Clare, your grandmother, with all duty and observance; for most tenderly doth she love you, and hath been passing kind unto me: God reward her charity for it. And both in this and all the rest, the same that I counsel you, the same do I direct also to your sisters, that so the same may be observed by you all. And once more do I from my very soul, beseech our gracious God to bless and govern you in all, to the saving you in the day of his visitation, and join us again in the communion of his blessed saints, where is fulness of joy and bliss for evermore. Amen. Amen. THERE is a bird, who by his coat, Above the steeple shines a plate, You think, no doubt, he sits and muses Or troubles it at all. He sees that this great roundabout, Its customs, and its businesses, And says-what says he P-Caw. Thrice happy bird! I too have seen Much of the vanities of men ; And, sick of having seen 'em, Would cheerfully these limbs resign For such a pair of wings as thine, And such a head between 'em. [A. G. GREENE. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Feb. 10, 1802, and educated at Brown University, LD GRIMES is dead; that We ne'er shall see him more: He used to wear a long All button'd down before. His heart was open as the day, His feelings all were true: Whene'er he heard the voice of pain, Kind words he ever had for all, He knew no base design; His eyes were dark and rather small, He lived at peace with all mankind, His coat had pocket-holes behind, Unharm'd, the sin which earth pollutes And never wore a pair of boots But good old Grimes is now at rest, He had no malice in his mind, His neighbours he did not abuse, He wore large buckles on his shoes, Nor make a noise, town-meeting days, His worldly goods he never threw In trust to fortune's chances, Thus undisturb'd by anxious cares, 81 [A. W. KINGLAKE. THE Czar had insisted, as we have seen, that as the needful condition of a prosperous campaign, Silistria must fall by the 1st of May. It was not before the middle of the month that he was able to appear before the place; but thenceforth he lost no time, and on the 19th he opened his first parallel. The new defences of the fortress had been planned by Colonel Grach, a Prussian officer in the service of the Porte. He had brought to the work a great deal of knowledge and judgment. He was still in the place, and he continued to lend the aid of his science to the garrison whenever he could do so without going out of his dwellinghouse; but adhering, it seems, to the bare terms on which he had engaged his services, he stiffly abstained from taking any other than a scientific part in the struggle. SILISTRIA.* See Page 50, Vol. II.] of the lives of his soldiery, and, the place being weakly garrisoned, and seemingly abandoned to its fate, its fall was supposed to be nigh. To uphold the Sultan's cause three armies were at hand, but no one of them was moved forward with a view to relieve the place. Omar Pasha, shrewd and wary, was gathering the strength of the Ottoman Empire at Schumla, and it did not enter into his plan of campaign to smooth the path of the Russian General by going forward in strength to give him a meeting under the guns of the beleaguered fortress. On the other hand, France and England were rapidly assembling their forces in the neighbourhood of Varna, but for want of sufficient means of land transport they were not yet in a condition to take the field. Day by day the two armies at Varna were moved by fitful tidings of a conflict in which, though it raged within ear-shot, they were suffered to take no part. At first, few men By kind permission of the Author. Prince Paskievitch pressed the siege with a vehemence which seemed to disdain all economy |