had fallen down in a fainting fit at the second ringing of the bell; and the terror occasioned by my violent fall, and perhaps pain by the prostration so suddenly of my specific gravity, (I weigh ten stone, jockey-weight,) made her think the Enemy of Mankind had clutched, and was going to fly away with her out of the window.

"What a rediculous business is this," said Mrs. Columbus; "and how does it happen that you and your master are scrambling in the stair together at this time at night?" and she eyed me, as if she had detected me in lese-majesty to her highness. "It's something no canny in the house, mem," answered Betty, with great simplicity; "for as I was sitting in the kitchen all the bells rung at once; and when I went up the stair and found it was naebody ringing, I was gaun up to cry on Jenny, for I was feart, when they a' rung again; a flash of fire glanced in my een, and an unearthly cry, like a howlet's whusht, made me fa' down in a dwaun."-The other girl seemed to swallow the narration greedily, and the expression of her countenance, and the trembling of her hand which held the candle, shewed that she was prepared to be as terrified as possible, did any thing occur to alarm her fears.

"I have broken my shins on your account, Mrs. Betty," said I, " you tripped me up so completely, as I was running up stairs."-"Lordsake, Sir, was it you that fell about me! I'm glad o' that, for I thought it was the ghaist, or that the ceiling o' the house had fa'en down."" Well, well," said Mrs. Columbus, "I don't understand this story, but we will see about it all to-morrow. Meantime, go you, Betty, and get the candle from the parlour, and go to bed." -"Me gang for the candle, Mem!" answered Betty, "I wadna gang down the stair again the night, if ye war to gie me the haill house to mysell. I winna sleep anither night in't. I'm sure I wad gang out o' my judgment if I did."-" Jenny, go you; Mr. Columbus will go with you, and take this light in your hand.""Eh, Mem, you manna ask me to gang, for if I wor to see ony thing uncanny, I am sure it would drive me dementit."-"Come, give me the light and I'll go myself," said I; "we cannot stop here all night." Just as I was about to take the light and descend, a

VOL. I.

P

long-sounding "hush" was heard, which was followed by a noise like the report of a pistol, but which, increased by the silence, resounded in our ears like a peal of thunder. Mrs. Columbus exclaimed in terror, seizing my arm, "Gracious, what's that! Christopher, you must not go!" The two girls yelled in chorus, their eyes like to start from their sockets, and likewise clung round me for protection, ejaculating such portions of Scripture as fear had not totally banished from their memory.

We now, by common consent, adjourned to a bed-room, leaving the children to take care of themselves, as no persion could induce the girls to move from my side. Here, in close conclave, it was resolved, in the first place, that the house was certainly haunted by some "perturbed spirit" or other; and, in the second place, upon the suggestion of Mrs. Columbus, it was unanimously agreed on, that, in case the alarming sounds had proceeded from thieves, (though that was scarcely possible, considering the care had in locking the doors,) it would be necessary to arm, and examine the dining-room, from which apartment the noise seemed to have proceeded. The order of march was the next consideration. I had the honour to be selected as the forlorn hope, and was armed with a poker, the only weapon which was at hand. The two girls followed, one of them carrying a light, linked arm in arm, like a Macedonian phalanx; and Mrs. Columbus brought up the rear, protected by one of the children's school Bibles, which she was forced to take up, on the asseverations of the lassies, that its possession would keep us unhurt should the enemy of mankind dare to shew his face. We descended the stair cautiously, and in silence, except the muttering of occasional wishes for our preservation, by the frightened maidens. The hissing noise had ceased; no groans were heard; but at the bottom of the stair lay the candlestick which I had dropped. The dining-room door was partially open; I grasped the poker more firmly in my hand, and set my teeth in firm defiance. Before entering, however, I listened for a moment, my left hand in the act of pushing up the door. My female companions, with eyes like saucers, stood two or three steps behind me, ready to scream at the sight of the terrible appa

rition. pushed the door hastily open; the hissing sound again was heard; a loud noise succeeded, mingled with the crashing as of glass; the candle dropt from the hand that held it, and was extinguished; and the screams of the females added to the horrors of a scene already almost overpowering. Had the devil, or a robber, now appeared, he would have been in perfect safety for me, for my arms and coat were seized, and that so firmly, by the womankind, that I could not move. By common consent, or rather instinct, we again retreated up stairs, in hollow square, as well as three individuals could form a square; and, after some further deliberations, in which I reassured myself it could not be tarves, I procured a light, and went down boldly, the candle in one hand, and the poker in the other. The females, as usual, persuaded me not to venture; but as saw there was to be no end to the business without a little risk, I determined to persevere. At the fatal door, I hesitated a moment, whether or not I should enter, but at last. I rushed in, and foundhow shall I tell it ? -that the cause of our terror was--the bursting of two beer-bottles, under the side-board.

The extremes of passion are nearly allied, and laughing and crying often accompany one another on any strong excitement. I was almost ready to drop the candle once more with downright laughter; and all my alarm was changed to mirth, by the appearance of the beerless and shattered bottles. The noise I made reached the apartment above, and I understood afterwards, before I had communicated the true reason, it was conjectured that my laughter was hystercal, or the sportive effusions of mirthloving fiends, enjoying the trepidation of me, Christopher Columbus.

But I

soon put an end to all apprehensions for my safety, by calling out," Betty! Betty!-come down, and wipe up the heart's blood of the murdered beerbottles!"-" Eh! what!" said Betty, "is a' safe? Is there naething to be fear'd for?"-" Nothing, but your own foolish imaginations," replied I. The party now descended. "Gude sake, is that a'?" said Jenny. "Quite enough at once," said Mrs. Columbus; but you must never leave your beer there again all night, Betty.-It is monstrously teasing to have the house turned upside down for such a silly thing."

Our fears were now at an end. The hissing noise, which sounded in the moment of alarm like the fall of a distant cataract, was now easily traced to the action of the fermenting liquid, and the noise that had alarmed us so much proceeded from the action of the same agent, in expelling the unwilling corks. The groans I heard, on first leaving my apartment, were traced to the fear of Mrs. Betty, which made her fall in the stair; and the gust of wind, which extinguished my candle, was found to be owing to the hurried opening of the door. One thing alone remained to be accounted for, and that was, the supernatural ringing of the bell. This was also, after some experiments on the bellrope, satisfactorily ascertained to have proceed from some slight injury to the spring.

The family were now about to retire, when the noise of a distant drum was heard. "What can that be :" said Mrs. Columbus; and now seriousness, if not terror, again began to overspread our countenances. "It sounds very like the fire-drum," said I.-"You're right, Sir, you're quite right; I'm sure it's just the fire-drum," said Betty. "Eh! it sounds awfa' at this time of night. The conjecture was but too true. It was the fire-drum, and a gleam of light to the northward, and a confused noise of voices, shewed that the fire was at no great distance. Fire is a dreadful calamity; and even excess of caution is laudable to prevent or lessen its devastations.

In a few minutes the partial appearance of the flames waving beyond the chimney-tops pointed out the precise spot, and we were rivetted to the window looking at its incontrollable progress. I was on the eve of putting on my hat, and going to see if proper assistance had been procured; but was stopped by the persuasions of Mrs. Columbus, who said that on these occasions in Edinburgh there were always too many people assembled. "Besides," said she, 66 you will catch cold, not being accustomed to be out at night, and I should be afraid to be left alone after what has happened." I allowed myself to be persuaded; though we could not think of going to bed, but stood fascinated at the window, gazing in hopeless concern for the preservation of the little furniture of the inmates.

The flames now ascended to a great

height, and illuminated the surrounding streets to a distance. The chimneys rose in striking outline amidst the general darkness. It was a sublime sight; and could one have divested one's self of the apprehension of danger or ruin to those who occupied the houses in flames, it might have furnished a desirable study for a painter. It struck one o'clock in St. Giles's. The noise increased, and the rattling of the fire-engines to the spot, conveyed the idea of a city taken by storm. The exertions to moderate the violence of the fire, seemed to little purpose. "God preserve us from accidents by fire!" said Mrs. Columbus."It's a terrible flame that!-we hear the very joists crackling," answered Mrs. Betty." If the folks' lives be safe, let their gudes gang," remarked Jenny; "the world's aye to the fore for the winning."

In a little time the roof fell with a tremendous crash, and the flames ascended with redoubled violence, far above the surrounding buildings, carrying with them the embers of the wood, which were thrown like rockets to a considerable distance. A kind of shout accompanied the falling in of the roof, and the noise of the voices was heard in louder command and reply. The appearance of the fire was now strikingly grand; the whole surrounding houses and projecting chimney stalks were lighted up with the glare; and the venerable spire of St. Giles rose in magnificence, one side gilded by the light, while the other was in deep shadow. Every scene in nature acquires a deeper interest as human beings are connected with it either as actors or sufferers; and had we known the melancholy fate of some of the inhabitants of the pile now in flames before us, we should have felt an interest incalculably deeper in the spectacle of the destructive element, whose rapid progress had rendered means of escape to them impossible.

As it was, we were fascinated to the spot, expressing vain regrets for the loss which must be occasioned to the poor inhabitants, who very seldom avail themselves of the protection of insurance against fire. The structure of most of the houses in Edinburgh, being built of stone, and their division-walls and stairs of the same material, fortunately renders loss of life an uncommon accident. It was not till next morning we learned that the fire

we had witnessed had occasioned the death of three unfortunate creatures, and what was more melancholy still, all of one family. They had been roused from their beds by the progress of the flames, which had already cut off their retreat; and in the agony of dispair, the poor man, with a hatchet, had begun, it is said, to open a way through the partition-wall of the neighbouring house, when the hatchet unfortunately broke with the violence of the strokes. There was now no alternative but in leaping from a height (three stories) which would render death as certain, though not so terrible, as being destroyed by fire. The alarm at this time had scarcely been given --the crowd had not collected-when the man, an old soldier who had served in the Peninsula, taking a child in his hand, (a boy of about six years of age,) took the fatal leap. The child was killed on the spot, and the man severely bruised. His wife. a Portuguese woman, whom he had married in his campaigns, followed the fatal example, with an infant in her arms not a year old. The unfortunate woman and the little innocent were found a few minutes after beyond hopes of recovery; and the husband, whom his overpowering calamity had, it is said, almost driven to distraction, deposited (with a solitary exception) his whole family in one grave, two days after.

MR. EDITOR,

Permit me, Sir, since it is the desire of one of your correspondents, to explain a certain part of a former communication, relative to what I conceived to be an error, contained in one of Shakspeare's Tragedies, ycleped Romeo and Juliet. And though I think my meaning is not very ambiguous, I take my pen in hand with pleasure, gratified by the reflection, that it will be in my power not only to comply with the wish of "Orion," but that in so doing, I shall have an opportunity of adding my mite to the praise which all unite in bestowing on the Dramatic Works of our immortal Bard. And I would observe, en passant, that though I think the passage in Romeo and Juliet, that was the subject of my animadversion, libellous to the female character in toto, it does not follow, that my disapprobation or dispraise should necessarily extend to the whole

of Shakspeare's plays. No, Mr. Editor, for I can conscientiously say that there is not an Englishman (and 'tis but the natives of this country to whom the beauties of our celebrated dramatist are known) who more fully appreciates his productions, than myself. "Shakspeare with all thy faults I love thee still." But to the point. Your correspondent is desirous "of being informed, in what sense any part of Shakspeare's works (or the whole of them) can be said to have withstood the test of ages." The meaning that it was my intention to convey by the expression "having withstood the test of Ages" is as followsor rather I should say, the explanation of the part of my letter, to which your correspondent alludes.-In Shakspeare's day, England had not arrived at the zenith of its prosperity, nor was the literary horizon illumined by as brilliant stars as have since shone with such undiminished lustre. And though the mists of darkness, error and superstition were giving way to the light of knowledge and truth, this country might be safely pronounced to be in an unen1ghtened and uncultivated state. A love of the licentious and the immoral, and of every thing bordering upon them, was predominant in the bosoms of mankind. Our immortal bard therefore, in the composition of his incomparable plays, was actuated by various springs, and various motives. It was his interest, nay it was his wish, I doubt not, to gratify the prevailing tastes of the age in which he wrote. Hence we may trace the origin of all those vulgarities and obscenities which cannot fail to offend the delicate, and which constitute the only ground of objection to the whole of his works. But though Shakspeare transgresses occasionally the bounds of modesty, decency and decorum, yet even they who most condemn him for the aberration, concur in the general opinion of his plays. They are ready to exclaim in the general voice, that they are inimitable, and that the genius and mind of their author, were as sublime and extensive, as the genius and mind of his contemporaries were weak and ignorant. Each of those who have made it their business to weigh every sentence, nay every line, have found nought to gra.ify a spirit of envy and detraction. Considering the disadvantages and innumerable difficulties under which Shakspeare

Dulce est fore patria mori.
Harktwas the trumpet rung
Commingling armies shout;
And, glancing far these words among,
The wreathing standards float!
The voice of triumph, and of wail,
Of victor, and of vanquish'd, join'd,
Is wafted on the vernal gale;

And Echo hath combined
Her mimic tones, to breathe the tale
To every passing wind.

For Saxon foes invade

A proad, but ingless, realm;
Oppression draws her crimson'd blade
To ruin, and o'erwhelm:---
'Tis Confray, on destruction bent,

From Freedom's roll to blot a land,
By England's haughty Edward sent;
But never on her mountain-strand
Shall Caledonia sit content,

Content with fetter'd hand.

Not while one patriot breathes,
While every verdant vale,
And mountain-side bequeathes
Some old herote tale:

The Wallace and The Bruce have thrown
A trail of glory far hehind,
The heart, to youth and valour known,
With Giant strength to bind;
While even the peasant, toiling lone,
Recalls their deeds to mind!

The Cumin lets not home

To tell a bloodless tale; And forth, in arms, with Frazer roam The flower of Teviotdale;

In Roslin's wild and wooded glen,

The voice of war the shepherd bears; And, in the groves of Hawthornden,

Are thrice ten thousand spears, Bright as the check of Natine, when May morning smiles through tears.

Three camps divided raise

Their snowy tops on high;
The breeze unfurling flag displays
Its Lions to the sky.

The tongue of Mirth is jocund there;

Blithe carols hail the matin light;

Though lurking Death, and gloomy Care,
Are watching, in despite,

Bright eyes that now are glancing fair,
Too soon to close in night!

Baffled, and backward borne,
Is England's foreinost war: —
The Saxon battle-god, forlorn,
Remounts his dragon-car:-

A third time warlike cheers are raised
Beneath the moon's unclouded sun:
Upon the patriot hand it blazed,
Saw thrice their laurels won,
And hung o'er Roslin's vale amazed,
As erst o'er Ajalon'

Blue Esk, with murmuring stream,
Romantic, journies by

Between its rocky banks, which seem
Too woo the summer sky,

With beechen groves, and oaken boughs,
And bloomy wild shrubs fresh and fair;
While oft the pendent willow throws
Its locks of silver hair

Athwart the waters, which disclose
Its image pictured there.

Three triumphs in a day!

Three hosts subdued by one!
Three armies scatter'd like the spray
Beneath one summer sun —
Who, pausing "mid this solitude,

Of rocky streams, and leafy trees,→
Who, gazing o'er this quiet wood,
Would ever dream of these?
Or have a thought that aught intrude,
Save birds, and humming bees?

Roslin, thy castle grey

Survives the wrecks of Time ; And proudly towers thy dark Abbaye, With pinnacles sublime :But, when thy battlements shall sink, And, like a vision, leave the scene, Here, here, when daylight's glories shrink, On sculptured base shall lean The patriot of the land, to think Of glories that have been!

There's a home in the cold-bosom'd tomb

A rest for the child of despair;
In the grave there is peace, and its gloom
Is dove-ey'd repose to each care.

Though some few fleeting years shall roll by,
Yet there we must lay down to sleep;
Then, sad thought! all our friendships must
die,

And wane in futurity's deep.

As the rose, that in bloom I receiv'd,
And wore in remembrance of thee,
Of its rich glowing hectic's bereav'd,
And all that once gratified me:-

So wither'd, and wan-worn, and pale,
Shall we look in our last white shrouds ;-
But virtue will live, though existence fail,
Unfading's the bliss of the clouds.

Ah for why is my spirit so sad?

Why chaunt I this heart-thrilling theme? Say, my fair one! wilt thou make me glad? Can thine eye with affect on beam?

Shall my fluttering bosom e'er taste

Thy love and be bless'd in thy smile?
Or shun'st thou my vows in distaste?
Does hope only flatter-beguile?

Oh be not so cruel, nor tell me depart;
Let no frown warp thy brow serene:

I crave thy esteem,--oh yield me thy heart,
And I'll weep uot the rose's lost shee.

But no more--all my words may be vain;
Another, more blest, thou may'st love:
Though it be so, I'll drink deep the pain,-
Yet class thee with seraphs above.

Perchance my vagaries offend thee,
And my frolics incense thine ire;
Forgive me, sweet maid in thy charity,
But quench not my youth's glowing fire.
Sheffield.

JOSHUA.

ΤΟ

When thou gav'st me the sweet-smelling rose,
I plac'd it a-kin to my heart;
How favour'd I was, if I dare to suppose
The boon was not destin'd to smart.

For as long as it hung on my breast,
And expanded its rich-fragrant arms,

I nam'd it my love, and its beauties I press'd,
And thought it bedeck'd with thy charms.

Oh how fancy then mock'd with her wiles,
For thou wert afar from my sight;
Fair flow'r it wore not thy love-kindling smiles,
And early it suffer'd a blight.

Sweet delicate thing how quickly it died -
The emblem of death and decay;
So premature joy so hope's rapture's glide,
And perish when love asks their stay;
So transient's each wish of the soul:

As time takes his fleet-wing'd career,
He blights health and beauty-his dark goal
Swallow's every object, that's dear.