"Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf; In like manner, when Shakespeare finishes Lear's complicated sufferings by death, the little touching circumstances of pure nature, which be connects with the close of the unfortunate monarch's life, soothe rather than agitate the feelings; and leave us to the enjoyment of a sweet and improving sorrow; “Thou❜lt come no more, Never, never, never, never, never— Was ever the image of a heart bursting with grief thrown before "the mind's eye" with an adjunct of such pure simplicity and genuine pathos ? Historical Illustrations. THE story of this novel has little connection with the public politics or general history of the country. It violates throughout, indeed, the chronology of Elizabeth's reign, by representing certain transactions as occurring in immediate succession, which were separated from each other by an interval of many years. But this dislocation of events is of the less importance, as they relate only to domestic or personal memoirs. The narrative hinges upon the sad fortunes of Amy Robsart, which form a painful tissue of unvaried disappointments, distresses, and privations, closed by an unmerited and horrible death-and the circumstances which occurred during Elizabeth's visit to Leicester, at his sumptuous residence, Kenilworth Castle, in 1575.* These form the ground-work, and almost the whole superstructure, of the story; and as such, to them shall we confine our present remarks. We have already observed that the first wife of Leicester was Amy, the daughter of Sir John Robsart, of Sheen, in Surrey; a match effected (like most of the marriages between the offspring of the great in that age) when the parties were very young, and resulting from plans and adjustment of their parents, rather than from their own predilection for each other. The connection was sanctioned by the young king, Edward VI., who honoured the ceremony with his presence, and speedily advanced the bridegroom to considerable offices at court. For a few years, Leicester and his wife appear to have lived together on what are called decent, if not on affectionate, terms; and though the rays of royal favour, which daily shone upon • She had been twice before at Kenilworth; in 1566 and 1568.-Nichol's Progress. him with increasing warmth, gradually produced and embittered his regret at having matched himself with so humble a partner for life as Amy Robsart; yet he does not seem to have conceived any notion of ridding himself of this domestic burthen by violent means, till the prospect of sharing either the Scotch or the English throne glittered before his imagi nation. To both of these speculations, Amy was an insurmountable bar; and he resolved to remove it by her immediate destruction. How this was effected is a matter of some doubt. All that we know of it is contained in 7 the following narrations. "Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a very goodly personage, being a great favourite to Queen Elizabeth, it was thought, and commonly reported, that, had he been a bachelor or widower, the queen would have made him her husband. To this end, to free himself from all obstacles, he, with fair flattering intreaties, desires his wife to repose herself at Cumnor, in Berkshire, at his servant Anthony Foster's house, who then lived in the manor-house of this place; and also prescribed to Sir Richard Varney, a pro moter of this design, at his coming hither, that he should first attempt to poison her, and if that did not take effect, then by any way whatsoever to dispatch her." The poisoning scheme, Aubrey says, not succeeding, the foul instruments of Leicester's villany effected their purpose in the following manner. " Sir Richard Varney, who, by the earl's order, remained with her alone on the day of her death, and Foster, who had that day forcibly sent away all her servants from her to Abingdon fair, about three miles distance from this place; these two persons first stifling her, or else strangling her, afterwards flung her down a pair of stairs, and broke her neck, using much violence upon her; yet caused it to be reported that she fell down of herself, believ ing the world would have thought it a mis chance, and not have suspected the villany. As soon as she was murdered, they made haste to bury her, before the coroner had given in his inquest; which the earl himself condemned, as not done advisedly; and her father, Sir John Robsart, hearing, came with all speed hither, caused her corpse to be |