am I?-where is Catherine?" and he tore his hair from his head in all the madness of despair. "Where is Catherine?-She is dead.-Who said that she was dead? By her innocent face, and by all the love I bear her, I'll brand him on the teeth a liar-I'll tear him limb from limb, and leave his bones to whiten in the noon-tide sun. But, oh!" -he deeply groaned; a big tear started. from his swollen eye, as returning sense brought the sad truth before him. " Yes, she is dead dead" and he burst into a flood of tears. He knelt down by the pale, cold corpse of her he loved; and between his sobs prayed, "Fatherteach me to say-thy will, O God, be done!"-His head fell upon her round white arm, it cooled his burning brain. He spoke not, but tears fell fast to the ground. Thus the wedding-party found them -naturally horror-struck. She who was to have been the occupant of a bridal bed, now to be the inhabitant of a tomb. Grief took the place of merriment, cypress boughs were twined in lieu of roses, and tears were shed instead of joys. How chill and void appears the room in which lays the lifeless form of one we dearly loved: the domestics creeping about, as though they feared to awake the sleeping corpse; perhaps the silence only broken by the note of some sweet bird, revelling 'mid the green trees in the full shine of nature's face, seeming to say, "I am happy! How art thou?" The warbler's voice, in such an hour as this, pierces to the very soul, and sickens so that the most volatile cannot but reflect. Poor Henry leant over the coffin to take a last kiss, a last long look, of the form of his own loved bride. How altered her blooming cheek-it was white, and cold as ice; her little hand, now quite stiff, held in its grasp the book of God. She was gone to receive a crown of glory in a better and never-ending sphere. -The appointed hours rolled heavily over the house of sorrow. The form of the bride, followed by a long train of mourners, was borne to its last home. 'Twas a sad sight to see the village girls, they who had strewn roses on her path upon her wedding-day, now following their gentle mistress, whom they loved so well, though she now knew them not, down the lanes and green meadows, and with their white kerchiefs, in vain endeavouring to stay the tear of sincerity and affection. They passed over the bridge by the MILL, and many of the thinking crowd thought how often and how lately had they seen the object of their grief in that edifice, listening with soul-enwrapped attention to the words of peace, from the mouth of him who now sorrowfully consigned her to the grave. But whither did they take her? Where she wished to lie-where the murmuring stream will flow beside her, and the scented buds will droop to kiss the dew from the green grass sod-where her love was first whispered-where her breath was last drawn. See! now they have reached the hallowed spot; for sacred it is-sacred by a mourner's prayer. Hark! the church service is read over her-she loved it when alive. They lower her down,the coffin touches the bottom of the grave,—the earth is falling on the coffin with a hollow sound-nothing is seen but dust-she has gone-gone for ever. Oh! what grief rushes through the hearts of those that sincerely stand around. *** A few weeks passed by, and life was as before, Catherine-was forgotten! Thus we too generally put down life as the main chance, and forget eternity. Who is he with bosom uncovered, bareheaded, kneels upon yonder green sward? Who is he who appears not to heed the approaching tempest?-What mortal leaves his warm hearth, to brave the snow-drift and the freezing blast?Who is he that forsakes the friends of his home, his sheltering bed, for the wet grass and spirits of the mist-the voice of man for the hootings of the owl-the breast of affection for the cold, cold earth. It is Henry S, leaning o'er his dear one's grave in prayer. He has brought an offering of a few tender flowers, reared by his own hands, in warmth. now that no buds are seen in the fields to strew over her pillow. He has come to tell her he will try to be happy, and do his duty to God and man. And he has done it to the extent of human power. For though grief still clings to his heart, and remembrance of the past still haunts his brain, though sorrow pales his cheek, yet he visits and comforts the poor and sick; carries on his labour in the mill church, with a new and sad delight, for near it he looks on the grave of her he loved. The old gentleman, whose piecemeal tale has been told continuously, concluded it by leading our steps along the river to the spot. A little raised luxuriantly green grass marked the lowly bed of beauty; a slab of pure white marble was erected at the head of the grave, with only these simple words engraved in black letters upon it ، To CATHERINE, The tomb was almost enveloped in a wreath, or rather veil, of luxuriant flowers, entwined together, like affection round the heart, so closely, that nor storms, nor whirlwinds, could ever disunite them; even though they should be borne down, they would still fall tightly clasped together, and perish in each other's embrace. While we stood gazing upon the enchanted cell, a shower of rain, one of England's own summer showers, refreshing the parched earth, and causing it to send up a scent more fragrant than the spices of Arabia, came stealing with its cooling influence from the skies; the drops trickled through the branches of the shrubs, wetting the grass-grown grave and snowy marble. I could not help likening them to the tears of woman, shed over some darling object, as they quivered on the leaves and flowers. The stream gurgled along close to the bower, lulling, as it were, with its music every ruder sound. And at night some twinkling star, good angel of her rest, poured its pure crystal light, ،، Cheering-trembling spark, Fond, beauteous watcher of her pillow." My companion remarked, that it was a very different scene to that of Catherine's last song. "Yes," I replied, "then she seemed to sigh for solitude and silence-here it is all endearment and life; and I must say, I think this the fitter for a maiden's grave, for one so good as Catherine." As I walked home, I could not help ruminating on the singular manner in which I had spent the day, and yet to me it was a delightful one; I had enjoyed the fresh air of the country, and listened to agreeable conversation; and ladies, I can assure you, I look forward with pleasure to spending many more hours upon the Essex hills, gazing on views, most of the objects of which have to me much interest; or wandering with my rod and line on the banks of the romantic Lea: for I affirm, notwithstanding Johnson (who knew nothing at all about it) defined angling, as a worm at one end of the rod and a fool at the other," that the solitary angler enjoys more moments of sweet meditation than almost any other person. Hear what old Izaak Walton, the father of all honest anglers says and sings,-"No life, my honest scholar, no life so happy and so pleasant, as the life of a well-governed angler; for when the lawyer is swallowed up with business, and the statesman in preventing or contriving plots, then we sit on cowslip-banks, hear the birds sing, and possess ourselves in as much quietness as these silent silver streams, which we now see glide so quietly by us. Indeed, my good scholar, we may say of angling, as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, Doubtless, God could have made a better berry, but, doubtless, God never did;' and so, if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling. "I'll tell you, scholar, when I sat last on this primrose bank, and looked down these meadows, I thought of them, as Charles the emperor did of the city of Florence, That they were too pleasant to be looked on, but only on holidays.' 6 ,,, Could this have been written by a fool? Are the feelings those of one? Read The Complete Angler," and I am confident none will despise, but, on the contrary, regard with admiration the character of the true followers of the ancient fisherman. Why should not ladies be anglers as well as archers, and fish in pleasant waters? I assure them, I shall not neglect to revisit often the primitive place of worship on the Lea; and if ladies happen to find themselves in its vicinity, and any be of a romantic temperament, one that can colour the outlines of a scene with a peculiar glow, who, like the poet, gases upon the world from a fairy-stained window, which imparts beauty to all objects seen through it, and, above all, who can overlook little trifles in ceremony, I pray them to bend their steps thither, checking all expectation of seeing any thing very extraordinary in the Mill E. G. Church. AN ADDRESS FROM THE LATE YEAR. "Tempus fugit." The butterfly beauteous in summer's bright day, For like mine too its course is but short-as time flies, Until autumn came on, and the leaf sear and dead, Once beauteous, now floats o'er the silvery bed Of yon river, and whispers to it and to me, Canst thou say that the next knell may not toll for thee? The charms of this book through the ensuing year, Wiseton, Dec. 30. J. C. H. THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF MY GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER. When the ceremonies for the reception of the urns was over, (religious ceremonies with these people always take place,) they proceed to the inauguration of the pophar regent, which was performed with no other ceremony but placing him on a chair of state, with his face towards the east, on the top of the highest hill in the nome, to show that he was to inspect or overlook all, looking towards the temple of the sun, which stood directly eastward of him, to put him in mind that he was to take care of the religion of his ancestors in the first place. When he was thus placed, three hundred and sixty-five of the chiefs of the nome, as representatives of all the rest, came up to him, and making a respectful bow, said, Eli Pophar, which is as much as to say, Hail, father of our nation; and he embracing them as a father does his children, answered them with Cali Benim, that is, my dear children. many of the women did the same. was all the homage they paid him, which was esteemed so sacred as never to be violated. All the distinction of his habit was one greater sun on his breast, much bigger than any of the rest. The precious As This stones also, which was set in the white fillet binding his forehead, were larger than ordinary, as were those of the cross circles over his head, terminated on the summit with a large tuft of gold, and a thin plate of gold in the shape of a sun fastened to it horizontally. All of them, both men and women, wore those filletcrowns, with a tuft of gold, and a thin plate, but no sun on the top except the pophar. As soon as the ceremonies and rejoicings were over, which were performed in tents at the public expense, he was conducted, with the cheerful acclamations of the people, and the sound of musical instruments, to a magnificent tent in the front of the whole camp facing the east, which is looked upon as the most honourable, as first seeing the rising sun; and so on by easy journeys till he came to the chief town of that nome. The reason why these ceremonies were performed in the different nomes was to show that they all depended on him, and because the empire was so very populous that it was impossible they could meet at one place. I cannot express the caresses I received from them, especially when they found I was descended from the same race, by my mother's side, and so nearly related to the pophar. When I came first into their company they all embraced me, men and women, with the most endearing tenderness: the young beautiful women, as well as others, calling me brother. I cannot say but some of them expressed a fondness for me that seemed to be of another sort, and which afterwards gave me a deal of trouble; but I imputed it to the nature of the sex, who are unaccountably more fond of strangers, whom they know nothing of, than of persons of much greater merit, who converse with them every day: their mutual jealousies gave me great uneasiness afterwards. But to say a word or two more of the nature of these people: they are the handsomest race of people I believe nature ever produced, with this only difference, which some may think a defect, that they are all too much like one another; but if it be a defect, it proceeds from a very laudable cause; that is, from their springing from one family, without any mixture of different nations in their blood. They have neither wars nor traffic with other people to adulterate their race, for which reason they know nothing of the vices such a commerce often brings along with it. Their eyes are something too small, but not so little as the Chinese; their hair is generally black, and seems to be a little cropped or frizzled; and their complexion brown, but their features are the most exact and regular imaginable; and in the mountainous parts towards the line, where the air is cooler, they are rather fairer than the Italians. The men are universally well-shaped, tall and slender, except through some accidental deformity, which is very rare; but the women, who keep themselves much within doors, are the most beautiful creatures, and the finest shaped, in the world, except being so much alike. There is such an innocent sweetness in their beauty, and such a native modesty in their countenance, as cannot be described. A bold forwardness in a woman is what they dislike; and in every thing the women are the most chaste I ever saw, which is doubtless owing to the early and provident care of their female governors. The visitations which we made to carry the urns, gave me an opportunity of seeing the greatest part of their country as soon as I came there; though the pophar, with a less retinue, and with whom I always was, visited them more particularly afterwards. The soil of the country is very fertile, not only in different sorts of grain and rice, with a sort of wheat much larger and richer in flower than any Indian wheat I ever saw, but particularly in an unexhaustible variety of fruits, legumes, and herbs of such nourishing juice, and delicious taste, that to provide fruit for such numbers of people is the least of their care; not but the industry and ingenuity of the people, joined with their perpetual peace and rest from external and almost internal broils, contribute very much to their riches and fertility. Their villages being built, most of them, on the rivulets for manufactures and trades, are not to be numbered. Their hills are full of metallic mines of all sorts, with materials sufficient to work them silver is the scarcest-nothing more plentiful than gold; it comes out oftentimes in great lumps from the mineral rocks, as if it weft out from between the joints, and was thrown off by the natural heat of the earth, or other unknown causes: this gold is more ductile, easier to work, and better for all uses than that which is drawn from the ore. Their inventions, not only for common conveniences, but even the magnificence of life, are astonishing. When I spoke of their fruits, I should have mentioned a small sort of grape, that grows there naturally, of which they make a wine, sharp at first, but which will keep a great many years, mellowing and improving as it is kept; but the choicest grapes, which are chiefly for drying, are cultivated among them, and a very little pains does it. Their wines are more cordial than inebriating; but a smaller sort, diluted with water, makes their constant drink. I do not remember I ever saw any horned beast in the country, except goats of a very large size, which serve them with milk, though it is rather too rich; deer there are innumerable, of more different kinds than in Europe. There is a little beast, seemingly of a species between a roe and a sheep, whose flesh is the most nourishing and delicious that can be tasted these make a dish in all their feasts, and are chiefly reserved for that end. Their fowl, wild and tame, make the greatest part of their food; as to 30 The Life and Adventures of my Great-Great-Grandjather. flesh meat, they do not eat much, it being, as they think, too gross a food. The rivers and lakes are stored with vast quantities of most exquisite fish, particularly a golden trout, whose breast is of a bright scarlet colour, as delectable to the palate as to the eye. They suppose fish to be more nourishing, and easier of digestion, than flesh; for which reason they eat more of it; but having no rivers that run into the sea, they want all of that kind. Their horses, as I observed before, are but small, but full of metal and life, and extremely swift: they have a wild ass, longer than the horse, of all the colours of the rainbow, very strong and profitable for burden and drudgery; but their great carriages are drawn by elks: the dromedaries are for travelling over the sands. The rivers, at least in the plain and low countries, are cut into canals, by which they carry most of their provisions and effects all over the country. This is only a small sketch of the nature of the country: yet I must say, that for riches, plenty of all delicacies of life, manufactories, inventions of arts, and every thing that conduces to make this mortal state as happy as is possible, no country in the known world can parallel it; though there are some inconveniences.* Nothing very extraordinary happened until I came away, unless I reckon the extraordinary happiness I was placed in, as to all things in this life, in one of the most delicious regions of the universe, married to the regent's daughter, and should be called upon to speak of the deplorable loss of her with my only son; -the one indescribable, the other sufficiently known to every parent. I shall give my readers a succinct account of their religion, laws, and customs, which are almost as far out of the common way of thinking of the rest of the world, as their religion. The religion of these people is really idolatry in the main; though as simple and natural as possible for heathens. They indeed will not acknowledge themselves to be heathens, in the sense we take the word; that is, worshippers of * One should quickly know something geographically, geologically, &c., and every thing else of this El Dorada; unless, indeed, fears are entertained for the depopulation of our new colonies of South Australia, Van Diemen's Land, Swan River, &c. &c.! false gods, for they have an abhorrence of idolatry in words as well as the Chinese, but are idolaters in effect, worshipping the material sun, and paying those superstitious rites to their deceased ancestors; of which part of their religion I have already given. These people, however, acknowledge one supreme God, maker of all things, whom they call El, or the most high of all. This, they say, natural reason teaches them, from an argument, though good in itself, yet formed in a different way of arguing from other people they say all their own wisdom, or that of all the wisest men in the world, put together, could never form this glorious world in all its causes and effects so justly adapted to its respective ends, as it is with respect to every individual species: therefore, the author of it must be a Being infinitely wiser than all intellectual beings. Though they make a god of the sun, they do not say he is independent as to his own being; but that he received it from El. Some of the wiser sort, when I argued with them, seemed to acknowledge the sun to be a material being created by God; but others think him to be a sort of vicegerent, by whom the El performs every thing, as the chief instrumental cause of all productions. This is the reason they address all their prayers to the sun, though they allow all power is to be referred originally to the El. They all of them, both men and women, rest satisfied in their belief, without any disputes about it; thinking it much better to adore him in the inscrutability of his essence in an humble silence, than to be disputing about what they cannot comprehend: all their search is employed in second causes, and the knowledge of nature, as far as it may be useful to men. As for the immortality of the soul, rewards and punishments in another life, they believe both, though they have an odd way of explaining them. They suppose, without any hesitation, that the soul is a being independent of matter, as to its essence, having faculties of thinking, willing, and choosing; which mere matter, let it be spun ever so fine, and actuated by the quickest and the most subtle motions, can never be capable of. The rewards and punishments in the next life, they believe, will chiefly consist in this-that in proportion as their |