And gives unto the world's slight view
Virtues and crimes alike untrue:
But when death's talisman is there,
Deceptions all must melt in air ;
Then all we shew is plain and sooth,
And all our words are words of truth.
So 'twas with Charles :-to guilt resign'd,
His loves and passions, heart and mind,
Grew darker and more stain'd with sin,
As Guilt sway'd more his breast within :
And then, so false his heart reflected,
That crimes on crimos pass'd undetected,
And Conscience sear'd by long delay,
Spake not until his dying day.
That day was come :-Around bis bed

Some few unwilling took their stand ;
And fewer still a tear-drop shed

O'er the lost ruler of their land.
Oh! 'twas a sight both sad and dread,
To view that now uncrowned head,
Rack'd with vain Fantasy's controul,
Unruled by Reason's power his soul,
Disease and Pain around him flung,
Distress and Madness on his tongue,
Which thus in Passion's fits would wake,
Till Nature's ties in pity brake.
“ Rivers of ice are round me flowing !

Transport me where the golden sun,
With noontide heat is ever glowing,

And bis bright race is never donc.-
I did not bid ye, slaves, embrace

My frozen limbs with Iceland snows;
But bear me bleeding from the chace,
Warm furs around my form to close.
O Heaven! I shiver,

And if thou wilt but hear my cry,

Oh! let not this keen agony
Around my frozen members quiver.
It is as marble to my heart! -

Now through my brain,
A thousand lightnings dart,

And yet I mourn in vain!
Aye,--Now the genial warmth returns again ;

But that return
Brings with it shafts of fire and scorching pain,

Oh God I burn!
Whence come those flames that round my couch are spreading ?
Whence come those fiends that on my bed are treadiug?
Oh, Death! thy near approach my soul is dreading;

My guards there,-Ho!
Seize ye upon that Demon,-chain that Fiend,
I am a Monarch yet,--and to the end

I will be so !-
What forms are these whose glances shed

A pale yet fearful light on me?
Like lamps that watch beside the dead,

Thcir cold blue eyes appear to be.
No, they are living men; for there
Is Charles of France, the crowned heir

Of him, the Wise, who stands beside
His brother's form,--and men say died
By those slow poisons !-O my brain !
To madness wanders back again ;
Both my elixirs might defy,
For if they drank, they did not dic."
He céased ; and from a source unknown

Red flames burst out his couch around;
Then wilder horrors mark'd each groan.

And frantic grew each dying sound.
For none, though many a heart was brave,
Those fires could quench, the King could save;
Till Death had closed all mortal strife
With pain, with nature, and with life;
And gave the sign that all was o’er,
That Charles of Navarre breathed no more.
He fell, and round the regal tower

Where once he lived, where thus he died,
E'en in that dark and dreadiul hour,

The Sable Bow expanded wide!
It spread o'er all created things

That from the Palace ye descry;
And still appears when evil kings

Are call'd into Eternity !

NOTES. The Death of Charles the Bul. Charles the Second of Navarre died on the 1st of January, 1387, aged 56, after a disti rbed and evil reign of 38 years. Towards the latter end of his life, according to Froissart, he was accustomed to liave his bed warmed with heated air, when once the sheets suddenly caught fire, and he was burned. Other historians give a different account of Charles's death. The appearance of the Black Rainbow is very rare in England, and the superstition connected with it in the text is almost equally so.

-Charles of France, the crowned heir Of him the Wise. Two of the many criines charge! to Charles the Bad, were the attempts to destroy the Kings Charles V. and Vi. of France, surnamed the Well-Beloved and the Wise, by slow poison.

R.

CRANIOLOGY. Now what my love is proof hath made you know. Hamlet. THOUGH the doctrine of Cra- the allusion to my once favourite niology has gradually sunk into dis- hobbyhorse in the following position. repute, and I might almost add into Nature, in the arrangement of the decay, which a modern cynic pro- animal economy, has equally comclaimed as another ology for the Blue manded and incited the sexos to enStocking Fair to rack their brains, crease their kind, and multiply themand talk nonsense upon, yet po system selves upon earth:- She lias, moreof philosophy of the present time ever over, consistent with her bounteous offered wider extent for speculative providence, endowed them with that research, or produced more converts fond love and affection, which induces on it's first promulgation. Enrolled them to support, and watch over their originally under it's banners, and still offspring with anxious care and proretaining some lurking predilection tecting tenderness. It is true, the for it's theories, disarmed of the dan- exercise of them seems heightened gerous fallacies of Materialism and or diminished in proportion to the Fatalism, I trust I shall be excused p!ıysical strength and power of their possessors : but, in reality, the dif- able to the state and the individual, that ference exists in the means of sap- laws were instituted for it's greater port and defence with which Nature encouragement. The severity, inhas respectively furnished them : for deed, of the Spartan enactments topo one can possibly imagine, that a wards bachelors of a certain age was less affection is experienced by the remarkable :-He who had exceeded

nightingale, who mourns in plaintive the limited time granted by their law· noie the loss of her uafledged off- giver, was compelled once every winter

spring, than by the lioness, who fights to run stark naked round the Forum, with savage ferocity in behalf of her singiug a ridiculous song, wbosc tenb+lpless whelps. This natural aslec- dency heightened the shame, and aption, moreover, exists, whether called parently encreased the crime: they into active exertion, or compelled to were likewise excluded, and forbidlie dormant for want of an object to den to be present at those exercises, employ it on. From this instinctive where young virgins contended naked. impulse of nature may be traced that Another penalty was, that at a certain false allection so generally manifested feast the women were allowed to buflet for dumb animals, by those persons and bruise them with their fists, and who have no family of children upon otherwise maltreat them at their diswhom they may lavish it, or no relative cretion. Thank hearen! this age of from whom at a future period they barbarism has long since passed away. may expect a grateful retorn. Thouce and with it the exercisc of such inthat care and solicitude to their wants, human practices. Our ears are now which from the aversion of some ani- safe from the heavy blows of dismals to receive, would, it might have 'appointed dames, or the more torbeen supposed, have convinced them menting pinches of amorous damsels. they were acting in violation to all We can now look with perverse inprinciples of nature, and that the sensibility alike on the youtbfnl Great Parent of all never designed glow of seventeen, or the sallow comthat their aflections should be so un- plexion of forty-five. Love need to profitably bestowed. Many and great jonger be dwelling on our lips, or names, both in ancient and modern forcing it's way by compulsion to the times, I am well aware can be quoted heart. Deliberation may guide our in defence of the praetice. The fond choice, and frec will sanction the elecindulgence displayed by the learned tion. But then, as every good has Joboson in the treatment of his favour- it's relative evil, so we find this advanite cat, Hodge, is well known; for tage counterbalanced by the too numewhom, if Boswell's account be true, rous females of “single blessedness," he was in the habit himself of buying who, from the want of a family to paroysters, apprehensive that the ser- take their love, and occupy their attenvants having that trouble should take tion, are encircled by crowds of dumb a dislike to the poor inoflensive ani- pet favourites, in whom their sole mal. The pampered horse of Cali- affection seems centered. This I know gula, who was stabled in the most by dear-hought experience, having costly apartments of marble, and one surviving maiden aunt, who, decked with the most valuable trap- though verging fast on the respectpings and jewels the Roman empire able age of fifty-five, has never yet could produce, is another instance of participated in the joys of matrimony, the same character. Bnt these exam- and to whom every ycar I dedicate six ples farnish no argument in support of wecks of my life; not from any intenthe habit:-Folly becomes not wisdom tion of legacy-hunting, but from a pure by the numerical strength, or proud desire of contributing to her happiattainments, of it's votaries; and the ness, and breaking the dull monocustom, doubtless, were “more ho- tony of her life. Her house, though noured in the breach, than in the ob- not large, is adapted for comfort, servance." Bat my purport in this pas which has long since been disregardper is, more particularly, to shew the bed, by the introduction into her family existence of this idle passion among of three favourite spaniels as her conthat portion of my fair countrywomen, stant companions. At every corner, şeleped old maids. Among the ancients, therefore, some obstruction presents bat more especially the Grecians,matri- itself, which is designed for the use Ebony was considered so bighly honour- of these dumb creatures ; either mats Eur. Mag. Vol. 81. Jan. 1822.

E

for their repose in the day-time, or land manners is destroyed, by the ne-
tufted rugs, the work of her nota- cessary attendance upon their wishes.
bility, for their nightly beds ; bas- Should the weather prove unfavour-
kets for the more inclement season; able for her to venture out, she occa-
pans of water lightly tinged with the sionally reminds me, during the in-
yellow roll of sulphur for their drink, termission of the showers, that I must
or neat wedgwood ware for their meat, not omit my daily cxercise ; which am-
which is cut hot each day from the biguously means, that her dear pets
family joint : (in short, every thing must take their accustomed walk.
that fancy can devise, or affection All these, and many more, miseries
execute. These, indeed, have often I endure during my visit; wbich are
caused curses, not loud but deep,” to the more vexatious, as my worthy
escape my lips, when, hastening down relative, in other respects, displays
stairs to our early meals, to preserve great talent, and sound knowledge.
my reputation of punctuality, my foot Such aflection, besides being absurd
has met in opposition with them, and and obnoxious, is repugnant to every
laid me even with the objects of my principle of Nature. These animals
misfortune. Time and custom has are gifted with the powers of instinct,
familiarized her to them, and she, which require no human hand to di-
therefore, moves along with perfect rect; she has clothed them with a
indifference. But this is not the only covering adapted to the alternation
inconvenience I am subjected to, from of the seasons, which needs not the
this absurd predilection. Many a long additional aid of art. No person en-
winter's night, when my visit has taken joys them more in their proper situa-
place at that season of the year, I tion than myself ; no sportsman feels
have sat shivering with cold at an aw- a greater delight in the opening cry of
ful distance from the fire ; for my a pack of hounds, or treads with more
legs being unbappily rather long, I anxiety the stubble field behind a
should have otherwise disturbed the brace of staunch pointers. I am, be-
slumbers of these basking favourites. sides, a zealous advocate for their
At tea, again, I am roused from an kind treatment, as I consider in-
easy arm-chair, to reach a swimming humanity to dumb animals the cer-
saucer of milk to “ dear Flora," or tain indication of a bad disposition.
“ gentle Prince,” remembering the But then confine them within their
due etiquette that Flora is served first, proper place; let not the drawing-
from the preference usually given to room be converted into a dog-kennel,
the female sex:-and even here my and your friends into whippers-in.
catalogue of misery is not complete ; Nothing is so revolting to good sepse,
for during the day I am harassed liy or propriety. Human affections ought
these creatures' motions, and capri- not to be so tritled with : they should
cious whims. Whether reading aloud be cherished for higher and legiti-
the pompous description, in her fa- mate objects. Every day's encreased
vourite paper the Morning Post, of intercourse with the world will con-
the Marchioness of 's Conver- vince us, that the numerous calls to
sazione, or turning over the enter- which they are subject, should leave
taiping pages of the last Scotch no- them unrestrained for a full, free, and
vel, down must go the admired co- active exertion.
lumn, or the beautiful picture of High-

CELEBS.

THE PRISONERS OF MOUNT ST. MICHAEL.
Mount St. Michael, in Normandy, is surrounded by a quicksand, and bears upon it's

summit an abbey within a fortress, which is still a secret state-prison.

LINGER, brief winter-sun, awhile,
On the lonely peak of St. Michael's pile !
For never where Bourbon's gardens smile

Have happier slaves or wiser met;-
These sands that circle our prison-tower,

Are they falser than those the courtier treads ?
Yon thicket where wolves and bandits cower,-

Is it darker than those his treason spreads?

If Fame and Fortune are in our debt,
The world will reckon,–let us forget.

Why should we fight with the angry wave,

When soon it will waft us safe to shore ? Our ship from the rock we could not save,

But we feel the blow of that rock no more: We are still the same gay gallant crew

That joyous fellowship held on board,
When the blandest breezes of summer blew,

And the riches of hope were with us stored-
Let them who scatter'd the precious freight
The wreck remember,—but we'll forget.
Is this a prison ?-'tis but a home

Where Fate has lodged us without a care:
The wretch who toils for a gilded dome,

Will sleep less sweetly and safely there. Shall we deplore the dreary void,

And see the last of Life's roses fall ?
They are not lost that have been enjoy'd ;-

We know we have gather'd and worn them all,
Life's evening dew may one rose-leaf wet,
Then let us the coming night forget.
Or let us like Persia's proudest kings

Welcome this dark eve of the year ;-
It is the LA67,-and of carthly things

Ever the last should be most dear.
There is no sadness in the thought

That our last hour is arriving here;
For of all the blisses our souls have caught,

The latest moment was always near ;
And to know the loveliest sun would set,
Made us it's spots and it's clouds forget.

Oh! when we look on the friends that live,

And think how early their light may close, Shall we not every shade forgive,

And bless the sunshine that round them glows ! It is the last,- for though days return,

The touch of that glow will return no more ; We may new joys from new moments learn,

But never the same we have felt before :We may tread on the spot where first we met, But shall we not wish we could forget? Lovely Garonne !—in the deep blue sky,

When the moon bends down as if fond of earth, I shape, while her snow-white clouds roll by,

The bills of the land that gave me birth : And her floating light is like the joy

That over my youth's sweet stillness sprcad,-
The meek pure love of a mother's eye

On hours of loneliness brighter shed :-
Only that soft light lingers yet,
While all in the thankless world forget,

V.