Off the entangled thoughts; and what is this,

If we bethink us not of how and when,
But harsh despoiling, and sad likelihood

Of breaking that away whereby the fabric stood.

M. C. C. S.

THE BATTLE OF THE KINGS.

Amadis* of Gaul, Book I. Chap. 9.

King Perion lay in Baladin, besieged within the wall
By Abies king of Ireland, who had slain the knights of Gaul;
And Galayn Duke of Normandy, and Daganel the proud,
Lay round the fort, and urged the King with vaunts insulting loud.

Right joyful was King Perion, when bold Agrayes came,

And that brave young knight, the Child of the Sea, for none yet knew his name;

And Perion took the Child straightway, and led him to the Queen; "This is the knight I told ye of, the best I've ever seen."

The Queen thanked him right lovingly, for saving Perion's life,
When nigh borne down with numbers, in the hard unequal strife,
And seeing him so fair, she thought on her own son's hard lot,
So she wept for him who was in her sight, and yet she knew it not.

* Little more has been attempted here, than to compress and versify the old romance, so far as may be, using its very words. Hence, many of the harshnesses and colloquialisms, which would otherwise have been eschewed. This is mentioned, not of course to disarm criticism, (which would be idle,) but because it seems but fair that in reading any thing, the principle of its construction, whether right or wrong, should at least be known.

And Abies made an ambushment-and with the morning light,
Galayn and Daganel called forth King Perion to the fight;
And forth to the fight Agrayes rushed, and forth King Perion rode,
And the Child of the Sea in milk-white arms, his milk-white steed
bestrode.

The townsmen stood upon the walls, and called "to arms, to arms,"
And the Gallic chivalry poured forth, and the trumpets blew alarms;
Some, when they saw the numerous foes, desired behind to stay;
"On,” cried Agrayes, and the Child, and dashed into the fray.

The Child encountered Galayn, and o'erthrew both man and horse, The Duke's leg brake-the Child's lance snapped-so bitter was the force;

He seized his sword, and none could stand his blows so fierce and strong,

Till sore beset, he could not move amid the crushing throng.

Then through the throng Agrayes pressed, and his hard need relieved, And Perion succoured with his knights, whom Daganel received; And the armies mingled on the plain, like the blendings of the tide, And the Child shewed forth such chivalry, that none durst him abide.

Then Daganel, who saw his host all scattered and astound,
Strove hard to pierce his horse, and throw the rider to the ground;
But the Child so rudely smote his helm, that all the laces broke,
And Perion clove him to the belt, with a true two-handed stroke.

So the Norman and the Irish knights began to yield and fly,
And cried to Abies not to see his friends unsuccoured die;
On came King Abies to the fight with a fresh unwearied power,
Then the foes, be sure, did wish themselves within their walls that

hour.

The Galllic knights gave backward then when King Abies appeared, For he was the best knight of all, whom most of all they feared, And the battle had been quickly lost and the town gates had been

passed,

But forth Agrayes, and the Child, and King Perion pressed in haste.

"Sirs," said the Child, "bestir yourselves, your honour to maintain, For Galayn and proud Daganel are numbered with the slain”— Outspoke a knight to Abies then, “Sire, in the front he fights, "That maiden knight on the milk-white steed-'tis he who slew thy knights."

King Abies spurred him up in wrath, and to the Child he said, "The men I loved of all the world through thee are lying dead "Bring on thy men-for this day's work thou dearly shalt abide." "Nay-ye are many-we are few and spent," the Child replied.

"Our lives perchance ye may destroy-no honour can ye take, "But if thou'lt shew thy hardiness for thy dead companions' sake, "Choose out a band of whom thou wilt, and I will do the same, "And let us meet in equal fight for safety and for fame."

"Let it be so," said Abies then; "how many wilt thou have?"
“Since 'tis for me to choose,” said he, “ no other will I crave :
"I am thine enemy-thou mine-let us two try the fray-
"No other blood, but of us twain, shall now be shed to-day."

"Nay, not to-day," the King replied, "thou'rt weary, and must

rest

"The sun hath set-the light wanes fast-thy wounds must needs be dressed :

"Let me not slay a worn-out foe-to-morrow we will fight

"Till then I wish thee health and strength, the more to prove my

might."

Into the town King Perion rode, and Agrayes, and the Child,
And the people blessed him as he passed, he looked so fair and

mild;

Then the Queen herself took off his arms, and dressed his wounds

with care,

So he robed him for the hall, and joined the song, and feasting there.

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

My dear Mamma,

No. III.

MY FIRST LETTER.

February 1st, 1843.

1 dare say you think from my first letter that I am very unhappy here, but I really begin to like Eton very much, and I have spent all my money. I have bought you a very pretty walking stick with Dr. Hawtrey's head on it, and a little dog. But I must tell you all about that, because, I have lost it again. You must know there is a wall here, and some men that the boys call cads, who are very kind to us, and stand by it all day waiting for us to come out of school, by the masters' orders I think, at least the one I bought the dog of told me that they were asked to stand outside on purpose. Well it was a very pretty one, and he told me that he would only charge me one pound for it, because he knew papa when he was at Eton, though another boy had offered him two pounds and all his old hats for a long time, that very morning. Well, I was just going to carry it to my room, when A, who messes with me, and cats my butter, told me I mustn't, because dogs were not allowed, so the

cad offered to take care of it for me for five shillings a-week, and said I might go and see it at his house any day after twelve; but when I went there yesterday, he said it had run away in the night--but I didn't care much, for it was a very oudacious dog, as the man called it, and bit me lots of times; he offered me another one to-day, which is very like mine, and answered to the same name when I called it, but this one was white before and brown behind, while mine was wisy-warsy as the man made me observe. There is another man here who knew my name very well indeed, and if he did not tell me all about the house, and the lodges, and the horses, and every thing! Besides, he sold me papa's autograph for two and sixpence, which I will send him. He sells what they call sock, and what's more doesn't charge anything for it this half. Sock means prog, but when you sock a boy anything, he eats it, and They say that word about a great many asked by A- to sock him a verse the other day, and I had to sock him a construe of his lesson too. You know Harry B—, who is a sixth form, and Bknows papa-well, I went to him as you told me, as he was standing among some other big boys, and said, “How do you do, Harry, and how is your mamma?" They all laughed, and he looked very black indeed, but I couldn't tell why, but suppose it was because he did not recognise me, so I said, "I am Tommy Green, and I am come to be socked the liberties, please." That's what they told me to ask him for-instead of shaking my hand, or anything, he looked very proud, and said," Well, you're a very pretty fellow, now!" So I said, "Yes;" because of course I thought he meant it, and sisters sometimes tell me I am, but he laughed in my face, so I ran away as hard as I could, and I shall not go near him again, I can tell you,

you pay for it. things. I was