High in yon starry vault, and with a thought Thro' heaven, thro' earth, all things directs. His

name

No tongue hath dared declare. He is that God
Who call'd us into being, who supports
All life-Omnipotent-Sovereign supreme!
He, with his voice of thunder, bids us learn
To love each other, and to know that all,
The ruler and the ruled, the rich and poor,
The prince and beggar! born in sultry climes,
Or where eternal snows all nature hide,
His children are, and destin'd to partake
In future worlds, after wise discipline,
His bounty. This Almighty God hath said-
Thou shalt not murder! Love thine enemies!
Spare the vanquish'd! then, when life is o'er,
To mansions where yon shining orb abides,
With all the brave and merciful, your souls
Shall live for ever! Now, oh! warrior! check
That fierce and deadly wrath, and dwell with those
High in yon heavens, who suffer'd and forgave.”

In the mean time Alfred, proceeding to join his troops in Selwood forest, meets with a band of Saxons flying into Wales, whom he thus nobly addresses

You fought for liberty! you fought to save
All that is dear in life-your peaceful homes,
Your helpless sires, your wives, your innocents;
And not for these alone, but distant heirs,
For generations yet unborn, the race

Of future Saxons, down to farthest time!

This speech had the desired effect, and they returned to victory!

Sigbert, who had been sent back by Guthrum with a threatening message to Alfred, reaches the monarch; gives him a string of pearls from Alswitha, whom the Danish general took along with

him; the king was overwhelmed with astonishment, In the mean time Sigbert stood

Whilst twenty times the crow might flap his wings, Silent, in wild amazement!

Coelric, the neatherd, also returns from Kenwith castle, and gave such intelligence, that Alfred was determined to relieve Oddune, who was there besieged. Sigbert, however, vented his rage in a manner which led the king to admonish him with a just severity

In strange amaze, Sigbert look'd up and cried,
"With deep conviction do thy words come here!
I cannot wield a sword, and still retain

The spirit heaven approves, yet do I feel
Hatred so deeply fix'd, and in my heart
Such cravings, not to be subdued by words,
That I must grasp the sword!"

Alfred replied

"I hear thy resolution! I have well Discharg'd my conscience. Now I will appoint Station of trust, where thou may'st hence display Due courage, and promote thy country's weal. Forth for the march prepare! The hour draws on When Denmark's fleet shall stream with Britain's fires!

In the next book, the Danish fleet is burnt; but the women are saved. This latter is highly honourable to their humanity.

In the two next books, the eleventh and twelfth, events take place calculated to interest our feelings. For Oddune escapes from Kenwith castle, and arrives at Selwood Forest. In his return he meets with the corse of a poor man, who had been murdered; he thus describes his character

-I knew him well!

Beside my castle stood his cot, the seat

Of many comforts; and, tho' poor and low,
He lov'd it, and was happy. When the storm
The accustom'd chace forbade, I lov'd to stray,
To this low cottage, where I learn'd that man
Look'd not to wealth for peace and happiness.
The mother at her spinning-wheel was there,
And round her elder children, who, like her,
Earn'd well their bread. And when the hour of eve
Came on, the father from his distant toil
Returning, met his rosy child, who stood
At the accustom'd stile to see his sire
Draw nigh, that ever with his arms embrac'd,
And bore him to his lowly dwelling near,
Where, as he enter'd, the fond smile arose
Spontaneous on each brow. Then would he taste
The frugal meal, or, holding on each knee
A prattling infant, toy awhile, or tell

Some tale, that made their little eyes look up
In childhood's wonderment !

The twelfth book is chiefly remarkable for three things-the disappointment of the Danes in finding the Saxons escaped from Kenwith castle-the cruel death of Ella—and, the quarrel between Hubba and Guthrum, by which the Danish forces are first weakened and then destroyed. Of the death of Ella, take the following account. Ella was king of Northumberland, and by him the father of Ivar and Hubba had been killed. This called for revenge-and the Danes therefore put Ella to death, by carving the eagle on his back; a common punishment among them :

"Seize him, and bind him to yon tree! there carve Upon his naked back the eagle's form, Whilst we will gaze exulting."

-To the tree

The wretched ELLA now is bound! With joy,

And wielding their huge knives, two men approack

And from the neck downward the long gash draw,
Then 'neath the shoulders, either side extend
The goary weapon, and, with straining hand,
Rend the tough skin, till o'er each elbow wide
The flaps are spread! when to the gazing eye
The red nerve quivers!

-Silent, this agony

ELLA had long endur'd, when IVAR cried-
"Now let him die! HUBBA, thy lance prepare 1
Transfix his heart!" Hubba his lance uprais'd,
And, stepping forward, pois'd the weapon well,
Then hurl'd it furious! Thro' the sufferer's heart.
It forc'd its way, and each of all around,
Rais'd the loud shout, as ELLA groan'd and died.

We have made this extract because it shews the brutality of those enemies with whom the immortal ALFRED had to combat. His was an arduous struggle, but we shall behold him in due time crown'd with VICTORY.

IN

LIFE OF

MRS. ROBINSON.

(Continued from page 41.)

N our last number we left Mrs. Robinson describing the melancholy fate of her late governess, and now proceed to present our readers with an account of the first interview which took place be-" tween her, and the father of Mr. Robinson.

Mr. Robinson, finding my mother inexorable, resolved on setting out for Wales, in order to avow our marriage and to present me to his uncle, for such he still obstinately denominated his father. My mother wished to avail herself of this opportunity to visit her friends at Bristol, and accordingly we set out on the journey; we passed through Oxford, visited the different colleges; proceeded to Blenheim, and made the tour, a tour of pleasure ;

with the hope of scothing my mother's resentment, and exhilarating my spirits, which were now perpetually dejected. I cannot help mentioning that shortly after my marriage I formed an acquaintance with a young lady, whose mind was no less romantic than my own; and while Mr. Robinson was occupied at Chambers, we almost daily passed our morning hours in Westminster Abbey. It was to me a soothing and a gratifying scene of meditation. -I have often remained in the gloomy chapels of that sublime fabric, till I became as it were an inhabitant of another world. The dim light of the Gothic windows, the vibration of my footsteps along the lofty aisles, the train of reflections that the scene inspired, were all suited to the temper of ny soul: and the melancholy propensities of my earliest infancy seemed to revive with an instinctive energy, which rendered them the leading characteristics of my existence. Indeed the world has mistaken the character of my mind; I have ever been the reverse of volatile and dissipated; I mean not to write my own eulogy; though, with the candid and sensitive mind, I shall I trust succeed in iny vindication.

On our arrival at Bristol, Mr. Robinson thought it most adviseable to proceed towards Tregunter, the seat of his uncle, alone, in order to prepare him for my cordial reception, or to avoid the mortification I should experience, should he refuse to sanction our union. Mr. Robinson left me a few guineas, and promised that his absence should be short and his affection increasing.

- I had now been married near four months: and, though love was not the basis of my fidelity, honour, and a refined sense of feminine rectitude, attached me to the interest as well as to the person of my husband. I considered chastity as the brightest ornament that could embellish the female mind;