ercise of these his choicest attributes, veiled from our eyes the volume of futurity, and canst thou question his mercy, or arraign his wisdom ?—but, if thou canst, follow me.'

Abashed, yet anxious to see the result, I followed till we came to a cave on the declivity of a hill, around the mouth of which a number of persons were collected. As we approached they made way, and we entered alone. Again he addressed me. "This cave contains a MAGIC GLASS, by looking into which man reads his future destiny; every important era of his life, whether adverse or propitious, stands revealed: invariably does he sacrifice his happiness at the shrine of his curiosity. My son, thou art favoured by the Supreme; to thee it is permitted to look, at the same time, with each miserable person who is on the point of entering, without seeing any thing relative to thyself; and if, after this, thou still persistest, thou shalt read thy own destiny.' He then went to the farthest end of the cavern, the gloom of which immersed him in darkness. In a few moments he returned with the fatal mirror in his hand, and fixing it in a cavity in the wall provided for its reception, he went to the door of the cave, and admitted an interesting young man, who approached the glass.

Trembling with anxiety I stationed myself behind him, and, looking into the mirror, saw that in the space of four years he would be married to a sweet young woman, on whom his affections were then placed, and to whom he was apparently on the eve of being united. (A frown of impatience and disappointment crossed his brow, as if repining at the protracted period.) The gaiety of the nuptial scene passes away, and in three short months he follows her to the grave. At this melancholy sight he gave a convulsive shriek, and fell senseless at our feet. We raised and restored him to life, and after the space of a few minutes he was sufficiently recovered to retire. The deep gloom of settled melancholy which was stamped on his brow curdled my blood with horror; but, before I had time for reflexion, I was roused by the sight of another victim. He was a man advanced in years, of a prepossessing exterior. He perceives his only son, in whom

all his hopes are concentrated, pursuing a noble stag in all the ardour of youth; the chace is long, when, at an abrupt turning, a precipice stands revealed; the stag plunges over the brink and perishes; the foremost hounds meet a similar fate; the youth sees his danger when within a yard or two of its verge. Great God! it is over-horse and rider are dashed to atoms! Can language paint the agony of the father? But he is gone, and an interesting young lady enters. The scene is disclosed her Henry, her plighted lover, is seen in the cabin of a vessel, majestically riding on the bosom of the ocean, on his return to his Maria. The winds arise; the lowering clouds are gathering; already the sea begins to heave; now rages the pitiless tempest; the ship mounts up and down; loud cries for relief issue from the affrighted mariners; they cut away the masts; the prospect of a premature grave spurs them to preternatural exertion; signal guns are fired; one more such breaker and she sinks! Henry is seen running distracted about the deck, calling on his Maria! Big with impending death yon wave approaches; a shriek and silence-Maria swoons in my arms.

Trembling with horror, I turn to the old man, my conductor, and exclaim, "Suffer me to depart from this accursed spot; millions of worlds would not now tempt me to venture on such a fatal act; never will I again dare impiously to arraign the decree of Providence. Oh, my God! grant me the fortitude to bear, without the curiosity to anticipate, evil. Had these wretched victims of presumption calmly awaited their fate, the blow would have descended; but, though their grief would have been poignant, time would have mellowed it into a pleasing melancholy; now, every hour of their existence is embittered; every closing day but bringing them nearer to that fatal one, in which a father is to lose his son---a maiden weep over the corse of her beloved! I stopped, overcome by my emotions. My guide, regarding me with a smile, which betokened both pity and esteem, replied, "My son! happy is it for thee to have been conscious of thy error in time. Of the numbers who have visited this spot, never did one depart without the canker of dieappointment gnawing at his breast. Ambition here,

or finds a barrier as unexpected as insurmountable; or, if gratified, sees that those honours, which seeking, it prized, when obtained are empty and joyless. The veil which shrouds futurity from our eyes, by giving free scope to the imagination, heightens by concealment the gust for fruition; and life, seen through its obscure medium, seems not as it is, a barren mountain, but a flowery valley. The experience of the aged, the precepts of the wise, which point out the vanity and vexation of spirit which, what we call its pleasures, engender, are unheeded or disbelieved. We flatter ourselves that what has been the destiny of man collectively, does not appertain to us individually. Each regards himself as a comet, which, enveloped in a blaze of light, shall run its eccentric course, in defiance of the organised system by which the stars are retained in their regular orbits. Thou hast now learnt by experience, that such is the constitution of the human mind, that anticipation is ever superior to fruition; and that a sad reality but too often crushes at one stroke the airy fabric, which the fertile hand of fancy beguiles the tedious hour in erecting. Hope can extract gold from dross, honey from poison; she lights up the dungeon with the beaming rays of felicity: and, without her, the palace is immersed in the dark shades of gloom and wretchedness."

Touched to the soul by the truth of his precepts, and the solemn and persuasive earnestness of his manner, I was about to fall on his neck, when---I awoke, and found it was but a dream!

SOMNUS.

THE ROMANCE OF THE NORTH;
Or, THE HISTORY OF ODIN.

Resumed from page 66.

"Have we not," exclaimed some, " already traversed a sufficient space! Are we now destined to pass the seas, after having passed so many rivers and frozen lakes? Is it not, at last, time to settle, and to reap the fruits of our labours?" Others, who still remembered Asgard, and the mildness of that climate in which they

received their birth, regretted them severely, and complained bitterly of those who had dragged them from the happy spot.

Odin and Freya, well informed of these murmurs and complaints, consulted together, and determined upon a step, for the success of which they once more trusted to the ignorance and barbarism of those who were under their command. They communicated it to Mimer, and it met with his disapprobation. Odin, nevertheless, persisted in it, and only deferred its execution till the morrow. Convoking then a general assembly, he opened it with one of those harangues, the eloquence of which, supplied by nature herself, has always a ready and certain effect.

"People!" said be to them," the protecting deity of our nation appeared this night to Freya, who stands by my side, and also to myself. He revealed to us what are your sentiments and your wishes, and he taught us the means of gratifying them. Those who still remember the delicious land of Asgard, remember it with regret, especially those who, being more advanced in years than myself, had already run a considerable part of their career, before they engaged in the expedition which has led us hither. They wish to revisit their ancient country, and to live under the shade of the trees which were planted by their fathers. But, pressed down as they are by age, and exhausted by fatigue, how would they' be able to support the labour of returning by so long a road? For them, the gods have taught us a more prompt and easy means of attaining the desired object. From this day the blessed spirits of all who perish by the sword, in the service of the country, or in the bloody sacrifices by which we honour the gods, shall speed through the air, and in a few moments shall find themselves in the delicious land of Asgard. That country, already so fertile, is embellished for them by the hands of the supreme intelligence. There shall they see flowing rivers of milk and of hydromel; a part of their days shall be employed in exquisite feasts, and the other in combats, where their skill and valour shall be brilliantly displayed. The terrible wounds which they receive shall be dressed by beautiful women, who will soon

render them capable of new encounters. The pleasures of love shall lavishly crown the victors, and eternal youth shall allow them to lead this delightful life to endless ages.

"Warriors! so favourable an oracle ought to inspire you with fresh ardour; and you, old men, who regret the place of your birth, since you can no longer signalize yourselves in fight, go and present yourselves before the altar of the god of victory; let your blood, poured out in libations to him, render that god propitious to our projected conquests. If, however, there be any among you, too weak or too cowardly to embark, or to sacrifice himself, let him remain behind, and live upon this shore; but let him know that when, at length, death, which no one can avoid, shall cut him off from the number of the human race, his shade, wandering on the ice which covers this sea during the winter, shall long lament there his having failed to serve his country when he had the power, and shall long regret the delights of Asgard."

This chimera, so vividly depicted to them, had a powerful effect on the imaginations of the Scythians. During the feast which followed this harangue, each one, fully confiding in the truth of what Odin had told them, believed that he had nothing to do but to make choice of one of the alternatives which had been proposed by the chief. Those who still possessed strength and vigour, resolved to follow Odin in his career of conquest. The greatest part of the old men determined to offer themselves in sacrifice; a very few remained on the shore, with some old women and children; and these children were to be brought up in the hope of crossing the sea, and joining their fathers, as soon as they should have become sufficiently strong.

The morrow was appointed for the sacrifice and the departure. In the course of the night, Mimer sought an interview with Odin and Freya." Is it possible," said he, "that you can thus impose upon the credulity of a people, who have submitted themselves to your government? What! do you put the steel into the hands of your subjects to be used against themselves? Do you make suicide one of their laws? Tyrant, unworthy to live!" "I will not,” replied Odin,