siness is to rest. I draw you to witness, both lords and ladies,' she said, shewing the marks of the grasp on her arm, ' that I subscribe these instruments in obedience to the sign manual of my Lord of Lindesay, which you see imprinted on mine arm.' Young George Douglas, whose exploit in delivering the Queen from imprisonment is well known, is now introduced; and the plans of the limited court of Mary to escape, together with their doubts whether to trust Roland or treat him as an enemy, occupy a considerable space. Douglas's love and devotedness are as finely delineated as any other individual passions in the Abbot; praise beyond this, it would not be easy to bestow upon their treat ment. hurries on. Dryfesdale is sent off by the Lady, and stabbed in a quarrel by Henry Seyton, the brother of Catherine. His letters lead to the formation of a better plan for the escape of the captive Queen, which is finally effected, chiefly through the instrumentality of Roland. The Queen is almost overcome as the hour approaches, and Catherine exclaims : "For God's sake, madam, droop not now-sink not now.' Call upon Our Lady, my Liege.' said the Lady Fleming-call upon your tutelar saint.' Call the spirits of the hundred kings you are descended from,' exclaimed the page, in this hour of need, the resolution of a monarch were worth the aid of a hundred saints.' 'O! Roland Græme,' said Mary, in a tone of deep despondency, to be true to me—many have been false to me. Alas! I have not always been true to myself. My mind misgives me, that I shall die in bondage, and that this bold attempt will cost all our lives. It was foretold me by a soothsayer in France, that I should die in prison, and by a violent death, and here comes the hour-0, would to God, it had found me prepared!' Madam,' said Catherine Seyton, Roland somehow finds grace in the sight of the Lady of Lochmaben, and is sent on a business of hers to Kinross, on the main land. Here there is a fair, and gala day, into the sports of which he enters with youthful alacrity, under the auspices of a whimsical personage, the Douglas's chamberlain, Dr. Luke Lundin. But the most important matters connected with this mission, are his meeting once more with the supposed Catherine in disguise, and with the Ab-remember you are a queen. Better bot Ambrosius; and with Magdalen Græme, in the garb of a witch, and under the name of Mother Nicneven; in short, with the Queen's partizans devising means for her flight, and in intelligence with the castle through the means of George Douglas. The fair and its shows are in the usual style of our able reviver of ancient manners; but we have quoted too much to be able to give what of our space we wish to description, and must briefly hurry on to the close. On returning to the island, Roland is locked out of the castle by Dryfesdale the steward,his en emy, and a fanatical villain. Obliged to lie all night in the garden, he accidentally defeats a plot for releasing the Queen, and George Douglas, thus betrayed, flies to the main land. Roland is now the last hope of Mary, whom the steward attempts to poison, but having purchased the drugs from Mother Nicneven, they prove to be innoxious. The catastrophe we all died, in bravely attempting to gain our freedom, than remained here to be poisoned, as men rid them of the noxious vermin that haunt old houses.' You are right, Catherine,' said the Queen, and Mary will bear her like herself. But, alas! your young and buoyant spirit can ill spell the causes which have broken mine. Forgive me, my children, and farewell for a whileI will prepare both mind and body for this awful sentence." " But we are warned to wind up: Mary's evasion leads to the fatal battle in which her friends are defeated, and her flight into England. Young Seyton is slain, and so is George Douglas, in an affecting way, before the face of his much loved mistress. A melancholy interest is created by making this happen at the castle of Crookstone, where Mary passed her happy bridal days with Darnley. Roland is found to be the son of Julian Avenel and his wife, a Græme (the child left by his dead parents in the field of strife, which concludes the Monastery), and of course the representative of the house of Avenel. A short addition informs us of his union with Catherine, who was compelled to leave her sovereign when her imprisonment in England was rendered more straight by the dissembling Elizabeth and her crafty counsellors. We can only subjoin the final exit of Magdalen. 66 Seizing Roland's hand, she led him to the Queen's feet, kneeling herself upon one knee, and causing him to kneel on both. Mighty princess,' she said, 'look on this flower-it was found by a kindly stranger on a bloody field of battle, and long it was ere my anxious eyes saw, and my arms pressed all that was left of my only daughter. For your sake, and for that of the holy faith we both profess, I could leave this plant, while it was yet tender, to the nurture of strangers-ay, of enemies, to whom, perchance, his blood would have been as wine, bad the heretic Glendinning known that he had in his house the heir of Julian Avenel.-Since then I have seen him only in a few hours of doubt and dread, and now I part with the child of my love-forever-forever. O for every weary step I have made in your rightful cause, in this and in foreign lands, give protection to the child whom I must no more call mine!' I Grandson. And now,' she said, drying her tears, and rising with dignity; Earth has had its own, and Heaven claims the rest. Lioness of Scotland, go forth and conquer, and if the prayers of a devoted votaress can avail thee, they will rise in many a land, and from many a distant shrine. I will glide like a ghost from land to land, from temple to temple; and where the very name of my country is unknown, the priests shall ask who is the Queen of that distant northern land, for whom the aged pilgrim was so fervent in prayer. Farewell, honour be thine, and earthly prosperity, if it be the will of God-if not, may the penance thou shalt do here, ensure thee happiness hereafter. Let no one speak or follow me-my resolution is taken-my vow cannot be cancelled.'" "She glided from their presence as she spoke, and her last look was upon her beloved grandchild." The battle tempts us to another extract, but we must forbear; and we lay down our pen, grateful to the author for one of the most varied and noble banquets he has yet presented to an admiring public. Had we inclination, we have no room for criticism: but we may, we think, safely presume, that for what it evinces of insight into the springs of human action, wonderful skill in the delineation of character, and marvellous art in making a pleasing story, the vehicle for bringing into view a most interesting epoch of national history, with descriptions of the times, and moving pictures of ancient manners,the Abbot will vie even with Waverley and Ivanhoe. VARIETIES. From the English Magazines, Aug. and Sept. 1820. RAFT OF THE MEdusa. (French Chef-d'œuvre of Painting.) confirmed by the judgments both of artists and amateurs. Our further remarks, E stated, on our first view of it, therefore, will add little to the fame or W the impression made on us by this advantage of Mr. Jerricault. clever performance; and have now the satisfaction of knowing that our most favourable opinions have been amply But, as more frequent views of the awful scene have increased our admiration of the power of art and the ability of the art ist, we shall endeavour to point out some of the striking qualities by which the mind is thus strongly excited. Mr. Bullock, we think, great praise is due for procuring us such opportunities for examination and comparison of the two national schools; if he continues to bring over chefs d'ouvres of French painters, he will do as good a thing as could be done to advance British art. Emulation is a noble teacher. The details in picture, however excellent their character, are lost if not exhibited under the judicious arrangement of composition, aided by the effect of light and colour; and that which the ardent imagination of the artist or the poet takes in at a glance, must by the THREE GOOD THINGS HARD TO BE MET painter, become the subject of great consideration, and be subjected to certain rules and principles, yet so concealed as to appear the spontaneous effort of some powerful impulse. In this tremendous picture of human sufferings, the bold hand of the artist has laid bare the details of the horrid facts, with the severity of M. Angelo and the gloom of Correggio: the flesh indeed might be more strongly reflected; but the whole of the colouring is so well suited to the subject, and is in most instances so just, that we scarcely know if its tone can be called a blemish so entirely as at first sight it appears. But it is over the varied details of form, the most correct anatomical markings of the figure, and all the agitated emotions of hope and fear that Mr. Jerricault has impressed the magic of an effect that was to give value to the whole, The light brought into the piece and thrown upon the upturned faces of a centre groupe, powerfully assists in arresting the attention. This seems to break on them from the reflection of a highly illuminated cloud above their heads, and is contrasted by much surrounding gloom, and this again by the bright rays of the morning. Perhaps it is not natural; that is, could not hap. pen to be so distributed in the full light of day; but there are great authorities for such departure from truth in this respect. The powerful element of the mighty waters is very happily depicted by the hand of the artist; and, taken altogether, his work is, as we before observed, One of the finest specimens of the French school, ever brought into this country. It cannot therefore fail to stimulate the exertions of British talents, to a further display of those powers, which have already so happily and so honourably distinguished our artists and arts. To SIR, WITH. To the Editor of the European Magazine. STRANGE to say, but no less strange than true, there are three good things hard to be met with; a "good Melon," a "good Wife," and a "good Friend." The first, few people like better than myself, yet must confess it is very rare I can meet with a good one. I shall leave to the determination of epicures the merits of the fruit, and proceed to my second difficulty, a "good wife." She is indeed a rara avis in terra, and uncommonly scarce; and that your readers may be assisted in their search after so rare an article, permit me to describe the necessary accomplishments to form such a character. She must love no man equal to her own busband, whatever may be his failings, and her whole care must be to study his pleasures. She ought never to speak in the positive degree, but behave submissively, and never give her opinion in things out of her own department-there let her rule; but above all, let her clap a bridle on her tongue, nor let it run too freely. She must be mindful of the old adage," Home's home, though eyer so homely ;" and on no account to quit her house against her husband's pleasure. She must be neat and plain in her dress, and never have recourse to art to set off the charms of her person. She must manage her family with prudence, observing on no account to go beyond her husband's income. She should be well acquainted with all the commodities of a market, and to hinder peculations on her, by always going there herself. In short, she must be a kind parent, a prudent wife, and an agreeable companion. The man in possession of such a partner is blessed WATERLOO COLOURS. In a Scottish regiment at the battle of Waterloo, the standard-bearer was killed, and clasped the colours so fast in death, that a sergeant in trying to no purpose to rescue them, on the near approach of the enemy, made a violent effort, and throwing the dead corpse, colours and all, over his shoulders, carried them off together. The French seeing this, were charmed with the - heroism of the action, and hailed it with loud clappings and repeated shouts of applause. FRENCH TRUMPETER. In the war on the Rhine in 1794, the French got possession of the village de of Rhinthal by a very curious ruse guerre of one John Wreck, a trumpeter. This village was maintained by an Austrian party of six hundred hussars. Two companies of foot were ordered to make an attack on it at ten o'clock at night. The Austrians had been apprised of the intended attack, and were drawn up ready to charge on the assailing party. On perceiving this, Wreck detached himself from his own party, and contrived by favour of the darkness to slip into the midst of the enemy; when taking his trumpet, he first sounded the rally in the Austrian manner, and next moment the retreat; the Austrians, deceived by the signal, were off in an instant at full gallop; and the French became masters of the village without striking a blow. FRENCH GRENADIER. During the assault of Commodore Thurot on the town of Carickfergus in 1760, an incident took place, reflecting at once the highest lustre on the soldier concerned, and evincing the union of consummate courage with noble huinanity. Whilst the combatants were opposed to each other in the streets, and every inch was pertinaciously disputed by the British forces, a child by some accident escaped from a house in the midst of the scene of action, and run, unawed by the danger, into the narrow interval between the hostile fronts. One of the French grenadiers seeing the imminent danger of the child, grounded his piece; left the ranks in the hottest fire; took the child in his arms; and placed it in safety in the house from which it had come, and then with all possible haste returned to resume his part in the fight. FACETIE. A highwayman, named Bolland, confined in Newgate, sent for a solicitor to know how he could defer bis by getting trial; and was answered “ an apothecary to make affidavit of his illness." This was accordingly done in the following manner: "The deponent verily believes, that if the said James Bolland is obliged to take his trial at the ensuing sessions, he will he in imminent danger of his life." To which the learned judge on the bench answered, "That he verily believed so too !". The trial was ordered to proceed immediately. When Lord Mansfield one day took his seat as Lord Chief Justice of England, a man was brought into court to an assault, of receive judgment for which he had been convicted. He wore remarkably long whiskers, and was known to be very proud of them. His affidavit stated that he was unable to pay any pecuniary fine, and the court was unwilling to imprison him. On this being intimated to Mr. Dunning, the council for the prosecution, he instantly replied, "If it please your lordship, we will consent to mulet him of his mustachoes, and humbly pray your lordship that he may be shaved!" Temple of Jupiter Ammon.---M. Frediani, an Italian traveller, writes from Egypt that he has succeeded, after sixteen days of excessive fatigue across the deserts of Lybia and Marmorique, in reaching the famous temple of Jupiter Ammon, called the Great Temple, which no person appears to have visited since the time of Alexander the Great. M. Frediani had with him an escort of 2,000 men, and had to fight his way to this celebrated monument. POETRY. THE MOTHER'S LAMENT. By Bernard Barton. · PALE and cold is the cheek that my kisses oft press'd, And quench'd is the beam of that bright-sparkling eye; For the soul, which its innocent glances confess'd, No more shall the accents, whose tones were more dear Than the sweetest of sounds even music can make, In notes full of tenderness fall on my ear; If I catch them in dreams, all is still when I wake! No more the gay smiles that those features display'd Shall transiently light up their own mirth in mine; Yet, though these, and much more, be now cover'd in shade, I must not, I cannot, and dare not repine. However enchantingly flattering and fair, Were the hopes, that for thee, I had ventur'd to build, Can a frail, finite mortal presume to declare That the future those hopes would have ever fulfill'd? In the world thou hast left, there is much to allure The most innocent spirit from virtue and peace: Hadst thou liv'd, would thy own have been equally pure, And guileless, and happy, in age's increase ? Temptation, or sooner or later, had found thee; Perhaps had seduc'd thee from pathways of light; Till the dark clouds of vice, gath'ring gloomily round thee, Had enrapt thee for ever in horror and night. But now, in the loveliest bloom of the soul, While thy heart yet was pangless, and true, and unstain'd; Ere the world one vain wish by its witcheries stole, What it could not confer, thou forever hast gain'd! Like a dew-drop, kiss'd off by the sun's morning beam, A brief, but a beauteous existence was given ; Thy soul seem'd to come down to earth, in a dream, And only to wake, when ascended to heaven! CHURCH FELLOWSHIP. By James Montgomery. I have sought the world around, Lonely I no longer roam Tell me not of gain and loss, SKETCHES OF SOCIETY. THE SHADOW. A series of Essays under this title is about to be commenced in this Gazette. They will be devoted to the delineation of men and manners; and it is hoped will not present less claims to popularity, than the most favoured Sketches of Society, which have recently appeared. Notwithstanding the preparations made for carrying this design into effect, the Editor is solicitous to give additional spirit and variety to these periodical papers; and he begs leave to invite communications from wits and men of talent.-Literary Gazette. These "Shadows" shall occasionally glide among the pillars of the Atheneum, and diversify still more the variegated perspective of our Temple. In order to give place to the whole of the critique on the Abbot, we borrow eight pages from our next Number, presuming that it will meet the wishes of every reader. For an account of the Carbonari, now acting so conspicuous a revolutionary part in Italy, see page 201, vol. vi. of the Atheneum. Our readers are requested to correct the pages mentioned in a reference-page 57 of the present Numberinstead of 281 insert 521. |