difficulty in believing. As little are we inclined to assert that this frightful caricature of Deism is intended as a covert recommendation of that further stage to which the scepticism of modern philosophers has sometimes conducted them. We are willing to suppose that he has, after all, no further view than the fantastic glory of supporting a paradox ably; of shewing his powers of argument and poetry at the expense of all the religious and natural feelings of the world, and of ascertaining how much will be forgiven him by the unwearied devotion of his admirers. But we cannot, with some of our contemporaries, give him the credit of writing conscientiously. We respect his understanding too highly to apprehend that he intended a benefit to mankind in doing his best to make them discontented.

་

Notwithstanding the many objections to Lord Byron's poem, there are some beautiful lines in it. The description of Lucifer is remarkably

fine :

Whom have we here ?—A shape like to the angels',

Yet of a sterner and a sadder aspect

Of spiritual essence: Why do I quake?

Why should I fear him more than other spirits,
Whom I see daily wave their fiery swords
Before the gates round which I linger oft,
In twilight's hour, to catch a glimpse of those
Gardens which are my just inheritance,
Ere the night closes o'er the inhibited walls
And the immortal trees which overtop

The cherubim-defended battlements?

If I shrink not from these, the fire-arm'd angels,
Why should I quail from him who now approaches?
Yet he seems mightier far than them, nor less

Beauteous, and yet not all as beautiful

As he hath been, and might be sorrow seems
Half of his immortality.

Adah's account of Lucifer's influence is also exquisitely done:

Oh, my mother! thou

ADAH.

Hast pluck'd a fruit more fatal to thine offspring

Than to thyself; thou, at the least, hast pass'd

Thy youth in Paradise, in innocent

And happy intercourse with happy spirits:
But we, thy children, ignorant of Eden,

Are girt about by demons, who assume

The words of God, and tempt us with our own
Dissatisfied and curious thoughts—as thou

Wert work'd on by the snake, in thy most flush'd
And heedless, harmless wantonness of bliss.

I cannot answer this immortal thing

Which stands before me; I cannot abhor him;

I look upon him with a pleasing fear,

And yet I fly not from him: in his eye

There is a fastening attraction which

Fixes my fluttering eyes on his; my heart

Beats quick; he awes me, and yet draws me near,

Nearer and nearer :-Cain-Cain-save me from him!

CAIN.

What dreads my Adah? This is no ill spirit.

ADAH.

He is not God-nor God's: I have beheld

Such, then, are the four endeavours which have been made to amplify the impersonation of the Evil Spirit given by Revelation; still the awestriking simplicity of Scripture remains unrivalled. Among these four poets, Shakespeare has decidedly most nearly hit upon the demon's nature, though his is but an earthly devil; the defects of the other three we have tried to point out. It must be confessed, however, that all these attempts, with the exception of Lord Byron's needless profanity, tend much to enhance the solemnity, the strangeness, and the sublimity of poetry.

And where the battle fiercest raged,
Their mighty swords are felt;
And bloody tokens strew the path
Where'er their blows are dealt.
But soon they fall, these spirits bold,
And see, their eyes grow dim!
He lies like winter, white and cold,
And THEY like spring with him.

"Farewell, ye earth and heavens so bright!
Your wailings, comrades, cease!
We bravely die in open fight,

And gain eternal peace."

Brave spirits go! your wreaths we 'll weave, Your deeds shall live in story;

With hero's deaths the crowns receive

Of deathless peace and glory.

CURIOUS TRIALS CONNECTED WITH THE

ARISTOCRACY.

XVII.-PHILIP Stansfield, the Parricide.

THIS grim Scottish story of the latter part of the seventeenth century is marked in all its features with a wonderfully deep and significant impression of the country and the time to which it belongs. New Milns (now Amisfield) appears to have been a place in the neighbourhood of Haddington, in East Lothian, which was so called from a manufactory of broad-cloth established there not long before the date of the events about to be related.

Sir James Stansfield held the rank of Colonel in the Parliamentary army. After Cromwell's victory at Dunbar, he went to Scotland, and set up the woollen manufactory at New Milns, under the patronage of the protecorate. At the Restoration, parliament granted certain annuities and privileges to Colonel Stansfield, on whom Charles II. conferred the honour of knighthood. His prospects, were, however, soon blasted; for in 1687, he was found murdered, as was supposed, by his eldest son Philip, whom he had disinherited for his debauchery. This unfortunate man was brought up for trial, February, 6, 1688, when

The indictment set forth :

"That whereas by the laws of this kingdom, the speaking of malicious and seditious words, to the disdain of His Majesty's person and contempt of his royal government: such as drinking, or wishing confusion to his Majesty, is high treason. And the cursing, beating, invading, or assassinating of a parent, is punishable with death, &c. And that murder under trust, is punishable as treason. Nevertheless, the said Philip Stansfield, shaking off the fear of God, &c., did upon the 1st, 2d, or 3d, or one or other of the days of the months of June, July, August, or September last, in the kitchen of New Milns, as a most villainous and avowed traitor, begin a health to the confusion of his Majesty, his native sovereign; and did cause others, in his company, to drink the

same.

"That although his father had given him a liberal education, he had taken ill courses, and had been detained prisoner in the Marshalsea, in Southwark, and in the public prisons of Antwerp, Orleans, and other places; from whence his said father had released him: and that notwithstanding, he fell to his debauched and villainous courses again. Whereupon, his father signifying his intention to disinherit him, and settle his estate upon John Stansfield, his second son, the said Philip Stansfield did

VOL. V., NO. XXI.

C