along with Guy; "for you are convinced of my innocence, and will clear my character to my brethren. Take, then, this casket into your possession; draw your sword, avenge the order, and fly !"

"Man!" exclaimed Guy, deeply offended, "do you suppose I have the blood-thirstiness of the tiger? Would I murder you when my heart clears you of the guilt of apostasy, and my reason of the crime of simony? I could only execute my commission if I found you guilty. I was not sent to wreak vengeance on the innocent, and thus render myself unworthy of the Mastership, which was to be the reward of justice."

"Youth, worthy of a brighter destiny, come to my arms!" exclaimed Perrail, as he pressed the noble young Templar to his breast; "I thank thee for these tears, and for thy kind compassion; but the laws of the Templars must be executed, otherwise thou wilt fall a victim to the displeasure of thy brethren. Do, then, thy duty." "Art thou mad?" exclaimed Guy; "friend, husband, father, thus to summon the destroying angel?”

'Brother," interrupted Perrail, "my course upon earth is about to end! A sure presentiment tells me so; since for these three successive nights I have been warned by a heavenly messenger.-Descending from the blue empyreal, a martyr's crown has been suspended over my head; and, with child-like peacefulness, I was awaiting it even when you arrived. Now, with the equanimity of a man and a Christian, I am ready to suffer death; therefore, brother, messenger of vengeance! strike, and do not linger. Here, amid the ruins of the house of my order, let me die by the hands of a friend and of a Templar." "Away!" cried Guy, almost beside himself; "wilt thou constrain me to slay a righteous man? Trouble not thyself about my fate, whatever it may turn out to be. Banish thy gloomy anticipations, and live for thy wife and thy child. Pray for us, and be happy!"

At this moment they were interrupted by Blanche hastening, pale and breathless, towards them, scarcely able to carry her little boy in her trembling arms. "For God's sake, Gilbert, save yourself!" she cried, in her anguish. "The whole neighbourhood is in an uproar; an armed multitude are approaching our dwelling. They say that a Templar is concealed here; and the magistrates have sent officers of justice to apprehend him. Neighbour Remy hastened to the house by a short cut to give us warning."

"Treachery!" thundered Guy; whilst a horrible suspicion crossed his mind, and compelled him to draw his sword from the scabbard. "Traitor, who, with honeyed words of apparent honesty, allured me into the snare! Now all is made clear. What was it delayed thee so long this morning? Didst thou not inform the government of my concealment? Tremble, wretch! My arm can strike ere thy plans succeed!"

So saying, he aimed his sword at the head of Perrail; but Blanche darted between, in time to avert the blow; for the sight of her blooming loveliness, and.the cries of the innocent babe, for the instant disarmed him.

"Calm yourself, brother!" said Perrail, “I am guiltless. The powers of hell have betrayed your secret, and not I. Think you I wish your destruction? No! I desire to save you. Follow Blanche through that door, which opens to the vaults of the Temple-court. A narrow foot-path will thence lead you to the corn-fields at the end of my estate. May God's blessing accompany you, and save you from your pursuers! In half-an-hour's time you will reach the shore. Meanwhile I shall delay the murderous wretches. Fly then! and may you reach your bark in safety! Guard well the casket, and greet the brethren for me.'

Guy, oppressed with shame and sorrow, cast himself on the bosom of the noble Perrail; and after embracing him, took the hand of the terrified Blanche, and accompanied her to the place of safety.

"What do you want, friends and neighbours?" said Perrail, advancing towards the excited multitude; "wherefore do you besiege my house?"

"Deliver up the blasphemer-the heretic-the Templar whom you have concealed!" shouted the enraged mob.

"I have got no Templar here," replied Perrail, fearlessly. "You are mistaken."

"Do not believe him! He lies!" cried Renaud, an envious neighbour; "I myself saw him walking with the miscreant whom the foreign fisherman talked about. They took their way to yonder ruins. Concealed behind a hedge, I heard them speaking of a treasure which they were going to dig up."

"A treasure!" shouted the multitude eagerly, whilst desire of plunder glared from their greedy eyes; Where? Where?"

"Listen to me," exclaimed Perrail, in vain striving to calm them. "Control your unworthy passions, and remember that you are men and Christians!"

we

"We don't forget it," cried the ringleader; know we are men; but the Templars are the children of the devil, whom they do not scruple to call their father. We are Christians, while the Templars are heretics, who despise Christ, and wear idolatrous images on their breast. They must be burned, for King and Pope have sanctioned it; and it shall be done."

"I do not care a straw for the Templar," growled forth Renaud, who understood the people he had to deal with ; "but the treasure-it is the treasure that we ought to seek for."

"Yes! Yes!" shouted the mob. "Go on, Gilbert, and guide us, or it will cost thee thy life."

Against his will, Perrail, with a few friends, who gathered round him, was pressed forwards by the crowd towards the ruins of the hospital. At the very spot where Guy had taken leave of Perrail they halted, and the multitude once more furiously demanded the treasure. At his refusal to answer, the most eager divided themselves into parties, and explored the crazy ruins and dilapidated vaults, in the vain hope of discovering gold and silver. Renaud alone kept his eyes fixed upon Perrail, determined that his victim should not escape. "Fly!" whispered the brave man's friends; we will cover thy flight."

66

"I remain in the hands of God," replied he, with equanimity; and did not even change colour when some of the ruffians returned with the intelligence that the place had been discovered where the treasure had been concealed.

"Dost thou deny it still?" thundered the voice of the malignant Renaud; "the empty nest is found, but where are the birds that were in it? where is the accomplice that carried them off?"

Perrail maintained an indignant silence. "The King's seneschal has the right to demand that question and not you," replied the faithful Remy, in a tone of defiance.

"To unmask a secret sinner, is the duty of every honest man," replied Renaud, "and Gilbert is such a person, for no man knows whence he comes; doubtless he has been a dependent of the accursed Templars, who misled our youth, wrung from us the fruit of the soil which we earned with the sweat of our brow, and spent the profits of our weary labours in luxury and debauchery. Is there one of you who has not just cause to avenge himself on the detestable knights? Thy garden, Nicholas, was forcibly taken from thee by their bailiff. Thy son, Matthieu, used to be forced to watch night after night, after a weary day's labour, that the rest of a certain luxurious knight might not be disturbed. And thy grandchild, honest William, was whipped by their commands until he died, for the small offence of catching a hare and getting it roasted. These deeds of cruelty, and a hundred others, we have seen with our own eyes, and yet, here stands a man who gives shelter to one of the accursed brood whom the King has banished, and with him divides the treasures of their heretical society! Look at him, how like an honest man he stands! How he even dares to smile! Neighbours, will you put up with this contempt? Perhaps he himself is a concealed

Templar! Perhaps the wretch even bears their secret mark on his breast."

So saying, Renaud seized Perrail to examine him, who indignantly pushed him back; but the insidious speech had already made a deep impression, and with a wild ery the enraged multitude darted on their victim.

Blinded by fury, a smith armed with a hammer struck a murderous blow on the head of Perrail. Bleeding, he sank to the earth, while the purple crown of martyrdom again hovered before his closing eyes. "Hiram!" he exclaimed, as his senses wandered. His lips moved, perhaps once more to utter the hallowed name of Jesus; but in vain! Darkness obscured his vision-the dew of death glistened on his brow, and the seneschal, who a short time after arrived, found the multitude, ashamed of what they had done, standing in speechless consternation round the corpse; some of the more charitable striving to reanimate the unfortunate Blanche, who, returning at the fatal moment, had swooned away.

"Now, brethren, I have concluded my recital," said Sir Guy de Montford to the assembled Templars gathered together, as heretofore, in the vault of the ruined chapel of St. John, on the bleak and rocky coast from which the young knight had sailed a short time previously. "I could not slay him, because I believed him guiltless: let him, therefore, who believes himself without sin among you, cast the first stone at me! I now fearlessly place myself before you, my brethren and my judges; -do with me what seems best to you. I did not tremble when, with twenty swords at my breast, you tried my courage in these vaults, ere I set out; and I do not tremble now before your poniards, for my conscience approves me, and I know that I have done right. If the rank of Master is only to be obtained by bloodshed, then I abjure it for ever, and separate myself from this assoeiation of cruelty, whose members, under the mask of benevolence and brotherly love, conceal fiendish hatred ; and who hide the assassin's dagger under the insignia of a peaceful handicraft."

Guy was silent, and there was for some moments a solemn pause, while the Grand Master sat in deep consideration, with his head leaning on his hand. At last, he raised his eyes towards the emblem of the Blessed Trinity represented on the canopy above his chair, and from the Divine fountain of wisdom imbibed lenity and prudence.

"Brother Perrail undoubtedly left us," at length he said; "nevertheless we shall cherish no rancour against him on that account, for he did not break the oath to defend the rights of the order, but, on the contrary, lost his life in preserving Brother Guy from the destruction which threatened him. On another account also, we must still number Brother Perrail in our ranks; he has shown the perfection of human benevolence; and is not perfection the aim of our association?"

Let me

"So let it be !" exclaimed the brethren with one voice; while Guy replied, in altered tones, as soon as the uproar subsided, "My Lord and Master, your clemency has touched my heart, and filled it with gratitude. now, however, conclude the story of the unfortunate Perrail, who fell a martyr to his fidelity to the Order. Being detained by adverse winds, I had time to learn the melancholy news. In the night I returned to the house of mourning, and persuaded the bereaved widow to accompany me, along with the corpse of her husband, and her orphan boy. I promised that friends of Perrail should protect her and her child, and for that purpose have brought them hither."

I

"You did well, De Montfort," replied the Grand Master; "the noble death of Perrail merits all the poor recompense we can offer; let her therefore be conducted into our presence. And now, my brethren," he continued, turning towards the knights," cover the emblem of the Blessed Trinity, and remove all our mystic symbols from the vault."

His orders were obeyed. Blanche was admitted. She

seemed bowed down with care and sorrow, as, conducted by Guy, she approached the venerable Grand Master, and would have sunk at his feet, had not he, touched to the heart, raised her in his arms; then, gently laying his hands upon her head, he blessed her, and said: "Like thee, poor stricken one! we call from the depths of our affliction to the Lord of hosts, and hope for a new Jerusalem, and a bright future of immortality. God is my witness, that, from this day henceforth, I shall look upon thee as my daughter, and upon thy orphan babe as my son, and, after my death, my nephew shall take my place in fulfilling this duty."

After saying these words, Aumont commanded the poor widow to be led away, and the dead body of her husband to be brought. The knights, with one accord, lowered their swords as the corpse was carried in, and over the coffin of their martyred companion was Guy de Montford, by grasp, step, sign, and brotherly kiss, received to the dignity of Master.

Near the chapel of St. John, the body of Perrail was deposited in holy ground. A heap of stones was his only monument, but, during many long years, his humble resting-place was visited with veneration by the members of the Order.

Poetry.

[In Original Contributions under this head, the Name, real or assumed, of the Contributor, is printed in Small Capitals under the title; in Selections, it is printed in Italies at the end.]

THE FAR-OFF LAND.

THE rock, and wood, and field, and stream,
Are flickering 'neath the sunny beam:
Above me is the heaven of blue;
Beneath, the boundless ocean's hue
O'er sea, and shore, and moss, and sweep;
And onward nothing meets the eye
Save yonder gallant argosy,
Stretching, half seen, its lingering way
Beyond the forkings of the bay.

How lovely all! how passing fair!
Safely the travell'd man might swear
That nought his wandering eyes had seen
So mild, so tranquil, so serene.
And yet, with fond and eager view,
I turn, and other course pursue;
Catching, beyond the sea-girt strand,
Dark glimmerings of a distant land;
Mountains, which fancy scarce can shape,
Bold rock, and far projecting cape,
And earth so mingled with the sky,
"Twere hard to tell the boundary.
I know not if that far-off land

Be some accursed and desert strand,
Where o'er the mountain's summit bleak
No sounds but of the tempest speak,
And the wild ocean's raving tide
Lashes its never-trodden side;
Perhaps it lies unsought, unknown,
Some burning or some frozen zone:
Yet 'mid the soft and tranquil scene
Of sea, and sky, and forest green,
I reck not these, but inly sigh
That unacquainted coast to try.

Oh! if some cherish'd hopes destroy

The tenor of thy present joy,

And bid thee, with inquiring view,
The onward vale of life pursue,
Where on the shadowy distance move
Fair undistinguish'd forms of love,
And round the dim horizon press
Imagined shapes of happiness;-
Yet stay awhile! thine eye has stray'd
To scenes which, view'd more closely, fade:
Take what thy power may now command;
All onward is-the far-off land.

Rev. Edward Smedley,

Miscellaneous.

"I have here made only a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own, but the string that ties them."-Montaigne.

ANECDOTE OF A SCOTCH GIRL.

ONE day, in one of the crowded streets, I met a poor young girl, who seemed utterly bewildered; she stopped me to ask if I would tell her the name of the street she was in. Her accent was broad Scotch, and her look and air of perfect simplicity was, I perceived, not assumed, but genuine. I gave her the information she wanted, and asked her where she lived, and if she was in search of any friend's house. She said she did not live anywhere in London; she was but just arrived from Scotland, and knew nobody who had any house or lodging of their own in town, but she was looking for a friend of the name of Peggy; and Peggy was a Scotch girl, who was born within a mile of the place where she lived in Scotland. Peggy was in service in London, and had written her direction to some house in this street; but the number of the house and the names of the master or mistress had been forgotten. The poor girl was determined, she said, to try every house, for she had come all the way from Scotland to see Peggy, and she had no other dependence. It seemed a hopeless case. I was so much struck with her simplicity and forlorn condition, that I could not leave her in this perplexity, an utter stranger as she evidently was to the dangers of London. I went with her, though I own without the slightest hope of her succeeding in the object of her search, knocked at every door, and made inquiries at every house. When we came near the end of the street, she was in despair, and cried bitterly; but as one of the last doors opened, and as a footman was surlily be ginning to answer my questions, she darted past him, exclaiming, "There's Peggy!" She flew along the passage to a servant girl, whose head had just appeared as she was coming up stairs. I never heard or saw stronger expressions of joy or affection than at this meeting, and I scarcely ever, for any service I have been able in the course of my life to do for my fellow creatures, received such grateful thanks as I did from this poor Scotch lassie and her Peggy for the little assistance I afforded her.-Memoirs of R. L. Edgworth.

MACDONALD OF KINGSBURGH.

MACDONALD of Kingsburgh, who married Flora Macdonald, was one of the most respectable men of his district. He was brought a prisoner, heavily ironed, from Skye to Fort Augustus. The excellent President Forbes represented to the Duke of Cumberland, that to execute so popular a man as Kingsburgh would excite a new rebellion. But he was so deeply involved in the escape of Charles Edward, that his death seemed to be certain. At Fort Augustus, whilst he was a prisoner, an order came to the officer on guard for the release of some prisoners. Amongst others, the officer called the name of Alexander Macdonald, asking Kingsburgh if that was not he. He answered, "That is my name; but I suspect there must be some mistake." The officer said, "What mistake? is not your name Alexander Macdonald?" Kingsburgh said that it was, but repeated his warning twice or thrice. At last he went out, and met a friend, who advised him instantly to quit the Fort. Kingsburgh said, "No, I must wait at the opposite ale-house, till I see whether the officer gets into a scrape." He waited in two hours an officer came with a body of soldiers, and made the subaltern on guard prisoner, for having set at large so dangerous a rebel. Kingsburgh immediately ran across the street, and, saying to the officer, "I told you there was a mistake," surrendered himself. However the President Forbes saved his life.

REAL FAME.

SCOTT had tasted at our house the Yarmouth bloaters, then an article of less savoury notoriety than at present; allowed their superiority to the "Finnan haddies," and inquired where they were to be got. My mother, having undertaken the commission, applied to our fishmonger, Mr. B- of Billingsgate, a most worthy and matterof-fact Triton, whom no one would have suspected of an addiction to poetry or romance. Hearing that the halfhundred small fishes were to be sent as far as Sussexplace, he rather shook his head at the inconvenient distance. "Rather out of our beat, ma'am. There are plenty of places where they can be got good." "I am sorry for that; for I am afraid Sir Walter Scott will be disappointed, having learned that yours are the best-" "Sir Walter Scott, ma'am ! God bless my soul, is Sir Walter in town? Tom, go and pick the very best halfhundred you can find, in that fresh lot from Yarmouth. Well, ma'am, and how is he looking? Why, if you had told me they were for him, I would have sent them to Jerusalem or Johnny Groat's house. Now mind, Tom, that the boy starts directly; remember, 24, Sussex-place, and no mistake about it."-This circumstance being recounted to Scott, he cordially exclaimed, "Well now, this is something like real, tangible fame. I like this more than all the minauderies of the old French countesses who used to bother me at Paris with their extravagant compliments, and were only thinking, I'll be sworn, of their own vanity all the while."-New Monthly | Magazine.

ABSTRACTING entirely from the culture of the moral powers, how extensive and difficult is the business of conducting intellectual improvement! To watch over the associations which men form in their tender years; to give them early habits of mental activity; to rouse their curiosity, and to direct it to proper objects; to exercise their ingenuity and invention; to cultivate in their minds a turn for speculation, and at the same time preserve their attention alive to the objects around them; to awaken their sensibilities to the beauties of nature, and to inspire them with a relish for intellectual enjoyment;-these form but a part of the business of education; and yet the execution, even of this part, requires an acquaintance with the general principles of our nature, which seldom falls to the share of those to whom the instruction of youth is commonly entrusted. -Stewart.

to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own MEN are qualified for civil liberty, in exact proportion appetites; in proportion as their love to justice is above their rapacity; in proportion as their soundness and sobriety of understanding is above their vanity and presumption; in proportion as they are more disposed to listen to the counsels of the wise and good, in preference to the flattery of knaves. Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate the more there must be without. It is ordained, in the minds cannot be free; their passions forge their fetters.

-Burke.