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once more with books. I explored once more the arcana of science; I ransacked once more the starry regions of poetry; and then upon the mute page I poured the thoughts and the treasures which I had stored within me! I sent the product, without a name, upon the world the world received it; approved it; and it became fame. Philosophers bowed in wonder before my discoveries; the pale student in cell and cloister, pored over the mines of learning which I had dragged into day; the maidens in their bowers blushed and sighed, as they drank in the burning pathos of my verse. The old and the young,- all sects and all countries, united in applause and enthusiasm for the unknown being who held, as they averred, the Genii of wisdom and the Spirits of verse in mighty and wizard spells, which few had ever won, and none had ever blended before.

I returned to her,—I sought a meeting under the same mystery and conditions as of old,-I proved myself that unknown whose fame filled all ears, and occupied all tongues. Her heart had foreboded it already! I claimed my reward! And in the depth and deadness of night, when not a star crept through the curtain of cloud and gloom-when not a gleam struggled against the blackness-not a breath stirred the heavy torpor around us-that reward was yielded. The dense woods and the eternal hills were the sole witness of our bridals ;and girt with darkness as with a robe, she leant upon my bosom, and shuddered not at the place of her repose!

Thus only we met;-but for months we did meet, and I was blessed. At last, the fruit of our ominous love could no longer be concealed. It became necessary, either that I should fly with her, or wed her with the rites and ceremonies of man-as I had done amidst the more sacred solemnities of nature. In either case, disclosure was imperious and unavoidable ;-I took therefore that which gratitude ordained. Beguiled by her assurances-touched by her trust, and tenderness— maddened by her tears-duped by my own heart-I agreed to meet her, and for the first time openly reveal myself at the foot of the altar!

At our mutual wish, only

beside the priest and the

The appointed day came. two witnesses were present, aged and broken-hearted father, who consented solely to our singular marriage because mystery was less terrible to him than disgrace. She had prepared them to see a distorted and fearful abortion,-but-ha! ha! ha!-she had not prepared them to see me! I entered :—all eyes, but her's were turned to me,-an unanimous cry was uttered the priest involuntarily closed the book, and muttered the exorcism for a fiend-the father covered his face with his hands, and sunk upon the groundthe other witnesses-ha! ha! ha! (it was rare mirth) -rushed screaming from the chapel! It was twilight— the tapers burned dim and faint-I approached my bride-who, trembling and weeping beneath her long veil, had not dared to look at me. 66 Behold me!"-said

I-"my bride, my beloved!-behold thy husband!”I raised her veil-she saw my countenance glare full upon her uttered one shriek, and fell senseless on the floor. I raised her not-I stirred not-I spoke not.I saw my doom was fixed, my curse complete; and my heart lay mute, and cold, and dead within me, like a stone! Others entered, they bore away the bride. By little and little, the crowd assembled, to gaze upon the monster in mingled derision and dread;-then I recollected myself and arose. I scattered them in terror before me,—and uttering a single and piercing cry, I rushed forth, and hid myself in the wood.

But at night, at the hour in which I had been accustomed to meet her, I stole forth again. I approached the house, I climbed the wall, I entered the window; I was in her chamber. All was still and solitary; I saw not a living thing there; but the lights burned bright and clear. I drew near to the bed; I beheld a figure stretched upon it —a taper at the feet, and a taper at the head,- —so there was plenty of light for me to see my bride. She was a corpse! I did not speak—nor faint— nor groan ;- but I laughed aloud. Verily it is a glorious mirth, to behold the only thing one loves stiff, and white, and shrunken, and food for the red, playful, creeping worm! I raised my eyes, and saw upon a table near the bed, something covered with a black cloth. I lifted the cloth, and beheld-ha! ha! ha!--by the foul fiend -a dead-but beautiful likeness of myself! A little

infant monster! The ghastly mouth, and the laidley features-and the delicate, green, corpse-like hue-and the black shaggy hair-and the horrible limbs, and the unnatural shape-there-ha! ha!—there they were-my wife and my child! I took them both in my arms-I hurried from the house-I carried them into the wood. I concealed them in a cavern-I watched over themand lay beside them, and played with the worms-that played with them-ha! ha! ha!—it was a jovial time that, in the old cavern!

And so when they were all gone but the bones, I buried them quietly and took my way to my home. My father was dead, and my brothers hoped that I was dead also. But I turned them out of the house, and took possession of the titles and the wealth. And then I went to see the doting old woman who had nursed me; and they shewed me where she slept-a little green mound in the church-yard-and I wept-Oh, so bitterly! I never shed a tear for my wife-or-ha! ha! ha!-for my beautiful child!

And so I lived happily enough for a short time; but at last they discovered that I was the unknown philosopher-the divine poet whom the world rung of. And the crowd came-and the mob beset me—and my rooms were filled with eyes-large, staring eyes, all surveying me from head to foot-and peals of laughter and shrieks wandered about the air, like disembodied and damned spirits and I was never alone again!

NIGHT.

BY JOHN MALCOLM, ESQ.

I.

COME, Solemn Night, and spread thy pall
Wide o'er the slumbering shore and sea,—
And hang along thy vaulted hall

The star-lights of eternity ;-
Thy beacons, beautiful and bright,-
Isles in the ocean of the blest,--
That guide the parted spirit's flight

Unto the land of rest.

II.

Come for the evening glories fade,

Quenched in the ocean's depths profound;

Come with thy solitude and shade,—

Thy silence and thy sound ;

Awake the deep and lonely lay

From wood and stream, of saddening tone,

The harmonies unheard by day,

The music all thine own!

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