master expressly commanded him to retire to rest.

On the fourteenth night of the black moon,* Soubhraka was disturbed by the most plaintive cries. "Who is the officer on guard to night?" he hastily inquired. "Prince, it is I,” replied Viravara.- "Go and see whence come those groans," said the king." Your orders shall be obeyed," rejoined his attendant, and he instantly quitted his post. Viravara had no sooner departed on his mission, than the king recollected the danger to which he had exposed his officer, in sending him alone, at midnight, to discover the cause of so strange and suspicious a disturbance. "I have done wrong," he exclaimed; "I will myself follow him, and witness what passes." He immediately took his arms, and, leaving the city, he hastened after Viravara.

The latter, in the meantime, directed by the sounds of anguish, had met a young and beauteous female, covered with the most glittering ornaments."Lady," demanded he, "who art thou, and what is the cause of thy tears?" She replied, "I am the genius of Soubhraka. Under my protection he has long enjoyed happiness. I am tired of my charge; now I leave him, yet not without great regret."-" O, Goddess," said Viravara, "can nothing induce thee to remain, and continue thy protection to the prince, who is indebted to thee for his prosperity?"-"Yes," she replied, "if thou wilt offer to me in sacrifice thy son, Saktivara, the child of thy hopes; on this condition alone I consent to stay." Saying this she disappeared. Viravara went home, awoke his wife and son, and informed them of his interview with the spirit. Scarcely had he concluded, when the magnanimous Saktivara exclaimed, "How happy is my fate! I am called to save a kingdom! To die for such a cause is indeed a glorious destiny!" "This sacrifice is painful," said the afflicted mother, "but it is worthy our noble blood! What more effectual return of gratitude can we make for the benefits of the prince?"

The fatal resolution was taken, and

The months were divided, by the Hindoos, into two portions, white and black, according to the appearance of the moon.

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they repaired to the altar of the goddess. Viravara prostrated himself before it, and said, "O, goddess! be appeased! let the great king ever prosper! accept thy victim!" He spoke, and struck his son. "O Prince!" the afflicted father cried aloud, "now I owe thee nothing!" and, unable to survive his child, he put a period to his own life, and his wife com→ pleted the catastrophe by the sacrifice of herself.

The king, who had seen and heard in astonishment all that passed, exclaimed— "How many princes like myself live and die without having made one effort for glory! Like the worm, they crawl along unnoticed! Does there exist in the world a man like this? Deprived of so faithful a servant, my diadem has lost its value." He drew his sword to add himself to the number of the victims. The goddess appeared, and held his arm. "Son," she said, "I am satisfied; enough of blood has been shed. Thy kingdom shall never perish; its defence shall be my care." "Divine power!" cried the Prince, "my throne no longer offers me pleasure. If thou valuest my peace, take life from me, and restore it to this warrior and his family. Grant me this, or I must complete the sacrifice which thou hast inter|| rupted." "Thy virtue," said the Goddess, "and thy love for thy subjects, have subdued me. Go, and be happy. The family thou mournest shall live."She disappeared. The king adored her ; and retired unnoticed to the palace.

Viravara, restored to existence, with the objects of his love, returned home, and soon after went to his post at the gate of his sovereign. The king inquired of him what had passed. "My lord," replied he, "when the unhappy woman saw me she disappeared: she will be heard of no more." "What a noble and virtuous man!" said the king to himself." "To speak little, to be modest, generous, and an enemy of injustice-such constitute the real hero, and such is this man."

On the following morning, Soubhraka assembled his court, related every particular of the preceding night, and as a mark of his justice and gratitude, he gave Viravara the government of the Carnatic.

THE MARGRAVINE OF ANSPACH.

At the age of thirteen, Lady Elizabeth, with her sister, accompanied her mother

HER Serene Highness, the Margravine was only five years old. With her mother' of Anspach, who died at Naples in the she never seems to have been a favourite. month of January last, was a woman of She and her next sister, Lady Georgiana, high celebrity in her day; and, although were placed under the care of a native of we are not disposed to give her credit for Switzerland, the wife of a German tutor the vast superiority of intellect, the power of their maternal uncle. The contrast of of mind, which she herself imagined, and || personal appearance in the two sisters which she persuaded many of her friends was considerable: Lady Georgiana, two to imagine, that she possessed, she was a years the elder, had light hair and eyes; person of much elegance and accomplish- those of Lady Elizabeth were auburn. ment, and well entitled to a memorial that ought not speedily to perish. For such a monument to her fame, the de-in a six months' residence at Paris. Acceased has provided the materials, in a work published two years ago.* We are the more disposed to avail ourselves of those materials from the circumstance that the Margravine was accustomed to pride herself greatly upon her veracity. In the dedication of her Memoirs to His late Royal Highness, the Duke of York, she says "May you find, in perusing them, that your excellent father was not quite mistaken when he used, at his || levees, to tell his lords that he would ask || Lady Craven about such things as were told him in various contrary ways, 'for,' said he,' she always tells the truth.''

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The Lady Elizabeth Berkeley was the youngest daughter of Augustus, fourth Earl of Berkeley, K.T., by his Countess, Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Drax, of Charborough, in the county of Dorset, Esq. She was born, prematurely, in the month of December, 1750; and being 66 most miserable object, scarcely breathing,|| and scarcely alive," she was wrapped up in a piece of flannel, and, without much attention, laid down in a great elbow chair by her mother's bed-side. grand-aunt, the Countess of Albemarle, arriving shortly afterwards, and not perceiving the babe, she very narrowly escaped the fate of the spoiled child, so ludicrously illustrated in Hood's Whims and Oddities. However, she did escape; her eyes appeared very bright," and Lady Albemarle thought she had a good chance to live.

Her

Lady Elizabeth's father died when she

Memoirs of the Margravine of Anspach, written by Herself, in two volumes, 8vo.

cording to the fashion of the day, she appears to have been well instructed. Her temper was docile; and, with a natural inclination and taste for all fine works, she danced, sang, and embroidered; and, being obliged to read aloud, she acquired the habit of speaking clearly and articulately. Never having been permitted to see a play till she was twelve years old, she then conceived a decided passion for acting; a passion which was never extinguished, and which afterwards proved the source of one of the Margrave's greatest pleasures.

During a summer spent at Berkeley Castle, Lady Elizabeth was initiated in the arcana of housewifery, the making of confectionery, &c. On the subject of religion she began to be very inquisitive, but was silenced for a time by the good sense of her governess.

When about fifteen, Lady Elizabeth, with her mother and sister, again went to Paris, there to pass the winter, with her brother, Lord Berkeley. In the passage from Dover to Calais, the roughness of the sea excited much alarm in her companions, but she displayed great presence of mind. At Paris, she learned to paint and embroider on silk, and to play on the tambour, an instrument which had just been imported from Turkey. At Paris, too, her sister, Lady Georgiana, fell in love with Lord Forbes; and, not long afterwards, the consent of her guardians to the marriage having been refused, she eloped with that nobleman.

In November, 1766, Lady Elizabeth Berkeley was first presented at court; "and from that time till April,” says she,

"had I been vain I ought to have been see a new play in London-to visit Lord happy; for I was received by the world, Craven at Coombe Abbey, or Admiral cherished by my relations, and courted by || Craven at Benham, were his continual the men, in a manner that might have occupations." He "had neither taste turned the head of any young creature." || for music nor the fine arts. He disliked However, all the caresses and homage reading any thing but newspapers; and she received served only to increase her yet he never had a dispute with his wife. diffidence and humility. Lord Berkeley, He hated trouble, and constantly applied her brother, who regarded her timidity as to me when he was puzzled or perplexed; the effect of cowardice, made her ride, and I was too happy to weigh and conshoot, and row a boat. She found that sider a subject with him, and to teach she was afraid of getting into danger, but him, if possible, to do so himself." calmly courageous when placed in actual At the birth of Lady Elizabeth's second peril. The Duke of Cumberland, the daughter, Lord Craven died, and her husKing's brother, evinced great partiality || band succeeded to his title and estate. towards her; she was honoured with On this accession of fortune, the young distinguishing attention from the King nobleman, naturally generous, became and Queen; and the Princess of Wales profuse and even extravagant. His lady complimented Lady Berkeley on the effect acquired great popularity. The Duke which her daughter produced in the and Duchess of Marlborough evinced world. About this period, Lady Eliza- their partiality towards her; and Mr. beth, through the intervention of her | Walpole, afterwards Lord Orford, Dr. uncle, entered into a compact with the Johnson, Garrick, Colman, Sir Joshua Countess, that, on condition her mother || Reynolds, Charles Fox, &c., were amongst would cease for ever to tease her to marry her numerous admirers. a man she might dislike, she would marry any one her mother chose, whom she her- || Lady Elizabeth Craven's youngest son self might not dislike. Soon afterwards, occasioned, caused an illness, expected to amongst those who aspired to her hand, prove fatal. At Bristol, however, whither was the Hon. William Craven; and, as she had been sent to die, she was saved his pretensions were good, he was ac- by the superior skill of Dr. Jenner, the cepted. Lady Berkeley appears to have man who was afterwards immortalized shewn some touch of nature upon this by his invaluable discovery of vaccination. occasion. When Mr. Craven went to in

form her Ladyship, "that his uncle, Admiral Craven, had come to put an end to all difficulties, she burst into tears, and said, 'I do not know you, Mr. Craven, but Elizabeth is such a meek-tempered child, that you would break her heart if your manners were rough.'

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The marriage took place in 1767, when Lady Elizabeth was little more than sixteen years of age. In two years, she had two daughters. Mr. Craven's attachment || to her an attachment which then appears to have been of the most endearing and affectionate nature-increased daily. His understanding, however, seems to have been shallow, his mind weak. He had been left by his uncles at Oxford till he was one-and-thirty, with an allowance of eighty pounds a-year, to live as he could, or as he pleased. "His life was one continued ramble: to hunt in Leicestershire -to drive the Oxford stage-coach-to

The hurry which the christening of

Lady Elizabeth had at length been married thirteen years, and had had seven children by Lord Craven, when she perceived an unhappy change in the conduct of her husband. She soon discovered that he had formed another attachment to a person whom he had found at the Crown Inn, by chance, at Reading; left there for debt by a gay Colonel, whose mistress she was, till, tired by her extravagance, he had left her and her charms in pledge to pay her reckoning." Lord Macartney disclosed the particulars to Lady Elizabeth, and entreated her to prevent Lord Craven from travelling in one of her coaches with a woman who called herself Lady Craven, and conducted herself at inns in such a manner as to reflect upon and tarnish her character. Lord Craven's conduct, upon this occasion, was exceedingly unworthy and contemptible. When his wife revealed to him that she was acquainted with his improprieties, he went

over to the Continent with his paramour, but, speaking no other language than English, his patience was exhausted, and he returned at the end of a six weeks' excursion.

find redress.'-' Redress!" he said, instantly, for what? The man does an injury to himself: but tell me, is it true that Lord Craven has all his large fortune to himself, and at his own disposal?' I replied that he had. His Lordship then, in the most impressive manner, asked me if I should ever forgive myself, if I did

When Keppel Craven, the youngest son, was about three years old, just before the Christmas holidays, which Lord Craven always spent with his wife, chil-not make every effort to preserve that dren, and friends, at one of his beautiful seats, his Lordship one day sent for Lady Elizabeth into his dressing-room, and with much embarrassment said-" I am going to London; I shall not pass the Christmas here; and when I go I shall never see your face again." Lady Elizabeth remonstrated with him; but, says she," he said that he was determined never to see

me more.

To this I answered, That is, to part with me!' He replied 'Yes.' I then proceeded as far as the door, and, turning round, said, with the greatest calmness I could collect, The parting of|| a husband and wife, who have lived together for thirteen years, and have had seven children, and the fortunes of those children at the mercy of a father misled, is a thing of too great consequence to those children, for me not to take the best advice upon such an event;' and I retired to my own sitting-room." Lord Craven was as good-or rather as bad-as his word: he set off next day for London; and, as he predicted, his wife never saw him again!

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fortune for my seven children, as I had none to give them myself; and that, as Lord Craven had placed himself entirely in my power by the folly he was guilty of, he must give me at least my marriagesettlement. That the best thing I could do, according to his ideas, was, that I should go where I pleased, and take any children I might think proper: 'But,' added he, leave your daughters with your Lord, without which obstacle, that woman will go and live in all your fine places, enjoy all the elegancies you have created for the Craven family, and gain the entire and unlimited ascendency over Lord Craven's mind.'-I shall never forget Lord Thurlow's manner of telling me || this-nor how near I saw tears starting from those eyes which were supposed never to have wept."

Lady Elizabeth immediately went to France, taking with her her youngest son. Her two elder sons were at Eton. Lord Berkeley obtained a promise from Lord Craven that her daughters should write to her every fortnight; and that, Lady Elizabeth went to town in Janu- whenever she might return to England, ary. Lord Loughborough was at that she should have free and unlimited access time Lord Chancellor; and to him she to all her children. Lord Berkeley, howfirst applied for advice. His Lordship || ever, who had a plan in view for inducing was exceedingly indignant-advised her || Lord Craven and his wife to live together to prosecute Lord Craven for his conduct again, told the latter that she must prowith that woman-and told her that the mise her husband to return the boy to his law would allow her a provision of £4,000 father when he should be eight years old. or £5,000 a-year, and the society of her To this Lady Elizabeth consented, on the daughters. From the idea of prosecuting condition that her children, left with Lord her husband, Lady Elizabeth shrank. Craven, should constantly write to her. She next sent for Lord Thurlow. "Never," says she, "shall I forget that dark brow, that stern countenance, when I informed him of what I had to say! His astonishment kept him silent: he appeared then extremely concerned; but his silence lasted so long, that I thought it proper to say something to put an end to it- My Lord,' I said, 'I am told, that if I prosecute Lord Craven I shall

Here we must pause for a retrospective glance at the base and unmanly conduct of Lord Craven:-" General Dalrymple, uncle to the late Earl of Stair," observes Lady Elizabeth, "belonged to a club of which Lord Craven was a member; and in the autumn of that Christmas which Lord Craven's mistress had insisted on his not passing with his family, they were left together tête-à-tête after the club din

ner was ended. Lord Craven had taken From France, Lady Elizabeth proceedtoo much wine, and he suddenly askeded to Italy, with the view of passing a the General what was his opinion of me. General Dalrymple answered, that he only knew me personally, and bowed to me when he saw me; but that if he was to form any judgment of me, by what he had heard, and from what Lord Craven || himself had said of me, he should imagine that I was a most lovely person. Lord Craven told him that I was so ; but that he was determined to leave me, and that without giving me a shilling: and added, at the same time, that he had bribed every servant of the house to watch me; that, beautiful and lovely as I was, I most likely should have a lover in the winter; and that, though he would never divorce me, he then could turn me off as he pleased."

winter there with her brother and his wife. We cannot follow her Ladyship || through her route; but it may not be unamusing to mention the surprise and curiosity which she excited in Italy, by riding on a side-saddle. As the Italian women ride exactly in the same manner as the men, the peasants who happened to pass on her right side took her for a person with only one leg. Consequently, their pity and astonishment were frequently expressed by the exclamation"Poverina Jesu Maria-povera―una gamba!"

Notwithstanding the promise which she had received, Lady Elizabeth seldom heard from her daughters; and, on her return to England, she was assured by them that their father had forbidden them to write at all. She again left England for France, several parts of which she visited, and appears to have attracted much notice, particularly that of the Queen of France, and Madame Elizabeth. At Paris, she was frequently visited by the Margrave of Anspach: "he had known me," says her Ladyship, " from my childhood, and had conceived for me the same partiality that all who had known me from my infancy retained for

* Christian Frederick Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg, Anspach, and Bareith, Duke of Prussia, Count of Sayn, to whom Lady Elizabeth Craven was afterwards married, was born at Anspach, in the month of February, 1736. His mother was an elder sister of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Queen Caroline, wife of George II. King of England, was the only sister of the Margrave's father. The Margravine, his wife, laboured under a constitutional internal illness. At thirteen years old, she had become subject to fits. Mental or corporeal enjoyments of any kind she never could have possessed; for she was in a state of continued bodily pain. The Margrave was urged by his friends, for political as well as personal reasons, to seek a divorce; but it is only justice to him to state that nothing could seduce him from what he imagined to be a duty. No. 39.-Vol. VII.

Finding that her brother could not pass the winter at Florence, as had been intended, she proceeded to Venice, and then successively to Vienna, Warsaw, St. Petersburgh, Moscow, Constantinople, Athens, &c. She was received with high honours by the Emperor of Germany, the King of Poland, the Empress of Russia, and all the principal nobility of the respective countries. At this time she was regarded as the adopted sister of the Margrave of Anspach.

After her extensive tour, Lady Elizabeth Craven again found herself in England for the purpose of seeing her children. Hence she went to Paris, to take measures for her stay at Anspach with the Margrave and Margravine. She informed Lord Craven that she had been invited to pass some time at that court, where she was to be treated as the Margrave's sister; and she peremptorily told him that if he attempted any thing by force with regard to her child, she would || immediately go to Benham, or to her house in Charles Street, and throw herself upon the laws of her country, to obtain redress for all her sufferings as a mother. (To be concluded next month.)

"Reasons of every kind were adopted; some of which were plausible, nay, even justifiable: the facilities of divorce in the Protestant countries of Germany, the duties he owed to posterity, his own private interest that his sovereignty might not pass from his family at his death-all these were used in vain. I am her husband,' he replied to all these persuasions; therefore, so long as she lives, as her husband, I am bound to protect her.""

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