island of Guernsey; and havin island of Guernsey; and having surmounted the usual dif ficulties and delays of love, which always increase the value he of the object in pursuit, the happy day for leading his mis tress to the altar at length was fixed.

After giving the necessary orders for the reception of his intended wife, Gordier, at the time appointed, in full health and high spirits, sailed for Guernsey. The impatience of a lover on such a voyage need not be described; hours were years, and a narrow channel between the islands, ten thousand leagues. The land of promise at length appears, he leaps on the beach, and, without waiting for refreshment, or his servant, whom he left with bis baggage, sets out alone, and on foot, for the house he had so often visited, which was only a few miles from the port.

1

The servant who soon followed, was surprised to find his master not arrived; repeated messengers were sent to search and enquire, in vain. Having waited, in anxious expecta tion, till midnight, the apprehensions of the lady and her family were proportionate to the urgency of their feelings, and the circumstances of the case. The next morning, at break of day, the appearance of a near relation of the missing inan, was not calculated to diminish their fears with evident marks of distress, fatigue, and dejection, he came to inform them, that he had passed the whole of the night in minutely examining, and in every direction, the environs of the road by which Gordier generally passed.

After days of dreadful suspense, and nights of unavailing anxiety, the corpse of the unfortunate lover was at length. discovered in a cavity among the rocks, disfigured with many wounds; but no circumstance occurred on which to ground suspicion, or even to hazard conjecture, concerning the per petrator of so foul a murder.

7

The regret of both families for a good young man, thus cut off in the meridian of life and expection by a cruel assassin, was increased by the mystery and mode of his death. The grief of the young lady not being of that species, which relieves itself by external effusion, and load lamentation was for that very reason the more poignant and heart felt she never shed a tear, "but let concealment, like a worm i'th bud, feed on her damask cheek; she pin'd in thought; and, with a green and yellow melancholy, she sat likę patience on a monument."

of der

Her virtues and her beauty having attracted general admi ration, the family, after a few years, was prevailed on to. per mit Mr. Galliard, a merchant, and a native of the island, tol

become her suiter, hoping that a second lover might gradu. ally withdraw her attention from brooding in hopeless silence over the catastrophe of her first.

In submission to the wishes of her parents, but with repeated and energetic dcclarations, that she never would marry, Galliard was occasionally admitted; but the unhappy lady found it difficult to suppress a certain involuntary antipathy, which, declaring herself, at the same time, unable to account for it, she always felt whenever he approached.

This singular, but well-authenticated circumstance was often remarked long before the fatal, the bloody secret was revealed; it was a more than mental aversion, and was said to bear a near resemblance to that tremulous horror and shivering, which seizes certain persons of keen sensibility and delicate feelings, at the sight of a spider. an adder, or a toad. But such was the ardor of passion, or such the fascinating magic of her charms, repulse only increased desire, and Galliard persisted in his unwelcome visits, some times endeavouring to prevail on the unfortunate young woman to accept a present from his hands.

Her friends remarked, that he was particularly urgent to present her with a beautiful trinket, of expensive workmanship and valuable materials, which she positively and firmly refused; adding, with a correctness of sentiment, and propriety of conduct, not always imitated by her sex, that it was base, dishonorable, and mean, to encourage attentions, and receive favours from a man, who excited in her mind sensations, far more violent than indifference, and whose offers no motives of any kind could ever prevail on her to accept.

(To be continued.)

CHRISTMAS EVE.

ANCIENT MANNER OF CELEBRATING BY THE PEOPLE OF WEST KENT.

Before I decide on the merits of a local custom, I consider its utility, if it be merely for harmless amusement I can applaud, because the mind to be happy, must be pleasantly engaged, but where I find the pursuit carries along with it a moral tendency, I lay aside vanity, and mingle the throng,

even in the rural dance, and rejoice with the villagers over their barley cups.

How swift has flown the spring-time of my life,
When scarce of wrongs I knew or party strife,
When on green Medway's flow'ry banks I stray'd,
Or sought the nest on Cohham's hallow'd shade,
Or with my fellows dash'd the briny wave
Where learned LAMBARD chose his peaceful grave.

Ah, happy moments! still with mental eye

I view thy sports while memory heaves a sigh;
For seldom since have I been doom'd to share
But pleasures mingled with corroding care,
Bending to fate's imperious control,

Where pride's rude frown appals the lib'ral soul.

Well, let it pass; "tis not my lot alone,
Thousands were born like me, in shades to moan,
Perhaps, hereafter in some better state
Where justice bends the balance to the weight
A brighter wreath around my brow may twine
And the reward that virtue gives, be mine.

Hail happy moments, when at Christmas tide
I saw my grandame o'er the hall preside,
i...... With cheerful looks, at more than sixty three
Scud round the rooms full active as the bee,
And as the milkmaids left the windows clean
Mount to the place and fix her wintry green.
T

The while she sang her busy girls to charm
Sweet as the read breast of our quiet farm,
Such were the manners of the rural wife

Ere wealth brought pride and pride engander'd strife,
How chang'd of late? Refinement with her brood
New scenes present, and Folly's sons obtrude.

The rural maid now apes the courtly dame, w
And Robin like my lord must rake, and game,
The friendly cup of healthful home-brew'd ale
Gives way to foreign wines-a rueful tale!
And the wide hand that once could spread its store
Secares the bev'rage and locks fast the door.

Of this no more: 'tis Christmas claims my song;

Let time and reason check the wand'ring throng,
Tis mine to sing the manners of the swain
When blest simplicity adorn'd his train,

When the plain viand cheer'd his thatch roof'd race
And master doft the hat and said the grace.

Now Harry comes, and at his dame's desire
Piles the beach-block upon the evening fire,
Her silver sand, so bright, sweet Kitty brings
And as she strews around the carrol sings,
All hail the season, swifter flies the flail,
As the poor thrasher thinks on cakes and ale.

The ample wassel-bowl for ages plac'd;
To grace the cupboard's shelf is now uncas'd,
And on the gyant stool the hearth before

Fill'd with strong barley-wine from master's store,

With rosemary sprigs deck'd round, and tempting near
Manchets, and mead, to ev'ry palate dear.

For Christmas ale the woodman takes his stroke,
And lops the misletoe from Ludsdown oak,
Conveys his yearly tribute to the farm

"

And to the house beam hangs the festive charm,
So taught our druids, so our minstrels sung

When fops were less caress'd, and time was young.

O'Cantium, to thy kings these scenes were known
When bright examples play'd around the throne,
When artful sycophants were rarely seen
To bow the smiling face, or pliant mien,
Then would our fathers drain the potent bowl
Beneath sobriety's divine control.

The teams at rest, and master in his chair,
Strait for their Christmas sports the lads prepare,
No hand is idle, e'en the plough-boys run
And help the maids to get their labours done,
Dick with green holly sticks the house way path
While Mary mends the fire, and sweeps the hearth.

In come the neighbours, and set gayly round,
And smiles and greetings 'mongst the guests abound,
If not so courtly to the town-bred ear

My life I'll pledge they are not less sincere,

Slander's unheard, kind welcome takes the lead
And ushers to the hand-the cup of mead.

The pipe and tabor from the distant town
Now by the merry fiddler sits him down,

Nor yet the sports begin,-there's something more
Taught by our sages in the days of yore :

Up rises master from his wicker seat, nisiq oli monti
And this the prologue to the rural treatab tolmu LuA

Neighbours and friends, men, boys, and maids attend
Let all pass'd quarrels with our meeting enn
Hand lock'd in hand let all to night appear,
'Tis friendship's sign, and fit to close the year,
Forgive, forget and greet each other kind,
Now rise to sport, and cast your cares behind.

All former malice is at once forgot
(Ah! Envy listen to their happy lot)
They kiss, shake hands, sincerely make it up
While master puts about his Christmas cup,
Bespreads his ruddy cheeks with wrinkled smiles
And shews the open heart that ne'er beguiles,

And now their gifts the lib'ral rustics deaf,
Topknots of silk, and busks of polished steel,
The maids, in turn, with many a pleasing jest
Give gems to glitter on the faithful breast,
Garters home-knit, and many a toy beside
Of little value to the sons of pride. ·

(To be Continued.)

Ivel TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Our poetic communications are so numerous, that want of roost compels us to defer the insertion of many of them.

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G.Stobbs, Printer, Catherine Street, Strand.