not to the endangering of their lives, at least to that of their senses: I saw some who fainted, others lost their veils, &c. Barriers had been placed across the room in which the feet were washed; and, to pass each barrier, three or four regular assaults were given by the crowd to the guards, who, after repelling them for a time, gave way and permitted the impatient multitude to advance ; whereas if no opposition had been offered, the people would have rolled on quietly and without disturbance. All should be totally excluded, or as many as the rooms will contain quietly admitted; but neither of these alternatives is followed, and guards are placed as if for the sole purpose of creating tumult, and then giving way. Such is the sight displayed at the capital of the Christian world, at the most holy season of the year; whilst a huge building, in which all Rome might find place, stands comparatively unoccupied, by the side of the ordinary-sized rooms, from the one to the other of which the Pope and spectators pass in a manner inconsistent with the dignity of either. Ought the Head of the Church to officiate in the private chapels of his own palace, because, forsooth, the performance of his musicians would appear to less advantage in a larger fabric?—and this is the best reason I have yet heard given in excuse for this scandal. But even of the fact itself I am not well convinced; for I have seen a part of St. Peter's partitioned off in a manner which greatly diminished the echo complained of. Yet, in case this method should not succeed, the Philharmonic, or any other Society, might be charged to invite all the 'nobili forestieri-noble strangers,'-to a private performance of the psalm, Miserere: or it would even be more decent, were this psalm-which is, by-the-by, of all psalms the one least suited to the theatre, repeated like the rest of the office, instead of being made a theatrical show of.

"I had reached the table at which the twelve priests, served by Cardinal della Somaglia, were dining, when la Comtesse de —, unable to support any longer the pressure of the crowd, demanded assistance to extricate herself from it: this was affected, with great difficulty, by myself and the French officer already alluded to.

"The Vatican library being open to the public, I then made a tour of the rooms and galleries, lined by the numerous files of wardrobes.

"In the afternoon the Miserere was again sung. I also went to the Paoline Chapel, which was lighted up, not over well, and filled with people praying devoutly on their knees; for no Swiss guards interfered."

9.-GOOD FRIDAY.

A fast in the Christian church, in memory of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ; and from the effects springing from that important event, its appellation Good, which appears to be peculiar to the Church of England, is prefixed. The Saxons called it Long Friday, from the length of the offices and fastings of that day; but its ancient and appropriate title was Holy Friday, as also the week in which it happens, Holy or Passion Week. The practice of making cross buns on Good Friday is generally supposed to have originated simply in the desire of marking on the only food formerly allowed on this day, a symbol of the crucifixion.

“Through life unchanged, unwearied, undismay'd,
The suffering Saviour, true to human weal,
Bore steadfast on: the ignominious cross
Witnessed His conquest, and His dying love.
Ah! well might Mary droop beneath her wo!
In many a page the gracious promise shone,
That she should bear a son of high import;
And, from the cradle to maturer age,
His life had every bright assurance given

Of all fulfilment; but when most she thought
To see the child of every cherish'd hope,
Pre-eminent in glory and renown,

Sorrowing, she saw Him stretched upon the cross,
And weeping, to His lifeless corpse performed
The mournful offices that nature claims.

Henry Smithers. 9.-1483.-EDWARD THE FIFTH'S ACCESSION.

This unfortunate prince, at the age of twelve years, was this day proclaimed King of England, on the death of his father, Edward IV. After a short reign of two months and twelve days, his uncle, Richard III., deprived him of his crown; and, according to most historians, in a short time had the young king and his younger brother, the Duke of York, both basely murdered in the Tower of London.

THE PRINCES OF YORK.

BY H. SIGOURNEY.

Rise, shade of Edward, from the tomb!
And shield thy sons from harm;
Protect them, 'mid their prison gloom,
From Glo'ster's murderous arm.

Still dost thou trust with dauntless eye
A brother's proffer'd care?

Lo, Arthur's spirit hovers nigh,
And warns thee to beware.

They sleep-and charms so bright and pure
Around those features play,
Methinks their sacred force might lure

The savage from his prey.

Prince Edward's ruby lip was curl'd,
As when, in knightly strife,
'Mid the proud tournay's list is hurl'd
The lance, for death or life.

But Richard in his dream did smile
Within that fatal tower,

As if he mark'd some pageant wile
In lady's courtly bower.

His arm was o'er his brother's breast,
And on the pillow lay

That book of prayer their lips had prest
Ere slumber's hallow'd sway.

Sad widow'd queen! once more to gaze
On brows so bold and fair,

Might paint a rainbow on thy days
Of weeping and despair.

Once more those sunny curls to lift
Might cheer a mother's heart,
But, oh! the assassin's step is swift,
And dark the usurper's art.

Morn comes-those princes wake no more,
Their couch is lone and cold,

But yet no life-drops stain the floor
To mark a deed untold.

Dissembler! who dost mock the sky,
And man's weak search controul,
Be strong to bear heaven's burning eye
Of justice on thy soul.

The sparkling orb may bind thy brow,
A realm extol thy bliss,
Ambition have its triumphs now-
Is there no world but this?

It comes! it comes! the vengeful hour,
Stern warriors grasp thy shield,

And Richmond pours his hostile power

O'er Bosworth's fatal field.

Haste, haste, false king! their might oppose, Uplift thy haughty crest,

But secret throngs of spectre foes

Ungird thy tyrant breast.

Meek Henry, from whose royal side

Afresh the purple flows,

Seems with his slaughter'd son to glide,
Crushed Lancaster's last rose.

Pale Clarence from his moulder'd cell
Stalks forth with drooping hair,
And they who in their beauty fell
Look to it!-they are there.

Go! to thy teachless grave go down!
Thy blood in battle spilt;

Go! weigh against thy bauble crown

The eternal pang of guilt.

11.-EASTER SUNDAY.

Easter, the anniversary of the resurrection of our Saviour, is so called from the Saxon goddess Eostre, whose festival was held in April. The Asiatic churches kept their Easter upon the same day that the Jews observed their passover, and others on the first full moon in the new year. The controversy was determined in the Council of Nice, when it was ordained that Easter should be kept on one and the same Sunday in all the Christian churches in the world. In conformity to act of parliament, every Book of Common Prayer says, "Easter-day is always the first Sunday after the full moon, which happens upon, or next after, the 21st day of March; and if the full moon happen upon a Sunday, Easter-day is the Sunday after."

12.-EASTER MONDAY.

Formerly, every day in this week was observed as a religious festival; now they are only considered as days of recreation. A fair at Greenwich is held on the first three days of the week, to which the metropolis pours forth a great portion of its lower orders. A stag-hunt in Epping Forest was also a favorite recreation, and drew an assemblage of horsemen of as various and grotesque a character as any occasion could possibly bring together. This amusement, however, is fast falling into decay, as appears from the following preface to Hood's truly humourous poem called The Epping Hunt:

"The Easter chase will soon be numbered with the pastimes of past times: its dogs will have had their day, and its deer will be fallow. A few more seasons, and this City Common Hunt will become uncommon. In proof of this melancholy decadence, the ensuing epistle is inserted. It was penned by an underling at the Wells, a person more accustomed to riding than to writing.

"Sir,-About the Hunt. In anser to your Innqueries, their has been a great falling off lately, so much so this year, that there was nobody allmost. We did a mear nothing provisionally, hardly a Bottle extra, which is a proof in