for the true peace of Jerusalem, which is indeed hid from her eyes, oh, lift up thine heart to the Most High, and join with the royal Psalmist in sayingoh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.' On the commencement of the Passover eve, all the males of the family repaired to the synagogue; while Anna and her daughters remained at home, to prepare the chamber for the celebration of the ceremony. They decked the table, which was large enough for the whole household to surround, with a cloth of snowy whiteness, and set on it a cup for every person, and a book for each one, containing the prayers used at this time. In the centre of the table stood a large dish, on which was laid, folded in separate napkins, three very large cakes of unleavened bread, differing from those used for food, and distinguished from each other by peculiar notches, according to which they were placed to be made use of in the ceremony. On this dish were also placed bitter herbs and a cup of salt water, into which they were dipped (during the observance of those solemn rites,) and eaten in remembrance of the bitter bondage of Egypt. Small balls, composed of apples, almonds, &c., symbolic of the bricks and mortar among which the Hebrews worked at that ever memorable period. The shank-bone of a lamb, roasted, was among these emblems, as a memorial of the pascal lamb, commanded by the children of Israel, and which may not be eaten, as there ordered, out of the holy city. An egg, roasted by fire, completed the articles set on the dish. The dutious children of Soloman de Lissau next arranged a couch for their revered father to recline on, while he presided at the performance of the ceremony; and concluded their labour by placing ewers filled with water, and basins and towels, that they might pour water on

J

the hands of all who partook of the Passover, the meanest Hebrew servant was not excepted, according to ancient usage; for on the night of the great deliverance there was no distinction of persons, but all the children of Israel were free. The Nazarene servants were commanded to keep closely in their kitchen during the ceremony, nor were they, or any one but the true seed of Abraham, allowed to witness it; indeed on the preceeding year, Anna had discharged two servants, who, by indiscreet curiosity, had been tempted to listen in the adjoining chamber, and who had been caught there when the chamber door was, according to custom, set open, while the assembled family repeated the malediction in Psalm lxxix. 6."

19. ST. ALPHAGE,

.. In the reign of King Etheldred, while the Danes had their chief station at Greenwich, they made frequent incursions into the interior of the country, committing the most dreadful ravages, particularly in the year 1011, when they laid siege to Canterbury, and having taken and plundered that city, massacred nine-tenths of the inhabitants, without distinction of age or sex. The remaining captives, together with Elpheg, or Alphage, the Archbishop of Canterbury, they conveyed to their camp, where they kept the Archbishop prisoner during seven months, demanding a large sum for his ransom, which he refused to pay, alleging, that the peasants of his church would be ruined by it. On a Saturday, the 12th of April, 1012, they particularly pressed for a ransom, and threatened to kill him, in case of refusal: he still, however, declined the payment, saying, that his life was not of so much worth that his people should be ruined for his sake. After this, they brought him on horseback before their assembly, which was held at Greenwich, on the 19th of

April, and cried out to him, "Bishop, give gold, or thou shalt this day become a public spectacle."

They were then flushed with wine, which they had procured from the south; and on his again refusing to submit to their conditions, they started from their seats, and attempted to kill him, by striking him with the flat sides of their axes, and by flinging bones and horns of oxen at him*. At last, one Thrum, or Trond, who had, on the day before, been confirmed by the Archbishop, ran up, moved by compassion, and gave him a blow on the head with his axe, which brought him dead to the ground. He was then nearly sixty years of age; and some of the Danes were ashamed of the horrid deed; probably the more so, as many of them were already Christians by name. A quarrel, therefore, arose among them, when some were for delivering up his body for honorable interment, and others for throwing it into the Thames. They even met in arms; and though a miracle is said, towards evening, to have gained over the Heathen party, the most credible account is, as Brompton, and even Osbern, relate," that the citizens of London bought his body with a great sum of money." He was first buried in St. Paul's, London; but eleven years afterwards, his body was taken up by Canute, and conveyed with much pomp to Canterbury, where it was re-interred with great solemnity. The Archbishop was afterwards enrolled among the Roman Saints; and on the spot where he fell at Greenwich, a church was consecrated to his honor: the site is now occupied by the Parish Church, which still records the memory of the event in its dedication to St. Alphage. Brayley's Kent.

The flinging of bones was an ancient custom among the Danes, when sitting at table.

Suhm's Hist. of Denmark, Vol. III. p. 380.

19.-1824.-LORD BYRON died.

A man of rank, and of capacious soul,
Who riches had, and fame, beyond desire;
An heir of flattery, to titles born,
And reputation, and luxurious life;
Yet not content with ancestorial names,
Or to be known because his fathers were;
He on this height hereditary stood,
And gazing higher, purposed in his heart
To take another step. Above him seemed
Alone the mount of song-the lofty seat
Of canonized bards; and thitherward
By nature taught, and inward melody,
In prime of youth, he bent his eagle eye.

Robert Pollok. 19.-1829.-THE EARL OF BUCHAN DIED, ÆTat. 86. This venerable nobleman was born June 1, 1742. He was well known to the literary world, and to all tourists who visited the pastoral beauties and monastic antiquities of Dryburgh Abbey, his lordship's residence. He was much attached to literary pursuits, and published a few volumes, among which are The Life of Napier of Merchiston, and an Essay on Fletcher of Saltoun, and the Poet Thomson. He also published various papers in the Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland: and several periodical works. His correspondence with scholars and men of science, at home and abroad, was almost unbounded, and included many of the most eminent men of the age. He was fond of patronizing genius; and among others who were fostered by his friendship, were Burns, Tyttler, and Pinkerton.

19.-1826.-REV. DR. MILNER DIED, ÆTAT. 73.

This eminent antiquarian and divine, was the author of the History of Winchester; The End of Religious Controversy, and numerous other works of merited celebrity.

DR. MILNER'S GRAVE.

Morning had risen on the world-bright fair,
And young in warmth, laughing, as its blue eye
Beamed its sun-glories on the melting air,

Fresh sparkling with the sweetness of the sky.
The dressed earth smiled, as if there was no tear
Upon the cheek of manhood's revelry;

And quick and boundingly my free heart soared
To breathe its homage to its star-throned Lord.
God of the humble! Thou whose radiant throne
Is pillared by the seraphim's crowned throng,
Circled by lucid cherubs, as a zone

Round beauty's bosom, exquisite yet strong;
I love this time, upon the hills, alone

To laud Thee with the matin hymn of song:
And ever do I feel my spirit rise

Within me, as it bows to morning sacrifice!
But where am I?-with the day-breaking through,
In dim distinctness, the far-shadowed aisle !
There is a spell upon my soul, a hue

That mantles it with joy and grief, the while:
And every burst of thought that thrills to view

Seems trembling with the pressure of the pile,-
The deep, deep soul of prayer,-the sleeping sound
Of' silence palpable,' that floats around !
Where am I? with the tabernacled dome

Above me, like a path that leads to heaven;"
And the felt stillness of the hour, the gloom,
The holy gloom, by meek Religion given
Unto the heart, where she has built her home,

Stealing around me, like the shades of even? There is a feel that it were bliss to die

With breathings of this hour-but where am I?

-That lonely niche, where the sun's first beams shine,
As they were dancing o'er a warrior's plume--
What means the glory, which enwreaths that shrine
With all the pomp of Heaven's effulgent gloom?

Thy foot is on immortal dust! Twine, twine
Hope's fadeless garlands over MILNER'S tomb!
Hang up thy harps, for he has rested too,
The last the greatest son that Juda knew!

*The new chapel at Wolverhampton. The writer has here attempted to trace his impressions on first entering the splendid building, beneath which rest the ashes of Dr. Milner.