tombs of forty-eight kings, including " devilish Macbeth," prove how highly the magnates of the north honoured it with their patronage. But the curse of idolatry was there; image-worship outweighed with evil the lighter good of literature and civilization: the Almighty withdrew the shield of his providence; from the high altar was heard that fearful voice, Let us depart: so, the bloody Dane came as the Lord's avenger, and the judgment of fire and sword swept from the land those degenerated worshippers: behold she sitteth desolate, her glory is gone,"Ichabod" is graven on the rocks and ruins of Iona.

BE DE.

AROUND thy memory there lingereth still
A rare and gracious savour, reverend man,
Whose patient toil so long ago began
To sink the sacred wells on Zion-hill,
Whence issued ancle-deep truth's earliest rill,
That deepening soon, in copious torrents ran
From thee their sometime patriarch, until
They reach us fathomless, a mighty sea:

O simple priest, pious, and just, and true,
Religious, learned,—thousand thanks are due

From England, and her children unto thee:
Thou, like thy master, bowing His meek head,
Didst view thy perfect work of piety,

And die rejoicing it was finished.

Pindar says μεγάλων δ ̓ ἀέθλων Μοῖσα μεμνᾶσθαι φιλεῖ, "the Muse delights in commemorating great exploits," and though he might have meant it as applied to mighty conquerors, wrestlers, charioteers, and other muscular heroes of Olympia, we may in these our peaceful times set Clio, Euterpe, or Melpomene, the more humanizing task of celebrating superiority in mind and excellence in morals: a glory greater than that of being a pentathlete, and to be rewarded with a richer crown than one of olive.

The venerable Bede was such an one, having been deservedly famous alike for his personal worth, and his literary labours: although nothing more exalted in station than a simple Northumbrian ecclesiastic, who scarcely went beyond the limits of his native parish, he may justly be regarded as the chief revivor of learning among our ancestors. His name stands out prominently from the darkness of his times, as equally distinguished for piety, purity, and talent, and many of his works, (of which the Ecclesiastical History was translated by King Alfred,) have come down to us incorrupt. It is greatly to the credit of Bede, and shows his mind to have been much in advance of the age in which he lived, that he did all in his power to strengthen the secular and

more industrious clergy, against the idle monks; and scarcely less so, that, being confessedly a paragon of wisdom and sanctity, No miracle was ever attributed to him. The manner of his death was truly glorious, and would have gratified a Solon, in that άπélave káλAuara. Herod. 1.30. The excellent priest, (for his great mind sought none of the rewards of earthly ambition, and he remained to his death an unbeneficed priest,) in the sixty-third year of his age was dictating to his scribe the Saxon translation of St. John's Gospel. Mortal illness came upon him just as the work was approaching to a close, and when the amanuensis in encouragement said, "Master, there is now but one sentence wanting," Bede gasped it out with a "Quickly, quickly," and on hearing" It is now done,” said, “ It is now done,” and instantly expired.

Of course, the allusion in the sonnet is made to the Vision of the holy waters seen by Ezekiel, ch. xlvii. to which readers are referred.

CHARLEMAGNE.

WHENCE Comest thou?-What kingdom of the stars
Is thine, imperial ghost?—with homage meet
Cæsar, Augustus, thee my song shall greet
And hail a Charlemagne the second Mars!
Yet other notes must fill the praiseful song
Than those hoarse clamours of continual wars,
Or never had I met thee blest among
Children of light: thee, rectitude of soul

Majestic firmness, patriot excellence,

Simplicity and truth and sterling sense On the bright record of the Great enroll: Rejoice, fair France, in those dear memories

Of him, thy somewhile glory and defence: Such monarchs earn the fame that never dies.