10. Yet it is written, -sure and deep,—
In one Book undiscerned of men;
And guarded well, its leaves shall keep

Their trust, until the hour when
The wakening trumpet's solemn breath
Shall steal upon the ear of death.

1. Queen Eleanor died in Lincolnshire in the year 1290, whilst accompanying King Edward and his army to conquer Scotland. The king turned back to bury her in Westminster Abbey, and wherever her body rested he raised up a beautiful cross to her memory. "We loved her tenderly in her lifetime; we do not cease to love her in death," said the king. The crosses now remaining are Northampton Cross and Watham Cross.

2. Wallace.-A Scottish hero, who was put to death by King Edward.

3. The assassin's dagger.-Whilst Edward was in the Holy Land fighting

against the Saracens, he was stabbed by one of them with a poisoned dagger whilst sitting in his tent. His wife, Eleanor of Castile, a Spanish princess, sucked the wound and saved Edward's life.

4. Sicilian shore.-Sicily. One of their children died here.

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5. Caernarvon's heights.—Caernarvon Castle in North Wales. ward here presented his infant son to the Welsh knights, as the first Prince of Wales, and who could not speak a word of English.

6. Bedesman or Beadsman.—A man anciently employed in praying for another. Lore, poetry.

LESSON XXVII.

THE VISION OF MIRZA.1-Part I.

1. When I was at Grand Cairo2 I picked up several Oriental manuscripts, which I have still by me. Among others, I met with one entitled "The Visions of Mirza," which I have read over with great pleasure. I intend to give it to the public when I have no other entertainment for them; and shall begin with the first vision, which I have translated word for word as follows:

2. "On the fifth day of the moon, which, according to the custom of my forefathers, I always keep holy, after having washed myself and offered up my morning devotions, I ascended the high hills of Bagdat, in order to pass the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was here airing my

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self on the tops of the mountains, I fell into a profound contemplation on the vanity of human life; and passing from one thought to another, 'Surely,' said I, 'man is but a shadow, and life a dream.'

3. “Whilst I was thus musing, I cast mine eyes towards the summit of a rock that was not far from me, where I discovered one in the habit of a shepherd, with a little musical instrument in his hand. As I looked upon him, he applied it to his lips and began to play upon it. The sound of it was exceedingly sweet, and wrought into a variety of tunes that were inexpressibly melodious, and altogether different from anything I had ever heard.

4. "They put me in mind of those heavenly airs that are played to the departed souls of good men upon their first arrival in Paradise, to wear out the impressions of their last agonies, and qualify them for the pleasures of that happy place. My heart melted away in secret raptures.

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5. "I had often been told that the rock before me was the haunt of a Genius, and that several who had passed by it had been entertained with music; but I had never heard that the musician had before made himself visible. When, by those transporting airs which he played, he had raised my thoughts to taste the pleasures of his conversation, I looked upon him like one astonished.

6. "Thereupon he beckoned to me, and directed me by the waving of his hand to approach the place where he sat. I drew near with that reverence which is due to a superior nature; and as my

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heart was entirely subdued by the captivating strains I had heard, I fell down at his feet and wept.

7. "The Genius smiled upon me with a look of compassion and affability that familiarized him to my imagination, and at once dispelled all the fears and apprehensions with which I approached him. He lifted me from the ground, and taking me by the hand, Mirza,' said he, 'I have heard thee in thy soliloquies; follow me.'

8. "He then led me to the highest pinnacle of the rock, and placing me on the top of it, 'Cast thine eyes eastward,' said he, and tell me what thou seest.' 'I see,' said I, 'a huge valley, and a prodigious tide of water rolling through it.' 'The valley that thou seest,' said he, 'is the Vale of Misery; and the tide of water that thou seest is part of the great tide of Eternity.' 'What is the reason,' said I, 'that the tide I see rises out of a thick mist at the one end, and again loses itself in a thick mist at the other?' What thou seest,' said he, 'is that portion of Eternity which is called Time,' measured out by the sun, and reaching from the beginning of the world to its consummation.

9. "Examine now,' continued he, 'this sea that is bounded with darkness at both ends, and tell me what thou discoverest in it.' 'I see a bridge,' said I, 'standing in the midst of the tide.' 'The bridge thou seest,' said he, 'is Human Life; consider it attentively.' Upon a more leisurely survey of it, I found that it consisted of threescore and ten entire arches, with several broken arches, which,

added to those that were entire, made up the number to about a hundred.

10. "As I was counting the arches, the Genius told me that this bridge had consisted at first of a thousand arches, but that a great flood had swept away the rest, and left the bridge in the ruinous condition in which I now beheld it.

11. "But tell me further,' said he, 'what thou discoverest on it?' 'I see multitudes of people passing over it,' said I, ' and a black cloud hanging on each end of it.' As I looked more attentively, I saw several of the passengers dropping through the bridge into the great tide that flowed underneath it and, upon further examination, perceived that there were innumerable trap-doors that lay concealed in the bridge, which the passengers no sooner trod upon than they fell through them into the tide, and immediately disappeared.

12. "These hidden pit-falls were set very thick. at the entrance of the bridge, so that throngs of people no sooner broke through the cloud than many of them fell into them. They grew thinner towards the middle, but multiplied and lay closer together towards the end of the arches that were entire.

13. "There were, indeed, some persons, but their number was very small, that continued a kind of hobbling march on the broken arches; but they fell through one after another, being quite tired and spent with so long a walk."

For Notes, see end of Part II.

Joseph Addison.

LESSON XXVIII.

THE VISION OF MIRZA.-Part II.

1. "I passed some time in the contemplation of this wonderful structure and the great variety of objects which it presented. My heart was filled with a deep melancholy to see several dropping unexpectedly, in the midst of mirth and jollity, and catching at everything that stood by them, to save themselves.

2. "Some were looking up towards the heavens in a thoughtful posture, and in the midst of a speculation stumbled, and fell out of sight. Multitudes were very busy in the pursuit of bubbles that glittered in their eyes and danced before them; but often when they thought themselves within the reach of them, their footing failed, and down they sank.

3. "In this confusion of objects, I observed many with scimitars in their hands, who ran to and fro upon the bridge, thrusting several persons on trap-doors which did not seem to lie in their way, and which they might have escaped had they not been thus forced upon them.

4. “The Genius, seeing me indulge myself on this melancholy prospect, told me I had dwelt long enough upon it. 'Take thine eyes off the bridge,' said he, and tell me if thou yet seest anything thou dost not comprehend?' Upon looking up, 'What mean,' said I, 'those great flights of birds that are perpetually hovering about the bridge, and settling upon it from time to time? I see vultures, harpies," ravens, cormorants, and, among