ashamed of his choice, might enjoy the admiration she excited. At his special request she was married in the white dress he had first seen her in; and at the conclusion of the ceremony, she dedicated it to the use of the altar, resolving that one of her earliest occupations should be to make it into a magnificent vestment. (To be continued.)

EXTRACTS FROM NEW WORKS.

THE INTERIOR OF A HAREM.

"THE women made me sit down; and when I placed myself in the usual European manner, they begged me in a deprecating tone not to remain in that constrained position, but to put myself quite at my case, as if I were in my own house. How far I was at my ease, installed à la Turque, on an immense pile of cushions, I leave to be imagined by any one who ever tried to remain five minutes in that posture.

"I was determined to omit nothing that should give them a high idea of my 'savoir vivre,' according to their own notions, and began by once more gravely accepting a pipe. At the pacha's I had managed merely to hold it in my hand, occasionally touching it with my lips. without really using it; but I soon saw that, with some twenty pairs of eyes fixed jealously upon me, I must smoke here-positively and actually smoke or be considered a violator of all the laws of good breeding. The tobacco was so mild and fragrant that the penance was not so great as might have been expected; but I could scarcely help laughing at the ludicrous position I was placed in, seated in state on a large square cushion, smoking a long pipe, the other end of which was supported by a kneeling slave, and bowing solemnly to the sultana between almost every whiff. Coffee, sweetmeats, and sherbet (the most delightful of all pleasant draughts), were brought to me in constant succession by the two little negroes, and a pretty young girl, whose duty it was to present me the richly embroidered napkin, the corner of which I was expected to make use of as it lay on her shoulder, as she knelt before me. These refreshments were offered to me in beautiful crystal vases, little gold cups, and silver trays, of which, for my misfortune, they seemed to possess a large supply, as I was obliged to go through a never-ending course of dainties, in order that they might have an opportunity of displaying them all.

My bonnet sadly puzzled them; and when, to please them, I took it off, they were most dreadfully scandalized, to see me with my hair uncovered, and could scarcely believe that I was not ashamed to sit all day without a veil or handkerchief; they could not conceive, either, why I should wear gloves, unless it were to hide the want of henna, with which they offered to supply me. They then proceeded to ask me the most extraordinary questions-many of which I really found it hard to answer. My whole existence was as incomprehensible to this poor princess, vegetating from day to day within her four walls, as that of a bird in the air must be to a mole burrowing in the earth. Her life consisted, as she told me, of sleeping, eating, dressing, and bathing. She never walked further than from one room to another; and I can answer for her not having an idea beyond the narrow limits of her prison. It is a strange and most unnatural state to which these poor women are brought; nor do I wonder that the Turks, whose own detestable egotism alone causes it, should declare that they have no souls."Wayfaring Sketches among the Greeks and Turks, by a Seven Years' Resident in Greece.

THE ESCAPED NEGRO.

"He and his family, together with some of his ancestors, were slaves in Peru, all born in the city of

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Lima; after the death of his first owners he was sold from one party to another, sometimes having kind masters, more frequently severe. At last he was purchased by a merchant residing in the town of Payta, in the same province; he had a female slave, for whom the subject of the present biography formed an attachment. The owners are generally glad to discover affairs of this kind amongst their slaves, and often accelerate the matter, knowing well that an increase, of what they brutally term 'stock,' may be the result. They were married, and the ceremony consisted in the master telling them to 'go and live together.'

"Matters went on smoothly and lovingly for some time; at last the severity of the owner displayed itself in repeatedly flogging the man; this was borne with fortitude for a long time.' (At this part of the history our host exhibited a portion of his body which was scarred, and in welts from the lash. The poor woman sighed deeply, and I confess I felt much for them.) 'On an oppressively hot day his wife was ordered into a store with him to perform some laborious work; she was too weak and unable for the required exertion; the inhuman master tied her up to a post and beat her severely with a lash composed of twisted thongs of bullock hide' (she had also her marks of punishment to show). She writhed under the punishment; her son, then a child, screaming at her feet; there was no mercy or cessation, until the arm of the master was fairly tired. The husband of this poor creature was looking on with, as he described it, grinding teeth.' What must have been his feelings? He then uttered an inward vow, both for revenge and an attempt at escape, if it cost him his life. This man and wife now laid their plans together; they lulled the suspicions of their owner by abject submission to all his orders for months, and perhaps he lauded the use of the lash for its apparent success in completely breaking the spirit of his slaves.

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"Their plans were now matured: there were some English and American ships in the harbour; this merchant was in the habit of trading with some of them, and furnishing others with the stores they required. One evening after dark the negro told his master that Captain So-and-so wanted to speak with him particularly, and that he was at the hotel situated on the beach.' (I may also add, from my own experience, this hotel at Payta is the chief one in the place, commands an extensive view of the bay and anchorage, has a wharf for its special accommodation, and was conducted in excellent style by an Englishman at the time of my sojourn in it.)

"He never hesitated, or for a moment doubted the veracity of his injured slave. He left his house, and as he was walking along the beach towards the hotel was stabbed to the heart, dragged down, and thrown into the water. The slave had previously provided a boat near at hand, which he had stolen off the beach about an hour before; his wife and child were in readiness; all being quickly embarked, he paddled silently out of the harbour, making a turn round nearly opposite the burial-ground, to avoid the shipping. Having in this manner rounded the northern head of the bay, he laid down his paddles, his wife and he taking an oar each, and pulled hard for their lives and liberty. The child and a bag of bread in the bottom of the boat.

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They had only a small jar of water with them, and consequently suffered much. However, after patient exertion, day and night, they succeeded in passing the precincts of Peru and arriving at Tacames, where they were 'free,' and kindly received. They 'squatted' on the bank of the river, cleared the ground, and erected the hut, where they seemed to enjoy each other's affection, and the freedom that human beings can feel who escape from tyrannous slavery.'

"I inquired, through my interpreter, whether he

felt any regret at assassinating his late master? With gleaming eyes, and his whole frame presenting a true picture of demon-like ferocity and revenge, he answered rapidly, 'No.' Without acting so he would surely be retaken, as his owner, if he lived, would miss him in less than an hour; as it was, he had several hours' start, and cleared the precincts of Peru before his absence could be detected; and ended by saying that another slave of the same owner attempted to escape some time before him, that he was brought back, and so severely cowhided that he died the next day.' Coulter's Adventures on the Western Coast of South America.

PELICANS FLYING AND FISHING.

"Ir is a pleasant sight to see a flock of pelicans fishing. A dozen or more are flying, on heavy, flagging wing, over the sea, the long neck doubled on the back, so that the beak seems to protrude from the breast. Suddenly, a little ruffling of the water arrests their attention; and, with wings half-closed, down each plunges with a resounding plash, and in an instant emerges to the surface with a fish. The beak is held aloft, a snap or two is made, the huge pouch is seen for a moment distended, then collapses as before; and heavily the bird rises to wing, and again beats over the surface with its fellows. It is worthy of observation that the pelican invariably performs a somerset under the surface; for descending, as he always does, diagonally, not perpendicularly, the head emerges looking in the opposite direction to that in which it was looking before. When the morning appetite is sated, they sit calmly on the heaving surface, looking much like a miniature fleet.

"In the evening, as I have stated, we see them pursuing their laborious course to repose. Standing at the door of Bluefields, which from a slight elevation, commands a wide prospect of the beautiful bay, I have often watched in the evening, while the sun, sinking among his gilded piles and peaks of cloud on the horizon-sea, leaves the air refreshingly cool and balmy, while the dying sea-breeze scarcely avails to break the glassy reflection of the surface, the straggling flocks of pelicans, from a dozen to forty or hity, passing slowly along over the shore. On such occasions, they manifest a decided tendency to form long continuous strings, like ducks. When the flocks are beating for fish, or sailing round and round on the watch, there is no such arrangement, but all circle in a confusion equal to that of the Planets of the Ptolemaic system. Yet at any time of the day, in taking a lengthened flight, whether shifting their locality, or slowly sweeping over the sea, they usually take a lineal order.

"In flying thus in lines, I have been struck with the unity which they manifest in their motions: the flight is performed by alternate intervals of heavy flappings, and sailing on outstretched motionless wing; and the resumption or suspension of the one or the other state is regulated by the leading bird of the line. For example, the first begins to flap; in an instant the second begins, then the third, then the fourth, and so on, with perfect regularity of succession; and neither ceases till the first does, and then only each in his own turn. That this does not depend on the period of each motion being constant, is shown by the fact, that the duration of either state is very varying and arbitrary. If a bird be following the same course, near at hand, but not within the line, he does not regard the succession at all, but governs his own motion.

"The pelican, on alighting on the water to swim, brings his feet, which before had been stretched out behind, into a standing position, and, as it were, slides along the surface for several yards before he swims."The Birds of Jamaica.

THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS.

"A thousand sixe and sixtie yeere, it was, as we doe read, When that a comet did appeare, and Englishmen lay dead; Of Normandie, Duke William then, to England ward did sayle, Who conquered Harold with his men, and brought his land [to baile."

It was on the 28th of September, 1066, that William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy, landed on the English coast at Pevensey, a few miles from Hastings. As he stepped from his boat his foot slipped, and he fell down on the ground.

"An evil omen!" groaned out those near him, and the croaking note was quickly caught up and re-echoed by numbers around.

"By the splendour of God! seigneurs," said he, "you are mistaken;" and grasping, even as he instantly rose, as much soil as he could clasp in both his hands, he exclaimed in a joyous voice, "I have seized England with my two hands!"

This ready wit reassured his people,—perhaps saved his cause; and one of his followers, quickly seconding him, ran to a hut, snatched a handful of the thatch, and turned to the duke, saying heartily,

"Sire, come forward, and receive seizin; of this land I give you seizin-without doubt the country is yours." I accept it," said the duke; "may God be with us." At this moment the noble and gallant King Harold -for by the consent of the people he had been crowned1 -was in the north of England, whither he had sped to subdue a revolt, excited by his brother Tosti, and, aided by the king of Norway: Harold was successful, and was feasting and rejoicing after the victory, when lo a knight arrived from Hastings.

"The Normans are come! are come! They have landed at Hastings! Thy land will they wrest from thee if thou canst not well defend thyself! They have enclosed a fort, and strengthened it round about with palisades and a fosse."

'Sorry am I," returned the king, "that I was not there to meet them. It is truly an evil hap. But thus it hath pleased the Heavenly King; and every where at once could I not be."

Thus was Harold taken at every disadvantage. The fleet which had been for some time hovering around the Cinque Ports, in expectation of this invasion, had but lately, partly from the supposition that William had abandoned his design, been dispersed, and Harold was with all the flower of his troops at the farther end of his kingdom. He instantly came southward by forced marches with the least possible delay; but his troops were necessarily in some degree disordered and fatigued. The time indispensably occupied by Harold in his journey, and in his subsequent preparations, proved, perhaps, the salvation of William, by giving him time to survey the country, to prepare defences, to cheer, refresh, and thoroughly arrange his army.

When the opposing forces were approaching each other, Harold sent forward spies to reconnoitre, who were seized and carried to William's tent. The duke ordered them to be well treated, to have abundant refreshment, to be taken through his lines, and shewn all his preparations, and then to be courteously dismissed. When they returned, they spoke in high terms of the duke, but told Harold that William had more priests with him than knights or other people. But Harold replied,—

"Those are valiant knights,-bold and brave warriors, though they bear not beards or moustaches as we do."

It is not often that two such leaders meet in battle.

King Harold is described as a "noble Saxon," having all the personal characteristics which distinguished and elevated the magnates of that princely race. His stature was remarkably tall, and his limbs were finely formed. He was an accomplished man; his bravery was proverbial, and his character and conduct were benignar and noble. Earl Godwin's daughter was described as a rose from a thorny stem,-" Sicut spina rosam, genuit Godwynus Editham;" to her brother Harold an equally flattering, though a more masculine eulogy, might with truth have been applied. The only slur ever thrown ricious partition of the spoils of the battle of York, and this has hardly been confirmed. He had certainly a rightful claim to the crown, and was eminently qua lified to uphold its dignity; he was the legitimate scion of a noble race; he was a son of the soil, and he was offered the crown and was chosen king by the people.

on his character seems to have been a somewhat ava

William, being a bastard, could have no hereditary claim; and if it were indeed true, that Edward the Confessor had willed the crown to him, it was at least undeniable that Edward had no right thus to dispose of it.

William is described as of "a good stature, proud of porte, very corsie, and bigge-bodied, with a cruell coun tenance, and a bald forehead." His strength was prodigious; he used a bow which no other arm could wield, and which he would bend when sitting on horseback, by stretching out the string with his foot.

Many days necessarily intervened between the landing of William and the great battle. The time was disposed of by him in the most polític manner; not by bold advances into the country, but by raising fortif cations along the coast as refuge for his troops in the event of his defeat. At length he advanced inland about seven miles, north-west of Hastings, to a beath thereafter and still called Battle.

"So called because in battle here, Quite conquered and o'erthrown the English nation were.” The Normans" betook themselves all night to their orisons, and were in very serious mood. They made confession of their sins, and accused themselves to the priests, and whoso had no priest near him, confessed himself to his neighbour.

"The day on which the battle was to take place being Saturday, the Normans, by the advice of the priests, vowed that they would never more, while they lived, eat flesh on that day. Giffrei, bishop of Coutance, received confessions, and gave benedictions, and imposed penances on many,

"The priests had watched all night, and besought and called on God, and prayed to him in their chape s which were fitted up throughout the host. They offered and vowed fasts, penances, and orisons; and they sail psalms and misereres, litanies, and kyriels; they cried on God, and for his merey, and said paternosters and

masses.

After confession and mass this evening, William. kneeling down, vowed solemnly to edify and endow 1. abbey on the spot where the sounds of victory—if victory

were vouchsafed to him-should first salute his ear.'

The Saxons, on the contrary, were very merry and enjoying themselves. "All night they ate and drank. and never lay down on their beds. They might be seca carousing, gambolling, and dancing and singing; BELT they cried, and WEISSEL, and LATICOME and DRINCHE BEL DRINCHINDREWART and DRINTOME, DRINC-HELF, and PRISO

TOME."

(1) Horsfield, Sussex.

One, however, their leader, was differently occupied.

'Li rois, ki mult fu travaille

La nuit se est reposé;

Par matin se est levé,

Sa messe oïr est alé,

Assez près à un mostere
Son chapelain fist chanter."

While thus piously engaged, the cry came-
"Le dux sur nus vient armé."

Without an instant's delay, Harold armed himself, and whilst engaged in this occupation, his mother Githa came to him with the unaccustomed request, that he would not adventure his person in the battle. Much surprised, -for never before had his mother's fears stood in the way of his military arrangements,-he looked for some explanation of her motives, but heard only an earnest renewal of the request. She pressed him most vehemently, but in vain; she besought him with a passion of tears to accord her boon: disturbed, but no way shaken, he turned away.

"Nay, my son," said the abbot, "this must not be; for what saith holy writ ?- Despise not the tears of thy mother.'"

"Far be it from me, reverend father," returned Harold, "to do aught unbecoming to me as a knight and a Christian man; but in this I may not choose but lead to the battle."

"Oh! go not, my son," interrupted his mother; "go not, I beseech thee. Full well do I know that it will be a disastrous day for thee, if thou leadest to the combat. Let thy brothers,-let the strong-armed Garth, the faithful Leowine, lead the force, and so shall success attend our prayers, and the haughty Norman be quelled."

"Madam, our mother, fain would we pleasure you in this matter, but-it may not be. What!" exclaimed he, vehemently, "shall it be said that HAROLD shrank from the encounter like a base-born churl?”

"From no encounter where thy honour calls thee would thy mother's voice dissuade thee; but this -" "And this?"

"THY OATH!"1

In a moment the colour and excitement which had hitherto lighted up the countenance of Harold forsook it his lips became ashy white, and a tremor shook his frame. He quickly subdued it, however.

"My mother, that oath was obtained by fraud, my heart not consenting the while; such a vow bindeth not the conscience."

His mother mournfully shook her head. "Nay, holy father, I appeal to you whether I am not free in this matter?"

The abbot preserved an ominous silence, and Harold was evidently disconcerted. At this moment, however, an exciting sound pierced the walls of the chapel,the arrival, as it might be, of tidings of import, and the clamour of eager voices. In an instant the king forgot his mother's tears, the abbot's warning, his own misgivings. His eye flashed as he suspended round his neck his huge two-handed sword.

sumed their ascendancy, and amid fast-falling tears she whispered some words to the abbot.

"My son," said he, "if the prayers and intercessions of those who owe their worldly well-being to thy bounty may avail thee, rest assured that the voice of supplication will not be silent here whilst thou art engaged in thy perilous strife. But the issue rests not with us. Suffer then, my son, two brothers of our house to follow thee to the field: it may be that their ministry may be blessed to some good end."

"As you please, reverend father; but I pray you, delay me not."

So, accompanied by the two monks, Osegood Cnoppe and Ailric de Childemaister, Harold eagerly hied him to the fight.

In the immediate preparation for the battle, William's presence of mind averted an omen which might have had a paralyzing effect on the exertions of his superstitious followers. In putting his hauberk over his head, he inadvertently turned the wrong part to the front, but quickly altered it; not, however, till he had seen the countenances of those around him overcast.

"I commend myself,' said he, 'to our Lady. Let not this mischance trouble you. The hauberk which was turned wrong, and then set right by me, signifies that a change will arise out of the matter we are now moving. You shall see the name of Duke changed into King. Yea, a King shall I be, who hitherto have been but Duke.'

"Then he crossed himself, and straightway took his hauberk, stooped his head, and put it on aright; and laced his helmet and girt his sword, which a varlet brought him."

And it is said that he hung beneath his armour certain of the relics on which Harold had sworn allegiance to him.

The Normans had fine cavalry, of which the English were destitute: their archers also did much execution. The duke drew up his army in three lines in the first were the light-armed foot, the archers, and slingers, clad in short coats; in the second, the heavier foot, who were defended by coats of mail; and in the third, the cavalry. Here rode he himself on a magnificent white charger, with a baton in his hand; and here was unfurled the sacred banner which had been blessed by the pope, and was sent to William as a gift from his holiness. was of scarlet silk, and bore a cross embroidered in silver.

It

The English were drawn up in one impenetrable wedge. They carried axes, spears, bills, clubs, swords, and triangular shields. They wore close, short hauberks, and rude helmets, which defended the neck, hanging over their garments. The men of Kent were placed in the front, their " privilege" to this honour being fully understood and allowed. The Londoners were placed next in the roll of dignity, their right being to guard the king's person and defend his standard.

Borne away by the king's enthusiasm, his friends no longer sought to thwart his determination; and, despite her tears and forebodings, the Lady Githa's eye kindled with admiration as she looked on the magnificent bearing of her son. But ere long her maternal fears re

(1) The tearful dissuasives of Harold's mother are named in some old book, and Master Wace, in the Roman de Rou, makes Garth earnestly dissuade his brother, the king, from personal combat, because of his previous oath to William. On this oath, with others, see Sharpe's Lond. Mag. vol. iii. p. 45-" Some Ancient Customs of England."

The signal for the onset was given, and the Normans rushed forward to the charge, their minstrels chanting and the host joining in the burden of their inspiring war-song-the "Song of Roland."

Not the strains of the Marseillaise Hymn to the misguided French revolutionists,-not the spirit-stirring tones of See the conquering Hero comes, during the first enthusiastic ovations to Him of Waterloo,--not the majestic sounds of God save the King to the "Church and King" Pittite of good King George III.'s days,— nay, nor even the soul-exciting strain of Over the water to the enthusiastic Jacobite of the last century-could excite anything like the intensity of enthu siasm which is ascribed to the influence of the "Song