the soul. The purity and lightness of its nature, its ambrosial food, the gayety and splendour of its colours, above all, its winged liberty when bursting from its tomblike confinement, in which it appeared to sleep the sleep of death, afford so powerful a contrast exhibited in the same creature, that it could not fail to strike the intelligent among the heathen world as a fit symbol of Immortality. It is no very extravagant stretch of fancy, to imagine the souls of some gifted individuals embodied agreeably to their intellectual endowments. What a contrast might then be seen to the low, grublike, insignificant forms under which many a genius has been cloaked, in the exalted, noble, and imposing shapes which they would then assume; while others, whose vacant minds have been hid beneath a fair exterior, would sink in the scale, and become in appearance the insects of reptiles best suited to their real character. Neither is this "considering the matter too curi ously;" for it is in perfect accordance with the apostle's views of the resurrection. "But some men will say,-how are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die." And then he thus goes on, "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. "So also is the resurrection of the body: it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." With this exalted view of the subject, the following serious and appropriate lines, from the pen of MRS. HEMANS, may not inaptly conclude the Introduction to a work, which, varied and miscellaneous as it is, yet in its general character is calculated to lead the mind to a contemplation of "THE HOUR OF DEATH." "Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither as the North-wind's breath, And stars to set—but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death! "Day is for mortal care, Eve for glad meetings round the joyous hearth, Night for the dreams of sleep, the voice of prayer, But all for thee, thou Mightiest of the Earth! "The Banquet hath its hour, Its feverish hour of mirth, and song, and wine; A time for softer tears-but all are thine. "Youth and the opening Rose May look like things too glorious for decay, "Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither at the North-wind's breath, And stars to set-but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death! "We know when moons shall wane, When summer-birds from far shall cross the sea, When Autumn's hue shall tinge the golden grainBut who shall teach us when to look for thee? "Is it when Spring's first gale Comes forth to whisper where the violets lie? "Thou art where billows foam; "Thou art where friend meets friend, Beneath the shadow of the elm to rest; Thou art where foe meets foe, and trumpets rend "Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither at the North-wind's breath, And stars to set--but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death!" P. S.-While the early part of this INTRODUCTION was at press, but not soon enough to insert it in its proper place, we were told by a gentleman, who assures us that the correctness of his information is not to be doubted, that the person who made the chalk sketches of the skeleton figures on the wall leading to Kew Bridge, was a Mr. Samuel Ponsonby Palmer, Midshipman, R. N. Our informant states, that "Mr. Palmer entered the navy about the year 1810, on board the Victory, Sir J. Saumarez, and, having served about five years, he, on quitting it, came to Hammersmith, where he resided during the year 1816, 17, and 18. In the latter period he sketched his Dance of Death on the wall on the left side of the road going towards Kew Bridge. On the 8th of September, 1824, this young man was unfortunately drowned in the river Thames, by the upsetting of a sailing boat." The editor of The Times, who stated that these sketches were the work of the nephew of Mr. Baron Garrow, doubtless derived his information from a source which he conceived might be relied on; but the foregoing statement amounts almost to a flat contradiction of it, unless, indeed, it happened that both the gentlemen occupied themselves in the same amusement. The question is certainly one of no great moment, but as the merit of these sketches (and, as we have elsewhere said, they possessed considerable merit) has been publicly attributed to a party whose claim to it, to say the least, appears to be very questionable, our readers will pardon us, we trust, for thus relating what has subsequently come to our knowledge. DEATH'S SERMON.* "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see Death?"—Psalm lxxxix, v. 48. "Be thou faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a crown of Life." -Rev. ii. v. 10. “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and the name that sat on him was Death."- "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains."-Rev. vi. v. 8 & 15. WHAT wild creation of a fev'rish brain Is this, which mocks my sight with ghastly forms Of skeletons-grotesque yet terrible? Is't an illusive vision, conjured up To cheat the eye and scare the tim'rous soul?— Ha!-no-'tis real! see-one moves! he speaks! And in the attitude of PREACHING stands His book before him, resting on a desk Made up of human bones!-Ah! now I see 'Tis DEATH! gaunt PREACHER! whose rude pulpit's placed * Vide FRONTISPIECE. |