verily believe, that Mujnoon, in the height of his frantic adoration of Leila, could not possibly have been madder than I. It is needless to say, that I was distractedly in love.

But how to make known that love was the difficulty which, day and night, tortured my imagination. At length I devised a scheme. One night, when I had repaired to the terrace, considering the means of introducing myself to her notice, a thought suddenly occurred to me, of which I lost no time in availing myself. Disengaging some small pieces of the mortar from the wall, I gently threw them down in such a direction as to fall near the spot where she was, as usual, seated; looking up, she discovered me,-with apparent displeasure, she covered her face with her doputtat, though I could still perceive that she had managed her veil with such art, as to leave room for a dark and sparkling eye to exercise its functions, and which, turned towards me, appeared to enjoy my manifest agitation; I felt as if I could gaze upon her for ever, and I had a great desire to leap down from the parapet, and approach her, reckless of the risk or danger. My passion began to master my reason, and I was upon the point of committing this act of rashness, when I heard a shrill voice loudly calling, on which my fair one hastily arose, left the balcony, while I remained with my eyes rivetted to the spot. Thus I continued for a considerable length of time, in the hope that she would return, but to no purpose, and at length I retired to my prison, in my usual manner, unnoticed and unsuspected.

I was preparing to retire to rest, when kneeling down to repeat my Ishat, as I was in the act of stooping down to pick up my tusbeeh §, which had fallen from my hand, I felt something press on my shoulder. Knowing the rude and savage inhabitants of the castle, the circumstance of my being altogether unarmed, and the loneliness of my situation, a momentary sensation of fear came over me, but which, however, became soon converted into surprise, when, on turning round, I perceived a female standing beside me. Applying her forefinger to her lip, a motion which I readily interpreted, as denoting her wish that I should be silent, I awaited the communication which she was evidently upon the point of making. Great as was my curiosity to learn, not only who she was, the import of her visit, and in particular, the means she had adopted to gain admittance to my cell, I feared, by any exclamation of surprise, to give information of the stranger's visit to my guards posted in the adjoining passage.

My curiosity was at the highest state of excitement, and I dared hardly breathe, lest I should involuntarily destroy the chance of escape, which, with elated hopes, fancy had determined as the probable result of a visit thus made in secrecy, and attended with such mysterious circumstances. My ardent gaze suffused her cheeks with blushes-recovering herself, however, she, in a low whisper, desired me to repair * Two lovers, celebrated in Eastern romance. A large muslin veil, or rather a mantle, worn by females, Prayers said on retiring to rest.

String of beads used to count at prayer time.

next evening to the parapet, where she promised me that I would hear something of consequence to my future hopes and prospects, of not only myself, but of another-that "other," I well guessed, and was about to answer, when, placing her hand over my mouth, in a tremulous voice, she added, "I must now leave you-your own safety re'quires it-nay, attempt not to detain me," seeing I had seized her hand, "or we are all lost "I loosened her hand, when quickly withdrawing herself from my grasp, she vanished, and with such silent rapidity, that I was unable to discover how, or by what means, she effected her exit.

Many and various were the conjectures I resolved in mind, as to who my nocturnal visitant could possibly be my charmer it assuredly was not, as the voice was different, being neither so melodious, nor so sweet, though the form was not far dissimilar. Tired of exercising my thoughts on one object, I at length lost all consciousness of them in sleep. After a night of sound repose, however, pleasingly interrupted by dreams of beauteous females, all and each of whom bore some resemblance to my nocturnal visitant, and like her, eluded my fancy's grasp, I awoke next morning somewhat later than usual, as I inferred by the morning rays of the sun, which beamed high through the small grated bars, which secured the window of my prison,-at length I arose, dressed myself, and passed the day in my usual solitude.

Far longer, however, did this day appear than any of the preceding ones, the natural consequences of highly excited expectations, and with welcome feelings, I gazed upon the setting sun, as evening drew near, till at length the last rays became concealed from my view, by the lofty battlements of the outer walls of the western bastion.

Need I say, that night found me punctual to my appointment. With a beating heart I approached the place appointed, and I carefully looked around me in order to observe if I was watched by any of the numerous centinels which were stationed in various directions. Having satisfied myself upon this point, I paced, with a stealthy step, backwards and forwards under the parapet. The moon had now arisen, and still the lady came not. At length I perceived a female form, arrayed in white, approaching the place where I was standing, and in an instant she was at my side.

"Goolzar" said she " though strangers personally to each other, we are, in some measure, bound to each other; we are connected by the common link of misfortune. Of your history I am as ignorant as I conclude you to be of mine; the short time we have before us, will not, however, admit of our entering into explanations which however gratifying to our curiosity, respectively, are of immaterial consequence; it is, however, apparent, that we are fellow-prisoners, and no doubt your feelings beat in corresponding unison for liberty with my own. prudent, and our object may be effected. I trust in your honour as a soldier, but I fear I can hold out but a faint and a distant prospect of reward. "

Be

"Name it not," exclaimed I, hastily interrupting her, "by my head my eyes, I am your devoted slave. "

and

The energy of this exclamation apparently alarmed her, for placing her finger on her lips, she motioned me to silence, and thus continued:"We are both prisoners, and consequently equally interested in escaping from this fortress. Hearken! while I point out the means. The door on yonder terrace opens on a flight of steps which lead to a court below. Cross this court, and at the farthest extremity, you will see a man posted as a centinel. In passing him, give him, in a low tone of voice, this countersign, Hookum Hoozoor ba umul arud*; he will not reply, but will motion you to pass on, and you will find yourself in a garden. These are the private gardens of the zenana, the apartments of us women. Here you will find a page waiting-he is one of my confidential servants; follow him; he will lead you to a place where you will find two saddled horses; mount, and proceed to the fortress of Hyder Gurh; the servant will accompany you; he is used to long journeys; you have good horses, and do not spare them; the distance is little more than 30 coss; but, above all things, rest not a night on the road, lest your absence being discovered, you may be pursued and retaken. On your arrival at Hyder Gurgh, demand admission to the nawaub, and in the private audience which will be granted, produce this golden chain, and you will then discover who is the giver, and should the nawaub ask any further information which you may be unable to afford, refer him to the page for explanation. Demand what remuneration you please, and be assured that, if within the compass of his power, the nawaub will hold no reward too expensively purchased by the recovery of that chain. "

Having said this, she ceased, and waving her hand, she departed, and I likewise retraced my steps to my cell.

The grey streaks on the cloudy sky began now to announce approaching day, and consequently a fitting time for the commencement of the enterprise in which I was involved. Leaving my cell, I crossed the terrace, cautiously opened the door which had been described to me, and descending the flight of steps, and crossing the court, I passed safely the centinel unmolested, and gained the gardens attached to the female apartments, where I found the page. He motioned me to follow him, and proceeding to a small door in the wall, he applied a key, it opened, and emerging, we found ourselves in the moat which surrounded the fort, but which, at this season, was perfectly dry. Proceeding onwards, but with the utmost caution, we at length came to a clump of trees where we found two horses awaiting us. A servant presented me with a dress adapted for a journey, and with arms for defence, if necessary. We mounted, and giving our horses the rein, we arrived last night under the shadow of your highness's protec

tion.

The stranger here ceased his narrative, and with a graceful motion of his hand, arose, intimating that he awaited the pleasure of the nawaub to introduce the page for further explanation; the nawaub assenting, a chobdar was dispatched to the kiladar's house for the pur

pose.

* Let his Excellency's orders be implicitly obeyed.

His arrival being announced, the page entered the room. At the first glance of his features, the nawaub changed colour-he started from his seat, and in the next moment he was enfolded in the arms of the supposed menial; while the astonished Goolzar saw in the companion of his journey, not the page, but the lady of his love, and in the person of the Princess Zeefa, the long lost daughter of the nawaub, who, in disguise, had herself accomplished her own liberation together with that of the youth to whom she had resigned her affections.

The discovery of her exalted rank filled the mind of the youth with apprehension. At length, however, the princess, standing beside her father, restored him to recollection and to hope, by exclaiming,

Goolzar! claim the reward guaranteed in my name.

The hint, by the fair speaker, was too attractive to be neglected. Goolzar Khan claimed his reward, obtained it, and the event became shortly afterwards announced to the public in the marriage of Goolzar Khan with the fair Zeefa. R. C. M.

TWO SONNETS.

I.

No there is not in earth's extent a bliss,
One thought to equal it !-To live, and die
As do the beasts o' the field, the birds o' the sky
That breathe, and are extinct? Their portion is
To live their hour, and then expire; but this,
This afterbirth to immortality

For man alone is destined! When we die,
We sleep not, as the soulless; think it not,
Nor rob me of the dear belief that leads
The soul to dreams of heavenly ecstacy,
Pure as they're holy; for 'tis but the weeds
Of flesh we wear, that silent lie and rot
In the consuming dust: our souls shall meet
Their fitting attributes,-misery, or bliss complete!

II.

Oh! what a waste of life is theirs, who say
That man is but a worm, without a soul;
A mere machine, ruled by the chance controul
Of passions and of mastering vices! Nay,
I'd rather be that maggot, and decay

As swift, as hold their creed; for, we are born,
Not as the spark that glows and dies away
In utter gloom, but for a glorious morn
In brighter realms. It were a thought of woe
And idiot-folly, that the human spirit--
So grand, (if sometimes base,) should but inherit
The lot of earthly matter,-nor e'er know
The warmth of life celestial,-life, whose light
Is bliss eternal,-joy for ever bright!

R. C. C.

"SAINT KEVIN," OR "THE MAIDEN OF THE GLENS."

A LEGEND.

There are many customs existing in Ireland to this day, for the origin of which, little or no foundation can be attributed: whether we consider those older superstitions, as arising from the peculiar facilities, which the Roman Catholic faith offers to its devotees, or from the natural aptitude of the Irish for receiving any tenets that are founded on the marvellous, the legend that fame attaches to the memory of St. Kevin, is, in itself, however, a tale that bears every mark of veracity; for, during the long period of years that has elapsed since the events, the relation of the narrative seems not to have undergone any change in the detail. No show of religious feeling is exhibited, during the anniversary of the festival; on the contrary, the Patron Day is almost exclusively devoted to merriment that too often, or indeed, always ends in a breach of the peace. The valley of Glandalough, (or "the lake of the Giens, ") is most romantically situated in the bosom of the Wicklow Mountains: the dark and frowning brows of the craggy cliffs, impending over the still bosom of the lake, gives the water an aspect almost approaching to blackness, and from this, the natives superstitiously argue, that the waters is poisoned, and consequently avoid it.

As the traveller first enters into the Glen, so as to trace it up to its termination, in the lake of Glandaloch, his eye rests on the small and shallow lake, of "Loch-na-Paist," or, the Lake of the Serpent; this strange appellation has its origin from a portion of the legend of St. Kevin, wherein it is stated, by the old chroniclers, that a huge serpent inhabited the lake, and was in the custom, daily, of proceeding up the "Avonmore," the connecting stream between "Loch-na-Paist," in the lower part of the valley, to "Glandaloch," at the termination of the Glen. This curious legend is further verified by an "Alto Relievo," worked in the stone casement of one of the windows of the Seven Churches, where the serpent is seen about to be swallowed up by an immense dog. A barren and uncultivated country stretches for a considerable way, in the neighbourhood of the Glen, and the traveller, perhaps, experiences more pleasure in the beauty of the scenery, from having past through a wild and desert tract. Glandaloch is, however, at the present day, better known by the appellation of the Seven Churches, said to have been erected by St. Kevin; they certainly exhibit an appearance of great antiquity, and were built, evidently, before the era of gothic architecture in Ireland. On the second of June, the Patron Day is held, sacred to the memory of St. Kevin, when the santry, far and near, crowd in thousands to the narrow and romantic Glen. Here, in the lower part of the valley, the tents are pitched, and the rough, but substantial viands, which form the staple enjoyment of the religious devotees, are put in requisition. Then it is the Irish enter into the revelry, with that lightness of heart so well known. It was

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