short second existence, falls into an eternal sleep. Such are the geological speculations of J. G. J. Ballenstedt, rector of Pabsdorf,in the duchy of Brunswick. They are infinitely more amusing than the mineralogical visions offered to the imaginations of philosophers, by our Geological Societies and Mineralogical Travellers.-Editor of Blackwood's Mag. POPULAR TRADITION RESPECTING STEIN CASTLE. From the Monthly Magazine, Jan. 1820. DESCRIPTION of STEIN CASTLE in the TYROL; in a recent LETTER from a LADY, travelling in that country. ON approaching Stein, the country becomes more and more romantic, The small rivers Alz and Traun flow through a delightful vale, skirted by the majestic mountains of Tyrol. In the centre of this valley is a lofty hill, covered from its base to its summit with firs and other trees, and displaying on its ridge the ruins of an ancient castle of the twelfth century. Tales, which may be partly true and partly fabulous, are still related at this time, of the horrible acts of the individual by whom it was built. Heintz de Stein, says popular tradition, was the terror of his time; the neighbouring princes even dreaded this cruel and ferocious man. It is said that this knight and robber caused to be constructed beneath his castle two subterraneous passages hewn out in the rock, one of which being of a great depth, was a league in extent, and reached to Trosbourg, while the other extended five leagues as far as Denglein. It is also said that these passages were sufficiently lofty to enable Stein and bis followers to pass thro' them on horseback. One of them had a concealed outlet in the centre of a thick forest, whence he rushed suddenly, with his armed followers, on the surrounding dwellings, laying waste entire villages, and even towns. It is asserted, that this monster of ferocity massacred in these darksome caverns,with the help of a machine of deadly contrivance, all the workmen, to the amount of several bundreds, who had built his formidable castle, and hewn out the passages,-to the end that no one should remain, to betray the seeret of his subterraneous abode; for there it was that he spent his nights, sallying out from his obscure retreat, to plunder and devastate. He oftentimes dragged from their families beautiful girls, or married females, whom he put to death, after having satiated his brutal desires. One of his wretched victims, however, had a sufficient ascendancy over this villain, to be allowed to complete the term of her pregnancy,and was delivered of a male infant. By dint of flattery and caresses, she succeeded in prevailing on him to allow the child to live, on the condition that he should be exposed in the neighbourhood of a village. Stein himself accompanied her with the infant to the spot she had selected. Shortly after, the unfortunate mother projected a plan of escape from the den in which she was immured; this her ferocious tyrant discovered, and subjected her to the fate which had overtaken so many other of bis female victims. The exposed infant having been found by a rich farmer, was conveyed to his home, and carefully reared, as if he had been his own son. Not having any children of their own, he and his wife bestowed on him all their tenderness, and had the satisfaction to find it was not ill placed. From his father he inherited bodily strength and martial courage; he possessed the beauty and mildness of his mother; and his amiable parents by adoption inspired in him nobleness of mind, the love of virtue, and the utmost abborrence of cruelty and injustice. Ardent and valorous, this child swore, from his tenderest infancy, that, as soon as he could carry arms, he would rid the world of the monster by whom the whole of the adjacent territory was laid waste. The heroic youth did not suspect that this virtuous sentiment kindled up his wrath against his own father. He entered into the service of a duke of Bavaria, and there distinguished himself as a courageous warrior, while his amiable qualities procured him the love and esteem of every one. He won the heart of a charming young girl, and, with the consent of her parents, was betrothed to her; but the fame of her beauty having reached the ears of the old knight of the castle, a plan was formed by him to carry her off. The young soldier having learned that his well-beloved was watched, proceeded to her dwelling, with a few friends. One night, the brigand of the castle, accompanied by his armed men, endeavoured to force the gates, but met with so warm a reception from the brave youth and his small party, that his criminal enterprise was defeated. Young Stein slew the squires of the old monster, who was himself made prisoner, after having been severely wounded, and delivered up to the princes of Salzberg and Bavaria, by whom he was put on his trial. Then it was that a kind of recognition took place; the young man having appeared, to testify that the knight of the castle had attacked the dwelling of the lady to whom he was affianced. Heintz de Stein was so struck with his perfect resemblance to the young female whose child had been exposed, that he fancied he saw her as newly risen from the grave, to reproach him with her death, and the crimes he committed daily. "It is she, it is she," he exclaimed, ❝or it is her son, whose life I had the folly to spare, and who is come to raise against his guilty father all the furies of hell !" Such an avowal, and the testi mony of the farmer by whom he had been found, were sufficient evidences that the young soldier was sole heir of Heintz de Stein. He who had dishonoured this proud name expired amid the paroxysms of rage and remorse. His castle and extensive domains were bestowed on his son; and thenceforth this spot, which had inspired so much terror, became, through the virtues of its new possessor, the sanctuary of peace and beneficence. How far this popular tradition may be true, is uncertain; but it is interesting, and assuredly founded on some fact. No one calls in question the innumerable crimes committed in these dreary abodes of feudal tyranny. Our guides led us for the space of two hours, through dismal vaults and passages, which served to conceal crimes, and to immure the victims of the lordly despots. They penetrated further than we dared to attempt; but we saw, in the sombre distance, the dreary light of their quivering torches appear and disappear alternately. I felt an involuntary sensation of terror, augmented by the remembrance of the cruelties perpetrated on the spot. We were shown a tower, within which. Heintz de Stein is said to have caused the workmen who built the castle, and innumerable other victims, to be put to death. The spirit of this execrable monster seemed to me to wander in these subterraneous labyrinths, which we were glad to quit." R. From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, January 1820. HUSHED were the tones of mirthful revelry, Stayed were the music and the dance, as fell And circling walls, where antlers branching wide, In her chamber, one "Like morning's rosy star, when from the sky And why, wrapt up in cloak of eider-down, Mournfully beside the lattice, and attend To the hollow murmurs of the distant sea, Which fitfully, upon the passing gale Break in, and die away ?—— The winter's breath Destroys the bloomy flowers-the ocean tide A vessel is descried upon the deep; While moaning sounds are heard, and dismal shrieks And the winds hushed to silence and to rest, When battle's clangor ceases,-she beholds, And glittering in the setting sun, she sees Of baffled Christendom dispersed; she sees Κατέσχε με σκετος δεινον. When winds are hush'd and waves asleep, Thou gazest on me !-but thy look So pierces, that I less can brook E. ATHEN UM VOL. 7. ose ve be T The lofty and the low, commingled, lie But hark! why sounded is the warder's horn?❤ An answer is returned; heavily down A VISION. Or came in anguish here to me With virgin taste are thrown; It would be crime, a double death To follow by forbidden path. But let me press that hand again, I oft have pressed in love, I To muse on days, when thou to me Wert more than all on earth can be! Oh! lonely is the lot of him, Whose path is on the earth, And when his thoughts are dark and dim, Hears only vacant mirth; A swallow left, when all his kind Have crossed the seas, and winged the wind. ORIGINAL ANECDOTES OF EMINENT PERSONS. From the Monthly Magazines, Feb. 1820. DR. JOHNSON. N the year 1775, Reynolds painted that portrait of his friend Dr. Johnson, which represents him as reading and near-sighted. This was very displeasing to Johnson, who, when he saw it, reproved Sir Joshua for painting him in that manner and attitude, saying, " It is not friendly to hand down to posterity the imperfections of any man." But, on the coutrary, Sir Joshua himself esteemed it as a circunstance in nature to be remarked as characterizing the person represented, and therefore as giving additional value to the portrait. Of this circumstance Mrs. Thrale says," I observed he would not be known by posterity for his defects only, let Sir Joshua do his worst:" and when she adverted to Sir Joshua's own picture painted with the ear trumpet, and done in this year for Mr. Thrale, she records Johnson to have answered," He may paint himself as deaf as he chooses: but I will not be blinking Sam in the eyes of posterity.' GEORGE III. Among the many anecdotes of his late Majesty, with which the periodical press abounds, we have not seen the following:-The late celebrated mathematical instrument maker, Mr.Ramsden, was frequently deficient in punctuality, and would delay for months, nay, for years, the delivery of instruments bespoken from him. His Majesty, who had more than once experienced this dilatory disposition, once ordered an instrument, which he made Ramsden positively promise to deliver on a certain day. The day, however, came, but not the instrument. At length Ramsden sent word to the king that it was finished; on which a message was sent him, desiring that he would bring it himself to the palace. He however answered that be would not come, unless his Majesty would promise not to be angry with him for his want of punctuality. 'Well, well,' said the king, let him come; as he is conscious of his fault, it would be hard to reprove him for it.' On this assurance he went to the palace, where he was graciously received; the king, after expressing his entire satisfaction with the instrument, only adding, good naturedly, You have been uncommonly punctual this time, Mr.Ramsden, having brought the instrument on the very day of the month you promised it; you have only made a sinall mistake in the date of the year.' It was, in fact, exactly a year. MADAME DE STAEL. Few incidents in the life of any lady, ignorant or literary, are of greater consequence than marriage: it is well known that Madame de Staël kept her second experiment of this nature secret, and that the circumstance gave rise to many surmises, to some scandal, and to endless discussions in all the blue-stocking coteries of Europe. Mad.deSaussure's account of this matter, from her work just from the press,cannot fail to be read with interest; it follows: "As I am not writing the life of Madame de Staël, I ought to refrain from multiplying narratives, that would give this sketch the appearance of an imperfect biography. Nevertheless, I should reproach myself were I to pass over in silence an event of such importance as her second marriage, and the circumstance of her life, that could not fail to excite most astonishment, obliges me to enter into some particulars. "A young man, of good family, in spired a great deal of interest at Geneva by what was said of his eminent courage, and by the contrast between his age and his tottering walk, his paleness, and the state of weakness to which be was reduced. Some wounds received in Spain, and the effects of which ultimately proved mortal, had brought him to the gates of death, and he remained ill and suffering. A compassionate word or two, addressed to the unfortunate man by Mad. de Staël, had a prodigious effect on him. There was something celestial in her tone of voice. Madame de Tesse said: "If I were a queen, I would have Madame de Staël to talk to me always." This ravishing music renewed the existence of the young man his head and heart were fired he set no bounds to his wishes, and immediately formed the greatest projects. "I will love her so," said he at a very early period to one of his friends," that she will at length marry me." A singular expression, that might be inspired by various motives; but to which the most uninterrupted devoted ness and enthusiasm oblige us to give a favourable interpretation. “These lofty pretensions were seconded by circumstances. Madame de Staël was extremely unhappy, and weary of being so. Her highly elastic mind had a tendency to resilience, and required but one hope. Thus, at the moment when the bonds of her captivity were drawing more and more close, and gloomy clouds were gathering over her head from all quarters, a new day came to break upon her; happiness revived as from its ashes in her desolate heart; and the dream of all her life, matrimonial love, seemed capable of being realized to her. What such an union was, in her eyes, is well known. That pleasantry of hers, which has been quoted, "I will oblige my daughter to marry for love," expressed a serious opinion. The thought of forming such a tie herself had never been altogether a stranger to her mind. In speaking of the asylum, which she hoped one day to find in England, she has sometimes said; "I feel a want of tenderness, of happiness, and of support; and, if I find there a noble character, I will make 4 sacrifice of my liberty." This noble character was found, on a sudden, close by her. No doubt she might have made a more suitable choice; but the inconvenience of love matches is, that they do not originate from choice. "It is certain, however, that this union rendered her happy. She had formed a just opinion of the noble mind of M. Rocca. She found in him extreme tenderness, constant admiration, chivalrous sentiments; and, what always pleased Madame de Staël, language naturally poetic, imagination, even talents, as some writings of his show, graceful pleasantry, a sort of irregular and unexpected wit, which stimulated hers,and gave her life the zest of variety. To these were added profound pity for the sufferings he endured, and apprehensions continually reviving, that kept alive her emotions,& enchained her thoughts. "She would have done better, no doubt, had she avowed this marriage; but a degree of timidity, from which the sort of courage she possessed did not emancipate her, and her attachment to the name she had rendered illustrious, having restrained her, her ideas were wholly employed in parrying the difficulties of her situation. Must we say, that it would have been better for her not to have placed herself in that situation? Must we say, that Madame de Staël is not to be set up as an example in every point? To this she herself would willingly have assented: this she has said to her children, this she has insinuated in her writings, as much as a proud mind, conscious of its own greatness, would permit. She was a phenomenon, single in its kind, upon earth. With her we forget the conditions of our nature; we forget, that society,being arranged for the mean of human faculties, prodigious gifts are discordant to the organization of life. It would have been something still more extraordinary than Madame de Staël, if nothing had been extraordinary in her but genius, if an interior existence of such activity, the actual source of her talents, had manifested itself by her talents alone. "The happy improvidence of her character was of great service to her in the course of this union. After severe alarms for the health of M. Rocca, she quietly resumed the belief, that his life |