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With a heavy heart he folded up the letter, and having pocketed it, took his way to his lodgings.

Next day the Belvilles left town.

For three months our hero continued to love, as circumstances compelled him to love-silently-passionately-and unsuccessfully. He had dispatched more than one letter to Tilbury hall; but as he had received none in return, he concluded that the jealous parent had intercepted them; and we can easily believe what we have heard affirmed, that he was occasionally found writing sonnets to his mistress, when he should have been revising his sheets ere committing them to the tender mercies of the printer's devil.

But at about the end of that time, he was waited upon one morning by a gentleman, who, after having particularly inquired whether he had the pleasure of addressing Mr. Frederic Mortimer, son to William Mortimer, Esq. of Taunton-dale, and received an affirmative answer, congratulated him on his recent accession of fortune. The agent who had been trusted by his father to an unlimited extent, and had absconded at the time of his decease, had lately been traced to an obscure village in Holland. He had been made to refund the unjustly-acquired wealth, and brought to summary justice: and Mortimer was again a rich man.

Our hero's course was soon decided upon. On the wings of love and joy, he set off that day on horseback for Tilbury hall. He travelled all day; and just before dusk arrived at an inn within twenty miles of his destination, where he stayed and dined. His meal over, and reckoning paid, he was about to resume his journey, when "mine host," a short, fat, laughterloving personage, accosted him, and, with a long face and doleful tone, which assorted ill with the merry twinkle of his eye, besought him to stay over night, as it was already dark, and many daring robberies had lately been committed in that neighbourhood. Frederic hesitated, but at length, imagining it to be a trick of the old gentleman's to secure a temporary continuance of his custom, he decided to go; and having first taken the precaution to examine his pistols, he started.

He had proceeded unmolested for more than three-fourths of the way, when he thought he heard in the distance a cry for help. He quickened his pace and soon came up to a saddle-horse quietly grazing by the road side. Looking more attentively round, he

perceived a man, lying a few yards from him, apparently insensible. He went up to him and when he was a little recovered, assisted him to rise, and inquired respecting the events which had brought him into circumstances so unfortunate. At the first sound

of his voice he recognized Sir Edward Belville. The sequel is soon told.

The worthy corporal was ill;—and Sir Edward had consequently ridden over unattended to the bank in the neighbouring town. Darkness had overtaken him before he could reach home. A ruffian had sprung from the hedgestopped his horse-presented a pistol at his breast-and demanded his money. The only answer was a severe blow from the butt-end of the knights riding whip, which levelled the villian whose pistol had missed fire; and they were just engaged in a fierce struggle for mastery, when the robber hearing the sound of horse's hoofs coming up; had quitted the contest, and betaken himself to flight. Sir Edward had only been slightly stunned by the ruffian's dragging him violently to the ground, and he was soon sufficiently recovered to remount his horse and continue his journey.

They were not long in arriving at the Hall; and warmly were they welcomed by one of its inmates at least. Sir Edward had that very morning given his consent to the match, and written to that effect to Mortimer-the letter had however of course passed him on the road.

It was a joyous wedding that which bound Frederic Mortimer and Emily Belville together till death should them part:—and to this day the villagers are wont to tell of the many beaming faces and curtseying forms which crowded around the carriage to wish "joy to Madam and the good gentleman from London".

Our excellent friend—the corporal, is still living in a little cottage, with a small piece of ground annexed, which sir Edward presented to him on the day of the marriage-and on the whole is tolerably happy thongh he is sometimes heard to lament that his honour should have been so roughly handled for want of his help. The old knight makes a very good grandpapa: and our hero himself, in the midst of a smiling progeny, is often heard to bless the day when Providence conducted him from the pursuit of LITERATURE into the path of Love.

W. W.

AN INTERESTING INCIDENT.

A respectable individual had been reduced to the brink of ruin by unforeseen and therefore uncontrolable circumstances. He had always been considered, as he really was, a man of the strictest integrity. And a delicacy of feeling upon pecuniary subjects prevented his imparting even to his friends the difficulties of his situation. His troubles brooded on his mind for weeks. and months, and the load accumulated as time advanced, until it became insupportable. Deprived at last of reason, and frantic with the thought of failing in his engagements, he formed the dreadful resolve of self-destruction. Scarcely had the thought crossed his mind, before the resolution of effecting it was formed. He retired to his chamber with the determination of then finishing his existence and troubles together. Not a thought, not a fear of futurity entered his mind-he took from their case his pistols-the fatal instrument was already in his hand—his finger on the trigger—a moment, and he had been in Eternity. An infantine voice arrested the deed.

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Papa let I see what you is doing"? cried his second daughter, a child of four years old, who by some providential accident had been put to bed in the very room, in which he was about to commit the fatal act, but whose little eyes were not yet closed in sleep.

The charm was broken-he clapsed the innocent little creature in his arms, and a flood of tears restored him to reason and resignation. He replaced in his desk the fatal instruments—— friends rallied round him, better days dawned, prosperity, peace and happiness returned,—and he now lives to tell the tale for the encouragement of any, who overwhelmed with despair may be tempted to commit an irrevocable deed.

"Beware of desperate steps. The darkest day,
Live till to-morrow, will have past away."

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As heaven they entered and rejoined the throng
Of blessed spirits; thence again their flight
Earthward directing, with them came along
Their brethren, eager to behold the sight;
And swift as lightning from the ethereal realms,
Descended in a grove of ancient elms.

There Edith they beheld, the young, the fair;
Brighter than dew-gems on the rose-bud meek,
Devotions tear shone on her lovely check,
Still glowing with the eloquence of prayer;
And her uplifted eye beamed on the air,
As she the Godhead's presence there would seek.
"Great Father!" the admiring Scraphs cried,
"Grant that we here with Edith may abide."
Their Father heard-each venerable tree
Trembled as with a breeze's softesh sigh-
The conscious spirits bowed to the decree,
And bore the maid triumphantly on high.
Still as they rose, with loud exulting glee,
"We have found on earth a sister".
-was their
The highest heaven they reverently sought,
And to th' Eternal's throne their sister-angel brought.

cry.

***

NORWICH MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

THE tenth annual meeting of this valuable institution having lately been held, it may be interesting to some of your readers to take a brief historical survey of its rise and decennial progress. The plan was originally formed by a few individuals, who in common with the friends of liberal education throughout the country, were anxious to direct the popular enthusiasm for more extended and useful knowledge into the most beneficial channels. This enthusiasm rose to its greatest height at the speculative era of 1824, which to the generality of our fellow-countrymen promised a long course of unexampled prosperity, and only to the far-sighted few betokened the sad reverse, which so soon succeeded. At the commencement of the year 1825, under the auspices of Alderman Francis, the then mayor, Col. Harvey, and

other friends to the welfare and improvement of the working classes, this institution was established at a very numerous and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of Norwich. The public attention and interest having been thus excited, the number of members soon amounted to 300 and upward, but afterwards declined to nearly 100, and has since risen gradually to 300 again.

The object of this, as of other similar institutions, which arose almost simultaneously in all the principal cities and towns of the kingdom, were, 1st, to provide a succession of popular and experimental lectures, on various scientific subjects, in order to excite the public taste for such studies, and illustrate their practical application to the various arts of life. 2ndly, to form an extensive library of the most valuable works on science and general literature, and a collection of such apparatus, and specimens of nature and art, as might be most serviceable to a successful prosecution of the foregoing object: and 3rdly, to form classes for mutual instruction in the various departments of science and literature.

The lecturing department has, from the first, occupied the primary attention of the committee, who by the voluntary exertions of several members, and occasional aid from the most eminent public lecturers, have been enabled to provide an almost uninterrupted succession of useful and interesting lectures, from the commencement of the institution to the present time. These lectures were originally delivered in the large room, at the Maid's Head's Inn, afterwards at the hall concert room, since, by permission of the mayor, at the old library room, St. Andrew's hall, and during the last year, at the new institution room, in Davey Place, where a most respectable audience assembles every alternate Tuesday evening (except during the three summer months) to profit by the learning and experience of the more prominent votaries of science. The Rev. T. Drummond and R. F. Elwin, with many other talented men of our ancient city, have favoured the institution with repeated courses of interesting and instructive lectures; while Messrs. Clarke, Partington, Addams, and Jackson, Dr. Warwick, and others, from London and elsewhere, have more fully enlarged upon, and exhibited the continually increasing wonders of experimental philosophy.

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