The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-10-10 00:00:00

THR HARP: A TALE.
~10.411 a 411.•
-017.01.;; tZ-md!..4
teen ?Mt 11211111 All OF TRH POET ReRHEH :
A DDRIVIRD TO SUCH As BELIEVE IN TUB
AQENCY OF SPIRITS.
glad
[Front " The New Wet* 40111Fne," New gretes

The Secretary Selluer bad begun to taste the
first spring of happiness with hi. vaiethful bride.
Their ottani was not founded on that vague -and
evotiesceirt passion which often lives and dies
ittinott in the same umment —spit pathy and
esteem 'formed Me basis of their attachment.
Tune and experience, without diminishing the
ardour, had confirmed the perinatiesice of their
mutual seutimenta. It was long since they had dis-
covered that they were fortnedfor rush tither, but
want of fortune imposed the necessity of a tedious
probation ; tilt Selluer, by MAN' g the patent
for a place, found himself in possession of an
easy competence, and on the following Sunday
brought home in triumph his lone-betiothed
bride. A succession of ceremonious visits for
some weeks engrossed many of thme hours that the
young couple would hove devoted to each other.
• • But no sooner was this onerous duty folfilleil, thou
they eagerly escaped from the iotrusinii of society
to their delicious solitude; and the lisle summer
oveniags were but too short for plans and enticipa-
*ions of future felicity. Sellntir's dote and Jo-
sephine's harp filled up the intervals of conver-
sation, and with their harmonious unison seemed to
sound the prelude to many succredoug yews of Lliss
and concord. One evening, when Josephine hail
played longer than usual, she suddenly complained
of head-itch; she had, in reality, risen with this
symptom of indisposition, hut concealed it from her
anxious husband; naturally susceptible of tiervous
complaints, the attention which she bud lent to the
music, and the emotions it excited in her delicate
frame, had increased a slight indisposition to fever,
and she was now evidently ill. A physician was
-called in. who so little anticipated datiger that lie
promised a cure on the morrow. But alter a usglit
spent in delirium, her disorder was 'prunouuced a
nervous fever, which completely baffled the efforts
of medical skill, and on the Muth day was confessedly
mortal. Josephine herself was pet feetly sensible of
her approschiug dissolution, and with mild resigna-
ailltioll submitted to her fate.
Addressing her husband, for the last time, she
leer:kilned :
" My dear Edward, Heaven can witness it is
with unutterable regret that I depart from this fair
world, where I have found with thee a state of
supreme felicity ; bat though 1 ant no longer per-
mitted to live in dime arms, doubt not thy feithful
Josephine shall still hover colloid thee, and as •
goardtan-augel encircle thee till we meet again."
She had scarcely uttered these words when she
sunk on her pillow, sod soon fell into a slumber,
fiom which she awoke no more ; and whet, the clock
Way striking nine, it was observed that she had
breathed her last. The agonies Sethier may he
more easily conceived thou described: during some
days it appeared doubtful whether he would sur-
vive ; and whet', after a confinement of some
*seeks, he was at length permitted to leave his
•Mitnber, tlie powers of yOuili Premed pifilysed,
ins limbs were enfeebled, his frame emaciated,
and he sunk into a state of stupor, from which
he was only to be roused by the bitterness of grief.
To this poignant anguish succeeded a fixed me-
'sr laticholy ; a deep sorrow consecrated the memory
of -his beloved : her apartment remained precisely
in the state in which it had been left previous to
her death;- on the work-table lay her unfinished
took ; the harp stood in its accustomed nook un-
touched and silent ; every night Seliner went iii
• sort of pilgrimage to the sanctuary of his love,
and taking his flute, breathed forth, in deep plan-
ers touts his fervent aspirations for the clic-
risked shade. Ile was thus *tainting iii Josephine's
apartment, lost in thought, when a broad gleam
of mooulight felt on the open window, and
from the neighbouring tower the watchman pio-
claimed the ninth hour; at this moment, as if
touched by some invisible visit, the harp was beard
to respond to his flute in perfect unison. Thun-
derstruck at this prodigy, Selluer suspended his
mute, and the harp became silent; I e then began,
with deep emotion, Josephine's favourite air, when
the harp resumed its melodious vibrations, thrilling
with ecatacy. At this confirmat of his hopes he
sunk on the ground, ors longer doubting the pie-
settee of the beloved spirit; and whilst lie opened
his arms to clasp her to ins breast, he seemed to
drink in the breath of spring, and a pale glint.'
meting light flitted before his ryes. " I know
thee, blessed spirit !" exclaimed the bewildered
" thou didst promise to hover route' my
steps, to encircle we with thy immortal
• Thou but redeemed thy word ; it is thy breath
that glows on my lips ; I feel myself surrounded by
thy presence." With rapturous emotion he snatch-
ed the flute, and the harp again responded, but
gradually its tones became softer, till the melodious
murmurs ceased. and all agent was Aleut. Selltiet's
feeble frame was completely disordered by these
tumultuous emotions; when he threw himself mu
Ins bed it was only to rave deliriously of the harp :
after a sleepless night I' tose only to anticipate the
renewal of his emotion with unspeakable imp.-
sielice he awaited Me return of evening, when he
again repaired to Josephine's apartment, whew, as
before, whew the clock struck , the harp began
to play, in concert with the flute, /tad prolonged
its melodious aceempanyinent till the tones gra-
• dually' to a faint and tremulous vibration,
end all spine •lent. Exhausted by this second
tool, it was with s ulty that Selluer tottered to
• his chamber, where the Visible alteration in his op-
trownoceseiseited so much alarm, that the physician
was aggLe filled in, who, with borrow and dismay.
de ecja ilrevated symptoms of the fever a hub
fa, proved so fatal to Josephine ; and au rapid was
its p. ogres, that in two days the patient's fate ap-
peared Inevitable. Selluer became more compose'',
and revealed to the physician thesiecret of his late
mysterious communications, avowing his belief that
iii! should not survive the approaching evening. No
esgitments could remove (loin his mind this Weil
presage ; as the day declined, .1 I. p.m,. strength ;
and he earnestly entreated, as a 16st request, to be
ueuveyed to Josephine's apartment. • The prayer
lima granted. Seliner nu sooner reached the well
it, known spot than he gazed with ineffable satisfsc-

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