The National Register.
London, England, 1813-01-31 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

irg on a stranger's neck—lets fly his 'shaft, and finds his
EDITH 'expiring in her murdered brother's aims. (In the re-
covery of his lost reason, MORTHA,M learns that his infant
son and nurse have been carried off by armed men—at his
nrideeris instigation, as he supposes. He, quits his home,
stow a desart : and in fotcign lands, the foremost in every
daring enterprise of war, seeks anxiously for death.—This
recital closed; it is agreed that REDMOND and MATILDA
shall repair home, and that WILFRID, at night, shall attend
with an armed force to bear from IloK ED Y to BARNARD the
treasures of MORT H AM, and the lady.
Night arrived, the rival lovers forget their jealousies, in
attempts to Booth MaTlLDa's melancholy on quitting the
kat of her fore-fathers.
The bickering faggot sparkled bright,
And gave the scene of love to sight,
itade Wit rat n's cheek more li%ely glow,
Play'd ou MATILDA 's neck of ,now.
11cr nut-brown curls and tOrehe hiub,
And laughed in 11.F.onovn's azure eye.
Two lovers by the mirk!' sale,
Without a glance ofjealous hate ;
'I he maid her lovers sate hetweem.
With open brow, and equal mien :
It is a sight but rarely spied,
Thanks to man's wraith and woman's pri(!e.
Ing.silence without is lsroken by a minstrel, whose impor-
tunity and distress obtain fi,r him, in these times of turbu-
lence and distrust, an unwelcome admittance to the hall.
MATILDA'S kindness, however, makes amends for the rough.
mess of the warder; and, at her request. %VI IFR t D and the
harper enliven the painful evening of parting with their
atelodics. Of the harper—
Each look and accent framNl to please,
Seemed to affect a playful ease ;
His face was of that doubtful
Whirl) wins the eye, but nit the mind :
•
Yet harsh it seemed to deem amiss
Of brow so young. and smooth HA
tliis—
l'Tis was the subtle blow, and sly,
Tail( spying all, seems nought to Ty,
ft,,,imd all the group his glance, sole,
Unmarked themselves, to mark the wh.re.
The minstrel is EDMOND, one of BERT RAM'; desperate out-
laws, who, having gained an entrance to the car.tle himself,
prepares one for the rest of his party.
" Harper ! methinks thy maple tar,"
AIATiLDc Said, can gold us raise !
Well nigh my fancy can discern,
Near the dark porch a visage stern,
• E'en now, in sander Slr nook--
I see it ! RP omoNo, Wlt Frttn, look !
A human form, distinct and plcar•—
God, for thy mercy !—lt draws near."
She saw ton true.--
BERTRANI and his' followers enter. A desperate con-
flict ensues; whilst WILFRID conveys MATILDA bv a wic-
ket to the woods ; and urged by her fears for REDNIOND's
safety, and her reproaches, he retutns to the fight; all had
been lost—but that the soldiers who had been provided to
escort MATILDA arrive. The castle takes fire, the fight
thickens amidst its flames, the assailing party are killed to
i man or taken prisoners, ail except BERTRAM ',v170 escapes.
WILFRID is wounded, and is borne fiom the flames by
rEDMOND.

Three days have succeeded to this night of horrors, when
BERTRAM stealing to his lucking place discovers a figure
digging the earth of the cavern, and at length drawing
forth a casket. It proves to be LDMOND, who when com-
pelled to disclose his business and the cause of it, informs
13ERTRAM that NVS/CLIFFE having considered Guy DEN-
pt. 444 himself fit iastruniclts to assist is a plot by which

JAN. 374,

ROK EBY might be convicted of an attempt to escape from
his confinement, had engaged them to cooperate with him
on a promise of their liberty. By their means he hopes to
force a marriage between MATILDA and his son. Whilst
conferring with these accomplices, a letter is mysteriously
delivered to WYCLIFFE. It declares, that if he will re-
store Moan' PI'S child, the lands of the latter shall be left
to him, and be no more reclaimed; but if not that MoR r-
HA shall rise again from the dead to molest him. WY...
C LYF FE, in dread and horror of the certainty that his foe
still exists, .declares in faultering accents that the fate of
the child is unknown to him ; and, if but in his power, that
he would restore it to its father, and resign all claims to its
inheritance. DENZIL informs him that REDMOND is
MORTH A m's son, which he proves from the contents of a
casket he had formerly stolen from ROKEBY, and concealed
in the cavern. EDIT n, it appeared, was the daughter of
old O'NEALE, who fled her country in secrecy to marry
MORTHAM. O'NEALE, when his first resentment was over,
dispatched his son to England, engaging him to make him-
self known to EotTli alone. This interview it was, which
MORTIIAM'S bow terminated so fatally. O'NEALE, in
despair, robbed MoRT HAM of his son, whom he bred in
Ireland, until troubles came upon the land, and then sent him
to England, with commendation, to MoRTIIAM and ROKE••
ay. DrNzu promises to place in WYCLIFFE'S hands his
proofs of this story, on condition of his own liberty, and that
of EnstoNn, whom he passes on WYCL/FFE for his son.
NVYCLIFFE convents that En MONO go for the casket,
whilst DENztt. remains his prisoner, and declares, that
should the son fail ►n his return, the father must suffer on the
gibbet. EDMOND, full of remorse for his crimes, resoles,
with BERTRAM'S concurrence, to deliver to REDMOND the
credentials of his biah—and to MoR•rHAM, intelligence of
the danger with which his life is threatened. The morrow
conducts DENzi t. to his fate, for EDMOND returns not.
And %V vcr.t F FE and his train convey their prisoners, BOK E-
nv and REDMOND, to the Chapel of Eglistonc—there,
either to sutler on the scaffold, or to assist in enforcing the
marriage of MATILDA with WILFRID. Shocked and
amazed, WILFRID disclaims all concurrence in the barbarous
scheme—in the church, he resigns the hope of ever calling
MATILDA Wire—and, worn out by his efforts, his wounds,
and his grief, he expires at her feet. WVC t. I FFE, in the
barbarity of disappointed rage, orders his victims to the
block.

The outrost crowd have heard a sound
Like horses' hoof on hardened ground ;
Nearer it came, and yet mote near,
The very deathsmcn paused to hear
All eyes urn the gate-way hung,
When through the gothic arch there sprung
A horseman armed, at headlong speed—
Sable his cloak, his plume, his sty ed ;
Fire from the, flinty floor was spurned,
The vaults unwonted clang returned !
One instant's glance around he threw,
From saddle-how 1114 pistol drew ....
Full levelled at the Baron's Nead,
Rung the report, the bullet sped— •
And to his long account, and last,
Without a groan, dark OSWALD past.
The charger, in wheeling round, is precipitated with its rider
to the ground. The crowd closes on BERTRAM as he at-
temps to rise—he falls again, pierced with a thousand
wou [ids.

MORTHANIICS' to embrace his son—and the sable
vesture of death which obscured the chapel, is changed for
happier emblems, when the ttuptials of MATILDA and RED•
MOND are solemnized..

[The remainder qf this Review in our weal.]


••••••..,-

JAN. 81.

etc pulptt.

No. 11.

NEW SERIES.

g' Greatly instructed. I shell hence depart,
Greatly in peace of thought, and have my til
Of knowledge, what this vessel can contain
Fecund which was my loll) to aspire.
Henceforth 1 learn, that to Obey is best,
And love with tear the only God, to walk
AA in his presence, ever to ob-erve
H s providence, and on him sole depend,
Merciful over all his works, with good
Still overcoming evil, and by small
Accomplishing great things, by things deeni'd weak,
Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise,
By s;tnply meek." Paradise Lost, Book le2th.

THE REV. WILLIAM TOOT E.

Admiration is the source of love.—Love strengthens faith,
End produces obedience. Faith, Love, and Obedience
united, form that state of the mind, in which the workings of
the spirit become visible in the change and purity of life—
in which Heaven seems anticipated on earth.—But admira-
tion is a means, not a guide. As a guide, it may lent to
error—as a means, it will clic:et the purposes of truth. Like
the earth since the curse, it brings forth fruits only by cul-
tivation—uncultured, it teems with poisonous weeds and
bliars. With the savage, admiration is the cause of ido-
latry—with the Atheist, the road to perdition. The savage
beholds the Sun, joys in his beams, loves--=and worships
him ! The Atheist studies the secrets of creation, contem-
plates the glories of the sky, learns, and follows their course
—and denies their Creator ! To the Christian alone admi-
ration yields an ample and salutary harvest. In him it is not
a mere instinct, confined to material objects, and resting sa-
tisfied with their knowledge or possession.—lt is an en-
lightened impulse which raises him from the work to its
11laker. The gift warns him of the Giver—its excellency,
of a .4uper-Excellent, who demands no other return from
Mint than gratitude and love. Hence theory leads to prae-
ice—admiration to imitation. The soul new wakened to
the consciousness of her immortality—vivified by the know-
ledge of her God, and reading the character of Divinity im-
pressed on all his works, first owns his power—then feels his
goodness. The principles of duty are unfolded, as soon as
the heat tis touched. To attempt to vie in might with the
Almighty, would he a crime—to emulate his goodness, is obe-
dience—for imita:ion is the path through which the Chris
tan may lawfully apprOximate his God. Imitation imparts to
human weakness time attributes of Omnipotence—of Immor-
tality, to mortali!y: The Christian doth not hesitate. Ad-
miring the beneficence of the Creator still more than the
wonders of the creation, he wishes to become like Hint he
achnircs. Faith directs, love supports him—with an
humble spirit he adores-4ith a glowing heart he serves.
The field of nature is laid open, not only to the general
and unretlecting admira‘ion of mankind, but to the pat ticular
attention of the Christian Pastor. -It is the living evidence
of an all-wise and Almighty God. Like a quiver full of
pointed arrows on the day of hattl, it supplies his servants
With unanswerable arguments to wage their holy warfare.
Let them not neglect such weapons. They are Heavenly-
tempered, and animated dust cannot resist them. In'times
of peril the warrior clasps on his strongest armour—ls ours
au age of peace, religious or political ?
Mr. TOOKE is not one of those who come to the battle in
Iclequately armed. That he has not forgotten the natural

75

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evidence of our Religion, the following extract from his
" Didactic Lectures," published anonimously some years
ago, will testify:—" Does not all nature proclaim to us, does
not every creature, the worm as well as the angel, the
grain of sand as well as the sun, with an audible voice :
' The greatness of our Creator is inexpressible, and his under-
standing has no bounds. Ile embraces all ; he sees through
all at once; what may be, what has been, what is, and what
in all future ages will be. His thoughts are farther exalted
above the thoughts of man, than the luminous*conception of
the chief of the angelS exceeds the dark ideas of the lowest
reptile.' And what says the arrAng,ement we perceive in the
whole creation ? What says the universal law, by which all
nature moves and acts ? Do not all invite us to this conclu-
sion : The rules of the government of the Most High, the
impelling motives of his actions, are altogether great ; o.ter
reach into infinitude. The Omniscient acts not, like the
short-sighted mortal, who secs nothing but what is just be-
fore his eves. Ile surveys the .whole, he produces the
fairestharmonv among all the parts of it, be the distance
ever so remote in space or time: and his views are tO' us, who
know but so small a part of the,,e dependencies, very fre-
quently inscrutable."
Intended for a different profession, Mr. ToogE, it is said.
became a Minister of the Gospel, at a later age than is
common with those who attend the Universities for that pur-
pose. Hence, perhaps, it is that he has not obtained any Par- '
ticular living. Want of promotion at home probably induced
f him to accept invitations abroad,and the several years he spent
at Mo;cow, as Chaplain to the Fpritish Factory, enabled him
to collect information for his 0 Life of Catherine IL" and
his " View of the ltu-sian Empire," works in which he has
dividaved much diligence of research, accuracy of observa-
tion, and elegance of st)le. " Ilis Moral and Philosophical
Suggestions," published eadier, and anonimously, and from
which the preceding extract was derived, form hitherto the
only religious work he has printed, and abound with just
and applicable observations.
Calm, vet not inanimate. in the pulpit, Mr. Toot E reads
his sermon., as they we writ'en, with more ease than elo-
. quence, wi!b emote taste than force. Elegant, without being
'
ti ;npressiv., his etninehtion p:e.ises, l•is diction c a..t vates - •
1'
Itttt —the mind is instrituted, but the heat is not touched.
• Rich in ar:,,ument, in sentiment he is poor. Ile can teach
i jus to know. not to love, our God. Ile can storm, not win,
;II Ills imanation frequently alows, seldom his heart. Pagar.3
it
1
• 1 he might convert —hut Clai,tians !mist he more than taught
' 1 —they must be affected—they must he edified.

A new silver coinage of nincpcnny pi ces, is said to Lave
been ordered by Governmeut.
Tim coals imported into the port of 1.()Ialon in the year
IEI2, amounted to 1,07 1, :361 chaldrons.
The Sub,4criberi at I.LON'D'S Cotf,e house held a meetiog
on Wednesday, when the stun of 10001. was ordered fur the
relief of the Russians.
Monday, a Court of Common Council wai held, at Cuild-f
hall, fur the further consideration of the subject of the East
India Charter; when, after some discu,sion, it was agreed
to petition l'ailiamont againg extending the India trade to
the outpoits —Mr. WAIT NI AN and Mr. DIXON Were the
only speakers who opposed it.
A duel took place, at Tralee, Tuesday sennight, be-
tween Mr..T. O'CONNELL, brother to the barrister, and Mr,
BL ENNERitASSET, ill which the former was wounded; the
ball passing through the tongue, tore the jaW-bone,
lodged in the back of his neck, among the arteries : be is,
howeyer, still alive. The dispute related to politics.