Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-12-16
THE CASTLE OF ERASMUS,
Or BERTh.3.AD and ELIZA.


assassinated by Called, nea the castle of
Erasmus his lance hung inverted on his
tomb, and his honors were mingled with the
dust OF his fathers.
90 when shall my sufferings have an
end, and the grief-worn frame return to its
kindred cla, Never shall thy lovely i'm
age be erased from m, memory thy viz
tues are engraved on my heart !" 1t was
the voice OF the amiable Eliza offering her
evening prisons at the shrine of her beloy-
ed Bertrand
Silence held her still domain throughout
the fertile plains, save where the distant
Watchdog marked the rural hamlet Gym
thia had gained the summit Of the azure
throne, and smiled in lucid majesty DER
the blue expanse All nature aided the. So
lemnlty. A row OF aged oaks led to
cluster OF spreading frs which discovered
a marble sepulchre adorned With military
trophies. The beautiful Eliza, amiable IN
sorrows, and patient in Affections, graced
the awful scene. She was kneeling in a
posture of alteration and prayer, her sable
garments huig loose in melancholy folds,
and mingling with her auburn tresses the
round tear OF affection stood in her languld
eye, and the cypress grove reiterated the
sIghs OF broken heart.
In the midst Of her prisons, Clifford (by
whose command the assassination Of Ber-
trand was perpetrated) appeared before
the sorrowful Eliza Rage instantly kim
died in her cheek, and reproaches burst
from her lips" Darest thou, pertidius
and profane wretch, approach this hallow-
ed place Ye Gods, where are your avcn-
gng bolts Why sleep the thunders when
this wretch draws near I Dosi thou not
fear the anger of Almighty power Or is
thy heart more hardened than adaIEant,
leaGued with the demons OF revenge, to
ward the stroke of Justice - Chide not,
t o lovely fair one, (repIed the repentant
Ciiford) 1t was love for thee that led me
on to madness beheld d favored rival in
the happy Bertrand: | considered life,
without thee, as an ocean, exposed to in
cessant tempests with thee, all that Hea-
ven could bestow, or 1 could wish. | vain
ly thought one bar alone remained between
me and my fanced joys. In rash mo-
ment, l employed the cursed Called to ex-
ecute the lell design he obeyed, took his
reward, and fled, since which time peace
has been banished from the breast of Cliff
ford, and soon must the cold hand of death
bring him to the eXpiation of his crimes"
"And dost hou talk of love, abhOrred
assassin Thou, who hast laid low the i'm
age Of perfection My Bertra nd was the
first, and shall be the last my bleeding heart
owned. Hear me, beloved shade, and wit
ness for me, all ye cherubs watching
around the tomb, he 'er shall Eliza taste of
pleasure more, till we shall again meet in
the fields of joys; F.; then shall the rays OF
endless peace and love, dispel the earthly
m,sts o. painful woe" Eliza again pros
tiated herself before the shrine, and Gilt.
ford, detected, returned through the ave-
nue. to the castle.
Alvin, surnamcd the Good, who was then
on the throne, hearing Of the sorrows of
Eliza, resolved to undertake. the cause OF
injured innocence, by offering a consldera-
BILE reward to the champion who woud
meet Clifford in single combat The time
OF the approaching tournament drew on
apace at length the day arrived, app, int
ed for the cause of Eliza. The Circus
was crowded with spectators. The King
was seated beneath canopy adorned with
the riches Of the east, and the constant
fair one sat at rs rght hand every eye
was centred OH one object, the injured Eli
"a. Clifford appeared in the lists, andtthe
trumpets were thrice sounded a stranger
instantly accelted the challenge his hell
met of massy gold covered his face it
was studded with diamonds, and the nod
ding plumes shook defiance to his foe. His
armor, of excellent workmanship, darted
splendid radiance throughout the circus,
and the bldud-red cross on his breast dis
played knight zeaious in the Christian
cause The dignity Of IN. appearance, the
symmetry of his shape, and the graceful
manner in which he took up the glove,
charmed every beholder Clifford, ali
trembling, approached, and thus addressed
the multitude "You see before you a
wretch, destined by the hand of fate to
meet eternal vengeance. Fall / must, if
not by the sword of my accuser, the weight
Of my own sins must soon bring me with
sorrow to the grave"
The martial trumpets were again sound
ed, and the champions engaged. For
some time the victory was doubtful, till at
length the powerful arm Of the stranger
laid the lofty Clifford low IN the dust, a. d
the circus re-echoed with repeated accla