MA ROMANCE. BX Buy མ- THE AUTHOR OF WAVERLEY, IVANHOE, &c. &c. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOLUME II. PHILADELPHIA: H. C. CAREY & I. LEA-CHESNUT STREET. THE PIRATE. CHAPTER I. But lost to me, for ever lost those joys, The Library. THE moral bard, from whom we borrow the motto to this chapter, has touched a theme with which most readers have some feelings that vibrate unconsciously. Superstition, when not arrayed in her full horrors, but laying a gentle hand only on her suppliant's head, had charms which we fail not to regret, even in those stages of SOciety from which her influence is well nigh banished by the light of reason and general education. At least, in more ignorant periods, her system of ideal terrors had something in them interesting to minds which had few means of excitement. This is more especially true of those lighter modifications of superstitious feelings and practices which mingle in the amusements of the ruder ages, and are, like the auguries of Hallowe'en in Scotland, considered partly as matter of merriment, partly as sad and prophetic earnest. VOL. II. 2 |