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and she was evidently wasting away. Ca-ing, 'she had always loved her fellowroline wrote again, enclosing more money, creatures, and endeavoured to make them and desiring that Sophy might have regu- happy; that she certainly considered it a lar medical attendance; but she enter- little hard to die in a cottage and on a tained few hopes of a change for the bet- tent-bed, although she felt truly grateful to ter in her mind, the 'ruling passion' is as dear Caroline Clifford for preventing her 'strong in death' in sycophants as in other from dying in the streets; she did not, people. Mrs. Gilbert being the person however, repine at her lot, for she had no through whose hands all Sophy's com- doubt of being amply rewarded in another forts were to pass, became the principal world for all her unmerited sufferings in object of her fawning cajolery; and Mrs. this!' Gilbert, not knowing her previous character, mistook her wheedling arts for the spirit of genuine meekness and resig-fine end!

nation.

Such were Sophy's final words, and such was poor Mrs. Gilbert's idea of a

66

"Nay," said Lucy, "do not elevate me at the expense of Caroline; I was never called upon to undergo her trials."

"I am truly happy to say that Caroline "Sometime afterwards Caroline, at the was more successful in her endeavours to earnest request of her mother and sisters, benefit the latter days of her mother-inpassed a little time with them in London, law; the light of divine truth seemed graand she then thought it her duty to go and dually to illuminate the understanding of see Sophy, feeling that, in her declining Mrs. Clifford, and as her bodily frame destate of health, she ought to have a few cayed, her mind acquired an added poruseful observations addressed to her. She tion of serenity and strength. Caroline gave me an account of the interview on too had a valuable coadjutor in my good her return, but said that it was far from husband, who seldom allowed a day to satisfactory; although Mrs. Gilbert stood pass without visiting Mrs. Clifford." by with her apron at her eyes, protesting Pray include yourself also, Lucy," inthat she had never heard anything so mov-terrupted Bernard; "you spent many ing in her life. Sophy poured forth the more hours with Mrs. Clifford than I did; warmest expressions of thankfulness to and Caroline, I doubt, would never have Caroline, which, however, were not cou- become the admirable character she did, pled, like those of Mrs. Clifford, with any had it not been for your advice and examcontrition for her own past offences; on ple." the contrary, she declared that 'she had never thought so highly of any one in the world as of Caroline, and that it had almost broken her heart to see her so undervalued as she had been by her husband and his mother.' Caroline waived this part of the subject as quickly as she could, and gently alluded to the probably serious termination of Sophy's illness. Sophy would not, for a moment, allow the possibility of danger; 'she had certainly been very ill,' she said, 'but now, with the medicine and nourishing diet that dear Caroline had procured for her, and with the assiduous attentions of good Mrs. Gilbert, she felt quite invigorated, and doubted not that she should soon be able to come and see her kind Caroline at her house in the country.' Caroline took no notice of the latter part of this speech, but earnestly dwelt on the propriety of endeavouring to prepare herself for death. O, as to that,' Sophy replied, 'she felt perfectly easy; she had never wronged anybody; in fact, her heart had been always running over with the milk of human kindness, and she was now the victim of her too great readiness to think well of others!'

"Caroline conversed with her for some time, and left her some books to read, but made little impression upon her. Soon after Caroline's return to the country, she received a letter from Mrs. Gilbert, telling her that Sophy had made what she called 'a very resigned, fine end;' that at the last she became sensible of her approaching death, that she expressed great satisfaction at the review of her past life, say

"Most people would think, my love," answered her husband, "that you had undergone much greater; Caroline has always enjoyed the luxuries of life, while, for the first few years of our marriage, you were deprived of many of its comforts."

And Bernard was upon the point of entering into a circumstantial detail of the sweetness and equanimity with which Lucy had borne her confined rooms, smoky chimney, and narrow staircase, when Ellerby interrupted him by inquiring whether Mrs. Clifford had suffered much at the last.

"Very little, I am happy to say," answered Lucy; "her decline was gradual, and she was perfectly resigned to the contemplation of death; her only subject of regret, was in the continued absence of her son; she could have died, she said, quite joyfully, could she only have joined his hand in that of Caroline, and prayed that they might be as happy together as they had once, through her instrumentality, been unhappy: but her death-bed, as it was, presented a gratifying sight, for she was thoroughly penitent for all her misdeeds, and ready and anxious to rest her every hope of pardon on the sacrifice of her Redeemer."

"A happy end-a blessed end!" exclaimed Ellerby's friend, from the corner of the room; and Lucy felt quite glad that her simple eloquence had at length aroused

him to take a little interest in what was subject of her studies, and which professed going on. to teach the art of living on two hundred "You have quite enchanted me with a year; but the book was either so deceityour delightful Caroline," said Ellerby; ful a guide, or was so badly put in prac"does she ever mention her absent hus-tice, that at the end of the first year after band ?".

their marriage, the young couple were three hundred and fifty pounds in debt beyond their means to pay. The lieutenant went abroad, and Anna returned to live with her mother. I think now I have given you a tolerably long family history, but I am sure you will allow my heroine to be a very interesting character."

66 Often," " said Lucy; "in fact, I may say, continually she not only is free from all feelings of resentment towards him, but she is disposed to affix blame on herself for the sake of exonerating him; and if he be alive, which I am rather inclined to doubt, I am convinced no day ever passes in which, if he presented himself to Caroline, she would fail to receive him with the warmest affection and kind-gain a sight of her." ness."

66

'Does she see much company ?" asked Ellerby.

"Interesting indeed," said Ellerby; "I only wish I could be fortunate enough to

"Your wish is likely to be soon gratified," said Lucy, looking towards the window, "for Caroline it at this very moment entering at the gate, and will be here immediately."

"Caroline!" echoed the invalid stranger, and he burst into a succession of convulsive sobs.

"Not much," replied Lucy, although her society is greatly sought; but considering herself as in part a widow, she is reluctant to mix in scenes of gaiety; she reads a vast deal, and occupies herself much in deeds of charity. She does not, Lucy, imagining that he was suddenly however, live in seclusion; her near neigh- taken ill, was running to his assistance, bourhood to Bath, and her carriage, place when Ellerby prevented her. "Go to your agreeable associations within her reach. friend, Mrs. Bernard," said he, "and do General S- with whom she is a great not let her come into this room till you favourite, is frequently at Bath, and I met have prepared her for the interview awaithim last week at her house; he was ac-ing her-the stranger who accompanied companied by his nephew, Sir Henry Mil- me is her unfortunate husband, Edmund ner, and his wife; they have recently re- Clifford !" turned from Italy, where they have been residing since their marriage. Lady Milner is quite delighted with Caroline; she told me that Sir Henry's description of her had raised her expectations very highly, but that they were more than answered by the reality."

The stranger in the corner groaned heavily, and Lucy wondered what she could have said to cause his agitation.

"Are Mrs. Dornton and her daughters frequent visitors at the house of your cousin?" inquired Ellerby.

Ellerby briefly explained to Bernard the cause of Clifford's appearance. Ellerby, within the last few months, had been staying at New York, with a relative engaged in mercantile concerns, and was introduced by him to a young man in his employ, bearing the name of Wilson. Ellerby was pleased with the manners and talents of his new acquaintance, and was so successful in winning his confidence, that he soon revealed to him his real name and situation.

Ellerby, although ignorant of all the cir"They have often been invited," said cumstances which had happened to ClifLucy, "and stayed once for three weeks, ford's family since he left England, with but they all seemed completely tired of the the exception of Mrs. Clifford's death, visit. Caroline neither gave dances nor which had appeared in the newspapers, went to them-could not answer the ques-earnestly pressed his friend to remain no tion whether the theatre at Bath was open longer an exile from his native country, or shut; and so far from being ambitious but at least to see his wife, and endeavour to set the fashions, was seldom among to effect a reconciliation with her. This the first to follow them. They parted on the best of terms, as to kind expressions, but I believe without any anxiety to pass much of their time together. My aunt told me I had spoiled Caroline. I heard the accusation in silence, but cannot say that it affected my conscience very deeply. Of our other relations, I have nothing very gratifying to tell. Lady Bradbury died a few months ago, from the effect of repeated severe colds, caught by venturing into the night air, after dancing in heated rooms, in defiance of medical prohibition. Anna Morris married Lieutenant Gayville, and began housekeeping, armed with a little manual, which had long been the

he at length persuaded him to do; he accompanied him to England, and Ellerby's old friendship for Bernard seemed to offer a favourable opportunity for Clifford (who was personally unknown to Lucy and her husband) to obtain from the lips of the latter, a frank and full account of the principal events in the life of Caroline for the last two years.

"Little did we think," said Ellerby, "that those events would be so diversified or would place her character in so admirable a light.

In too admirable a light," sighed the unhappy Clifford; "I was never worthy of Caroline, even in her former days, and

she showed herself sensible of my unwor- her forgiveness in good earnest for this thiness; how then can I now hope for her needless delay of your happy meeting." love and esteem ?" The re-union of Caroline and her hus"I can answer your question in a few band was not received with so much apwords," said Bernard: "Caroline in form- probation as their marriage by the family er days was talented and amiable, but she of the former. Mrs. Dornton predicted was not under the influence of religion; that "in the course of a month, things and therefore she resented as an injury would be just as bad as ever; but the alyour want of a due appreciation of her mond-trees are again in blossom, and the various advantages and recommenda- intervening period has been to the young tions. Now she has learned humility of couple one of the utmost felicity. They Him who teaches his followers to be 'meek understand, they admire, they respect each and lowly in heart,' she has ceased to other; they live on the happiest terms with think highly of herself, and she is not dis- their valued friends, the Bernards, and posed to exact devotion from her fellow-with the kind-hearted Ellerby, who has creatures." purchased a house at Bath; they mixed "Nor is it the character of Caroline moderately with the society in their neighalone that has undergone a transforma- bourhood, and they have a few chosen astion," said Ellerby: "most happy am I to sociates, but they make it a rule never to tell you that my feeble efforts to do a slight court the intimacy of any one who is not portion of good to my young friend Clif- equally acceptable to each of them; and ford have not been without effect; he is they not only abstain from coveting but now convinced that his conduct towards absolutely shun and dislike any unfortuhis wife during their union, and his subse-nate being who, in the most remote degree, quent desertion of her, were not only ill- seems desirous to lessen either of them in advised, but sinful-not only reprehensi- the estimation of the other; they are inble in the eyes of man, but of God. My acquaintance with him has been of very short duration, otherwise I am inclined to hope his return to his native country would have taken place long before the present time."

Lucy now entered with a face radiant with smiles-"Come with me directly," said she, extending her hand to Clifford, "Caroline is impatient to see you; do not anticipate anything distressing-your meeting will be one of unmixed joy."

"Does she can she forgive me?" asked Clifford, in a tremendous tone.

"She does not use the word forgiveness," said Lucy, "she only speaks of welcome; but come to her, without any further inquiries, or you will have to ask

deed said to be rather nervously suspicious and irritable upon this latter point; but they have purchased wisdom in the school of affliction, and must be pardoned if they now and then bring it into play where it is not absolutely necessary.

Long may their happiness continue, and long is it likely to continue; for they have the strongest bond of union between them

the love of God, of his laws, and of his ways; and deep and fervent is their gratitude to the Almighty Director and Friend who has restored to them the blessings which they once rashly cast away, and joined in the most perfect concord and congeniality those hearts formerly chilled and disunited by the fatal effects of FAMILY INTERFERENCE.

LINES SUGGESTED ON SEEING GUIDO'S MAGDALENE.

SHE sat her down, the Magdalene, beneath the spreading trees,
While o'er her fair and silken hair swept many a lightsome breeze;
Before her gleams the holy cross-ah! 'tis her refuge now,
For lonely thoughts beam heavily upon her beauteous brow.

And there are books, "the book of life," within its sacred page
The young, the frail, may read and glean some balm for helpless age;
Thy pardon, thou may'st seek and find, poor weary wand'rer thou,
While holy angels stoop to bless the record of thy vow.

Ah! why dost fling thy soft white hand upon that eyeless skull,
The soul has fled its palace now, and left it empty-dull
Sad memories cling around it-alas! thou too shalt be

All that our hearts would quail to hear, our cheeks turn pale to see.
Where, where are all thy flatt'rers now, in this thy great distress,
They who once dwelt upon thy charms in life's young happiness?

The flow'rs have ceased to bloom for thee, the birds forgot to sing,
The golden draught has left enough of bitterness to sting.

Yet 'mid thy sorrows lift thine eyes-the Holy One above
Yearns o'er thee with a parent's heart and with a Saviours's love;
He sees thy penitence and tears, and marks thee for his own,
Thou, wand'rer, hast a home above, a refuge near his throne.

E. H. B.

NELSONIAN REMINISCENCES.

BY A NAVAL OFFICER.

NAPLES BAY IN 1799.

to the enormous amount of five hundred casks, and fled with it to Palermo, there to riot in luxurious safety. Who was then the traitor, the king or myself? After such uncalled for, and, I must say, cowardly desertion by the sovereign, Mack's

EIGHTEEN Ships of the line were anchor-army disbanded for want of pay, and the ed in battle order, in this beautiful bay, on French occupied Naples. It is known to the morning of the 29th of June, under the you, gentlemen, that my patrimonial posjustly celebrated Nelson, whose flag float- sessions lay in the city, and that my famied gaily from the foretop gallant mast of ly is large: if I had not succumbed to the the Foudroyant, on whose quarter-deck ruling power, my children-(here his emowere seated the gallant hero of the Nile, tion was shown by the altered tone, the and of a hundred other victorirs; and by quiver of the lip, and the suffusion of the his side the Cleopatra of the age, the fas-eyes: he quickly conquered his emotion, cinating and beauteous Emma, Lady and continued in the same stern tone)Hamilton; when a Neapolitan boat, guard- would have been vagabonds in the lands ed by ragged ruffians, (twenty thousand of of their fathers. Gentlemen, some of you whom, led on by Cardinal Ruffo, had long are parents, and I appeal to your feelings; been the terror of this devoted city,) let each of you place yourselves in my brought on board the Prince Carraciolli, situation, and say how you would have admiral of the Neapolitan fleet, and some acted; but I think my destruction is predeother nobles of that land, whose place of termined, and this court anything but a retreat, a cave among the mountains of court of justice. If I am right, my blood Calabria, had been discovered by the ban- be upon your head, and on those of your ditti, who now came, with these wretched children." men, to claim the price of their blood. The veteran admiral, who was placed under my charge, being then signal-mate to Lord Nelson, was brought on the poop, strongly guarded by marines: he was a short, thick-set man, of apparent strength, but haggard with misery and want: his clothing in wretched condition, but his countenance denoting stern resolution to endure that misery like a man; he spoke a short sentence to me in pure English, as if perfectly master of the language, and was shortly ushered into our ward-room,

where a court was assembled of his own

officers, Count Thurn sitting as president. His defence, which was spoken in a deep manly tone, will best explain the nature of the charge.

The veteran spread his hands abroad, and presented a fine picture of a brave man in extreme peril. The court was cleared, and a very short time elapsed before it was again opened to pronounce sentence on this devoted noble. Count Thurn covered his head, and addressed the wretched old man :

been unanimously found guilty of the "Admiral Prince Carraciolli, you have charges brought against you: you have ferred on you by a mild and confiding sorepaid the high rank and honours, conThe sentence of the court is, that you vereign, with the blackest ingratitude. shall be hanged by the neck at the yardarm of your own flag-ship in two hours from this time, and may God have mercy

on your

soul!"

"The countenance of the veteran admiral, betrayed no other emotion than a stern composure.

"I am accused," said the prince, "of deserting my king in distress, and leaguing with his enemies. The accusation is so far false, that the king deserted me and all his faithful subjects. It is well known to you, gentlemen, that our frontier was. "Hereafter," said he, "when you shall covered by an army under General Mack be called to your great account, you will superior to the sdvancing enemy, and you weep for this unjust sentence in tears of are aware that the sinews of war is mo- blood. I take shame to myself in asking ney. The king collected everything that any favour from such men; but, if possicould be converted into specie on pretence ble, I wish to be shot, as becomes my of paying that army, embarked it in his rank, and not hung up like a felon and a Britannic Majesty's ship Vanguard, even dog."

VOL. III

40

"It is inadmissible," said Count Thurn; | spirit of his unfortunate admiral could "and the court is hereby dissolved."

At two o'clock in the afternoon the veteran, with a firm step, walked into Lord Nelson's barge, and with a party of thirty of our seamen, under one of our lieutenants, was taken to his flag-ship, the gun fired, and the brave old man launched into eternity at the expiration of the two hours from the time the sentence had passed. The seamen of our fleet, who clustered on the rigging like bees, consoled themselves that it was only an Italian prince, and the admiral of Naples, that was hanging, a person of very light estimation compared with the lowest man in a British ship. His majesty of Naples, the prime minister, Sir John Acton, and many of the foreign ambassadors, joined and took up their quarters in the Foudroyant two days after the execution; and my Lord Nelson removed to the first lieutenant's cabin as his sleeping apartment, giving his cabin to the king's use, and the Jarboard side of the main-deck for his cooks, who condescended to officiate as ours; and never did midshipmen fare so sumptuously as during the king's long stay on board the Foudroyant. The day was passed in administering justice (Italian fashion) to the wretches who fell into the grasp of Cardinal Ruffo's lambs, enlivened by the bombardment of St. Elmo, which we were battering in breach. At noon, dinner was served to the royal party and their guests on the quarter-deck; Lady Hamilton's graceful form bending over her harp, and her heavenly music gave a gusto to the desert. As the sun went down, the opera singers, in a large decked galley, came alongside, and all that could delight the ear or please the eye, was there to fascinate and charm.

Some days after the execution, when the name of admiral Carraciolli had ceased to be remembered among the great and noble of the land, I was roused from my slumbers with an account of the king being on deck. Wondering at his bad taste for early rising, I hurried up, and found his majesty gazing with intense anxiety on some distant object: at once he turned pale, and, letting his spyglass fall on deck, uttered an exclamation of horror. My eyes instinctively turned in the same direction, and under our larboard quarter, with his face full upon us, much swollen and discoloured by the water, and his orbs of sight started from their sockets by strangulation, floated the ill-fated prince. All the superstition of the Italian school was called into play by this extraordinary (and, in truth, it was a fearful) apparition. The old man's grey hair streamed in the light breeze that rippled the placid waters of this lovely bay-the king and court were alarmed, and looked very pale-the priesthood, who were numerous on board, were summoned, when one more adroit than his brethren, told the king that the

not rest without his forgiveness, which he had risen to implore. This was freely accorded; and on Lord Nelson (who was suffering from ill-health) being awakened from his uneasy slumbers by the agitation of the court, he ordered a boat to be sent from the ship to tow the corpse on shore. This unlooked-for appearance of the dead did not lessen our appetite for the good things in the king's larder, or our zest for the evening's opera.

Things moved on in the same gay strain, though many hearts were breaking with incurable sorrow, and many a brilliant eye was dimmed by incessant weeping; while famine, with its attendant miseries, reigned in the populous city of Naples, preyed on by twenty thousand banditti under the primate Cardinal Ruffo, and who (I suppose in derision) were denominated the Christian army. These scoundrels, unchecked by law or justice, with no force to restrain them, freely indulged their licentious habits, and, with tiger-like ferocity, waded deep in blood. Many, very many, of Italy's beauteous daughters, and those of high rank, have I seen prostrate on our deck, imploring protection from these bloody ruffians, by whom their natural protectors had been murdered. In my mind's eye I see them now! Their graceful forms bent with misery-their dark eyes and clasped hands raised to the Father of all for mercy-their clear olive complexion changing to a sickly hue from anguish of mind. How could men, possessing human hearts, refrain from flying to their relief? Yet, Í am sorry to say, they were placed (without regard to their feelings) in polaccos, under the guidance of young English midshipmen, there to let their afflicted hearts break at leisure. Dear, amiable, and gentle sex! how infinitely greater appears to me thy share of the curse brought upon the descendants of Adam and Eve by their disobedience than ours! I grieve to say, that wonderful, talented, and graceful beauty, Emma Lady Hamilton, did not sympathise in the manner expected from her generous and noble nature. This lady was one of God's nobility, for her virtues were manifold; her vices proceeded from unfavourable cricumstances, to which, in some degree, we are all victims. This noble but unfortunate lady has been most grossly calumniated; she served the country with unwearied zeal and activity, and in a greater degree than any female ever had the power: she was the cause of saving millions of British property from the grasp of the Spanish king in 1797, she enabled Lord Nelson to fight the battle of Aboukir, and kept steady to our interest the fickle and dissolute court of Naples, from her influence over the daughter of Maria Theresa, then queen of that place. Her generosity and good nature were unbounded-her talents and

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