where the father stood ready to receive
them. He was perceived at length; the soldiers fired on him. He was
taken prisoner, and sentenced to be hanged in sight of the besieged,
in order to strike terror into those who might be similarly disposed
to render assistance to the garrison. Fortunately, however, this
disgrace was spared the memory of Lilburne and the republican arms.
With great difficulty, a certain lady obtained his respite; and after
the conquest of the place, and the departure of the troops, the
adventurous son was released.... The castle then, once the residence
of Pierce Gaveston,--of Hubert III,--and of John of Gaunt, was
dismantled and destroyed. It is singular, by the way, that it was
twice captured by men of the name of Lilburn, or Lilleburne, once
in the reign of Edward II., once as I have related. On looking over
historical records, we are surprised to find how often certain great
names have been fatal to certain spots; and this reminds me that we
boast (at Knaresbro',) the origin of the English Sibyl, the venerable
Mother Shipton. The wild rock, at whose foot she is said to have been
born, is worthy of the tradition.

_Consolation for the Loss of Children._--Better that the light cloud
should fade away into Heaven with the morning breath, than travail
through the weary day to gather in darkness, and end in storm!

_Bells before a Wedding._--The bells were already ringing loud and
blithely; and the near vicinity of the church to the house brought
that sound, so inexpressibly buoyant and cheering, to the ears of the
bride, with a noisy merriment, that seemed like the hearty voice of
an old-fashioned friend who seeks, in his greeting, rather cordiality
than discretion.

_The Murderer's Unction._--Ay, all is safe! He will not again return;
the dead sleeps without a witness.--I may lay this working brain upon
the bosom that loves me, and not start at night and think that the
soft hand around my neck is the hangman's gripe.

_Hogarth._--Nothing makes a picture of distress more sad than the
portrait of some individual sitting indifferently looking on in the
back-ground. This was a secret Hogarth knew well. Mark his death-bed
scenes:--Poverty and Vice worked up into Horror--and the physicians
in the corner wrangling for the fee!--or the child playing with the
coffin--or the nurse filching what fortune, harsh, yet less harsh than
humanity, might have left.

_Change of Circumstance._--In our estimate o