its venerable houses, its numerous gardens, its thrice
twelve churches, its mighty mound, which, if tradition speaks true, was
raised by human hands to serve as the grave-heap of an old heathen king,
who sits deep within it, with his sword in his hand, and his gold and
silver treasures about him. There is a grey old castle upon the top of
that mighty mound; and yonder, rising three hundred feet above the soil,
from among those noble forest trees, behold that old Norman master-work,
that cloud-encircled cathedral spire, around which a garrulous army of
rooks and choughs continually wheel their flight. Now, who can wonder
that the children of that fine old city are proud of her, and offer up
prayers for her prosperity? I, myself, who was not born within her
walls, offer up prayers for her prosperity, that want may never visit her
cottages, vice her palaces, and that the abomination of idolatry may
never pollute her temples. Ha, idolatry! the reign of idolatry has been
over there for many a long year, never more, let us hope, to return;
brave hearts in that old town have borne witness against it, and sealed
their testimony with their hearts' blood--most precious to the Lord is
the blood of His saints! we are not far from hallowed ground. Observe ye
not yon chalky precipice, to the right of the Norman bridge? On this
side of the stream, upon its brow, is a piece of ruined wall, the last
relic of what was of old a stately pile, whilst at its foot is a place
called the Lollards' Hole; and with good reason, for many a saint of God
has breathed his last beneath that white precipice, bearing witness
against popish idolatry, midst flame and pitch; many a grisly procession
has advanced along that suburb, across the old bridge, towards the
Lollards' Hole: furious priests in front, a calm pale martyr in the
midst, a pitying multitude behind. It has had its martyrs, the venerable
old town!

Ah! there is good blood in that old city, and in the whole circumjacent
region of which it is the capital. The Angles possessed the land at an
early period, which, however, they were eventually compelled to share
with hordes of Danes and Northmen, who flocked thither across the sea to
found hearthsteads on its fertile soil. The present race, a mixture of
Angles and Danes, still preserve much which speaks strongly of their
northern ancestry; amongst them ye will find the light-brown hair of the
north, the strong and burly forms of the north