thistle close resemblance to the style of the In thy once-smiling gardens the hemlock and other part of the building is preserved, and when completed, they will have a majestic and beautiful appear ance. Now choke up the roses that bloom'd in the way." Nothing can exceed the fine state of cultivation into which the gardens have since been brought. In the centre of them is a beautiful fish-pond, with raised borders around it, planted with the most choice shrubs: here is also the tomb erected by the late Lord Byron as a memorial of his favourite Newfoundland dog, which makes a conspicuous appearance. It is impossible to conceive the many beautiful scenes which here present themselves, with occasional glimpses of the abbey. The principal entrance or hall was formerly the crypt, the arches of which are extremely fine: it is connected with the cloisters which lead to the principal apartments. The inner court, with its several Gothic windows, over one part of which some luxuriant ivy is entwined, has a grand effect. The ancient chapel, which is connected with the cloisters, has been completely repaired, and although it has a sombre effect, cannot fail to excite the most lively emo- In the front of the abbey is a vetions. Over the cloisters is a spaci-ry spacious lake, whose banks are ous gallery, which leads to the draw-crowned with some exceedingly fine ing-room and other apartments: they plantations, from which rises a noble contain a few valuable paintings, and Gothic castellated tower. other works of art, besides some articles which belonged to the late Lord Byron. It appears from one of his earliest poems, that not only the abbey itself was much neglected by his ancestors, but the grounds also: "Through thy battlements, Newstead, the Newstead Abbey is situated in a beautiful romantic valley, about nine miles from Nottingham, and five from Mansfield. The road to it is formed through some extensive wild plantations, which abound with game. For the above particulars and de-. sign, we are indebted to Mr. F. W. L. Stockdale. FISH-CONCERT. LIEUTENANT WHITE, in hisVoyage to Cochinchina, gives an account of a singular phenomenon which occurred to him while sailing up the river Donnai to the city of Saigon. In the morning of October 3d, says he, we found the stream contracted to the breadth of half a mile, and that we were lying just below the junction of two rapid rivers. A large fleet of country vessels was moored near us, waiting like ourselves the return of the flood-tide; and the constant occurrence for a full hour of a line of others, in almost regular succession, appearing round a point above, and passing us in their way down the river, was novel and interesting. We did not think of counting their number till many had passed, but conjectured that there might be from sixty to seventy in all. The flood coming in about ten o'clock, we again weighed, and a few moments opened to us a view of a large sheet of water, bearing the appearance of a capacious estuary, with the foam of numerous conflicting currents rippling upon its surface. This our linguist informed us was Nga Bay, or Sete Bocas (Seven Mouths), into which we were rapidly borne by a strong tide: a pleasant breeze from the north filling our loftiest sails, which overtopped the surrounding forests, we were not long in passing itu The prospects from this noble basin, though possessing few features of the sublime, were beautiful and romantic. Lofty and venerable trees crowned the points formed by the effluence of the several streams, which, branching in various directions, like so many radii from a centre, presented to view long vistas, fringed on each side with foliage of different shades of verdure; while their polished surfaces reflected with chastened beauty the varied tints of the impending forests. 116 327 From the contemplation of this fascinating scene, our attention was diverted to a new and curious phenomenon. Our ears were saluted by a variety of sounds, resembling the deep bass of an organ, accompanied by the hollow guttural chant of the bull-frog, the heavy chime of a bell, and the tones which imagination would give to an enormous Jew's harp. This combination produced a thrilling sensation on the nerves, and, as we fancied, a tremulous motion in the vessel. The excitement of great curiosity was visible on every v white face on board, and many were the sage speculations of the sailors on this occasion. Anxious to discover the cause of this gratuitous concert, I went into the cabin, where I found the noise, which I soon ascertained to proceed from the bottom of the vessel, increased to a full and uninterrupted chorus. The percep tions which occurred to me on this occasion were similar to those produced by the torpedo, or electric eel, which I had before felt. But, whe ther these feelings were caused by the concussion of sound, or by actu al vibrations in the body of the ves sel, I could neither then nor since determine. In a few moments the sounds, which had commenced near the stern of the vessel, became gene ral throughout the whole length of the bottom. Our linguist informed us, that our admiration was caused by a shoal of fish, of a flat oval form like a floun der, which, by a certain conformation of the mouth, possesses the power of adhesion to other objects in a wonderful degree, and that they were peculiar to the Seven Mouths. But whether the noises we heard were produced by any particular construction of the sonorific organs, torby spasmodic vibrations of the body, he was ignorant. Very shortly after leaving the basin, and entering the branch through which our course lay, a sensible diminution was perceived in the number of our musical fellow-voyagers, and before we had proceeded a mile, they were no more heard... of haz Lieutenant White adds, that in his passage up the Donnai river, thou sands of monkeys were seen and heard gamboling and chattering in the trees; and with the glass he could perceive several of them perched among the foliage, surveying with great apparent interest, the novel spectacle which his ship presented to their view. 114 THE MASQUERADE. (Concluded from p. 208.) ISABELLA MARCHMONT was the happiness by complying with his daughter of the late General March- wishes. On the first mention of the mont, who, dying when she was only subject to Isabella, she, however, peeighteen years of age, left her to remptorily refused to become the the guardianship of her brother, with wife of Sir George, to whom she a fortune of 20,000l. at her own dis-had taken that sort of dislike which posal when she came of age. That the modest sensitive mind intuitivebrother, till within the last twelve ly feels for the dissolute and deprav months, had been all that was gene-ed. He ceased for that time to urge rous and good. Unfortunately he her upon the subject; but becoming became acquainted with Sir George deeper and deeper involved in the Mordaunt, who obtained an unac- toils which Mordaunt had spread countable ascendency over him; and for him, he at length became anxious by initiating him into all the fashion- to conclude the marriage, and used able follies and vices of town, soon every means short of force to incaused him, first to neglect, next to duce his sister to comply, but in envy, on account of the large fortune vain. his father had left her, and then to plot the ruin of his sister. The artless girl wept when she came to this period of her story, to think that her natural protector should have thus deserted her. Isabella had often expressed a wish to go to a masquerade, and her brother consented to accompany her to that memorable one at which I was present. Isabella chose the becoming dress of a Swiss peasant, and Sir George Mordaunt was a needy her brother went in a domino. They gamester: he pillaged young March- had scarcely entered the room when mont himself, and was again the dupe they were joined by the Highlander, of cleverer villains than himself. At who proved to be no other than Sir length Marchmont, having lost all George Mordaunt. He led her to the ready money which he could pos- that part of the room where myselfand sibly raise, became Sir George's debt-Madeline had observed the group; or in a sum, to pay which would have been utter ruin. It was then that this accomplished knave proposed to Marchmont to liquidate his debt of honour by making him the husband of Isabella: the high spirit of the brother fired at the first suggestion of making his sister the victim to his necessities, or rather to his follies; but he soon suffer-ever, to call it by that name-which ed himself to be persuaded by the artful Mordaunt, that he was consulting not only her honour but her Vol. IV. No, XXIII....... and in a few words he told her, that her brother was a ruined man if she did not consent to become his wife. In vain she offered to surrender her fortune, if that would save him; but her beauty and accomplishments had raised a passion in the breast of Sir George-it would be a degradation of the noble passion of love, how could only be satisfied by the possession of her person as well as of her fortune; and it was his making M M that declaration in peremptory terms which caused Isabella to evince that emotion by which the attention of myself and Madeline was excited. lence by the most horrid threats. They continued travelling in this manner till I met them, and fortu nately succeeded in rescuing her from his power. The interesting girl was much pleased when I informed her, that I was one of the party who had notic know. The truth now flashed upon her at once, that she was on the road to Scotland with Mordaunt; and the idea that her reputation was in his She returned home that evening power overcame her, and she faintwith her brother, who told her, as ed. It was some time before she reshe chose to refuse the eligible of covered, and when she did, it was fer he had obtained for her, he only to misery. No offer of escape should use the authority of a guar- presented itself. Before they enterdian, and take such steps as would ed a town, the blinds were invariably secure her honour; hinting, that a drawn up; and once when she enlow and degrading attachment pre-treated for leave to get out of the vented her acceptance of Sir George's chaise, whilst the horses were changproposals. She repelled the insi-ing, he obtained her promise of sinuation with disdain, and implored her brother by the memory of their parents not to sacrifice her to Mordaunt: he was, however, inexorable, and on their arrival at home, he locked her up in a room, from whence he declared she should never issue, except to become the wife of his friend. Here she had remained ined her at the masquerade; and when close confinement till the day on which we met. On that morning her brother had summoned her down stairs, and told her to prepare for a journey. Resolved not to irritate him, she obeyed; and when her lit-ing I proceeded to town, armed with the preparations were completed, he proper authority from Miss March accompanied her into the chaise, mont to make her a ward in Chanwhich was ready at the door. The cery during the remaining term of blinds were drawn up, and she did her minority, which was about nine not see by what road they left Lon- months. I also found out Sir George don. They rode for about four hours, Mordaunt, and knowing something during which time they changed more of his character and pursuits horses three times. Soon after they than he wished should be made pubhad changed them the third time, lic, he consented to forego his claims the chaise stopped in the middle of both on Miss Marchmont's hand and the road, the door was opened, her her brother's fortune, as the price of brother jumped out, and Mordaunt my silence. Her brother accompa took his place; when the door was nied me into the country, and the again closed, and they drove off. dear girl was overjoyed at the restoHer brother: had preserved an ob- ration of " her own brother," as she stinate taciturnity, and to all her in- called him; for she said he had not quiries as to where they were going been her brother whilst he wished had replied, that she would soon her to form that hated marriage. we arrived at Holly-House, the frank and cordial reception which my mother and sister gave the fugitive, dissipated all her fears, and restored her wonted serenity. The next morn |