warmer feeling than the customary homage which woman commands and man acknowledges.

Aylmer loved-not wisely, but too well-the beautiful daughter of a high legal functionary, who had fought his way to the judge's ermine. Let the reader not start at the phrase-ay, fought; for in those days, strange as it may sound to English ears, the pistol was the surest passport to the bench, and by personal intrepidity, rather than forensic talent, a friendless lawyer had thus made his way to fortune. The times were out of joint, daring was better than desert; and a man, in boyhood destined for the priesthood, at fifty saw a name, originally conferred upon a peasant's son, recorded proudly in the peerage.

No matter what profession he might have selected, in it Lord would have risen to eminence; the head was admirably gifted, but nature had sent him into the world without a heart. He possessed determined courage, with a conscience that owned no scruples; and the whole objects of his existence seemed centred in despotic power. To ready and efficient agents-and none others would he employhe was ever a munificent patron, and place, pension, and distinction were showered upon minions whom he secretly and heartily despised. But it was the tool, and not the man that he rewarded.

Such was the celebrated Lord -. There was but one being upon earth he was supposed to love, and that love was secondary to his all-engrossing ambition. The world did not hesitate to assert, that, had pride demanded the sacrifice, like another Jephtha, Lord would not have scrupled to find the victim in his daughter. In every leading point of character, never was child so like a parent as Lady Caroline was like the judge. Sumptuously beautiful, could report be trusted, Ireland did not produce her peer. Under fascinating manners she concealed a masculine and imperious disposition; and, while she exacted homage, she despised it. Cold to the feelings of all beside, she trifled with those who worshipped at the shrine of beauty until she tired of the incense profusely offered, and then her delight appeared to lie in rudely crushing the hopes her smiles had fostered. But, cold as her worthless heart was, it owned a solitary impression; and, so far as a being like herself could know what love was, she felt that passion for Arthur Aylmer.

Never was man better fitted to become the dupe of dangerous beauty than Reginald Aylmer's discarded heir. In him every thought and act were open and impulsive; and when Lady Caroline listened with brilliant smiles to his tale of ardent love, and told him in return that

"All which his lips impassioned swore,"

was faithfully reciprocated, had an angel whispered a doubt against the fair one's constancy, Aylmer would have repudiated the suspicion. From personal observation, as well as the private admissions of his daughter, Lord was perfectly aware of the existing liaison, and, in the fashionable circles, a speedy union between the parties was spoken of as a settled affair. The very morning which preceded the fatal duel, Aylmer was engaged in writing a letter to his uncle, announcing the engagement and soliciting his approval.

When the old man's angry feelings towards his rash nephew became generally known, an evident coldness in Lord was remarked, and Arthur fancied that a change had come over the

's manner

bearing even of the lady of his love. But, when it was reported that the irritated uncle talked of disinheritance, increasing formality on the father's part and frequent "not-at-homes" by the daughter, confirmed what before had been mere suspicion. Too soon the coup de tonnerre descended; and the old man's marriage, by the same blow, annihilated every hope of pardon and extinguished the torch of love. When brooding over loss of fortune one morning, a letter enveloped officially, and sealed with an earl's coronet, was delivered to the disinherited youth. It was from Lord and worded in the coldest language. It mentioned that, as idle reports had crept into circulation touching a non-existent engagement, and that as these must be particularly disagreeable to himself, and annoying to Lady Caroline, it was desirable that such idle gossip should be ended. course the means were in a nutshell. It was imperative that there should be a total cessation of visiting at his house; while in public, Lady Caroline and Mr. Aylmer should meet as strangers. Such, he continued, were his decided opinions, and in these, his daughter entreated him to say that she altogether coincided.

Of

Before the next moon waned, a paragraph ran the rounds of the newspapers stating that a marriage in high life was decided on, and that the union would be immediate. The Earl of

successful suitor, the beautiful Lady Caroline the fair fiancée.

was the

At last the long-expected announcement, that the happy day was fixed for the 23rd of June, appeared in the courtly column of the morning papers. "The happy day!"-and would the false fair one feel it one,

"Whose morning rose

To promise rapture in its close ?"

No; all her love for Aylmer had returned; and, in secret bitterness of soul, she cursed the hour when she had consented to barter youth and beauty for titled wealth. And who was he who claimed her hand and fealty? The contrast between him and the rejected one was fearful, Aylmer, gifted by nature to exuberance-the earl

"A dwarf in person, and in mind a dolt."

A strong presentiment that the bridal day of his faithless mistress should be the last that he would pass in the metropolis, haunted Aylmer's fancy, and some freakish impulse induced him to repair to Merrion Square.

"Yes," he muttered, as he buttoned his coat collar to prevent recognition, "I'll view the spot once more, where I wooed and won the lost one."

The square was crowded when he reached it, for the bridal déjeunér had been delayed by waiting for the Viceroy, who honoured it with his company, and hence, the departure of the happy pair had been made later than was customary. The flagways were crowded with lookers-on; the drive nearly choked with carriages; while conspicuous by the white favors worn by the postilions, the travelling chariot of the noble bridegroom divided popular attention with the vice-regal state-coach and its escort of light dragoons.

"Not yet departed!" muttered Aylmer: "I must not risk a passing glance at her, or by heaven! I think 'twould madden me." And pressing through the crowd, he hurried from the square.

He cleared the throng, turned from the earl's mansion into a street leading into fields long since built upon. A loud hurra announced that the bridal equipage had started; and he walked hastily on in an opposite direction to that which he imagined the false fair one and her lord would take. Fate had still an arrow in reserve; and the last, to feelings already lacerated, was not less deadly than those that had preceded it.

The route he had unfortunately taken, unknown to Aylmer, led directly from the square into the southern road, when, in a few minutes, a rush at speed of borses was heard, and the carriage he was so anxious to avoid came rapidly on. As it overtook himstrange and evil augury! the near-side leader fell, rolling over and totally disabling the post-boy. Alarm and confusion followed; the carriage blinds were pulled up, the bride was pale as marble, and her lord, to all appearance, still more agitated than his lady. The only person who viewed the accident was the discarded lover; and by the common impulse of humanity, he sprang forward, and endeavoured to extricate the boy from the pressure of the fallen horse. He succeeded; and as he raised his tall figure from its stooping attitude, his eyes met Lady Caroline's. At the recognition Aylmer's face flushed to the very brows, while the bride, uttering a wild scream, fell back in the carriage and fainted.

"I have seen enough, and lived too long," muttered the discarded lover; "and now to seek the shortest and surest cure for misery like mine-a grave!"

He said, and hurried to the city.

Muffled in his coat, with his hat slouched over his forehead, Aylmer again repassed the house of feasting. He paused, fond wretch! to take a parting look at what he once believed to be the home of love and constancy. His stop was momentary, for in undertones, a voice whispered in his ear, "Ah! Mr. Aylmer, is it you?"

The person thus suddenly addressed, started and looked round. A woman was standing at his elbow, one who was once a favourite attendant of her who had ruled his heart.

Yes, Mr. Aylmer," was the reply.

"The last letter that you

gave me, and which I delivered to Lady Caroline, was handed to the earl unopened in my presence, and in less than half an hour afterwards-"

She paused.

"Go on, Kathleeine; what then?"

"Why, I was discarded like yourself."

"And have I injured thee, too, poor girl? I fancied that fate had reserved her malice for myself."

"Think nothing of it, sir. Were aught that could serve you to be done again, trust me, that Kathleeine would not fail you. Have I forgotten the many times I brought my lady's billets, how you would wrap the answer in a bank-note, give me a kiss, and tell me to pay the postage?"

Aylmer smiled bitterly, while his hand impulsively sought his pocket. "By heaven!" he muttered, "not one solitary shilling." And pushing roughly through the crowd, he hurried from the spot.

THE HOSPITAL OF THE SAN' SPIRITO AT ROME,

Ir is in March, and, I think, upon the first day of the month, that a somewhat curious ceremony is observed at this great and useful institution in the Eternal City. This is an annual and a public anatomical demonstration. The Locale is an old-fashioned saloon, surrounded by a kind of balustrade, or railing. It is overlooked by a small gallery, and around the saloon and outside the railings are raised seats and standing-places for the visitors. It is not, like one of the ceremonies of the church in Easter week, attended by thousands of natives and strangers; on the contrary, it is but little known, and is attended almost entirely by the inhabitants of the quarter in which the San' Spirito is situated, and by a few whom curiosity, invitation, or accident, may bring together. As I enjoyed the acquaintance of one of the kindest and the oldest surgeons employed there, I gladly accepted the opportunity of witnessing-or, as the French would say, of assisting at this ceremony.

Upon reaching the room, in which perhaps a couple of hundred persons were assembled, my attention was first struck by observing several young men dressed in a kind of college uniform, and handing round, upon trays, lemons, tied up in bunches with coloured ribbons. This beautiful fruit, still attached to its twigs, and surrounded by its leaves, was so abundant as to scent the atmosphere with a very agreeable odour.. The persons occupying the gallery, said to be governors or officials of some sort, were first served; then certain persons in the crowd below; and, lastly, the remainder of the fruit, now separate and single, were distributed among the casual visitors. While this ceremony was proceeding I had time to look about me, and observed that towards the upper portion of the circle there stood a large table, covered with a green baize, and upon it was placed an inclined plane of perhaps two yards long and one yard wide, bearing what appeared to be two large medallions, ornamented around with clipped and coloured paper, wrought into a kind of wreath in an oval form, and giving to the whole rather a pretty effect. On looking closer, however, it might be seen that the masses within these wreaths were parts of the human subject, very neatly dissected, and arranged in such a way as to be as little offensive as possible. A kind of lecture and demonstration, I found, was to be given upon the organs of deglutition, and the preparations were consequently made with that view. One of these exhibited the external, the other the internal or actual parts of the organs whose structure and functions were about to be explained. It is curious that the latterthe dissected and mangled portion-appeared to create no unpleasant sensation; but the former, the medallion, which was, in fact, the human head and neck, split through the crown down the forehead, nose, mouth, &c., and most carefully fastened flat upon a board, produced in a few persons, I observed, a very different effect. It was rather a handsome head, and the medallion, or alto-relievo, most

artistically executed; but, with its natural dark hair, eyelashes, and beard, it was by no means a pleasant object to look upon.

After a short delay, the lecturer and his assistant, apparently two students, advanced towards the table, and stood one at each end of it, with their faces towards the gallery and the mass of the spectators. After a brief prelude on the uses and importance of anatomy, one proceeded to read from a manuscript he held in his hand the names, situations, and offices of the muscles employed in the act of swallowing, and the other to point with a stilus, (a straightened wire,) to the parts and particulars as they were enumerated.

All this perhaps occupied half an hour, and terminated in a good deal of applause; but it was gone over too rapidly to be of any use whatever in the way of instruction, an object that, in all probability, was not intended to be realized.

As soon as this part of the business was finished, another of a very different, and of an amusing character, commenced. Half-a-dozen persons among the visitors, perhaps more, had come prepared with copies of verses adapted to the occasion, and complimentary either to the subject or to the persons engaged upon it. For an instant all stood up, each holding his manuscript in his hand ready to read, and for a minute or so no one appeared disposed to give way; but at last the point was decided in favour of an old, cadaverous-looking man, who slowly mounted his spectacles, slowly unfolded his paper, and slowly set a-going some dozen laborious stanzas, stuffed with long words, and awfully inverted and involved sentences, of which I could make nothing, and at which everybody appeared puzzled. Then came another of a more lively character, which my friend, the old surgeon, complimented, by saying that some of the concetti (conceits) 66 were not bad." Then came another, and another; the merits of which were warmly and readily acknowledged. But the last, which created the greatest sensation, and was read with a good deal of effect by a very droll-looking fellow, having the appearance of a mechanic, and who, I afterwards found out was a carpenter, was a genuine example of Roman humour, broad, and even extravagant. For my. self, I understood but very little of it; but it appeared to have been highly relished by a large portion of the assembly, who laughed and applauded most heartily. When I asked the surgeon for an explanation of some points and phrases I had caught hold of, he smiled, shook his head, and told me I must take a degree in the Piazza Navona, and prepare myself by studying the works of its hero, Meo Patacca, and the great Pansanera, his friend. It appeared from the surgeon's account that a very large portion of this droll effusion was given in the patois, the slang rather, or, as a polite Roman would say, in the linguaccio of Trastevere, the St. Giles's or the Wapping of Rome. It commenced by remarking, that whatever differences of opinion might exist as to the importance of anatomy, none could doubt the uses of the organs-all authorities were in their favour; they were employed by the first man, and were the first that men learnt to employ, and their antiquity was greater than that of science itself; that it was unnecessary to say much about the mode of employing them; that that might be seen every day at the Falcone or the Gensola (two renowned eating-houses in that quarter); that the throat was the road of all the good things of life-no disparagement to the via sacra; that it ought to be put under the special protection