source the mother of Lucilla applied, for the purpose of introducing her into the beau-monde:-her application was successful; and under the protection of her two cousins, Emma and Caroline, Lucilla was, by degrees, admitted into the fashionable circles they frequented, and allowed to be a constant visitor in their own parties. Her mother began now to hope, that since her daughter possessed such facilities of intercourse with the great and rich, her delusive projects would be crowned with success; but in vain did Lucilla strive, by a display of her charms and an exhibition of her abilities, to excite the attention of the gentlemen of the haut-ton; in the present day, something more is required than mere polite ness and accomplishments, and there are few who would seriously think of marrying for love, where there is no money. Still she pursued her object with undeviating ambition, and doubted not of its ultimate success. Weaned from attachment to domestic pleasures, she never felt happy, but when enFaged in the delightful round of end visits, parties, promenades, and assemblies. Her taste and habits were formed, and the bias she had received in her education now became the ruling principle of her conduct. In the midst of this whirl of amusement, while in expectation that she had at length succeeded in making a conquest, assembled at an evening select party, at the Knight's, a servant announced that a messenger desired to see the mother of Lucilla :-sad was the intelligence he communicated-the death of her husband suddenly, of an apoplectic attack. This occurrence at once dissipated all the fancied schemes of happiness, and hopes of elevation, she had so long cherished her husband left her with an income scarcely sufficient to enable her to maintain herself respectably; it might have been more, had not the extravagancies she had been guilty of deained his resources, and impoverished his fortune. Her sons were provided for by their own exertions; but Lucilla, divested of every support, slighted by her uncle and cousias, unable any longer, without their countenance, to mingle in the gay parties of pleasure, or attend the amuse-, ments to which she had been accustomed, sank into what she ought ever to have been, the daughter of a surgeon. It was now that Lucilla first began to reflect;-the change of circumstances enforced it on her; and she, who when encircled by others as giddy and thoughtless as herself, looked forward to golden days of pleasure and happiness in prospect, now saw nothing but dreariness and desolation before her. It was, however, absolutely needful to determine on something;-all hope of rising was dashed to the earth, and she could only hope to fill some situation in a lower scale of society. To one, who had been bred up with such high expectations;to one, whose mother had constantly instilled into her the station she had a right to anticipate, what such a reverse must have produced may be better conceived than described. Reduced to this state of comparative poverty, deserted by those who in the time of prosperity were full of professions of eternal friendship and inseparable attachment, she was compelled to look round ou the world, and to consider in what way she might be able to support herseif. Her mother's pride yet remained, amidst the depression of her circumstances, and the daughter's sensibility was fully awake to the different station of life to which she was destined, compared with what, from her earliest years, she had been taught to expect. Her mother had retired to a village a few miles from town, where she took a small house; with her Lucilla spent twelve long months in a state of compara tive privation, and shut out from all company this was needful as a probationary scheme, to humble her, and render her more capable of entering on some service whereby she might attain her livelihood. Her uncle, the Knight, interested himself so far, as to procure her the situation of governess in a clergyman's family, which she gladly accepted. Hard was the task to bring her delicate constitution, increased still more by the indulgences she had received, to the sedentary employment and close application necessary for the office she had undertaken; but it was absolutely needful, and she knew that it was now her duty, as well as her interest, to fulfil it to the best of her abilities. This she endeavoured to do; but the remembrance of what she had been, with the chagrin occasioned by the disappointment of her hopes, has embittered her happiness for ever, aud rendered her a prey to all the miseries and torments of unsatisfied ambition and pride. HEN any inquiry into the present state and advantage of society is discussed, I have always observed the readiness and impartiality with which you have given it publication, particularly in matters of wisdom and morality. Some of your Corres pondents have lately argued on the probability and improbability of advantage being derived from the erection of churches, which I believe is in agita. To the Editor of the European Magazine. tion: but is it not strange, that while so able men are on the probability of Jiling them, that one cir. cumstance, highly injurious to the cause, should be overlooked - it is the delivery of Sunday newspapers; a domestic evil of which, I fear, most tradesmens' families have had occular demoustration. There are men who might be induced to attend divine service on a Sunday morning with their children, providing they had (to use their own. phrase) no other amusement-but, Mr. Editor, it is a custom on that day to lay the paper on the breakfasi-table-and wives, until custom has reconciled them to it, may observe, that not only their religion but their very persons are neg lected. I am, 14th August, 1818. B. To the Editor of the Luropean Magazine, SIR. Na Memoir of the late Humphry Reptor, Esq. in the European Magazine for last month, there are some triding errors, which you will, I have no doubt, correct in your next Number. SIR, last Sierra Leone, in addition to framy Sters seut out for the purpose of exploring the interior of Africa, having failed, and the enterprising and persevering Mr. Berkhardt having frustrated the well grounded hopes of the African Association, by his having paid the debt of nature; it is not improbable that his Majesty's Government will now direct their attention with energy to the only plan that can possibly make that interesting and extraordinary country a jewel in the British Crown. This important discovery, which would immortalize the Prince who should che rish it to its maturity, can be effected only through the medium of commerce. But it should be attempted not only with energy and decision, but with dispatch, before the enterprising and com. mercial spirit of a foreign Power (sceing how abortive our efforts have been) shall snatch from us the glorious oppor tunity now offered of laying open the interior regions of Africa to the com mercial enterprise of Great Britain. I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, VASCO DE GAMA. Elon, 30th June, 1818. EXCURSION TO BRIGHTON, DURING THE MONTH OF JULY 1816: Quitting ISLINGTON immediately after breakfast, we set off in a barouche and four, accompanied by our sons and In Four Letters to a Friend in Wales. pupils all right merrily disposed for DEAR FRIEND, A BRIGHTON was this summer the ob- "The Common, overgrown with fern, and rough With prickly gorse, that shapeless and deform'd, And dangerous to the touch, has yet its And decks itself with ornaments of gold, sense COWPER, With luxury of unexpected sweets!" our withdrawment into the country. Leaving the Clapham road, we bend our course towards BRIXTON-a pleasing little village in the vicinity of Stock well. Here gentlemens' houses abound in every direction, with gardens reminding their possessors of the paradisaical regions of their first parents-who placed thus by their benevolent Creator, must have revelled in all the charms of rural glory "The sight is pleased, The scent regaled¬each odoriferous leaf, Its gratitude, and thanks him with its We now pushed along to CROYDON,, 1000 houses, and upwards of 5000 ten miles from Westminster-bridge, inhabitants-700 of whom are employed aud one of the pleasantest towns in in trade and manufacture. It has an Surrey. The CHURCH, with its stately hospital, founded by Archbishop Whittower, is an ancient and venerable struc- gift, for a warder and about twenty ture, enriched by several monuments of poor men and women, decayed housethe Archbishops of Canterbury. Those keepers of Croydon and Lambethof GRINDALL, of WHITGIFT, and of an excellent charity, The manor, since SHELDON, are entitled to special atten- the reign of William the Conqueror, tion. Here are to be seen the grave belongs to the Archbishop of Canter stones of the conciliatory Wake, the bury. Vast quantities of charcoal are learned Potter, and the amiable Here made here, with wood cut down on the ring, of patriotic memory! Here also adjacent hills. Its market, well sup lies interred Alexander Barclay, an plied with all kinds of provisions, par English writer of the sixteenth cen- ticularly fowls, oats, and oatmeal, is tury-so famous, that the claim to held on a Saturday. There are two his birth hath been disputed by Eng. fairs-the one in June, the other in land and Scotland. He was master October this latter is denominated both of the ancient and modern lan- Walnut Fair, and is much frequented guages. As an improver of English by the youth of the metropolis, as literature, it is said, that his industry well as of the surrounding country, in enriching the language with many A navigable canal from Croydon, contranslations, written in a style more Dected with the Grand Surrey Canal pure and fluent than that of his con- at Rotherhithe, and an Iron-Railway temporaries, entitles him to grateful from Wandsworth hither, extended to commemoration. His Ship of Fools, Ryegate, cannot fail to promote the a satirical work in verse and prose, commercial importance of Croydon with wood cuts, was the most popular and its vicinity. of all his writings. It spared neither laity nor clergy. The archbishops of Canterbury had once a palace herebut it has disappeared, and the grounds have become a calico manufactory. Large pieces of linen are also on this spot seen stretched out bleaching in the sun-its whiteness may be deemed emblematic of that spotless sanctity which is expected to characterise the conduct of a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The archiepiscopal palace was no mean edifice in former days. In July 1573, Archbishop Parker entertained here Queen Elizabeth and her court several days; and Whitgift more than once received a visit from the same princess on this spot. During the civil wars, it was seized by the Parliament, and leased to Sir William Brereton; of whom it is humorously said, "a notable man at a thanksgiving dinner, having terrible long teeth, and a prodi gious stomach to turn the Archbishop's Chapel into a kitchen, and to swallow up that palace and lands at a morsel ?" The palace was fitted up after the Restoration by Archbishop Juxonwho attended on the scaffold Charles the Ist, of unhappy memory, The town of Croydon is well built, and agreeably situated on the edge of Banstead Downs. It contains about From the cheerful town of CROY DON, we passed on another ten miles to REIGATE, or, as it is sometimes spelled, Ryegate. The names of some places have a varied orthography. This town (thirty-three miles from Brighton and twenty-one from London), though small, seemed to possess a little anima iton. It is a borough, containing 400 houses, and upwards of 2000 inhabitants -200 of whom were returued as em ployed in trade. The town lies in a pleasant valley, called Holmsdalethe name being derived from a Saxon word, signifying the course of a river. There are some remains of Holm's Castle, in which the BARONS met, during the contest with King Jobu, of infamous memory. Indeed, a cavern is still shewn, where it is said Magna Charta was drawn up-afterwards signed at Runnymede. Some years ago, I entered this awful exca vation-sat in the niches where the assembly was accommodated – and me, ditated on times of yore! Emerging from this subterraneous habitation, I felt no little pleasure in my restora tion to daylight and liberty.-Bending my footsteps downwards, I sought "The rock-hewn seas that round THE CAVE Majestic forms, and men of other times, I should have mentioned, that Holm's Castle was forfeited in the civil warswhich raging between Charles the 1st and his Parliament, devastated the kingdom from one end to the other. Happily such times are gone by, and 1 trust for ever. On the site of an ancient priory here is built a beautiful mansion, called the Priory. The haunts of superstition are well metamorphosed into the abodes of honest cheerfulness and generous hospitality. It is curious, that the market-house was formerly dedicated to Thomas à Becket, a turbulent saint of the twelfth century, The town gives title of Baron to the Peterborough family. Fuller's earth and medicinal springs abound in the vicinity. Thus the goodness of Providence not only endows the vegetable, but also the mineral kingdom, with medicinal qualities kindly providing in some cases for the alleviation, and in other cases for the extirpation, of the maladies of mankind. The church at Ryegate is a fine Gothic fabric, distinguished, by modern improvements. It is well pewed, and has a fine ring of eight bells. Monuments adorn the interior of the ›edifice, some of which may be pronounced costly memorials of mortality. This is particularly the case as to the monument of the Ladbroke family. A more ancient memorial is that consecrated to the memory of Sir Thomas Bludder, Kut, and bis Lady. The Latin inscription tells us, that this fortunate Couple having had ten children, lived lovingly, faithfully, and prosperously, in wedlock, together, for sixty-seven years!" They most assuredly must, whilst steadily obeying the first cammandment ou record, have been an illustrious pattern of connubial felicity! Instances so rare should be hoBourably emblazoned, and descend, for the honour of human nature, down to distant posterity. A curious tablet is to be seen in this church, with this inscription" Near this place lieth Edward Bird, Esq. ·Metrical History of England, by TноMAS DIBDIN, Esq. of the Surrey Theatre, and brother of the ingenious Mr. Charles Dibdin, of Sadler's Wells. died 23rd Feby 1719, in age. 26.' This man was executed at Tyburn, for the murder of Samuel Luxton, a waiter at an inn in London. The provocation was trivial-having ordered him to get a Bath ready in the morning, another person attended upon him for the purpose. This so enraged Bird, that he not only threw Luxton over the stairs, breaking his ribs, but also stabbed him to the heart! Great interest was made to save the wretch from an ignominious exit-but in vain. The erection of a monument to his memory was, after much opposition, granted only on condition that the figure in stone should have a haller round his neck! This is still pointed out though an effort was made at one time to describe it as a loper's knot, so as to rescue his memory from infamy. The murderer belonged to a respectable family at Windsor, and was educated at Eton College. He had made the tour of France and Italy; aud, on his return, had obtained a lieutenant's commission in a regiment of cavalry. But the character of this young man was highly immoral-and his unbridled passions, which he disdained to controul, brought him to an untimely end "Down the smooth stream of life the stripling darts, Gay as the morn-bright glows the vernal sky, Hope swells his sails, and Passion steers his course; Safe glides his little bark along the shore Where VIRTUE takes her stand-but if foo far He launches forth beyond Discretion's mark, Sudden the tempest scowls-the surges roar, Blot his fair day, and plunge him in the deep!" PORTEUS. In prison, after his conviction, Bird attempted to destroy himself and at the place of execution he manifested the greatest unconcern, asking for å glass of wine; which being refused, he solicited a pinch of snuff, taking it with the utmost indifference, and wishing health to the surrounding multitude!-With a heart thus indurated by vice, how awful the precipitation into eternity -His mother witnessed the execution, and her agonising feelings soon sent her to the grave. Solomon hath emphatically declared, thatA wise son maketh a glad father—but a foolish, or profligate, son is the heavi ness of his mother. The latter circum |
