"late, having a quarrel with John, third "brother of Richard, under pretence of

guarding against his defigns, furrounded"the whole with imbattled walls, and "made on the outfide a vaft ditch; "into which, at aftertimes, the Thames.

water was introduced.--You also forgot "that it is a state-prifon, and has been "the scene of much bloodshed."

"I had not forgotten that, Sir, though "I do not remember particulars."

"Nor do I entirely," anfwered his father; "but the firft perfon, if I mistake "not, who fuffered there by the axe, "that is, beheading, was Sir Simon de

Burley, the most accomplished man of "his time, and tutor to Richard the "Second. Since that period the executions. "have been innumerable; or to speak "more properly, too many for me to re"member; though I fhall recollect anec

dotes of feveral, on viewing the chapel." "Yes, papa," said Mary " and I re"member reading, a long time ago, that "many.

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many people had been killed within the "Tower."

"True, my love, even feveral known "murders have difgraced this ancient "fortress: Henry the Sixth fell by the

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dagger of the affaffin Gloucester, after"wards Richard the Third, there also "died by hired ruffians, his brother "Clarence, and the young innocents "Edward the Fifth, and his brother the

Duke of York, victims of their re"morfelefs uncle Richard.-In the reign " of James the First, Sir Thomas Over"bury was poisoned there; whose mur

derers, at least the principals, escaped "with life, though their wretched inftru"ments met their deferved punishment; "and among whom was Sir Gervis

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Elways, lieutenant of the Tower, who "was hanged near the fpot for being "concerned in this abominable action.--. "Nor muft I neglect to tell you, that "at his death he made a folemn admo

"nition to the spectators, counseling "them against appealing to Heaven by

"idle or rafh vows; for having, as he

faid, been greatly addicted to gaming, " he had seriously faid, in his prayers, "Lord, let me be hanged if ever I play more; " and yet he perpetually broke it. Thus, my children, he felt that his life was a "deferved forfeit to the violated laws of "God and man; and that he had peculiarly called it on himself."

ઃઃ

This difcourfe brought them to Tower-. hill; where having walked fome time they entered the fortrefs. Charles's attention was greatly attracted by the wea pons placed in the armory in different forms, and Mary was equally pleased with the fplendour of the crown-jewels; but nothing interested either fo much as the lions, which Charles obferved, that he had read were the most noble and courageous of all animals, and that he now truly believed it from their appearance.

"They may perhaps be fo, Charles," replied his father, "in their natural ftate, "but in the captivity in which they are "here immured, their real character is

"destroyed,

"destroyed, and I have heard they become <inactive and even pufillanimous; but "this I fpeak from report, not from my "own obfervations, though I should be "apt to believe it true; for inactivity and "confinement will, in time, deftroy the brightest endowments both of body and "mind; a truth I have too frequently seen "verified.—But in respect to these animals, "I have read an account of King James "the First and Lord Lenox, with feveral "other noblemen, going to the Tower and

causing a male and female lion to be "taken from their dens, and a live cock "to be thrown to them which they pre

..

fently killed.---The King then ordered "a lamb to be turned to them, but this

they did not touch, although it walked "close up to them.---The King then "ordered thefe lions away, and another "to be put in their place, to which he "caufed two maftiffs to be turned in. "The dogs prefently flew on the lion, " and threw him on his back; who, though " undoubtedly fuperior to them in ftrength,

was

"was decidedly, in this cafe, inferior to "them in courage.---In this reign there more experiments tried of the "fame kind; but ftories of wanton cru

"were

elty can neither be pleasant for you to "hear nor me to relate."

"But, papa," faid Mary, "it was ge"nerous of the lions not to hurt the lamb; "but I have heard that they only attack "fuch as are capable of defence."

"I much doubt the truth of that," replied her father; "here they are regularly

fed, and ufe no exercife; they have "therefore not thofe motives to excite "them to attack as in forefts, where they "roam about rendered doubly ferocious. by hunger, and in which cafe I cannot

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fuppofe they would fpare any beast that "fell in their way: nay, so sensible are the "weaker animals of their danger, that, in "their native woods, all flee at the roaring " of the lion,"

The keeper, who had been obfervant to Mr. Richardfon's difcourfe, faid, "I will

"tell