ginning of the night, a very many tarrying, they vanished away: but dreadful sights in the air. A city immediately another strange comseemed to be besieged, ordnance pany, in like manner, colour and planted, soldiers drawn forth, and number, appeared in the same place, the clouds moving forward and backward, appeared like to two pitched battles, that stood ready to charge each other; but what caused the greatest terror in the beholders was, that these figures seemed to be all bloody, and as it were inflamed, and the face of the whole heavens also was dreadful to behold."

vestiges of either man or horse; not so much as the mark of a horse's hoof upon the turf. Astonishmentand a degree of fear, perhaps, for some time, induced them to conceal the

disclosed them, and as might be expected, were only laughed at for their credulity.

and easier of access on the East. On this mountain occurred the extraordinary phenomena, that towards the middle of the past century, excited so much conversation and alarm. We mean the visionary circumstances; but they at length appearances of armed men, and other figures; the causes of which have never yet received a satisfactory solution; though from the circumstances hereafter mentioned, there seems reason to believe that they are not entirely inexplicable. The particulars are related somewhat differently, but as Mr. Clarke procured the attestations of two of the persons to whom the phenomena were first visible, to the account inserted in his Survey of the Lakes, we shall relate the circumstances from that authority.

The following year, 1744, on the 23rd of June, as the same Daniel Stricket, who at that time lived with Mr. Wm. Lancaster's father, of Blakehills, was walking a little above the house, about half past seven in the evening, he saw a troop of horsemen riding along Souterfell side, in pretty close ranks, and at a brisk pace. Mindful of the ridicule which had been excited against him the previous year, he continued to observe them in silence for some time; but being at last convinced that the appearance was real, he went into the house, and informed Mr. Lancaster, that he had something curious to show him. They went out together, but before Stricket had either spoken or pointed to the place, his master's son had himself discovered the aerial troopers; and when conscious that the same appearances were visible to both, they informed the family, and the phenomena were alike seen by all.

By the attested relation, it seems, that the first time any of these visionary phenomena were observed, was on a summer's evening, in the year 1743. As Daniel Stricket, then servant to Jno. Wren, of Wilton Hall; the next house to Blakehills (which is about half a mile from Souter-fell) was sitting at the door with his master, they saw the figure of a man with a dog, pursuing some horses along Souter-fell side, a place so steep, that a horse can scarcely travel on it. They appeared to run at an amazing pace, till they got out These visionary horsemen seemed of sight at the lower end of the fell. to come from the lowest part of The next morning Stricket and his Souter-fell, and became visible at a master ascended the steep side of place called Knott; they then the mountain, in full expectation moved in regular troops along the that they should find the man lying side of the fell, till they became opdead; as they were persuaded that posite to Blakehills, when they went the swiftness with which he ran over the mountain: thus they demust have killed him; and imagin- scribed a kind of curvilineal path; ed likewise, that they should pick and both their first and last appearup some of the shoes, which they ances were bounded by the top of thought the horses must have lost the mountain. in galloping at such a furious rate. They, however, were disappointed; for there appeared not the least

The pace at which these shadowy ing forms proceeded was a regular swift walk; and the whole time of

the continuance of their appearance the shadows of living beings cast by was upwards of two hours; but the sun's rays upon the clouds, further observation was then pre- "united with some singular but uncluded by the approach of darkness. known refractive combinations in Many troops were seen in succession; the atmosphere."

and frequently the last, or last but The narrative we have just given one in a troop, would quit his posi- is so similar to one related by Livy, tion, gallop to the front, and then that, as it is short, we will quote it. observe the same pace with the The historian in describing the others. The same changes were times of the second Punic war, when visible to all the spectators; and the Hannibal was at Capua, and almost view of the phenomena was not daily expected to appear with his vicconfined to Blakehills only, but was torious Carthaginians before Rome seen by every person at every cot- itself, (about B. C. 215,) after tage within the distance of a mile. noticing several prodigies then Such are the particulars of this commonly reported, but upon which singular relation as given by Mr. he casts discredit, continues thus, Clarke. The attestation is signed "Quin Romæ quoque, &c." i. e. by Lancaster and Stricket, and dated" But even in the city of Rome itself, the 21st July, 1745. The number just after a swarm of bees had apof persons who witnessed the march peared in the forum, certain men, of these aerial travellers, seems to affirming that they saw armed legions have been twenty-six. on the hill Janiculum, (one of the

(To be continued.)

ISIDORE THE HERMIT.

These phenomena have by some seven hills of Rome, beyond the been considered as a mere deceptio Tiber,) roused up the citizens to visus; but it appears in the highest arms. Those who were then at degree improbable, that so many Janiculum denied that any one had spectators should experience the appeared there, except the usual same illusion, and at exactly the inhabitants of the hill." (Livy, b. 24, same period. We should rather c. 10.) attribute these appearances to particular states of the atmosphere, and suppose them to be shadows of realities; (the time when they were observed being the eve of the rebellion, when some troops of horsemen might be privately exercising,) the airy resemblances of scenes actually passing in a distant part of the country, and by some singular operation of natural causes, thus expressively imaged on the acclivities of the mountains."

He called on Nature's self to share the shame,
But haughty still, and loth himself to blame,
And charged all faults upon the fleshly form
She gave to clog the soul, and feast the worm"

LARA.

THE hermit Isidore walked forth from his cave to breathe the sweet air of evening. He strayed awhile by the sea-side, listening to the soft voice of the subdued waves that

The authors then proceed to rolled murmuring to the shore, and compare this phenomenon to that which appears at times among the Hartz mountains of Hanover, and is known as the "Spectre of the Brocken," and throw out the supposition that both may alike proceed from

gazing on the red and pointed clouds that, in the west, arose like distant volcanoes from the sea. He then turned away into the open country that flourished beneath the hand of cultivation; the flowers shed their

blossoms at his feet; the rill gushed the golden tresses played in unconout by his side; and from the trees, fined luxuriance. From his shoulwhose tops were glowing with the ders sprang two white and shining deep radiance of sun-set, there came wings, that scattered fragrance and the rich melody of the nightingale. a golden light all around. Isidore But the eyes of Isidore were fixed trembled for a moment: but he was on the earth, for his spirit was sad comforted by the kind accents of within him. the stranger.

"Alas!" said he, "what avails "Fear not!" said the form, “I my search after wisdom and my toil am the Angel of Instruction. Thy after holiness while I am thus complaints have been heard, and I fettered with the chains of flesh? I come to teach thee wisdom. Thou have secluded myself from the so- didst desire to be a disembodied ciety of my fellows; I have mace- spirit, that so thou mightest be free rated my body with abstinence, and from sin. Thinkest thou, then, O have satisfied the cravings of nature man! that it is only the infirmity of with bitter or tasteless food. My thy body which covers thee with hours of repose have been few, and guilt-that if thou wert this moment my sleep has been broken by mid- to become a spirit, thou wouldst no night exercises of devotion, But longer pine with desire or swell with still have the soarings of my mind pride, but couldst then soar, perfect been repressed and thwarted by the in purity, to the high habitations of superior power of this mortal body. the blessed? Alas! Isidore, ere The passions of the flesh still pur- thy spirit had touched the sacred sue me. Lovely faces and volup- threshold thou wouldst so have tuous forms seem to flit across the sinned as to have become unworthy gloomy retirement, and my cheek to pass it." has glowed with the blush of crimi- "Nay, O angel!" answered the nal desire. Delicious viands and hermit; 66 make me but a spirit and sweet wines appear to be inviting I shall sin no more.' my taste, and I find myself sighing "Drink then, and be a spirit," for the banquet and the bowl. said the angel, as he presented to Would that I were all spirit! Then him a golden cup in which foamed should I no longer be the slave of a celestial liquid. The hermit resense and the captive of sin. Then ceived it with reverence, and eagerly could I spread an uncrippled wing drank its contents. Delicious was amid the broad expanse of hea- the draught, and marvellous were its ven the odours of holiness would effects. A wondrous change passed float continually around me, and the over Isidore. His flesh seemed to buoyancy of contentment would melt away; the form he now wore banish care from my soul." was light and buoyant; he felt as As he ceased to speak, he lifted though for him time and space were up his eyes from the ground on annihilated, as though he could scale which they had been fastened, and the heavens and sweep the ocean, as with astonishment beheld standing though infinitude had opened around before him a bright and beauteous him and eternity lay before him. being. On his calm and lofty brow He had become a spirit; and he sat enthroned the majesty of thought; longed to exercise his new faculties. his eyes sparkled with love: and "Give me thy hand," said the around his smooth, young cheek angel," and come with me."

66

Nay," replied Isidore, drawing this the unblemished purity of thy back; 66 thy gift, O angel, has ren- exalted condition? this the holiness dered that unnecessary. I need that is to be admitted to the comnot thine assistance now. Mine munion of the immortals? Know, own strength is amply sufficient." O man! that charity is the first of "Alas! Alas! Isidore!" exclaimed virtues; that contempt of one's felthe angel, already hast thou sinned lows is the worst of crimes. Go!and art become unworthy of heaven, thou art altogether unworthy of Is not pride, is not self-confidence a heaven. Farewell."

66

"Thou art forgiven!" returned the angel : "come with me."

"Oh, visit not thus severely,"

sin? Farewell." "Oh, pardon," cried Isidore," the replied the abashed Isidore, "an ignorance of one as yet unused to offence which sprang only from a the new dignity he has reached. too earnest desire for heaven. ForForgive the temerity of a weak mor- give, if, burning for those lofty tal who has so suddenly attained the mansions to which thou wast conelevation of a spirit." ducting me, I spurned for a moment this world of vanity. Forgive, if, dazzled by the anticipated splenIsidore seized the hand that was dour of yon radiant dwellings, I again held out to him, and prepared overlooked the suffering creature to mount towards heaven. But that lay in my path. Forgive me when they had passed a short dis- yet once more, Oh merciful being! tance from the hermit's cell, they I will not sin again." perceived a woodman lying pale, haggard, and insensible on a bank. He had been too eagerly pursuing his work during the heat of noon; the sun had smitten him; he had endeavoured to stagger towards the cooling brook, but, his weak steps having failed him, he had sunk powerless on the ground. There had he been lying for hours, unnoticed and uncared for; and in his distant cottage his wife and children were anxiously awaiting his return. The angel was moved with compassion. "Let us stop awhile," he said, "to bring back the light of life to this overtasked child of toil."

"Do not linger here," cried Isidore: "I am sick of the atmosphere of earth. I am impatient to reach the glittering palaces of the sky. Why should we be delayed by any one of man's puny race? What can his wants and his sufferings now matter to us ?"

"Isidore!" said the angel, in a slow and reproachful voice, "Is

"Yet once more, O erring mortal, do I pardon thee," replied the angel, "I will give thee one trial more."

The angel then dipped his golden cup in the rill; and bending over the expiring peasant, he moisteued his temples and his lips. The poor man began speedily to revive. His lips quivered and his eyes opened: and then he stretched his limbs and arose and walked homewards with a firm step.

Isidore beheld with wonder the power of the angel. Whatever he designed to do he did. Of a man he had made a spirit: to the dying he had restored life: "how delightful would it be," thought the hermit, "to possess such a majesty of might!" "Alas! O angel," said he, with a sigh of envy, "thou hast, indeed, made me a spirit: but how far inferior are my capacities to thine. Would that I might be equal in power to thee!"

Scarcely had he spoken, when the gay and glittering robes of spiritu