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"Towards eight o'clock in the evening, Charles asked if the consecrated tapers were ready; and he was evidently sinking rapidly. The physicians acknowledged that the case was past their skill, and that all hope was over. Charles lay in a stupor, seemingly unconscious, but now and then mumbling a prayer. After some addresses by the attending ecclesiastic had been made, the emperor interposed, saying, 'The time is come; bring me the candle and the crucifix.' These were cherished relics, which he had long kept in reserve for this supreme hour. The one was a taper from our lady's shrine at Montserrat; the other a crucifix of beautiful workmanship, which had been taken from the dead hand of his wife at Toledo. He received them eagerly from the archbishop, and, taking one in each hand, for some moments he silently contemplated the figure of the Saviour, and then clasped it to his bosom. Those who stood nearest to the bed now heard him say quickly, as if replying to a call, Ya, voy, Senor !'-now, Lord, I go. As his strength failed, his fingers relaxed their hold of the crucifix, which the primate, there fore, held up before his eyes. A few moments of death-wrestle between soul and body followed; after which, with his eyes fixed on the cross, and with a voice loud enough to be heard outside the room, he cried, Ay Jesus,' and expired." It is melancholy to see a powerful mind thus leaning upon the broken reeds of crucifixes and relics when entering eternity. These are a poor substitute for the true peace which a living faith in the atonement of Christ gives in such an hour.

About a hundred years after his death, the remains of Charles were conveyed to the vaults of the Escurial, and deposited with great honours in that splendid mausoleum. In 1780 they were disturbed, under extraordinary circumstances, by Mr. Beckford, of Fonthill, that pampered child of fortune, who begged as a favour that he might be allowed to look on the remains of the great emperor. His request was complied with. The coffin was opened, and the light gleamed once more on the face of the mighty dead. The features bore a great resemblance to the emperor's portrait.

The monastery of Yuste was long celebrated in consequence of its having had the honour of receiving Charles into its retreat. It is now, however, a desolate ruin. Mr. Stirling paid a visit to it, and we cannot, perhaps, give our readers a better specimen of the great literary merits of this work than by transcribing the passage in which, with touching pathos, the author records his impressions of the scene:

"When I visited it in 1849, it was inhabited only by the peasant-bailiff of the lay proprietor, who eked out his wages by showing the historical site to the passing stranger. The strong granitebuilt church, proof against the fire of the Gaul and the wintry storms of the sierra, was a hollow shell-the classical decorations of the altar, and quaint wood-work of the choir, having been partly used for fuel, partly carried off to the parish church of Quacos. In a vault beneath, approached by a door of which the key could not be found, I was told that the coffin, of massive chestnut planks, in which the emperor's body had lain for sixteen years, was still kept as a relic. In his palace, the lower chambers were used as a magazine for fuel;

and in the rooms above, where he lived and died, maize and olives were gathered, and the silkworm wound its cocoon in dust and darkness. His garden below, with its tank and broken fountain, was overgrown with tangled thickets of fig, mulberry, and almond, with a few patches of pot-herbs, and here and there an orange tree or a cypress, to mark where once the terrace smiled with its blooming parterres. Without the gate, the great walnut tree-sole relic of the past with which time had not dealt rudely-spread forth its broad and vigorous boughs to shroud and dignify the desolation. Yet, in the lovely face of nature, changeless in its summer charms, in the hill, and forest, and wide Vera, in the generous soil and genial sky, there was enough to show how well the imperial eagle had chosen the nest wherein to fold his wearied wings."

Thus ends this singular episode of history. We cannot but feel interested in it. It has its clear and its dark side. The latter is the degraded bigotry in which the mind of this remarkable man was enslaved; the other is the powerful lesson which the facts supply of the hollowness of the world. Charles v confessed this when he resigned a mighty empire. May we too make the discovery ere it be too late, and take refuge for consolation, not in a vain monastic superstition, but in a true surrender of the soul to Him, who has invited all the weary and heavy laden of the children of men to come unto Him and find rest.

NEW YEAR'S DAY IN STOCKHOLM. THE first day of another year! The first new year's day, too, I ever spent in a foreign land. At six o'clock in the morning I got up, and having thought of the friends I had living, in the only way in which I could do them any good-in prayer for them, I went out over the snowy and frozen streets to the early service that is held in the Swedish churches on this morning, when they are curiously and brilliantly lighted up with candles, as ours are decorated with holly and ivy.

It was a bitter morning. I never felt one, even in this northern climate, more freezingly cold. The people were moving to church; lanterns carried by servants shed a gleam and glare over the white and glittering ground. The wolf and dog-skin-covered coachmen halted patiently beside their drooping and half-frozen horses; and a white long line of light, where all else was dark, guided my way to the church. The lantern carried before her, I may remark, is the Swedish lady's proof of propriety when she goes out, even when the light of the moon and stars is clearer, as at this season it often is, than that of the sun at noon-day. The crowd at the church when I arrived was great, extending far into the street before the door. The people of Sweden are, however, by no means great churchgoers; but on Christmas and New Year's mornings, when the churches are decorated with lights, they are immensely thronged. There is a curious superstition still extant in this country, that if children can be got into church early on Christmas morning, for the Jul otta, or morning-song, they will easily learn to read. In a country where every one must learn, and where parents are commonly the

teachers, owing to the distance of schools, it is naturally an object to get first lessons quickly acquired; and it is curious, on Christmas morn, to see the multitude of little creatures that are brought out at that early hour, and the quiet noiseless perseverance of their friends in getting them within the crowded churches. The cold without, on the present occasion, was so intense, that I was anxious to get speedily within; but when at last, by the constant moving out of those who were in the building before me, I accomplished my wish, the cold there, notwithstanding the crowd, was as great as out of doors, though the floor was not of stone, but of wood. The churches of Sweden are never warmed by artificial means, and one of the results is, that in winter they are left nearly empty, except on a great occasion like this, or when a favourite preacher is to be heard, at which times the cold is braved. It is always known when the latter may be the case, for the names of all the preachers are advertised in the newspapers beforehand. On the occasion I am speaking of, by the time my entrance was effected, the clergyman or priest, as he is called here, was in the pulpit. The form of religion in this Lutheran land is in some respects a singular mixture. On what are called high-days, the minister is robed as gorgeously as any Roman catholic priest; on other days he is allowed to officiate without any robing at all. Singing and preaching form the principal and favourite parts of the church service; prayer is but little thought of; and by a curious rule of their church the people are desired to repeat the responses when the service is sung, but to be silent when it is said. On a Sunday which was not a high-day, I saw a clergyman preach in a plain great-coat, without gown or anything: to-day, when I got in, the appearance of the party officiating was entirely different, and through the glaring lights of countless candles, which encircled the pillars, and surrounded the pulpit, he was gleaming in white, and crimson, and gold. Much, evidently, remains to be done to bring the Swedish church into a state of healthy evangelical simplicity.

The intense cold of the ground in Sweden is unlike anything ever felt in England; and the floor, as I have said, felt to me more chilly than the ground out of doors. I soon, therefore, returned to the quarters I had left. The contrast between what I experienced there, and what I had just seen, was very great. A family affliction had visited the house of our kind and worthy minister at the British Embassy. To the few other English houses in Stockholm I was unknown, or uninvited; a day, therefore, of national visits and invitations was to be passed by me, a stranger and foreigner, in silence. Let me only learn, if ever I have an opportunity of practising, to remember the stranger and solitary when I am no longer so myself, on other Christmas days, and on other New Year's days, if God will that I see them.

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On New Year's day in Sweden, every one goes to see every one: the wonder to me is, how any one seen, for all seem to be abroad, all are visitors, all are flying from house to house to say a happy New Year; but who can say it, who can hear it? the streets are filled, the houses empty. The number of cards exchanged on this day must come to a curious amount, especially as during the winter

season, ladies are seldom at home to morning visitors. I amused myself in looking at the hurrying masses, of all conditions, passing hither and thither, flitting in droves over the picturesque bridge, or the snowy place before me, to compliment their acquaintance, and exchange affectionate greetings with friends and relatives. This visiting is not, as with us, a matter of choice and convenience; it is one of importance-indeed, of positive business; whatever be left undone, those who visit on no other day must visit on New Year's day

A singular old custom is still preserved in Stockholm on this occasion. It is that of an entertainment given by the townspeople, or working classes, to the king and royal family. This custom lingers on, though so many other old ones are dying out. As I felt curious to witness the entertainment, I took charge of a party of young ladies who were still more eager to go to it, and we repaired to the Exchange just two hours before the time of the royal arrival. As all classes, down to the lowest, are at liberty, if they will, to join in this grand assembly, and be for once at least in company with the royalty and nobility of the land, provided they can pay one daler, or a little more than one shilling, for a ticket, and are not known to be what is called disreputable, it may be supposed the gathering was a large one, taking into account also the Swedish taste for king-gazing. We got our places against the wall of an immensely long room, other ladies being ranged in tiers round the great apartment, leaving a space directly before us, which was occupied by a dais with a crimson velvet canopy, for the royal guests. The entire centre of the room was filled by the men, of all ranks and occupations, in civil, military, and naval uniforms: nobles, merchants, shopkeepers, shoemakers, tradesmen of all sorts, stood there together, leaving a pretty wide space between them and the fair sitters, who, as much diversified as the males in rank as in appearance, were to remain quietly ranged like so many hot-house plants, lining the walls of the vast apartment, for the space of two long hours!

It is a curious peculiarity of northern society, that the men universally enjoy their own company in a room apart from the ladies. In general there are three rooms for evening parties; into the innermost a dame of mature age is at once conducted by her hostess, and installed on the sofa, the seat of honour which no inferior or younger person will take in a Swedish house. Another room is for the young people, where they will collect together. The outermost is for the men; and when, wearied with sitting on the honourable sofa, I have strayed through all the rooms into this last one, I have felt just as if I had got into a club-room, where a lady's presence is proscribed. Even in smaller parties, where so many rooms are not en suite, these three divisions are maintained, Swedish society naturally resolving itself into three parts. Here in this great saloon of the Exchange, the men were not allowed to take seats: there were barely enough for the ladies; still I only saw then on a larger scale what I had often seen in private company-the law of repulsion instantly put in force, as soon as the men and women of Sweden entered the same society.

Completely tired of my post against the wall

was I. After having patiently occupied it, however, I have attempted to do this so soon, as the ice for a long time, King Oscar, Queen Josephine, the might not have been firm; but it was solid as the Queen Dowager, who was named Desideria on ground. coming to the throne, the Crown Prince and his young wife, the lovely Prince Gustavus, the young sailor Prince Oscar, Prince August, and the amiable Princess Eugenia, made their entrance and took the seats prepared for them.

A considerable interval having been spent in festivities of different kinds, the royal guests were invited to supper in another room; when this was over, a curious" speaking-progress" was made by each of them separately. The Crown Princess, looking timid, almost to awkwardness, commenced the circuit of the room. Conducted by her chamberlains, she walked round the vacant space left between the standing men and sitting women, and bowed, and spoke, and put her handkerchief to her face and laughed, and looked again to the chamberlain, who told her in low tones whom she was particularly to notice, or gave some clue to the appropriate sentences she was to utter, and the knowledge she was to possess of the lady who stood before her, smiling, flattered, and very ill at ease, though, perhaps, in the latter respect, not more so than the royal lady who went through this annual talking duty.

Next came the Queen-all smiles and graciousness, charming every one, knowing every one, telling every one something that caused them to wonder how her majesty knew that, and leading them to think they were at all times the objects of her majesty's special observation. And then came her daughter, so simple and kind, and the old queen, quite the little Frenchwoman, always looking as if she were saying, "Charming, charming," to every thing and every one, and as if she thought it by no means so terribly fine to be a queen. After the ladies came his majesty, to whom that talking promenade must be a real penance, for he speaks chitchat with difficulty, having a hesitating, almost timid manner, unless he engages on a topic of interest, or converses with literary or scientific persons. The Crown Prince got on without much bashfulness, which is by no means his weakness; the young brothers followed his example, and when they saw him speak to any one, inquired who it was, and went on to do the same, with looks and manners that evinced their desire to be agreeable.

This meeting is meant, I suppose, to be conducted on the principle of equality, and to bring the townspeople into personal intercourse with their sovereign. But, after all, distinction, precedence, and preference, were as much observed here as any where else. To me, I must say, the whole thing was a rather heavy and tiresome business, but it was curious to see it for once, as a national institution of very ancient standing. Much more did I enjoy the lovely walk which I took the next morning, to do away with the headache that evening had caused. I walked over two islands, one of which forms a part of Stockholm, the other a beautiful park called the Djurgard. Without knowing it, I had crossed a part of the Baltic sea, the ice on which was so covered with snow that I did not perceive I was walking over water till I came to the opposite bank, where was the landing-place for boats. I was told I ought not to

The Swedes talk much of the stability of their climate, and of the variableness of ours; but as yet I have seen more changeableness here than I ever remarked in England. On this 2nd of January, for instance, the warmth and brightness of the sun were really curious; New Year's day, on the other hand, had been the most bitterly cold I had ever felt. After the intervention of this fine day, we were visited with the first real snow storm I had seen. On the 3rd of January, the ice was hard, the snow deep and glittering; beautiful too were the rocks and firs, darkly rising up in sunshine and snow. Two days afterwards, the cold was extreme; the wind rose to a gale, but did not shake the massive walls and firm-set windows of my Swedish dwelling. Accustomed to the groaning, creaking, rattling of an English house in a strong wind, it was curious to feel oneself only made sensible of a Swedish storm out of doors, by seeing the signs of it, and not hearing its effects. This gale was followed by more than twenty-four hours of violent rain. The snow was swept away, the sledges were put up, every one looked dull and dissatisfied; but on the open place which lay before my windows, I still saw people sliding over what seemed to me to be a sheet of water. But at three o'clock night fell, the lamps and housewindows were lighted, and a cry of delight burst from my lips-for that which I had thought a sheet of water, was now a crystal mirror, formed of the wet ice, off which the snow had melted, and reflecting a triple row of sparkling lights, which appeared underneath, as if enlightening the depths of an underground crystal palace. It reminded me, though on a clearer, larger, and more beautiful scale, of a subterranean lake I had crossed in a boat in one of the Austrian salt mines, which also reflected the small oil lamps that surrounded it, while the white walls of salt bore some resemblance to the snows of Sweden. The twenty-four hours rain had only rendered the ice more visible, but not more yielding; its slipperiness made it dangerous to walk, yet it was curious to see the horses trotting safely up and down hills that looked like glass basins turned upside down. A snow-storm followed this rain. Borne upon the driving wind, the white cloud came on in a way I had never seen it before; through the gloom and the mist, too, the sledges, rapidly moving along the road had a singular aspect. The powdered trees, and masts of the vessels, gave the street the appearance of a wood, while the wild storm, which had something cruel and bitter in its breath and sound, whirling the snow here and there in showers of spray, made the scene just such a one as we see ir pictures of a northern winter, except that here there were many sledges, houses, palaces, and moving figures, whereas, in the picture, there would only have been a snowy landscape, a wood, and a stormdriven traveller, perhaps tracked by a famished wolf.

"Now, then," said my hostess, rubbing her hands cheerfully, with a smile crossing her white face-"now, then, you begin to see something of our winter. You never saw anything like this before: you have no snow in England; either; nothing but fog."

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I knew it to be of no use to contradict the good dame's ideas of my country, which she seemed strongly convinced were more correct than my own; I only looked from the window, shivered, and said, "It is frightful!"

"Frightful! not at all; we shall have it good now. This snow will soon freeze and become hard; it will then lie on the ground, and the industry will go on.'

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The sudden death of the Russian ambassador occurred just at this time. The people here would not believe that he was actually dead: he was therefore exposed, after the usual Swedish fashion, for three days, to the gaze of the curious. Dressed in full uniform, surrounded with plants, flowers, and lights, and waited on by a tribe of gorgeously clad servants, without a shade of sorrow on their faces, the spectacle presented to me a sad and painful homily on the vanity of worldly grandeur. The broad stairs and splendid rooms of that great mansion were trodden by rude, dirty, and careless feet; and there lay the late owner of all, unconscious, while the lowest of the rabble, as well as the highest in the land, were admitted to gaze, wonder, laugh, and tramp through his dwelling, On that same evening, the solemn sound of a tolling bell made me naturally conclude it was for this event; but a Swede, who was with me, began to count the strokes, and exclaimed: "It is in the north! it is beside us."

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Carl Johan (Bernadotte), at the later period of his life, would take long sedentary fits, during which he could not be induced to leave his room; but when a fire was announced, the old hero's energy was kindled, his horse was ordered, and he galloped to the scene of action. This present fire was only in a wood-yard; the flames did not spread; but how all the assistants, high and low, managed not to get them out sooner, appeared strange to us English folks, since the Swedes say their methods of management are infinitely superior to ours. They prevent them from spreading, certainly, but during this whole night the bells tolled, people talked, soldiers tramped, and sailors sung; while I, scared from sleep, had ample leisure for observing the effect of the red fitful light and dark column of smoke, that cast alternate and mingling shadows over the wide-extended and snowy scenery, which under every change seems to present me with something new, and something interesting to gaze at from my beautifully-situated apartments in Stockholm.

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THE PRICELESS DIAMOND. THERE is no gem, or jewel, or richest pearl in all the universe of such priceless value as the soul. Worlds could not buy it, worlds could not redeem it, if once lost. Reader! such a priceless diamond you carry about with you every day in your bosom, amid the dangers of earth, and where numerous and invisible foes are seeking to rob you of it. Do not delay to place it in the hands of the Almighty Saviour, who can alone preserve and keep it safely till the final day. Think, oh think how much is at stake! even your own soul, that must live for ever.

Suppose this world were a globe of gold, and each star in yonder firmament a jewel of the first order, and the moon a diamond, and the sun literally a crown of all created glory; one soul, in value, would outweigh them all. Suppose a man standing on board of a vessel at sea, holding his hand over the side of the vessel and sporting with a jewel, worth a hundred thousand pounds, and which, too, is all his fortune. Playing with his jewel, he throws it up and catches it-throws it up and catches it again! A friend, noticing the bril liancy of the jewel, warns him of the danger of losing it, and tells him if it slips through his fingers it goes to the bottom of the deep, and can be recovered no more. "Oh! there is no danger," he replies. "I have been doing this a long time, and you see I have not lost it yet." Again he throws it up, and-it is gone! past recovery. When the man finds that his jewel is indeed lost, and by his own folly, who can describe his agony, as he exclaims, "I have lost my jewel, my fortune, my all!" My friends, hear me! casketed in your bosom you have a jewel of infinitely greater value; you are in danger too of losing that pearl of price unknown. Whatever else is neglected, let this have your chief care.

RULES FOR HOME EDUCATION. 1. From your children's earliest infancy, inculcate the necessity of instant obedience.

2. Unite firmness with gentleness. Let your children always understand that you mean exactly what you say.

3. Never promise them anything unless you are quite sure you can give them what you promise.

4. If you tell a little child to do something, show him how to do it, and see that it is done.

5. Always correct your children for wilfully disobeying you, but never punish them in anger.

6. Never let them perceive that they can vex you, or make you lose your self-command.

7. If they give way to petulance and temper, wait till they are calm, and then gently reason with them on the impropriety of their conduct.

8. Remember that a little present punishment, when the occasion arises, is much more effectual than the threatening of a greater punishment, should the fault be renewed.

9. Never give your children anything because they cry for it.

10. On no account allow them to do at one time what you have forbidden under the like

circumstances at another.

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