and mines; sketches and blacklead pencils; lakes, cascades, and mighty crags, took the place of sounder repose; presenting these various objects to their imagination with the rapidity and confusion of a rapidly whirling panorama. The consequence was, that by five o'clock in the morning, long before Thomas knocked at the door to say the "boat was ready," the two young gentlemen were up and dressed..

Nor were the two young ladies at all insensible to the coming pleasure; though, as they were not, like their brothers, so shortly to leave home, but were to remain in the immediate vicinity of this favoured region of nature's "sublime and beautiful," their spirits had rather less of the exuberant buoyancy which animated the latter.

At length, with the dispatch of true economists of time, the breakfast meal was finished, and the party found themselves pleasantly seated in the boat just as the clock struck seven; Mr. Gracelove having previously commended his family, in domestic worship, to the kind providence of that all-gracious Being, without whom the sun may lend his brightness, and his warmth, and the skies and wind their serenest influence,in vain!

The breeze being favourable, the sail was immediately set, and they were at once launched on the rippling waters of the lake; gliding along its surface with a delightful rapidity as well as steadiness of motion.

"And now, my dear Laura," said Mrs. Gracelove to her daughter, "while we are passing along to the opposite shore, do gratify us by singing one of your beautiful hymns, in which we will all join; for instance, that of Bishop Heber on the Epiphany. It breathes such a tone of piety-such exalted sentiment, united with so much beauty of poetic imagery, as to refresh the heart whenever it is heard or read."

Laura never more willingly, at any time, responded to a

7

request than when it referred to the Saviour whom she loved, and so sincerely served. She at once, therefore, while all united with heart and voice, sang the following verses.

After expressing their thanks to Laura, and their admiration. of the beautiful hymn she had just sung,-" It is now your turn, my little Maria," said her mamma to her youngest daughter; "and if I mistake not you can sing to us another hymn of the good bishop, which will very appropriately follow the one we have just heard from your sister.

"You will remember, my dear Maria, that, on Sunday last,

Mr. Davies took his text from that affecting chapter, the second of St. Matthew, which we both of us read together after our return from the service. You will recollect that

wise men from the east,' guided by the blessed Saviour's star, had come to worship Him;' and that the wicked Herod. had intimated to them, that when they had found the young child, they should bring him word again, that he might come and worship him also.'

“Think, my child, what diabolical hypocrisy this was; when, at the very moment he thus spake, he was meditating the human destruction of the Saviour of the world. You will remember that Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.'

"It was in allusion to the appalling massacre of these innocent children," continued the pious mother, "that the lines were written which you committed to memory, some time ago, at my request."

"And was not the wicked Herod severely punished for this dreadful crime, my dear mamma?" said the little maid, with a sympathizing sigh.

"Alas! no, my dear," replied the former. He was too powerful to be punished on earth, his demon-like will being the only law that bound him. But if he did not bitterly and sincerely repent of this hideous sin before he died; and unless that repentance was most mercifully accepted for the sake of Him whom with such daring impiety he sought to destroy, he is now reserved, in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the Great Day.'"

"I think," said Mr. Gracelove, drawing a small Bible from his pocket," that the verses about to be sung by Maria ought

always to be preceded by the reading of the entire chapter to which they refer. The sacred narrative is so deeply interesting as to be well calculated to cast an additional charm on the poetic thoughts to which it has given birth.”

The chapter was then read by this exemplary father, and his child, "trained up in the way she should go," proceeded to sing her little hymn as follows.

Passing island after island of the lovely Derwent Lake, the happy party had now reached the southern shore, where the ponies and their guides were waiting their arrival.

The entrance into Borrowdale, as well as the passage through it, charmed them with its awful and picturesque grandeur, as much as when they beheld it on a former excursion to visit the Bowder stone, which has been already described in a previous chapter. Passing this natural curiosity without halting, * Bishop Heber.

they proceeded onward to Rossthwaite; while, skirting their route, they enjoyed interesting views of Castle Crag on the right hand, and Bowder Crag on the left.

They paused for a few moments to admire the romantic position of Rossthwaite. It is situated about the centre of the valley, and seems hermetically inclosed by surrounding and overhanging mountains. From the summit of a hill, near to the village, is presented to the eye the magnificent prospect of the three vallies of Rossthwaite, Seathwaite, and Stonethwaite, with their attendant mountains, combined in one imposing coup d'œil.

Leaving the little chapel of Borrowdale to the eft, the road turns immediately in the opposite direction to the hamlet of Seatallor; and it is on the south-eastern side of the lofty mountain, called Seatallor Fell, that the celebrated blacklead mines are situated. The ascent is steep and difficult, requiring sure-footed animals, accustomed to traverse these high and rugged elevations, in order to mount with safety the broken and tortuous paths that conduct to them.

The superintendent of the mines was fortunately on the spot at the time of their arrival, and having some acquaintance with Mr. Gracelove, willingly came forward to render all the information in his power respecting them.

In answer to the many questions addressed to him by the inquisitive interrogators around him, he gave them in a few words a brief history of the excavations which they had come to see. He informed them that "they were the only mines hitherto discovered in England of that description, and greatly superior to those which had been found in any other part of the world. In France," he observed, "the pencils were much esteemed, and distinguished by the name of crayons d'Angleterre.' The antiquity of these mines refers back to an unknown period; certainly to many ages past; while proof exists, beyond