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did not believe. But she searched in vain, and she was returning through the gallery almost in despair, when her attention was attracted by an old

"Oaken chest half eaten by the worms.
And richly carved,"

which she thought might contain something suitable. Impatiently she waited, while her attendants lifted the mouldering cover, and then bent eagerly forward to look at its contents - she shrieked and fell into the arms of Laura, a skeleton met her eye,

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"With here and there a pearl, an emerald stone,
A golden clasp, clasping a shred of gold."

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The leg end of the unfortunate lady of the portrait was indeed true these were her remains. Beatrice was carried to her room, and a month passed before she recovered from a fever occasioned by the fright and excitement she experienced; and never again did she mingle in the dis sipated circle of her native city. These scenes had lost their charmsfor the skeleton and its history continually presented themselves to her mind, reminding her, that "in the midst of life we are in death," and warning her to prepare for that change which must occur in the course of our existence. After a while, Beatrice lost these gloomy sensations, and became cheerful and happy in the performance of duty, and participated in those innocent amusements of life, which she enjoyed far better than those absorbing pleasures, which she used to admire. The old chest and portrait were placed carefully together, and Beatrice ever after wore the wedding ring and the seal inscribed with the name," Ginevra," which had been found among the other relics of the chest. She also wrote, for the perusal of her friends, the following story connected with the picture and its mouldering companion.

GINEVRA.

"And she indeed was beautiful,

A creature to behold with trembling 'midst our joy,
Lest ought unseen should waft the vision from us,
Leaving earth too dim without its brightness."

"The deep gold of eventide burned in the Italian sky," and the wind, passing through the orange groves and over the terraces which surround ed the palace of the Donati, mingled its soft, sweet sighs with the mur muring of the fountains, which sparkled in the moonbeams, occasionally sending a shower of spray over the waving foliage that shadowed them At a window, overlooking this moon-lit scene, stood Ginevra, the only child of Donati," the joy, the pride of an indulgent father." Indeed, her gentleness and sportiveness made her loved by all, and

"Her pranks, the favorite theme of every tongue."

She had seen but fifteen summers, and these had glided away like fairy dream, and then

"Her face so lovely, yet so arch, so full of mirth.
The overflowings of an innocent heart."

And there she stood, looking at those old familiar scenes, till a tear glit tered in her dark eye, and a shade of sadness rested on her fair brow, like a cloud shadowing her "sunny skies";-for, on the morrow, she was to part from her childhood's home, she was "to give her hand, with her heart in it," to Francesco Doria, a brave and handsome son of that noble family, whose name often occurs in the annals of Italy. Long did Ginevra linger at the window. "My only one." The voice was her father's, who, accompanied by Francesco, came to seek her; and there they remained, looking out on that lovely scene; and many were the joyous anticipations, the bright hopes, the dreams of happiness which mingled in their conversation, while Francesco plucked the white flowers from a vine which hung across the casement, and wreathed them in Ginevra's long dark curls. But a neighboring convent bell warned them to seek repose, and reluctantly they parted to dream of the morrow, which they fondly thought would bring with it the realization of their bright hopes.

"The morn is up again, the dewy morn," and sunlight and dewdrops were weaving bright rainbow webs over shrub and flower, and the fresh morning breeze blew the vines across the marble pillars of the colonnade, which echoed with the merry voices, -the gay laugh, and the light step of the proud and beautiful assemblage, collected to grace the wedding of Donati's lovely daughter. And lovely, indeed, did she appear among Italy's fairest children. Her dress of rich green velvet, clasped with emeralds, set in gold, the pearls shining among her dark curls, added to her loveliness, and made her appear the star of that bright company. Proudly and fondly her father and husband watched her graceful form, as she glided among the gay throng, receiving their congratulations as the bride of Francesco Doria. Nothing seemed wanting to complete their happiness. Mirth and festivity, the song and the dance, all lent their attractions and added to their felicity. Ah! did not that happy father and fond husband know that such happiness is not for earth?

"Fear ye the festal hour;

Ay, tremble when the cup of joy o'erflows!
Tame down the swelling heart! The bridal rose
And the rich myrtle's flower

Have veiled thee, Death!"'

Gaily the hours passed by; Genevra was all gaiety, half wild with excitement. As she passed Francesco, she whispered her intention of hiding, and challenged him and her gay associates to find her. Soon were they all in search of the fair bride, and merrily they proceeded through the lofty halls, the dark closets, and secret apartments of that spacious palace, which resounded with merry voices and laughter. Long they looked, but vainly; and, as the shades of evening stole over the scene, wearied and alarmed, nearly all the now dismayed guests retired to their homes, for Genevra was nowhere to be found. Donati and Francesco, half frantic, continued the search, which grew hourly more hopeless. Week after week, months passed away, but nothing was heard of the lost one. Francesco, weary of that life which was now deprived of all that endeared it to earth, joined the army of his countrymen,

"And flung it away in battle with the Turk."'

Donati still lingered around that home, so connected with the memory of her whom he idolized, who was now lost to him for ever;

"Ad long might you have seen,

An old man wandering, as in quest of something,
Something he could not find he knew not what."

And where was Ginevra? Half breathless with haste, she ran to an old gallery in the upper part of the palace, fancying her pursuers had almost overtaken her. As she hastily glanced round the dimly lighted gallery, in search of a hiding place, her eye rested on an oaken chest, beautifully carved and ornamented by a celebrated sculptor of Venice, which once held the robes of a prince of her illustrious race. Quick as thought, Ginevra exerted her strength to raise the cover. The chest easily held her fragile form. Trembling with joy and excitement, she heard the loved and well-known tones of Francesco's voice, who was foremost in pursuing her; when her hand, which held the cover ajar to admit the air, slipped and it fell, "fastening her down for ever." The chest was constructed, for greater security, with a spring, which locked as it was shut, and could only be opened by one outside touching a particular part of the curious workmanship. But, before Francesco reached the gallery, the lovely and unfortunate girl had ceased to breathe in that closely shut chest. Many times they passed the gallery, but they heeded not the hiding-place of the lost bride; which, alas! was destined to be her grave. No flowers could shed their perfumes over her grave, watered by the tears of those that loved her. Her fate was a mystery, and soon her memory passed away, like all the fleeting things of earth. And Donati, what had he to live for? In the beautiful language of Mrs. Hemans, he might have said,

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"It is enough! mine eye no more of joy or splendor sees!

I go, since earth its flower hath lost, to join the bright and fair,

And call the grave a lovely place, for thou, my child, art there."

Examples for practice may be taken from any source which the teacher or the student may select.

XXV.

ANAGRAMS.

An anagram is the transposition of the letters of a word, or short sentence, so as to form another word, or phrase, with a different meaning. Thus, the letters which compose the word stone, may be arranged so as to form the words tones, notes, or seton; and, (taking j and v as duplicates of i and u,) the letters of the alphabet may be arranged so as to form the words Styx, Phlegm, quiz, frown'd and back.*

*Pilate's questio to Jesus, " Quid est veritas?" (What is truth?) has

Astronomers,
Telegraphs,

Gallantries,

Democratical,

Encyclopedia,
Lawyers,
Misanthrope,
Monarch,
Old England,
Presbyterian,
Punishment,

Penitentiary,

Radical Reform,

Revolution,

James Stuart,

Fxamples..

Charles James Stuart,

Eleanor Davies,

*

Dame Eleanor Davies,

Moon-starers.
Great Helps.

All great sins.
Comical trade.
A nice cold pie.
Sly ware.
Spare him not.
March on.
Golden Land.
Best in prayer.
Nine Thumps.
Nay, I repent it.

Rare mad frolic.
To love ruin.

A just master.

Claims Arthur's Seat.

Reveal, O Daniel.

Never so mad a Ladie.

For exercises of practice, the student may select his own words or sen tences. As it is a mere literary amusement, the exercise is not considered worthy of much attention.

been happily converted in an anagram to the words, "Est vir qui adest," (It is the man who is before you.)

Jablonski welcomed the visit of Stanislaus, King of Poland, with his no ble relatives of the house of Lescinski, to the annual examination of the students under his care, at the gymnasium of Lissa, with a number of anagrams, all composed of the letters in the words Domus Lescinia. The recitations closed with an heroic dance, in which each youth carried a shield inscribed with a legend of the letters. After a new evolution, the boys exhibited the words Ades incolumis; next, Omnis es lucida; next, Omne sis lucida; fifthly, Mane sidus loci; sixthly, Sis columna Dei; and at the conclusion, I scande solium.

But a still more remarkable anagram than any that has been presented, will be found in the Greek inscription on the Mosque of St. Sophia, in Con' stantinople:

" Νίψον ανομηματα μη μοναν οψιν,”

which present the same words, whether read from left to right, or from right to left.

Sir Isaac Newton was in the habit of concealing his mathematical dis coveries, by depositing the principles in the form of anagrams; by which he might afterwards claim the merit of the invention without its being stolen by others.

This lady fancied herself a prophetess, and supposed the spirit of Daniel to be in her, because this anagram could be formed from her name. But her anagram was faulty, as it contained an I too much, and an s too little. She was completely put down by the anagram made from the name Dome Eleanor Davies. "Never so mad a ladie."

XXVI.

OF GRAMMATICAL PROPRIETY.

A though the details of Grammar and grammatical rule are not embraced in the plan of this work, it will be proper to present some observations, by way of review, with regard to those principles which are most frequently disregarded or forgotten by careless writers. Some remarks have already been made with regard to a few of the improprieties which are frequently observed, even in writers of respectability. The considerations now to be offered are presented in the form of directions.

DIRECTION 1st. In determining the number of a verb, regard must be had to the idea which is embraced in the subject or nominative. Whenever the idea of plurality is conveyed, whether it be expressed by one word, or one hundred, and however connected, and in whatever number the subject may be, whether singular or plural, all verbs relating to it must be made to agree, not with the number of the word or words, but with the number of the idea conveyed by the words.

DIRECTION 2d. In the use of pronouns, the same remark applies, namely, that the number of the pronoun must coincide with the idea contained in the word, or words, to which the pronoun relates. If it imply unity, the pronoun must be singular; if it convey plurality, the pronoun must be plural. These directions will be better understood by an example Thus, in the sentence, "Each of them, in their turn, receive the benefits to which they are entitled," the verbs and pronouns are in the wrong number. The word each, although it includes all, implies but one at a time. The idea, therefore, is the idea of unity, and the verb and pronoun should De singular, thus, "Each of them in his turn receives the benefit to which he is entitled."

The same remark may be made with regard to the following sentences: "Every person, whatever be their (his) station, is bound by the duties of morality." "The wheel killed another man, who is the sixth that have (has) lost their (his) lives (life) by these means." I do not think that any one should incur censure for being tender of their (his) reputation."

DIRECTION 3d. In the use of verbs and words which express time, care must be taken that the proper tense be employed to express the time that is intended. Perhaps there is no rule more frequently violated than this, even by good writers; but young writers are very prone to the error. Thus, the author of the Waverley Novels has the following sentence: *

*See Parker's 12mo edition of the Waverley Novels, Vol. XIII. p. 14.

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