Lady Jane Grey, considering her age and her sex and station, may be regarded as a prodigy of literature. Queen Elizabeth wrote and translated several books, and she was familiarly acquainted with the Greek as well as Latin tongue. It is pretended that she made an extemporary reply in Greek to the University of Cambridge, who had addressed her in that language. It is certain that she answered in Latin without premeditation, and in a very spirited manner, to the Polish ambassador, who had been wanting in respect to her. When she had finished, she turned about to her courtiers and said, 'S'death, my lords' (for she was much addicted to swearing), 'I have been obliged to scour up my old Latin, that hath long lain rusting.' Elizabeth, even after she was queen, did not entirely drop the ambition of appearing as an author; and, next to her desire or ambition for beauty, this seems to have been the chief object of her vanity.-Hume.

86. THE GOVERNMENT OF ELIZABETH.

It has long been the fashion, a fashion introduced by Mr. Hume, to describe the English monarchy in the sixteenth century as an absolute monarchy. And such undoubtedly it appears to a superficial observer. Elizabeth, it is true, often spoke to her Parliament in language as haughty and imperious as that which the Great Turk would use to his divan. She punished with great severity members of the House of Commons who, in her opinion, carried the freedom of debate too far. She assumed the power of legislating by means of proclamations. She imprisoned her subjects without bringing them to a legal trial. Torture was often employed, in defiance of the laws of England, for the purpose of extorting confessions from those who were shut up in her dungeons. . . . Severe restraints were imposed on political and religious discussion. The number of presses was at one time limited. No man could print without a license; and every work had to undergo the scrutiny of the Primate or the Bishop of London. Persons whose writings were displeasing to the court were cruelly mutilated, like Stubbs, or put to death, like Penry. . .

...

Such was her government. Yet we know that it was loved by the great body of those who lived under it. We know that,

during the fierce contests of the sixteenth century, both the hostile parties spoke of the time of Elizabeth as of a golden age. That great queen has now been lying two hundred and thirty years in Henry the Seventh's Chapel, yet her memory is still dear to the heart of a free people.-Macaulay.

87. WELLINGTON AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF
HYDERABAD.

Uniting the characters of commander and of diplomatist, Sir Arthur Wellesley was commissioned to negotiate a treaty of peace between the Mahratta princes and the Nizam. One fine morning the prime minister of the court of Hyderabad came to beg an audience, with a most mysterious countenance, and in the course of the interview offered Sir Arthur an immense sum in exchange for a favour which, in his opinion, would not compromise him much and could injure no one. This honest man only wished to know beforehand what portions of territory and what advantages were reserved for his master in the treaty. Sir Arthur Wellesley looked at him quietly for some seconds, and then said, with the gravest face, 'It appears, then, that you are capable of keeping a secret.' 'Yes, certainly,' returned the mysterious personage with alacrity. 'So am I,' added the English general, smiling; and with a gesture not to be mistaken he waved his visitor to depart.—T. Maurel.

88. ROBERT HOUDIN.

Some years ago, the French Government requested M. Robert Houdin, the famous conjuror, to proceed to Algiers to perform before the principal Moslem chiefs, in the hope that he might succeed in shaking their confidence in the dervishes and marabouts, who were continually exciting insurrections by their pretended miracles.

One of the methods employed by the marabouts to increase their importance was to induce a belief in their invulnerability. One of them, for instance, would load a gun and order a spectator to fire at him; but the charge did not explode-of course the touch-hole had been stopped. To destroy the effect of this Houdin declared that he possessed a talisman rendering

him invulnerable, and defied anyone to hit him. In a second an Arab leaped on the stage, and expressed his desire to kill the magician. Houdin handed him a pistol, bidding him see that it was unloaded. Then he was ordered to put a double charge of powder, and a bullet he had previously marked. He fred—and Houdin produced the bullet in the centre of an apple he held on the point of a knife. A general stupefaction was visible on the faces of the audience; but the marabout suddenly caught up the apple and rushed away with it ; feeling convinced that he had obtained a magnificent talisman.

The last trick was performed on a Moor of about twenty years of age. He was led to a table in the centre of the stage, after mounting which an extinguisher was put over him. Houdin and his servant then lifted up the table, carried it to the footlights, and turned it over-the Moor had disappeared! The terror of the Arabs had reached its climax, and they rushed frantically from the theatre. The first object they saw on reaching the street was the young Moor.

89. A KNOTTY POINT SETTLED.

An honest hackney-coachman, who had had a tolerably good day, after taking care of his horses, retired to the coach-house to examine his accounts.

Our John, not suspecting that his master happened to be near him, began to divide his earnings, in a manner said to be not uncommon among the brothers of the whip, as follows:— 'A shilling for master, a shilling for myself; '-this he continued till he came to an odd sixpence, which puzzled him a good deal, as he was willing to make a fair division. The master overhearing his perplexity, called to him, 'You may as well let me have that sixpence, John; because I keep the horses, you know.'--The Laughing Philosopher.

90. THE 42ND AT THE ALMA.

The other battalions of the Highland brigade were approaching, but the 42nd-the far-famed 'Black Watch '-had already come up. It was ranged in line. The ancient glory of the corps was a treasure now committed to the charge of

young soldiers new to battle; but Campbell knew them—was sure of their excellence—and was sure, too, of Colonel Cameron, their commanding officer. Very eager for the Guards were now engaged with the enemy's columns-very eager, yet silent and majestic, the battalion stood ready.

Before the action had begun, and whilst his men were still in column, Campbell had spoken to his brigade a few words— words simple, yet touched with the fire of warlike sentiment. 'Now, men, you are going into action. Remember this: whoever is wounded—I don't care what his rank is-whoever is wounded must lie where he falls till the bandsmen come to attend to him. No soldiers must go carrying off wounded men. If any soldier does such a thing, his name shall be stuck up in his parish church. Don't be in a hurry about firing. Your officers will tell you when it is time to open fire. Be steady. Keep silence. Fire low. Now, men, the army will watch us; make me proud of the Highland brigade! '

It was before the battle that this was addressed to the brigade; and now when Sir Colin rode up to the corps which awaited his signal, he only gave it in two words; but the two words he spoke were as the roll of the drum : ' Forward, 42nd !' -A. W. Kinglake (Invasion of the Crimea).

91. A MILITARY SIGHT BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, DURING THE ARMISTICE IN THE CRIMEAN WAR, MARCH 1855.

On Saturday, during the armistice, I came out upon the advanced French trench, within a few hundred yards of the Mamelon. The sight was strange beyond description. French, English, and Russian officers were going about saluting each other courteously as they passed, and occasionally entering into conversation; and a constant interchange of little civilities, such as offering and receiving cigar-lights, was going on in each little group. Some of the Russian officers were evidently men of high rank and breeding. Their polished manners contrasted remarkably with their plain and rather coarse clothing. They wore, with few exceptions, the invariable long grey coat over their uniforms. Some lively conversation began to spring up, in which the Russian officers indulged in a little badinage, Some of them asked our officers when we were coming in to

take the place; others, when we thought of going away. Some congratulated us upon the excellent opportunity we had of getting a good look at Sebastopol; as the chance of a nearer view, except on similar occasions, was not in their opinion very probable.

The armistice was over about three o'clock. Scarcely had the white flag disappeared behind the parapet of the Mamelon, before a round shot from the sailors' battery went through one of the embrasures of the Russian work, and dashed up a great pillar of earth on each side. The Russians at once replied, and the noise of cannon soon re-echoed through the ravine.— Russell (The War).

92. A WISH.

If I were to have the choice of a fairy gift, it should be none of the many things I fixed upon in my childhood, in readiness for such an occasion. It should be for a great winnowing fan, such as would, without injury to human eyes and lungs, blow away the sand which buries the monuments of Egypt. What a scene would be laid open then! One statue and sarcophagus, brought from Memphis, was buried one hundred and thirty feet below the mound surface. Who knows but that the greater part of Old Memphis, and of other glorious cities, lies almost unharmed under the sand? Who can say what armies of sphynxes might start up on the banks of the river, or come forth from the hill-sides of the interior, when the cloud of sand had been wafted away? The ruins which we now go to study might then appear occupying only eminences, while below might be miles of colonnade, temples intact, and gods and goddesses safe in their sanctuaries. What quays along the Nile, and the banks of forgotten canals! what terraces and flights of wide shallow steps! what architectural stages might we not find for a thousand miles along the river, where now the orange sands lie so smooth and light as to show the track--the clear footprint-of every beetle that comes out to bask in the sun! But it is better as it is !-H. Martineau.