murder is a crime very rarely perpetrated, and the simple peasants could scarcely persuade themselves that any one could exist sufficiently brutal and wicked to destroy the life of so meek and blameless a being as Ellen. The proof, however, was before them, and they soon found an individual upon whom they could fix the commission of that most foul aud horrible deed. First one recollected, then another, that he had seen Evan Davies loitering on the road to Towyn on that terrible evening, and the suspicion that he was the murderer was strongly corroborated by his disappearance from that day to the one on which I heard the story related. No one saw, or even heard of him afterwards, although Morgan Williams used every effort for his discovery and apprehension; and the corpse of the maiden was consigned to the silent dust amidst the tears and lamentations of those who knew and loved her. Time passed on, and twenty years had elapsed since the perpetation of a crime, which was yet fresh in the memory of all, and the relation of which never failed to beguile the winter's evening in many a peasant's cottage. But Pont Vathu was haunted ever afterwards by the beautiful apparition of Ellen Owen: a storm never occurred without bringing with it the troubled spirit of the murdered maiden, and there are few of the peasants of that part of the country who have not seen it struggling in the foaming waves of the river. I was particulary interested by this narrative, and this interest was augmented when I found that it was exactly twenty years ago that very day that the murder was perpetrated. The coincidence was remarkable but the sequel was yet more so.

"The evening had become far advanced, and the storm was still raging with violence. The lightning, however, was less vivid and frequent, and the thunder was not so loud and prolonged. We were sitting very comfortably round the fire, and commenting upon the horrible narration which I have just related, when, in one of those intervals of tranquility, when the tempest seems, as it were, to pause for breath, we heard a long, and almost unearthly scream, and then a splashing of water, as if some one was struggling in the river. 'There, sir!' exclaimed several voices, hear the Ghost! the Lord have mercy upon us!' and we were all instantly and completely silent. Now the Welsh are a highly superstitious people, but they are also generous and heroic; and upon my representing that it might have been the shout of some drowning persons which we had heard, with one accord we all rushed out towards the river. It was dark as pitch, excepting that part of the river immediately above the bridge, and this was illumined by a broad red light, which threw a lurid reflection upon the opposite bank, and encircled the body of a man, who seemed striving with some unseen and terrible power in the troubled waters. In an instant the light was quenched, and the struggling ceased; but on hastening to the river-side, we saw by

the light of a lanthorn which we had brought with us, the body of a man floating down with the current. A boat-hoook being at hand, we succeeded in arresting its progress, and, eventually, in bringing it to land. We carried it to the Blue Lion, and used every means of restoring animation. But all in vain : life had been utterly extinguished, and the swollen and distorted features of the corpse indicated the severe struggle of the final contest. The deceased appeared to be a stranger. He was a middle aged man, rather genteely dressed, and as no one knew him, his pockets were searched to lead to the requisite discovery. Several papers were produced, most of them relating to nautical affairs and nearly all of them indorsed. "John Oliver." In a pocket-book were also found Bank-notes to the mount of about thirty pounds; upon a more careful scrutiny, a letter was discovered, which cleared up all the mystery relating to the stranger's name and destination. It was very illegibly written, and evidently the production of a sailor, who was then a prisoner in the County Gaol of Dolgellan for smuggling. It seemed that for twenty pounds he could effect his release, and he had written to the deceased, urging him to come forward with the money, and arrange matters respecting his liberation; at the same time threatening, in the event of his refusal, to disclose the particulars of a certain murder, which he, John Oliver, had committed some twenty years ago at Pont Vathu. The horrible truth now flashed upon us the drowned was Evan Davies, but none of us dared to ask, what was the lurid light we had seen on the river.”

BANKERANIA-AN INVITATION TO DINNER IN THE COUNTRY.

(From the Morning Chronicle.)

LOMBARD-STREET, FEBRUARY, 1823.-If you will give me your company at Cash Hall next Tuesday, I promise that you shall

meet two of the greatest Raikės, in London; but you must grant me your Bond not to get Mello-for the thaw has rendered the Brooke dangerous, and the melted Snow has so filled the holes, that you may, before you can say "Jack Robinson," find yourself Down in a Pitt, much Fuller than you like. Your safest way is to come by the Mills (leaving the Ridge on your left), and along the Brooks-bank; and, as you are a great Walker, just Call in at the Wells, as you pass through the Greenwood, and inquire for one of the Hoares (I strongly suspect there is a Child in that neighbourhood) :-This will not be Farr out of your road, if you afterwards cross the Marsh, at the Smith's shop, about fifty yards beyond the Drummond Arms. You may bring her with you, but pray don't let it be said you Forster; it will give me Payne if you do any thing which is not Wright. Recollect, she is my Ward-therefore, don't be too Free; but look Sharpe, and come whistling "o'er the Lee;" for Mrs. Jones, my cook, will lose her temper if the Frys are spoilt. Although my Chambers are small, you shall have the famous Curiers I told you of, and Goslings roasted, which are not worth a Grote without Burgess' sauce. Then to follow, a couple of Cocks, (which, by the bye, are now at a great Price) with Maldon Salt; and, though last, not least, a Yorkshire pie from Hallifax. A few Pares from Heygate will be all the dessert I can offer you at this season. Yon can dress at the Hall, for there's a Taylor and a Barber close at hand, and my Clarke, who will be there, can fetch them. There's not a Whitmore business doing than when you were in town. Accounts of the expedition to the North Pole are hourly expected at Lloyd's. Although I think you are not much of a Gillman, I am sure you are Towgood to refuse an extra Gill to its success. I would Fane hope so: for my own part, I would gladly ride to the 10th mile Stone on the Barnett road, in this dirty weather, in twenty-nine minutes, by Arnold's chronometer, to the utter discomfiture of Martin's Blacking, to hear good tidings from it. You know, I suppose, that Farquhar is really the Chapman for Fonthill; but it's said, I know not with what truth, that both buyer and seller are so rich, that it is only like taking out of Peter's purse to put it into that of Paul. The Wiltshire folks think Mr. Newcombe might have been satisfied to remain in London, like a good Denison; but, in my opinion, it is not surprising that rich men should grasp at Morland and Allwoods, if they Selby auction and Wentworth the money. Yours, &c. &c.

UNT.

DISCOUNT

FATE OF GENIUS.

Homer was a begger; Plautus turned a mill; Terence was a slave; Boethius died in gaol; Paul Borghese had fourteen trades, and yet starved with them all; Tasso was often distresed for five shilings; Bentivoglio was refused admittance into an hospital he had himself erected; Cervantes died of hunger; Camoens, the celebrated writer of the Lusiad, ended his days, it is said, in an alms-house; and, at any rate, was supported by a faithful black servant, who begged in the streets of Lisbon for the only man in Portugal on whom God had bestowed those talents which have a tendency to erect the spirit of a downward age; and Vaugelas left his body to the surgeons, to pay his debts as far as it would go. In our own country, Bacon lived a life of meanness and distress; Sir Walter Raleigh died on the scaffold; Spencer, the charming Spencer, died forsaken and in want; the death of Collins came through neglect, first causing mental derangement :

Each lonely scene shall thee restore,
For thee the tear be duly shed,

Beloved till life can charm no more,

And mourned though Pity's self be dead.

Milton sold his copy-right of Paradise Lost for fifteen pounds, at three payments, and finished his life in obscurity: Dryden lived in poverty and in distress; Otway died prematurely, and through hunger; Lee died in the streets; Steele lived a life of perfect warfare with bailiffs. Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield was sold for a trifle, to save him from the gripe of the law; Fielding lies in the burying-ground of the English factory at Lisbon, without a stone to mark the spot; Savage died in prison at Bristol, where he was confined for a debt of eight pounds; Butler lived in penury, and died poor; Chatterton, the child of genius and misfortune, destroyed himself!

QUESTIONS.

Mr. Editor,

The advantages arising out of periodical publications, judiciously selected, and arranged, are confessedly, many and great ; they serve to convey useful information, to imbody interesting facts, to enlarge the boundaries of science, and in the highest degree to promote the cause of general literature. At a small expense, we become possessed of the treasures of volumes; and, by the magic touch of the compiler, the gigantic talent of libraries is prostrated before us. From works of this description, I have derived exquisite pleasure; they have inspired me with an ardour, bordering on enthusiasm ; and I have arisen from their perusal, and study, with regret; reluctantly yielding to the demands of nature for recreation or repose. With a view therefore, to forward the interests of the BRIGHTON Gleaner, and to its adaptation to the general pursuits of its readers, I have thown my humble mite into its treasury, in the shape of questions; leaving their solutions, to the ingenuity of those, whose peculiar tastes they may suit.

Question 1.-There will be a full moon on Tuesday, February 25, at six minutes past five in the morning, when the exact time of high water at Brighton is required?

Question 2.-It is commonly understood, that the spring tides commence three days before the new and full moons; is this a fact? or do they as some say put in at the first and last quarters?

Question 3.-A time piece has three hands, an hour, minute, and second hand, these are all together at twelve o'clock, when will they be together a second time?

With best wishes for the continued success of your valuable work, believe me, your obedient Servant,

Brighton, Monday Feb. 24. 1823.

PHILOMATH Love-science.