"What would'st thou with me?"-cried the author of ill,. But the wretched young man was filent ftill;

Not a word had his lips the power to say,

And his marrow feem'd to be melting away.

-"What would't thou with me?"-the third time, he cries,

And a flash of lightning came from his eyes;

And he lifted his griffin-claw in the air,

And the young man had not strength for a prayer.

His eyes with a furious joy were poffefs'd,
As he tore the young man's heart from his breaft
He grinn'd a horrible grin at his prey,
And with claps of thunder vanifh'd away.
Henceforth let all young men take heed
How in a Conjurer's books they read,

No.

No. XXX.

RUDIGER.

ROBERT SOUTHEY,

the

Divers Princes and Noblemen being assembled in a beautiful and fair palace, which was situate upon the river Rhine, they beheld a boat, or small barge, make toward the shore, drawn by a Swan in a silver chain, the one end fastened about her neck, the other to the vessel; and in it an unknown Soldier, a man of a comely personage and graceful presence, who stepped upon shore; which done, the boat, guided by the swan, left him, and floated down the river. This man fell afterwards in league with a fair gentlewoman, married her, and by her had children. After some years the same swan came with the same barge, unto the same place; the soldier entering into it, was carried thence the way he came, left wife, children, and family, and was never seen amongst them after.

many

Now who can judge this to be other than one of those spirits that are named Incubi? says Thomas Heywood. I have adopted his story, but not his solution, making the unknown soldier not an evil spirit, but one who had purchased happiness of a malevolent being, by the promised sacrifice of his firft-born child.

BRIGHT on the mountain's heathy flope.

The day's laft fplendours fhine,
And rich with many a radiant hue,

Gleam gaily on the Rhine.

And

And many a one from Waldhurst's walls

Along the river ftrol'd,

As ruffling o'er the pleasant stream
The evening gales came cold.

So as they stray'd, a fwan they faw
Sail stately up and strong,
And by a filver chain fhe drew
A little boat along.

Whose streamer to the gentle breeze
Long floating flutter'd light,
Beneath whofe crimson canopy
There lay reclined a knight,

With arching creft, and fwelling breast,
On fail'd the ftately fwan,
And lightly up the parting tide

The little boat came on.

And onward to the fhore they drew,

And leapt to land the knight,
And down the ftream the little boat
Fell foon beyond the fight,

Was never a knight in Waldhurft's walls

Could with this stranger vie;

Was never youth at aught efteem'd

When Rudiger was by.

Was

Was never a maid in Waldhurft's walls Might match with Margaret,

Her cheek was fair, her eyes were dark, Her filken locks like jet.

And many a rich and noble youth
Had ftrove to win the fair;
But never a rich and noble youth
Could rival Rudiger.

At every tilt and tourney he
Still bore away the prize,
For knightly feats fuperior ftill,
And knightly courtefies.

His gallant feats, his looks, his love,
Soon won the willing fair,
And foon did Margaret become
The wife of Rudiger.

Like morning dreams of happiness
Faft roll'd the months away;
For he was kind, and fhe was kind,
And who fo bleft as they?

Yet Rudiger would fometimes fit

Abforb'd in filent thought,

And his dark downward eye would feem

With anxious meaning fraught;

But foon he raised his looks again,

And fmiled his cares away, And mid the hall of gaiety

Was none like him so gay.

And onward roll'd the waning months,
The hour appointed came,

And Margaret her Rudiger

Hail'd with a father's name.

But filently did Rudiger

The little infant fee,

And darkly on the babe he gazed,
And very fad was he.

And when to blefs the little babe
The holy father came,
To cleanse the ftains of fin away
In Chrift's redeeming name;

Then did the cheek of Rudiger.
Affume a death-pale hue,

And on his clammy forehead ftood

The cold convulfive dew;

And, faltering in his fpeech, he bade

The priest the rites delay,

Till he could, to right health restored,
Enjoy the festive day.

When