MINNA TROIL.

From her mother, Minna inherited the stately form and dark eyes, the raven locks and, finely-pencilled brows, which showed she was, on one side at least, a stranger to the blood of Thule. Her cheek,

O call it fair, not pale!

was so slightly and delicately tinged with the rose, that many thought the lily had an undue proportion in her complexion. But in that predominance of the paler flower, there was nothing sickly or languid; it was the true natural colour of health, and corresponded in a peculiar degree with features which seemed calculated to express a contemplative and high-minded character. When Minna Troil heard a tale of woe or of injustice, it was then her blood rushed to her cheeks, and showed plainly how warm it beat, notwithstanding the generally serious, composed, and retiring disposition which her countenance and demeanour seemed to exhibit. If strangers sometimes conceived that these fine features were clouded by melancholy, for which her age and situation could scarce have given occasion, they were soon satisfied, upon further acquaintance, that the placid, mild quietude of her disposition, and the mental energy of a character which was but little interested in ordinary and trivial occurrences, was the real cause of her gravity; and most men, when they knew that her melancholy had no ground in real sorrow, and was only the aspiration of a soul bent on more important objects than those by which she was surrounded, might have wished her whatever could add to her happiness, but could scarce have desired that, graceful as she was in her natural and unaffected seriousness, she should change that deportment for one more gay.

Minna moved with slow and tremulous step toward the rude seat, which was composed of stone, formed into the shape of a chair by the rough and unskilful hand of some ancient Gothic artist.

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Brenda gazed at Minna, who sat in that rude chair of dark stone, her finelyformed shape and limbs making the strongest contrast with its ponderous and irregular angles, her cheek and lips as pale as clay, and her eyes turned upward, and lighted with the mixture of resignation and excited enthusiasm which belonged to her disease and character.

THE PIRATE.

HARTLEPOOL CHURCH.

THE town and borough of Hartlepool is situate on the eastern coast of Durham, and is surrounded on all sides but the N.W. by the German Ocean.

The church, built of the limestone from the adjoining cliffs, is dedicated to St. Hilda; and, notwithstanding the inroads which time, or perhaps more justly, the ruthless hands of man, have made upon it, is still beautiful in its decay, and bears noble testimony to the piety and munificence of its founders.

The style of architecture is that usually termed early English, which generally prevailed during the thirteenth century. There are, however, evident traces of a former edifice; and the beautifully-ornamented doorway, of Anglo-Norman date, may be cited in confirmation of this opinion. This doorway fails to attract the attention it deserves, being almost concealed by a frightful barn-like erection, dignified by the name of "the porch." The church consists of a nave, two aisles, a chancel, and a noble tower with crocketted pinnacles, supported by buttresses. The nave is eighty-five feet in length, and forty-four feet in width, including the aisles; and yet, from the unskilful arrangement of the pews, with the aid of the unsightly gallery at the west end of the church, accommodation can only be afforded for about 500 people. "The aisles are formed by light and lofty clustered pillars, on either side decorated with graceful capitals, surmounted by roll mouldings, and enriched with the nail-head ornament." The string course is simple though peculiar. The clerestory windows are formed by the equilateral arch, supported by plain shafts with richly-ornamented capitals. The principal entrance appears to have been at the western end, beneath the tower, which rests on four lofty clustered columns, with arches" of remarkable lightness and beauty of proportion, having early English foliated capitals." These arches are all filled up with masonry; and the space beneath the tower is thus lost to the church. The roof of the nave is now almost flat; although, from the traces on the tower, it appears to have possessed an elevation of a very acute angle. The chancel of this church formerly extended twenty-four yards beyond the limits of the nave, while at the present moment (it having been contracted in the year 1724) it does not number as many feet. The two only remaining arches of the chancel, one on the north and the other on the south side, are built up; the recess in the first being used as a coal- hole, the latter forming the vestry. The lofty entrance-arch from the nave to the chancel is of unique and elegant construction, being the gem of the building. With the exception of this arch, limewash disfigures the whole of the interior of the church. The recent removal of it from the chancel-arch unfolds the rich mellow colour of the limestone, placing the latter in pleasing contrast with the sepulchral bue of the white-wash around.