We paid numbers more are scattered through- advantage of us, having closed the out the park, affording shade for gate during our stay. the owner, and shelter for the cattle. him the extorted fee, since time There is something about these would not permit any bindrance. St. stately trees that elevate my feel- Michael's is about 500 years old, ings, and give me more impressive and is a good specimen of the anideas of greatness than even castles cient style of church building. or palaces. I know not how long The spire, one of the handsomest they are ia arriving to matu- to be fouod, is 303 feet in height. rity, or how long before they decay ; Time has made such ravages in the but from their present appearance, 1 lower part of it, that the people should think that they would con- living in the neighbourhood, are, tinue to increase aod flourish even every day in danger of being crushafter the hall wbich they surround, ed by its fall. shall have fallen to decay." An additional shilling handed to On our return, we noticed a long, the coachman, brought us within a low, one-story building, divided into short distance of Kenilworth Castle. ten different apartments. Our This place I had strongly wished curiosity led us to make inquiries to see. The “Great Unknown,” respecting the design of it. From bas rendered it enchanted, if not an old man standing in the yard, classic ground, and whoever has we learned that five widowers, of read his Kenilworth, will approach whom himself was one, lived in the spot with feelings of deep interthe five apartments on the left, and est. Independently of fiction, it five widows, on the right; all I think is interesting from its real history, he said, over eighty years of age. its great antiquity, and its vast He took us into his apartment. It extent. What my feelings were I was furnished with a bed, chair, cannot easily describe. 1 table, and a few cooking utensils. well acquainted with the history It was lighted by a small window, of the castle, and in my imagination and a few coals were burning io the could look back to the time in grate. It seemed however a cold which it was inhabited by the damp place for so aged a man to proud Earl of Leicester, and see reside in. All the rooms are alike. him giving an entertainment to Each has a patch of land in the rear, Queen Elizabeth and all her suite. on wbich they raise vegetables suf- As I drew near the Castle, ficient for their own use. By a lega- crowd of beggarly children flocked cy of one of the former owners of around me offering to sell me a the hall, a certain piece of land was description of the place. To hush benevolently set apart, the rents of their clamours 1 purchased one, which are for ever to be appropriat- although I had been previously ed for the support of this singular supplied. They then began, in establishment. a monotonous tone, to give an acA pleasant ride of eighteen miles count of the different parts of the brought us to Coventry. While ruins, all talking at once, and all in detained for a coach, we took a the same strain, but not one of them hasty view of the churches. St. comprehending a word of what they Michael's being open, and under- said. A question put to them begoing some repairs, we walked in. yond the compass of their lesson Making a few turns around the aisles would make them quite mute. I we returned to the gate, when distributed among them all the man stepped up and said, “ Hope pennies in my possession, and pro. you'll not forget the workmen.” ceeded to the gate. Here again I It was useless to diepute with the was beset by several old women, pick-pocket. He liad taken the dressed in tattered garments, was a a stretching out their withered hands by so many ages their authors. and craving charity These moles. These scenes preach, in a thrilling tations which I occasionally men- manner, what we mortals are-how tion, are of almost constant occur. little there is in pleasure, revelrence, in this land of enor nous ry, and song--how soon "the hereditary opulence and of nn less mightiest pageantry” of life is at an notorious bereditary poverty. To end! an American, they are peculiarly If you will accept of my reflecvexatious as he is seldom annoyed tions, you may again fancy me in this manner in his own country. among the ruins, wandering through Passing through the gate, I ap- halls, and chambers, and vaults; at proached the inner court. To one moment winding my way up describe this place as it is, “great stone stair-cases, the next climbing in ruin, noble in decay,” is beyond to the summits of the walls and towmy power. Imagine me standing ers; sometimes clinging to stones agape, like a countryman just arriv. and shrubs, and once or twice fixed ed in Rome-the mighty tower of in places whence I could not descend Cæsar rising directly on my right, without assistance. further on lying the ruins of Since writing the foregoing, I the kitchens--on my left Lord have read a description of the casLeicester's buildings, connected tle in language so much more forci. with the presence and privy cham- ble than my own, that I am tempted bers, and in front the great Hall to break in upon my narrative, that presenting its noble pile. With you may have the benefit of a part such a scene around me, I felt of it. amply compensated for all the Kenilworth Castle, as it now tediousness of a voyage across the appears, is a vast and magnificent Atlantic. Enough remained of the pile of ruins, proudly seated on an ruins to convey an impressive elevated spot, extended round three idea of the former splendour of the sides of a spacious inner court, exhibuildings. The walls which are of biting in grand display, mouldering hewn stone and from ten to fifteen walls, dismantled towers, broken feet thick, rise to a great height. battlements, shattered stair-cases, and are partially overgrown with and fragments, more or less perfect, ivy. In some places, their tops of arches and windows, some highly crowned with the hawthorn, ornamented and beautiful. Nor are and trees of considerable size bave the fine picturesque decorations sprung up from the crevices. The wanting. The gray moss creeps corious manner in which the ivy over the surface of the stone, and climbs about the ruins, to appear. the long spiry grass waves on the ance binding and holding them heights of the ramparts ; to the cortogether, adds much to their ners and cavities of the roofless picturesque beauty. Standing thus chambers cling the nestling shrubs, in admiration of the objects by whilst, with its deepening shades, which I was surrounded, the ques. the aged ivy expands in clustering tion naturally occurred, where masses, over the side walls and but. are the kings and queens, the lords tresses, or spreads in wild luxuriance and ladies, that once feasted in to the summits of the towers and these balls, and tilted on these higher buildings, or hangs in grace. grounds ? Where are Cromwell ful festoons from the tops of the and his soldiers, with their batter- arches and the tracing of the wining engines ? Alas! they bave dows." mouldered to dust,-a catastrophe After running over the different to wbich even the proudest works buildings, grounds, &c. for the space of art are tending, though surviving of two hours, in my eagerness to see are The park all at once, I began at length to a rich meadow occupies its place. make my examinations more partic The tilt-yard may still be traced, ular and definite. Taking my book and the remains of the towers which and plates in hand, I commenced at were built for the accommodation of the entrance through the Great the ladies that came to see the perGateway. This building, which is formances. In the days of Leicesflanked by four turrets, is in a tole ter, the park occupied about eight rable state of preservation, and is bundred acres, and was well stocknow inhabited by a farmer. The ed with deer. The lake which entrance to the castle was formerly fronted the castle covered one hunthrough the centre, but since it has dred and eleven acres. been inhabited, the entrance has is now divided into farms. The been closed up. in this building castle was commenced early in the you meet with an elegant chimney- twelfth century. Many additions piece, and an oak wainscot, taken were made from time to time by the from Leicester's buildings. The different owners, till it came into the nest pile to which I came is called bands of Lord Leicester, who fipalCæsar's Tower, which served as a completed it at the enormous expense fortress in time of danger. Three of £60,000 sterling, equal at the presides remain entire ; the fourth was sent time to about $6,000.000. If destroyed by Cromwell's troops. such was the expense of completing Adjoining are the remains of the the castle, what must have been the three kiichens. Passing these, you cost of the whole ? It reverted from next enter Lancaster's buildings, in the crown to individuals, and thus ribich is the great Banqueting Hall . back several times in succession. In Several large arched windows here the year 1216, it was made the remain entire, and still show the strong hold of the barons, and was marks of the chisel. I next entered besieged by the royal forces. After the White Hall, Presence, and Pri- sustaining a siege of six months, it vy Chambers. These are princi- surrendered to the king, and was pally in ruins, not much remaining given by bim to his son. In 1575 except crumbling walls and broken it was the scene of a grand enterstaircases. Leicester's buildings tainment, given by the Earl of Leisland next; and though they are of cester to Queen Elizabeth. The much later construction than the bistorian of the occasion says :others, are, like them, fast falling "Having completed all things for into decay. These structures are so ber reception, did he entertain the placed as to form nearly a semi-cir- Queen for the space of seventeen cle; the two ends being formerly dayes, with excessive costs, and a connected by Dudley's Lobby and variety of delightful shows, as may King Henry's Lodgings, both of be seen at large in a special diswhich are now entirely gone. I course thereof, then printed and ennext made the circuit of the walls. titled, The Princely Pleasures of Commencing at the Great Gateway, Kenilworth Castle, &c.'--the cost and turning to the left, I came to and expense whereof may be guest Luo's Tower, the Stables, Water at by the quantity of beer then Tower, Mortimer's, and Swan's, drank, which amounted to three soccessively. These towers served hundred and twenty hogsheads of as outposts in times of danger. The the ordinary sort, as I have credibly wall encloses seven acres, and was heard.” During the civil wars the formerly surrounded by a deep castle was seized by Cromwell, and moat, so consructed that it might at by him given to bis officers, who any time be filled with water from left it what it now is, a mighty and the lake or pool that fronted the cas- majestic pile of ruins. tle. The lake is now drained, and After spending six hours in visit ing every part of the grounds and the man in the moon. Passing the buildings, we returned to the gate gate, the old women beset us again, to go out. It was closed; but a boy ihen the children, and last of all standing by stepped up, rattled the some labourers presented a petition, padlock, opened the gate, and then stating that they were out of employ asked for - What you please, sır. and needed assistance. We gave a small sum as usual. How them all off as well as we could, we many ways are there of getting a proceeded on to the town), and prolivelihood in this country, and of vided ourselves with lodyings for the imposing upon strangers! The boy, night. as we were afterwards informed, had (To be continued.) no more lawful concern there than Shaking THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY ARGUED FROM THE SORROWS, WANTS, AND SINS OF MAN. To the Editor of tbe Christian Spectator. The following poem was prepared to be delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa Society a few years since; but for a special purpose, another subject was substituted. It is founded on a story (which has been told of several persons) of two skeptics agreeing that whichever of them should die first, should appear to his surviving friend to bear ocular testimony to the existence of the future world. Whether such a wild agreement was ever really made, I know not. The object of this Poem is to enforce the truth of Christianity from the wants, sorrows, and sins of man, The story is merely assumed for poetic effect. Morbid misanthropy and snarling infidelity, having lately been brought into vogue by some popular writers, I wished to turn them to some account. I have therefore represented a troubled infidel going into the grave-yard, at midnight, to meet the ghost of his friend, according to appointment; and there, though disappointed of the expected witness, led by reflection to believe in his Saviour and his God. G. From sublunary regions, cheerless, dark, "T'is night; and sullen darkness' solemn robe From these abstracted walks I cannot part, This is the hour; and on this grassy side, This is the spot-I come these walks to tread, The hour has come from yonder steeple's height Hark! did a voice my listening organs seize ! a |