— 2—

bugle, which strikes her ear that very moment. She darts forth like"a sunbeam’“ to row him over to the island. The scene of their meeting is most beautifully drawn and forms a sublime description of parental and flilial love(st. 22.):.

„Some foclings are to mortals given Upon a duteous daughter's head!

With less of earth in them than heaven: And as the Douglas to his breast

And if there be a human tear His darling Ellen closely press'd,

From passion's dross refined and clear, Such holy drops her tresses steep'd,

A tear so limpid and so meeck, Though'twas an hero's eye that weep'd. It would not stain an angel's check, Nor while on Ellen's faltering tongue „Tis that which pious fathers shed 1 Her filial welcomes crowded hung.“....

It is almost a profanation to say anything about such holy words. Their sublime beauty is such as can only be felt, not described. In reading similar passages, the reader is involuntarily reminded of the venerable words:"Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.“ The father's heart is so full of love for his dear child that he cannot help its overflowing. Though he has lost much, as long as he posseses her, he is rich, he says. Modest Ellen blushes at hearing herself thus praised in the presence of others, and in order to conceal her confusion, caresses the hounds and falcons.

After the introduction of Malcolm, who is represented as a nobleminded, handsome, and gallant young chieftain, Douglas fairly declares his intention to seck some other rctreat, because his presence is beginning to be dangerous to Roderick. But the chieftain

„generously entreats him to remain. He regards it as an honour and a duty to protect Douglas, the outlaw, from the king's pursuit. In stanza 13. Ellen said:—

„Sir Roderick should command My blood, my life— but not my hand,“ but now, seeing her father determiped to leave the safe abode in order to avoid drawing the king's wrath on Roderick, she thinks of nothing but her beloved father's safety. Her state of mind is beautifully drawn in stanza 31.: On the one hand she sees her father's safety in question,— on the other she hopes that he may be induced to remain under the chieftain's protection by her accepting the hand of the latter. In this alternative she prefers the preservation of her father's life to her own happiness and makes up her mind to act accordingly. However, a man like Douglas cannot accept such a sacrifice from his child; he therefore simply declines Roderick's proposal of marriage. The more we hear and sce of Douglas, the more we esteem him.— In reference to the king he says:

”I love him still, despite my wrongs U By hasty wrath, and slanderous tongues.“ How few men may be able to speak, under similar circumstances, with such superior moderation of a mortal enemy! 1

Respecting the fierce out-break of Roderick's jealousy Jeffrey, an English critie, remarks judiciously:"There is something foppish and out of character in Malcolm's rising to lead out Ellen from her own parlour; and the sort of wrestling that takes place between the rival chieftains on the occassion is humilating and indecorous.“ We are inclined to think the whole fight even improbable, for Roderick has not been represented as foolish enough to disgrace himself in such a boyish manner.— The manner in which Malcolm replies to Roderick's offensive suspicion proves him to be a very dignified and bold yet calm man. We may consider his speech as a masterpiece of pregnant and energetic language.

The peaceful mangnificence of a beautiful summer-morning described in stanza 2. canto II. forms a striking contrast with Roderick's gloomy mood and Brion, the Hermit's, superstitious and horrible preparations for the approaching war. All the mysterious ceremonies over, one of the clansmen hurries away, with the fatal signal of the Fiery Cross.“¹) The poet

¹) When a chieftain designed to summon his clan, upon any sudden or important emergency, he slew a goat, and making a cross of light wood, seared its extremities in the fire, and extinguished it in the blood of the animal. This was called the Fier; Cross or the Oross f Shame, because disobedience to what the symbol implied inferred infamy. It was delivered to a swift and trusty messenger, who ran full speed with it to the next hamlet, where he presented it to the principal person with a single word, implying the place of rendezvous. He who received the symbol was bound to send it forward, with equal dispatch to the next village, and thus it passed with incredible celerity through all the district which owed allegiance to the chief. At sight of the Fiery Cross every man, from 16 years old to 60, capable of bearing arms, was obliged instantly to repair, in his best arms