Besides the imposture of the Rood of Grace, there was a little hollow figure of Saint Grumbold, or Rumwald, preserved in the abbey, to which offerings were to be made : and the criterion of their being accepted was, the Saint's permitting himself to be lifted from the ground by the votary. As he weighed only a few pounds, no difficulty was anticipated; but the fact often proved otherwise, the strongest arm being unable to raise him. This trick was performed by a monk, who had the means of sticking an iron pin into the pedestal of the figure the moment an undeserving pilgrim approached, but abstained when one more generous touched it.

The church of All Saints at Boxley, a view of which is prefixed to this article, is spacious and agreeably situated, and surrounded by many aged but healthy yew-trees. Numerous tombs and tablets adorn the interior and record the annals of the manor. An inscription on the tomb of the Wyatts, celebrates the exploits of an extraordinary cat, with reference to an unfortunate member of that family. The Champneys, Charltons, and Bests, are also inurned here; and, from an inspection of the register, the healthfulness of the parish may be inferred, many instances of longevity being there recorded. Edmund Roberts, who died in 1759, had attained the age of 106; and Anne Pilchin, who was interred in 1790, was upwards of 100 years old.

In this parish is situated the famous Heath of Pennenden, celebrated for public meetings from the time of the Conquest. There the charges brought by Lanfranc against Odo were publicly made in 1076 :—and at a comparatively recent period, a great public demonstration was made at the same place relative to the question of Catholic emancipation. The district is wholly agricultural, although, from its containing fuller's earth in abundance, mills were established here, and proved for a time moderately prosperous. The unlimited success of woollen manufactures in the northern counties completely overpowering such efforts as the people of Kent could make, the fulling-mills were appropriated to the manufacture of paper.

PRINTING BY STEAM.

DURING a wonderful period of the world, the kings of the earth leagued themselves together to destroy all opposition; to root out, if they could, the very thoughts of mankind. Inquisition was made for blood. The ears of the grovelling lay in wait for every murmur. On a sudden, during this great hour of danger, there arose in a hundred parts of the world, a cry, to which the cry of the Blatant Beast was as a whisper. It proceeded from the wonderful multiplication of an extraordinary creature, which had already turned the cheeks of the tyrants pallid. It groaned, and it grew loud; it spoke with a hundred tongues: it grew fervidly on the ear, like the noise of a million of wheels. And the sound of a million of wheels was in it, together with other marvellous and awful voices.

There were the sharpening of swords, the braying of trumpets, the neighing of war-horses, the laughter of solemn voices, the rushing by of lights, the movement of impatient feet, a tread as if the world were coming. And ever and anon there were pauses with "a still small voice," which made a trembling in the night-time; but still the glowing sound of the wheels renewed itself, gathering early towards the morning.-And when you came up to one of these creatures, you saw, with fear and reverence, its mighty conformation, being like wheels indeed, and a great vapour; and ever and anon the vapour boiled, and the wheels went rolling and the creature threw out of its mouth visible words, that fell into the air by millions, and spoke to the uttermost parts of the earth. And the nations (for it was a loving though a fearful creature) fed upon its words like the air they breathed; and the monarchs paused, for they knew their masters.

THE HOUSE OF STUART.

THIS royal line sat on the throne of Scotland from the year 1370 to the union of the two crowns, and never was there a more unfortunate family.James I., after having been imprisoned in England for eighteen years, on his return to Scotland, was assassinated by his subjects in 1444:James II. was killed in the unfortunate expedition to Roxburgh, when he was only nine-and-twenty years of age;-James III. when he had reached five-and-thirty, was slain in a pitched battle against the nobles of his kingdom :-James IV. son-in-law of Henry VII. of England, fell in the famous battle of Flodden-Field, 1513, when he was just thirtynine years old, and had reigned very unhappily both for himself and his subjects:-James V. died of a broken heart, in consequence of his barons suffering themselves to be defeated by the English, to retaliate upon their hapless monarch.

Queen Mary, the daughter of James V., was still more unfortunate than any of her predecessors, and added to the number of those queens who died by the hands of the executioner. Her son, James VI., became king of England, Ireland, and Scotland, only through the weakness of his conduct to lay the foundations of those revolutions that brought the head of his son, Charles I., to the block, and drove James VII. into exile: this prince, the last of the line that reigned, died at St. Germains-enLaye, a victim of superstition and a pensioner on the crown of France, leaving a son, James, commonly called the Pretender, whose fortunes resembled those of his father, and who died neglected and poor: the last scion of this ancient, noble, but unhappy race, known in history as the Young Pretender, after several gallant, but unsuccessful attempts to recover the throne of his grandfather, was permitted to escape, and seeking an asylum at Rome, there closed his chequered and eventful life on the 31st of January, 1788, in the 68th year of his age. The Stuarts ruled in Scotland four hundred years, and in England only eighty-five.

James VI., who is charged by historians with having laid the foundation of those revolutions which dethroned his family, was by no means wanting in sense, knowledge, or wit, but seems to have been lamentably deficient in the no less important qualities of steadiness, vigour, and firmness of mind. It is said that he was perfectly conscious of his peculiar defect, and that he was once told of it in a very remarkable manner, from the pulpit. Having heard of a popular preacher, who, according to the fashion of those times, exhibited in his sermons a brilliant wit, and a felicitous selection of texts, he commanded him to preach before him.— Not abashed by the presence of royalty, the preacher, with becoming gravity, gave out the following text, "James I. and VI. in the latter part of the verse, 'he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven by the winds and tossed."" Upon which the king turning to his suite exclaimed, "he is at me already." The text is genuine, and the application so witty that it pleads in extenuation of the pun, which, although then nothing extraordinary, would not now be tolerated under such circumstances.

LAST HOURS OF WASHINGTON.

ONLY half-a-century has passed away since an interesting group was assembled in the death-room, and witnessed the last hours of Washington. So keen and unsparing has been the scythe of time, that of all those who watched over the patriarch's couch, on the 13th and 14th of December, 1779, not a single personage survives.

On the morning of the 13th, the General was making some improvements in front of Mount Vernon. As was usual with him, he carried his own compass, noted his observations, and marked out the ground. The day became rainy, with sleet; and the General remained so long exposed to the inclemency of the weather, that his clothes were completely wet before his return to the house. About one o'clock, he was seized with chillness and nausea; but, having changed his clothes, he sat down to his in-door occupations, there being no moment of his time for which he had not provided an appropriate employment.

At night, on joining his family circle, the General complained of slight indisposition, and, after a single cup of tea, repaired to his library, where he remained writing until between eleven and twelve o'clock. Mrs. Washington retired about the usual family hour; but, becoming alarmed at not hearing the sound of the library-door, as it closed for the night, and gave signal for rest in the well-regulated mansion, she arose again, and continued sitting up in much anxiety and suspense. At length the well-known step was heard upon the stair, and upon the General's entering his chamber, the lady kindly chided him for remaining so late, knowing himself to be unwell; to which Washington made his memorable reply: "I came as soon as my business was accomplished. You

know well, that through a long life it has been my unvaried rule, never to put off till to-morrow the duties which should be performed to-day."

Having first covered up the fire with care, the mighty man of labours at last sought repose; but it came not, as it had long been wont to do, to comfort and restore, after the many and earnest occupations of the wellspent day. The night was passed in feverish restlessness and pain. Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep, was destined no more to visit his couch; yet the manly sufferer uttered no complaint-would permit no one to be disturbed in their rest on his account; and it was only at day break that he would consent that the surgeon might be called in, and bleeding resorted to. A vein was opened, but without affording relief. Couriers were despatched to summon Dr. Craik, the family physician, and Drs. Dick and Brown, as consulting physicians, all of whom came with speed. The proper remedies were administered, but without producing their healing effects; while the patient, yielding to the anxious looks of all around him, waived his usual objections to medicines, and took those which were prescribed, without hesitation or remark. The medical gentlemen spared not their skill, and the resources of their art were exhausted in unwearied endeavours to preserve this noblest work of nature. Night approached -the last night of Washington! The weather became severely cold, while the group gathered nearer the couch of the sufferer, watching with intense anxiety for the slightest dawning of hope. He spoke but little. To the respectful and affectionate inquiries of an old family servant, as she smoothed down his pillow, how he felt himself, he answered, “I am very ill." To Dr. Craik, his earliest companion in arms, his longest-tried and bosom friend, he observed, "I am dying, sir, but am not afraid to die." To Mrs. Washington he said, "Go to my escritoire, and in the private drawer you will find two papers; bring them to me.' They were brought. He continued: "These are my wills; preserve this one, and burn the other." This was immediately done. Calling to Col. Lear, he directed : "Let my remains be kept for the usual period of three days."

"

Here we would beg leave to remind our readers, that Washington was old-fashioned in many of his habits and manners, and in some of his opinions; nor was he less to be admired on these accounts. The custom of keeping the dead for the scriptural period of three days is derived from remote antiquity, and arose not from fear of premature interment, as in more modern times, but from motives of veneration towards the deceased; for the better enabling the relatives and friends to assemble from a distance to perform the funeral rites; for the pious watchings of the corpse; and for the many sad, yet endearing ceremonials which we delight to pay our last duties to the remains of those we loved.

The patient bore his acute sufferings with manly fortitude, and perfect resignation to the divine will: while, as the night advanced, it became evident that he was sinking, and he seemed fully aware that his "hour was come." With surprising self-possession he prepared to die. Composing his form at length, and folding his hands upon his bosom-without a sigh-without a groan-the Father of his country expired gently

as though an infant died. No pang or struggle told when the noble spirit took its noiseless flight; while, so tranquil appeared the manly features in the repose of death, that some moments passed, ere those around could believe the patriarch was no more.

It may be asked, why the ministry of religion was wanting to shed its peaceful and benign lustre upon the last hour of Washington? Why was he, to whom the observances of sacred things were ever primary duties through life, without their consolations in his last moments? We answer that circumstances did not permit it. It was for a little while that the disease assumed so threatening a character as to forbid the encouragement of hope. Yet, to stay that summons which none may refuse, to give still further length of days to him whose "time-honoured life" was so dear to mankind, prayer was not wanting at the Throne of grace. Close to the couch of the sufferer, resting her head upon that ancient book, with which she had been wont to hold pious communion, a portion of every day, for more than half a century, was his venerable consort, absorbed in silent prayer, and from which she only arose when the mourning group prepared to bear her froin the chamber of the dead. Such were the last hours of Washington.

THE FESTIVAL OF AL MOHURRAM.

RECENT information from Delhi represents the detention of the Governor-General of India at that ancient city until the termination of the festival of Al Mohurranı, which was then celebrating, when he proposed setting out for Agra. Our readers may feel some curiosity as to the nature of this annual commemoration, so important as to render the stay of the Governor-General to its close advisable, yet of which no satisfactory explanation has hitherto been published in Europe.

In the Arabian creed, or rather imposture, it was customary to hold sacred four months, Al Mohurram, Rajib, Dhulkaada, and Dhulhajja-the first, seventh, eleventh, and twelfth in the year. Dhulhajja, in which they performed the pilgrimage to Mecca, as well as the month preceding and following it, were on the same account kept with inviolable scrupulosity by Mohammedans, that all might pass to and from the festival with perfect safety. Rajib was anciently observed with more severity than the three others, because it was in that month that the pagan Arabs were accustomed to fast. At this period, the age of ignorance, Ramadan was devoted entirely to excess in drinking; but Mohammed afterwards set this month apart specially for prayer and fasting. During the profound tranquillity and entire security that prevailed in this month, one moiety of the provisions brought by the tribe Koreish for the supply of Mecca, was distributed amongst the people-the other being reserved for the place of pilgrimage. The observance of these sacred months appearing to Mohammed so rational, he expressed his approval of its continuance,