7. Entreaties were redoubled, but they could now scarcely be heard in the distance, and signs of danger were made; but all in vain. To launch another boat would only bring sure destruction to those who might embark. If any of the party were saved, their own efforts alone could accomplish the work.

8. But they continued their merriment, and now and then peals of laughter would come over the waters, falling like the knell of death upon the ears of those on shore ; for the latter well knew that now there was no relief, and that soon the thoughtless revellers would see their folly and madness, and awake to their danger only to find that there was no longer a way of escape open to them.

9. Again they came round; but their mirth was termi nated. They had heard the roarings of the whirlpool, and had seen in the distance the wild tumult of the waters. The boat began to quiver like an aspen-leaf, and to shoot like lightning from wave to wave.

10. The foam dashed over them as they sped along, and every moment they expected to be engulfed. They now plied the oars and cried for help. No help could reach them. No strength could give the boat power to escape from the doom towards which it was hastening.

11. A thick black cloud, as if to add horror to the scene, at this moment shrouded the heavens in darkness, and the thunder rolled fearfully over their heads. With a desperate struggle the oars were again plied. They snapped asunder, and the last hope of the doomed gave way to the agony of despair. The boat, now trembling, now tossed, now whirled suddenly around, plunged into the yawning abyss, and, with the unhappy persons whom it carried, disappeared forever. Thus perished the pleasure-boat and all who had embarked in it.

Verse 11. On what resemblance is based the figure "yawning abyss"?

12. "And thus," said the Professor, rising from his seat and addressing the young men of our party, "thus perish, in the whirlpool of dissipation, thousands who at first sailed smoothly and thoughtlessly around its outward circle, and laughed at those who saw the danger and faithfully warned them of it. But, rejecting every admonition, and closing their ears to all entreaties, they continued on their course till escape was hopeless and ruin inevitable.

13. "Had not the pleasure-boat entered the first circle, the pleasure-party had never been swallowed up in that whirlpool of certain destruction. Remember also, my

young friends, that the real danger to youth lies in entering the first circle of dissipation. Pleasure may, indeed, beckon on and cry, 'There is no danger;' but believe her not.

14. "The waves and rocks of ruin are in her path; and to avoid them may not be in your power if one wrong step be taken. Many a man who commenced with an occasional glass, relying upon his strength of mind and firmness of purpose to continue a temperate drinker, has passed around the whole circle of drunkenness, and lain down in a dishonored grave."

15. The story, with the accompanying moral, made a deep impression upon the young men of our party; but Dr. Edson afterwards told me that it was quite an exaggeration of the dangers of the whirlpool, which, he says, is destructive to ships and boats only during the prevalence of a western storm.

VII.-Onward to St. Petersburg.

1. Some of our party were desirous of visiting Chris-tiä'ni-a, the capital of Norway, which is said to be beautifully situated at the head of a deep and narrow inlet, or fi-ord',

Verse 12. On what resemblance is based the figure "whirlpool of dissipation"?—Its "outward circle" ?—V. 13. "Pleasure may beckon and cry"?

as the Norwegians call it, with high rocky shores, seventyfive miles northward from the strait in which we were sailing. But, as Captain Gray told us that the fi-ord' is in some places rather difficult of navigation, and we might be delayed in obtaining a pilot, we concluded to continue on our course, and therefore proceeded to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

2. In the extensive parks and pleasure-grounds of this city, to which Henry has alluded, are numerous monuments of the great men of Sweden, among which is one, recently erected, to the memory of Charles XII. On returning to our hotel after viewing this monument, Prof. Howard took occasion to discuss the career of Sweden's warrior monarch, as portrayed in the admirable history of his life by Voltaire. For the character of Charles, he quoted Dr. Johnson's description, as being the best that can be said of one whose sole ambition was bounded by "the warrior's pride." It begins thus:

3. On what foundation stands the warrior's pride,
How just his hopes, let Swedish Charles decide.
A frame of adamant, a soul of fire,

No dangers fright him, and no labors tire;
O'er love, o'er fear, extends his wide domain,
Unconquered lord of pleasure and of pain;
No joys to him pacific sceptres yield,

War sounds the trump, he rushes to the field;
Behold surrounded kings their powers combine,
And one capitulate, and one resign.

4. Then follows a brief account of the warlike career of the monarch, which was suddenly terminated by a random shot from the petty fortress of Frederickshald in Norway, which he was besieging:

5. But did not chance at length her error mend?
Did no subverted empire mark his end?

Did rival monarchs give the fatal wound?
Or hostile millions press him to the ground?
His fate was destined to a barren strand,

A petty fortress, and a dubious hand:

He left the name, at which the world grew pale,
To point a moral, or adorn a tale.

6. After a little more than one day's sail eastward from Stockholm, we came to the little rocky island of Cronstadt, the most important seaport and naval fortress of Russia. Just beyond the island we passed over the bar at the mouth of the river Neva, at high tide, and thirteen miles up the stream came to anchor before St. Petersburg itself.

CHAPTER IV.-A STORY, AND ITS MORAL.

I. A Ride to the Highlands.

1. One day Mr. Raymond stopped at the Hall, with his slow horse and a two-seated carriage, and invited me to take a ride with him and Mr. Bardou over to the Highlands, a village four miles east of Lake-View. Mr. Bardou, whom our readers will recollect as the elderly French gentleman who lived with Mr. Raymond, and who so kindly stepped forward and paid Bertie Brown's fine, in the famous trial scene, is Mrs. Raymond's uncle. Some of the people in the village call him the "Little Old Frenchman;" others call him the "French Philosopher;" but Mr. Raymond calls him "Father Bardou."

2. Mr. Raymond was going to visit the Asylum for the Aged and Infirm, at the Highlands, of which he is one of the directors. The ride over the hills was a delightful one; it was a balmy September day; and the pleasant company of the minister and the genial Frenchman made ample amends for the slowness of the journey.

3. The plain farm-buildings and neat cottages on the route, with the narrow, but flower-bordered, walks that led to them, and their simple surroundings of shrubbery, and shade, and garden, and ploughed fields, and meadows, were a constant delight to my French companion, who saw more beauties in these rural scenes than in the parks, and parterres, and well-kept lawns, and grand approaches, which distinguish the mansions of the wealthy.

4. As we passed the well-tilled farms of Mr. Atkins and Mr. Ducklow, our philosophic friend dwelt upon the tranquil enjoyments, and few cares, of the farmer's life; and when Mr. Raymond pointed out the plain cottage of the widow Anderson, just over the hill beyond, all embowered in shrubbery, he declared it to be a perfect gem of rural beauty, where one fond of nature, and content with simple but substantial pleasures, might love to dwell. "There is a story connected with that cottage," said Mr. Raymond, "that I will tell you on our return."

5. After reaching the Highlands, going through the Asylum, and seeing how well everything had been arranged there for the comfort of the inmates, we went to the Highlands Bank, where Mr. Raymond had some business to transact for the Asylum. I noticed that the clerk who paid out the money, and who is called the teller, was quite a young man; and I was so much struck with his frank, open, and honest countenance, that, on coming away, I remarked to Mr. Bardou, "That is a young man whom I should not be afraid to trust."

6. While leaving the village, on our homeward ride, Mr. Bardou chanced to speak of the contrast between an elegant residence that we passed, and the widow's cottage, when Mr. Raymond remarked that he would now tell us the story to which he had before alluded. "The events all happened before you came to Lake-View, Mr. Bookmore," said he. Then, as we jogged slowly along, he related the following story about Paul and his Mother.