follows: a young man arriving at the house of a friend, to whose daughter he was betrothed, was informed, that some weeks had passed since death had deprived him of his intended bride. Never having seen her, he soon reconciled himself to her loss, especially as, during his stay at his friend's house, a young lady was kind enough to visit him every night in his chamber, whence she retired at daybreak, always carrying with her some valuable present from her lover. This intercourse continued till accident shewed the young man the picture of his deceased bride, and he recognized, with horror, the features of his nocturnal visitor. The young lady's tomb being opened, he found in it the various presents which his liberality had bestowed on his unknown inamorata.

No. XVIII.

THE GRIM WHITE WOMAN.

ORIGINAL.

M. G. LEWIS.

LORD Ronald was handsome, Lord Ronald was young; The green wood he traversed, and gaily he sung; His bosom was light, and he spurr'd on amain, When lo! a fair lass caught his steed by the rein.

She caught by the rein, and she sank on her knee ; -"Now stay thee, Lord Ronald, and listen to me!". She sank on her knee, and her tears 'gan to flow, -"Now stay thee, Lord Ronald, and pity my woe!"

-"Nay, Janet, fair Janet, I needs must away;
"I speed to my mother, who chides my delay.".
-"Oh! heed not her chiding; though bitter it be,
'Thy falsehood and scorn are more bitter to me.".

-"Nay, Janet, fair Janet, I needs must depart; "My brother stays for me to hunt the wild hart."-Oh! let the hart live, and thy purpose forego, "To sooth with compassion and kindness my woe."

Nay, Janet, fair Janet, delay me no more;

You please me no longer, my passion is o'er: "A leman more lovely waits down in yon dell, "So, Janet, fair Janet, for ever farewell!"—

No longer the damsel's entreaties he heard;
His dapple-grey horse through the forest he spurr'd;
And ever, as onwards the foaming steed flew,

Did Janet with curses the false one pursue.

-"Oh! cursed be the day," in distraction she cries, "When first did thy features look fair in my eyes! "And cursed the false lips, which beguiled me of fame ; "And cursed the hard heart, which resigns me to shame!

"The wanton, whom now you forsake me to please—

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May her kisses be poison, her touch be disease! "When you wed, may your couch be a stranger to joy, "And the Fiend of the Forest your offspring destroy !

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May the Grim White Woman, who haunts this wood, "The Grim White Woman, who feasts on blood,

"As soon as they number twelve months and a day,

"Tear the hearts of babes from their bosoms away.”—

your

Then frantic with love and remorse home she sped,
Lock'd the door of her chamber, and sank on her bed;
Nor

yet with complaints and with tears had she done, When the clock in St. Christopher's church struck-"one !"—

Her blood, why she knew not, ran cold at the sound;
She lifted her head; she gazed fearfully round!

When, lo! near the hearth, by a cauldron's blue light,
She saw the tall form of a female in white.

Her

eye, fix'd and glassy, no passions express'd;

No blood fill'd her veins, and no heart warm'd her breast!

She seem'd like a corse newly torn from the tomb,

And her breath spread the chillness of death through the room.

Her arms, and her feet, and her bosom were bare;

A shroud wrapp'd her limbs, and a snake bound her hair.
This spectre,
the Grim White Woman was she,
And the Grim White Woman was fearful to see!

And ever,

the cauldron as over she bent,

She mutter'd strange words of mysterious intent:
A toad, still alive, in the liquor she threw,

And loud shriek'd the toad, as in pieces it flew!

To heighten the charm, in the flames next she flung
A viper, a rat, and a mad tiger's tongue;
The heart of a wretch, on the rack newly 'dead,
And an eye, she had torn from a parricide's head.

The flames now divided; the charm was complete;
Her spells the White Spectre forbore to repeat;
To Janet their produce she hasten'd to bring,
And placed on her finger a little jet ring!

-"From the Grim White Woman," she murmur'd," receive "A gift, which your treasure, now lost, will retrieve.

Remember, 'twas she who relieved your despair,

" And when you next see her, remember your prayer!"

This said, the Fiend vanish'd! no longer around

Pour'd the cauldron its beams; all was darkness profound; Till the

gay beams of morning illumined the skies,

And gay as the morning did Ronald arise.