nto Falstaff's
mouth to ask what honour is "to him that died o' Wednesday." It is a
humour that won't last--'tis against nature--man is more than half
belligerent, and has a "murder" in him (to give it a bad name) "that
will out." Even the peaceable Ephraim took up the handspike, and used it
too, with "friend, keep thee in thy own ship." The "friend" was
hyprocrisy--the use of the handspike, natural; the very elements are at
war, and were made to be so--storms are as necessary as sunshine. But
excellent able John Bell likes sunshine best; and who does not like him
the better for that? And sweet sunshine has he shed around "The good
Mayde"--a sunshine that makes its own magic circle, within which evil
spirits or evil men shall not come. Tempt on, ye wizards--she looketh
upwards, yet think not she will fall or miss her way--the Unseen guideth
her steps. Bell's account of the matter is, however, far better. Let him
publish his quaint poem, all of it; the specimens warrant the request.

"Thus doth the goode Mayde, with a stedfaste eye,
Walke through the troubles vaine, and peryls dire,
That doe beset mayde's path with haytes full slie,
The trappes and gynnes of mischief's cunning syre.
Ne nought to her is riches' golden shower,
Ne gaudy baites of dresse and rich attyre,
Ne lover's talke, ne flatteries' worthless store,
Ne scandal's forked tongue--that ancient liar,
Ne music's magic breath, ne giddy wheel
Of gay lascivious daunce, ne ill-raised mirthe,
Ne promised state doth cause her mind to reel,
Or lure from thoughts of heaven to joys of earthe."

Our poet, a moralist etcher, reverts to the old subject; and we have
"The Progresse of Warre," in a series, as part of a frieze for his
Temple of Peace. This is most clear--for he who runs may read; yet, on a
second view, we doubt that--for we see, what we did not at first see,
writing under each tablet that is by no means intelligible. Having, with
Mr Bell, seen an end of the battle, it is fit time, with Mr Herbert, to
discuss "The Day after the Battle." "Next day did many widows come"--
that verse of _Chevy Chase_ is the subject. The slaughtered knight, the
widow, and the dog, tell the tale, and tell it well too. The widow is
the best figure. We have had enough of battle and all its horrors; let
us turn to tranquillizing nature, where the undisturbed lichen may grow
upon the rocks, and the branches of unpruned tree