f the lake, near a bower, which, when a boy,
he had helped to decorate. She was still clad in the robes of last
night's festival. He ran eagerly towards her--she spoke not--he
entreated her to answer him, but he implored in vain--there was
neither breath, nor sense, nor motion--she was dead! 'Twas a mournful
sight! one white hand, stiffened to marble, was pressed upon her
broken heart, as she had sought to stay its painful throbbings--the
cold night dews hung in large drops upon her silken hair, and shed
a tremulous gleam upon the diamonds that sparkled on her pale, icy
forehead--the withered leaves had found a resting place upon her
bosom, and her white garments were embroidered by their many
colourings. The castle became hateful to Albert after this event: he
removed to a distant part of the country, and never again revisited
the scenes of his earlier years. He also was dead; and Isabel, her
love, and her despair, were forgotten by all, save one aged, isolated
being, whose time-whitened locks and decrepit frame showed that she
too was rapidly descending to the silence of the grave.

_London University Magazine_. No. II.

* * * * *

NOTES OF A READER.

* * * * *

MOLES

Are so voracious as not even to spare their own species. If two are
shut up together without food, there will shortly be nothing left of
the weakest but its skin, slit along the belly.--_Cuvier_.

* * * * *

SCOTCH ALE.

The strength of Scotch ale, whence it deserves the name, ranges between
32 and 44 pounds weight to the imperial barrel, according to the price
at which it is meant to be sold. The general mode of charge is by the
hogshead (about a barrel and a half,) for which five pounds, six, seven,
or eight pounds are paid, as the quality may warrant; the strength for
every additional pound of price being increased by about four pounds per
barrel of weight.--_Library of Useful Knowledge_.--Scotch two-penny was
so called because it was sold at twopence the Scotch pint, which was
nearly two English quarts.

* * * * *

In a Scotch brewer's instructions for Scotch ale, dated 1793, we meet
with the following curious mystical instruction:--"I throw a little dry
malt, which is left on purpose, on the top of the mash, with a handful
of salt, to _keep the witches from it_, and then cover it up. Perhaps
this