Alfred's comprehensive mind conceived, and he in great measure executed, the magnanimous policy of converting his enemies into allies; and of leading them to the cultivation of the arts of peace, to civilization, and Christianity.* On the condition of their willingness to second him in these views, he allowed them to colonize peaceably in East Anglia. The parts of England yielded to the Danes were Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, part of Hertfordshire, part of Bedfordshire, and a little of Huntingdonshire. Northumbria also became included in the Danelagh.† God bless thee, my darling! wherever thou art In my eyes, in my arms, folded close to my heart, Still with me by night and by day. My bonnie, blithe blessing! no more night and morn e; Thy sweet rose-bud mouth will seek mine My winsome wee woman! oh! how I shall miss Thy laughter, thy prattle, thy oft-bestowed kiss My treasure, for many long months hast thou been A loved, loving despot, my heart's baby-queen, My dead mother's darling twice dear to my heart Little Alice, God bless thee! wherever thou art *Sharon Turner. AUNT ETTI. + Sir Francis Palgrave. Royalty has recently been welcomed within the walls of classic Oxford with no ordinary gladness: the inner soul of Alma Mater has been manifested in peculiar outbursts of loyal joy while receiving the noblest of her sons, and clothing him with her most brilliant gifts of approbation: Albert Edward and Alexandra have indeed felt what it is to be loved by the wise and learned, the noble and gentle, the reverend of our land,-for all these seemed to vie each with other who most should do them honour. What had they done to deserve it all? What has called forth this monster burst of popular love and loyalty? What power has so united the hearts of England as the soul of one man to beat its unison of "blessing" to England's presumptive Heir, and of "welcome" to her he hails his Bride. This affection of this People is not of sudden growth; the seeds were trustfully sown by a young and much-loved Queen, strengthened they were by him who early made her wife, and they together through after years, whether we look at Court or Palace, or closer still, at Home, have tended to make that Nation respect and love their holy teaching, and to acknowledge the unmistakeable advancement of England's glory under their ministerial hands. The fruits have appeared,-first, the sacred fruition of domestic peace throughout our land; then, the kindly increase of philanthropic zeal, the steady generation of commercial greatness, and the sturdy opening PP of a Nation's valour. And can we wonder that from such as these the notes of welcome rise? The love a Nation bore could make that Nation weep when Kinglike Albert died, and still its Queen rests peaceful in its sympathy. But when her Son brought forth his Bride, that Nation woke to joy and welcome. And who should heartier welcome give than Oxford's sons, as greeting from her classic walls, when once again her Prince comes forth, and brings along his Bride. It is not our province to describe the way of their coming, nor their path of pleasure while with us; these descriptions have been given by abler hands; the public press throughout the country has heralded its daily information with much interest and accuracy. It will only be expected from us that we speak out the truth “he has been here, and has received our best deservedly," to reason why all this has been, and draw a moral for a coming age. But we claim to describe, in the words of the Guardian, the scene of bis triumph when receiving the diploma conferred upon him: By two o'clock every available space of the Theatre was taken up excepting the reserved seats in the area around the Chancellor's throne. Wild were the spirits of the Undergraduates' gallery, deafening their cheers for the ladies in all colours of the rainbow and with every variety of loveliness. It was an exciting scene. The galleries a storm-cloud charged to the full-the area a tempestuous sea; the ladies' gallery was drawn like a belt of peace and love. liness between them. For about an hour the wildest uproar prevailed. Then the great doors were opened, and the Archbishop of Canterbury came in and was warmly cheered; afterwards Dr. Liddell and Mrs. Gladstone. Then another pause; after which, amidst a lull of the profoundest silence, the Princess entered, led by the Curator of the Theatre. Scarcely had she traversed half the distance to the throne, when a loud deep cheer arose, such as seemed to shake the Theatre to its foundations. For several minutes this continued without intermission, the ladies joining in the general enthusiasm, waving their handkerchiefs. The Princess was much moved, and acknowledged the undisguised loyalty of area and galleries in the most graceful and winning manner, almost deprecating the deep fervour with which she was greeted. At length there was another lull, then again the doors were thrown wide open, and led by the Earl of Derby the Prince was conducted to his throne, the organ playing "God save the Queen." All joined in, and the first verse of the National Anthem was sung as it only can be sung by some 1500 young Englishmen. The Prince had reached his throne, and then a tremendous cheer was raised, such as had never been heard in Oxford before. The Prince was visibly excited, and stood by Lord Derby's side, bowing to all parts of the Theatre. When the cheering had subsided, Lord Derby, in a very graceful and eloquent Latin speech, which was frequently interrupted by enthusiastic cheers, set forth the grounds on which it was proposed to confer upon the Prince a Doctor's degree. He touched upon his illustrious parentage, his honoured father, his beloved mother, his own fair promise, the good example of obedience to the University discipline set by the Prince himself as an Undergraduate; his happy marriage, to which, by a rhetorical allusion to the fair presence of the Princess herself, he attracted the most enthusiastic applause ; and the hopeful prospect in the future, concluding with a call for the "Placet" of the assembled Convocation. This was most cordially given, and the Prince sat down a D.C.L. of Oxford." We have thus made these few lines a matter of history which otherwise, perhaps, might have passed with the mere perusal of a newspaper by the readers of a present week. They contain hearty words, and must make us gratefully proud of a Royalty of such promise and intrinsic worth. Such exhibitions as these, too, must tend to knit together our national love, to show us how each may occupy his position in a Nation's welfare, as a stone fairly fitted to its place in a well-ordered building-the building up of England's greatness; great because she is a Minister of Gospel Light to the Nations, and because she occupies so prominent a position in that other building of God's most Holy Temple, of which each English soul should form a part. "God bless them both." The Grand Commemoration of 1863. Oh! joyful were the hearts of all, Oh! gaily waved the banners then And every time-worn College Hall The lordly piles of Christ Church The oft repeated echoes The fête in Worcester Gardens, And when the summer evening's sun, Oh! then once more the sturdy cheer, From the victor boat of Trinity, From all the long-drawn line of boats, Who fringed the river side. Oh! truly 'twas a glorious time, Than the Grand Commemoration W. B. THE BRIARLY MYSTERY: A Serial Tale, for Young Men and Women. BY THE AUTHOR OF "MARGARET STOURTON." ton. CHAPTER I. "As the twig is bent the tree is inclined." About sixty miles in a northerly direction from London, stands a small village which for several reasons I shall call “ Briarly." It is pleasantly situated about half a mile from the top of the hill where the turnpike road is crossed by the road from Briarly to NorthampClose to the fine old tree which still overshadows the guide-post on which the words "Briarly" and "Portledge," "London and Northampton," are inscribed in large capitals, there used to be some years ago a stile, and from this stile a pathway led across two fields to a large old-fashioned farm house called Mells, and then passing in front of Mells, it wound through a thick copse-wood into a lane, which led by the Church to the village. A yew tree, as old perhaps as the Church itself, grew on one side of the Church-yard, its branches stretching beyond the wall over the road and beneath its deep shade, with the wall for a back to lean against; the old men of the place would often seat themselves in summer time on a low broad bench, which some benevolent person had placed there for their accommodation. Not far from the Church lived Mr. Simon Lane, the village baker. He rented twelve acres of land of Mr. Forester, the Squire, but the house in which he lived, as well as a few acres of prime pasture land by which it was surrounded, were his own property. He had established a dairy, and sold butter and cheese and milk, as well as various kinds of cakes and sweetmeats, very tempting to the youth of Briarly. Simon Lane was reputed to have been very rich, and some said he was very stingy; at all events there is no doubt that he was extremely "careful," as also was his wife. They had but one child, a son, who would of course inherit all their wealth. This boy, whose name was John, was a strongly made, sturdy fellow, with a somewhat unpleasant expression of countenance, and a most determined will of his own. At school he was very unmanageable, so much so that Mr. Blake the master was once induced to complain to Simon of his misconduct. But the only reply Simon vouchsafed to Mr. Blake |