Part the First.

LOCAL DESCRIPTIONS.

A lovely SPOT

"For all that life can ask! Salubrious; mild! "Its hills are green; its woods and prospects fair! "Its meadows fertile! And to crown the whole "In one delightful word,

-it is our HOME."

COTTLE'S ALFRED.

Morning-River Scenery-The Glen-The Artist -The Fisherman-The Spell-The Yacht--Days of Yore-Conclusion.

The picturesque beauties and characteristic features of the River Orwell are very accurately and tastefully described in the following Poem.

The "Ancient Fisherman," whose character is pourtrayed in these Stanzas, is not a mere creature of the imagination, but an eccentric Being, once resident in the parish of St. Clement, Ipswich, by name THOMAS COLSON, but better known by the appellation of Robinson Crusoe. He was originally a wool-comber, and afterwards a weaver; but a want of constant employment in both these occupations induced him to enter into the East Suffolk Militia; and whilst quartered at Leicester, he learned, with

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his usual ingenuity, the art of stocking-weaving, which trade he afterwards followed in this County. But this employment, in its turn, he soon relinquished; and became a fisherman on the river Orwell. His little vessel (if vessel it might be called, for every part of it was his own handy work) presented a curious specimen of naval patchwork, as his extreme poverty did not afford him the means of procuring proper materials: yet in this leaky and crazy vessel it was his constant custom by day and by night, in calms and in storms, to toil on the river for fish. His figure was tall and thin; his countenance meagre, yet striking; and his eye sharp and piercing. Subject to violent chronic complaints ; with a mind somewhat distempered, and faculties impaired; he was a firm believer in the evil agency of wizards and witchcraft. On this subject indeed he was by no means uninformed; and a frequent perusal of the " Dæmonology" of the British Solomon, K. James the I, operating on a gloomy and superstitious temper, soon confirmed his belief in these absurd opinions. He appeared also to have read "Glanvil's Saducismus Triumphans" with considerable attention; and while arguing on this his favorite topic, his quotations from this author were just and apposite. His mind was so haunted with the dreams of charms and enchantments, as to fancy that he was continually under the influence of these mischievous tormentors. His arms and legs, nay almost his whole body, was encircled with the bones of horses, rings, amulets and characts, verses, words, &c. as spells and charms to protect him against their evil machinations. On different parts of his boat was to be seen the "horse shoe nailed," that most effective antidote against the power of witches. When conversing with him, he would describe to you that he saw them hovering about his person, and endeavoring, by all their arts, to punish and torment him. Though a wretched martyr to the fancies of a disordered imagination, his manners were mild and harmless, and his character honest

and irreproachable. But however powerful and effective his charms might be to protect him from the agency of evil spirits, they did not prove sufficiently operative against the dangers of storm and tempest. For being unfortunately driven on the ooze by a violent storm on the 3rd of October 1811, he was seen and earnestly importuned to quit his crazy vessel; but, relying on the efficacy of his charms, he obstinately refused; and the ebb of the tide drawing his bark off into deep water, his charms, his spells, and his characts failed him; and poor Robinson sunk to rise no more!

The Editor of this Collection has in his possession the following CHARM in the hand-writing of Colson, which he subjoins literatim et verbatim.

"A CHARM

to make a young woman seem to be in love with a young man.

Take new wax and the pouder of a dead man, make an image with the face downward and in the likeness of the person you wish to have: make it in the ouers of mars and in the new of the mone: under the left armpoke place a Swaler's hart and a liver under the rite: you must have a new needal and a new thread: the Sprits name must be menchened, his Sine and his Character.

I take this oppertunity to inform my frinds that about 16 yeares ago this Charm was put in practice by sum willains of witches at Needham-markett, William Studd been one of them: and they have put me to much torment and lamed me many times, thay own to me that thay make use of part of the bones of Mrs. Wilkerson of Felixton, she that suffred at Rushmere sum yeares ago: this is sartainly true, and I am ready to give it upon oth if required.

THOS. COLSON.

Acts the 9 and 5 It is hard for the to kick against the pricks."