onewhomGerardDouwrespectedmuch，forasmuchashewasaveteranpolemic，thoughone，perhaps，moredreadedasacombatantthanbelovedasaChristian——ofpuremorality，subtlebrain，andfrozenheart。HeenteredthechamberwhichcommunicatedwiththatinwhichRosereclined，andimmediatelyonhisarrivalsherequestedhimtoprayforher，asforonewholayinthehandsofSatan，andwhocouldhopefordeliverance——onlyfromheaven。
Thatourreadersmaydistinctlyunderstandallthecircumstancesoftheeventwhichweareaboutimperfectlytodescribe，itisnecessarytostatetherelativepositionofthepartieswhowereengagedinit。
TheoldclergymanandSchalkenwereintheanteroomofwhichwehavealreadyspoken；Roselayintheinnerchamber，thedoorofwhichwasopen；andbythesideofthebed，atherurgentdesire，stoodherguardian；acandleburnedinthebed-
chamber，andthreewerelightedintheouterapartmentTheoldmannowclearedhisvoice，asifabouttocommence；butbeforehehadtimetobegin，asuddengustofairblewoutthecandlewhichservedtoilluminatetheroominwhichthepoorgirllay，andshe，withhurriedalarm，exclaimed：
’Godfrey，bringinanothercandle；thedarknessisunsafe。’
GerardDouw，forgettingforthemomentherrepeatedinjunctionsintheimmediateimpulse，steppedfromthebedchamberintotheother，inordertosupplywhatshedesired。
’OGodIdonotgo，dearuncle!’
shriekedtheunhappygirl；andatthesametimeshesprangfromthebedanddartedafterhim，inorder，byhergrasp，todetainhim。
Butthewarningcametoolate，forscarcelyhadhepassedthethreshold，andhardlyhadhisniecehadtimetoutterthestartlingexclamation，whenthedoorwhichdividedthetworoomsclosedviolentlyafterhim，asifswungtobyastrongblastofwind。
Schalkenandhebothrushedtothedoor，buttheirunitedanddesperateeffortscouldnotavailsomuchastoshakeit。
Shriekaftershriekburstfromtheinnerchamber，withallthepiercingloudnessofdespairingterror。SchalkenandDouwappliedeveryenergyandstrainedeverynervetoforceopenthedoor；butallinvain。
Therewasnosoundofstrugglingfromwithin，butthescreamsseemedtoincreaseinloudness，andatthesametimetheyheardtheboltsofthelatticedwindowwithdrawn，andthewindowitselfgrateduponthesillasifthrownopen。
OneLASTshriek，solongandpiercingandagonisedastobescarcelyhuman，swelledfromtheroom，andsuddenlytherefollowedadeath-likesilence。
Alightstepwasheardcrossingthefloor，asiffromthebedtothewindow；
andalmostatthesameinstantthedoorgaveway，and，yieldingtothepressureoftheexternalapplicants，theywerenearlyprecipitatedintotheroom。Itwasempty。
Thewindowwasopen，andSchalkensprangtoachairandgazedoutuponthestreetandcanalbelow。Hesawnoform，buthebeheld，orthoughthebeheld，thewatersofthebroadcanalbeneathsettlingringafterringinheavycircularripples，asifamomentbeforedisturbedbytheimmersionofsomelargeandheavymass。
NotraceofRosewaseverafterdiscovered，norwasanythingcertainrespectinghermysteriouswooerdetectedorevensuspected；nocluewherebytotracetheintricaciesofthelabyrinthandtoarriveatadistinctconclusionwastobefound。Butanincidentoccurred，which，thoughitwillnotbereceivedbyourrationalreadersasatallapproachingtoevidenceuponthematter，neverthelessproducedastrongandalastingimpressionuponthemindofSchalken。
Manyyearsaftertheeventswhichwehavedetailed，Schalken，thenremotelysituated，receivedanintimationofhisfather’sdeath，andofhisintendedburialuponafixeddayinthechurchofRotterdam。
Itwasnecessarythataveryconsiderablejourneyshouldbeperformedbythefuneralprocession，which，asitwillreadilybebelieved，wasnotverynumerouslyattended。SchalkenwithdifficultyarrivedinRotterdamlateinthedayuponwhichthefuneralwasappointedtotakeplace。Theprocessionhadnotthenarrived。
Eveningclosedin，andstillitdidnotappear。
Schalkenstrolleddowntothechurch——
befounditopen——noticeofthearrivalofthefuneralhadbeengiven，andthevaultinwhichthebodywastobelaidhadbeenopened。Theofficialwhocorrespondstooursexton，onseeingawell-dressedgentleman，whoseobjectwastoattendtheexpectedfuneral，pacingtheaisleofthechurch，hospitablyinvitedhimtosharewithhimthecomfortsofablazingwoodfire，which，aswashiscustominwintertimeuponsuchoccasions，hehadkindledonthehearthofachamberwhichcommu-
nicated，byaflightofsteps，withthevaultbelow。
InthischamberSchalkenandhisentertainerseatedthemselves，andthesexton，aftersomefruitlessattemptstoengagehisguestinconversation，wasobligedtoapplyhimselftohistobacco-pipeandcantosolacehissolitude。
Inspiteofhisgriefandcares，thefatiguesofarapidjourneyofnearlyfortyhoursgraduallyovercamethemindandbodyofGodfreySchalken，andhesankintoadeepsleep，fromwhichhewasawakenedbysomeoneshakinghimgentlybytheshoulder。Hefirstthoughtthattheoldsextonhadcalledhim，butHE
wasnolongerintheroom。
Herousedhimself，andassoonashecouldclearlyseewhatwasaroundhim，heperceivedafemaleform，clothedinakindoflightrobeofmuslin，partofwhichwassodisposedastoactasaveil，andinherhandshecarriedalamp。Shewasmovingratherawayfromhim，andtowardstheflightofstepswhichconductedtowardsthevaults。
Schalkenfeltavaguealarmatthesightofthisfigure，andatthesametimeanirresistibleimpulsetofollowitsguidance。
Hefollowedittowardsthevaults，butwhenitreachedtheheadofthestairs，hepaused；thefigurepausedalso，and，turninggentlyround，displayed，bythelightofthelampitcarried，thefaceandfeaturesofhisfirstlove，RoseVelderkaust。Therewasnothinghorrible，orevensad，inthecountenance。Onthecontrary，itworethesamearchsmilewhichusedtoenchanttheartistlongbeforeinhishappydays。
Afeelingofaweandofinterest，toointensetoberesisted，promptedhimtofollowthespectre，ifspectreitwere。Shedescendedthestairs——hefollowed；and，turningtotheleft，throughanarrowpassage，sheledhim，tohisinfinitesurprise，intowhatappearedtobeanold-
fashionedDutchapartment，suchasthepicturesofGerardDouwhaveservedtoimmortalise。
Abundanceofcostlyantiquefurniturewasdisposedabouttheroom，andinonecornerstoodafour-postbed，withheavyblack-clothcurtainsaroundit；thefigurefrequentlyturnedtowardshimwiththesamearchsmile；andwhenshecametothesideofthebed，shedrewthecurtains，andbythelightofthelampwhichsheheldtowardsitscontents，shedisclosedtothehorror-strickenpainter，sittingboltuprightinthebed，thelividanddemoniacformofVanderhausen。Schalkenhadhardlyseenhimwhenhefellsenselessuponthefloor，wherehelayuntildiscovered，onthenextmorning，bypersonsemployedinclosingthepassagesintothevaults。Hewaslyinginacellofconsiderablesize，whichhadnotbeendisturbedforalongtime，andhehadfallenbesidealargecoffinwhichwassupporteduponsmallstonepillars，asecurityagainsttheattacksofvermin。
TohisdyingdaySchalkenwassatisfiedoftherealityofthevisionwhichhehadwitnessed，andhehasleftbehindhimacuriousevidenceoftheimpressionwhichitwroughtuponhisfancy，inapaintingexecutedshortlyaftertheeventwehavenarrated，andwhichisvaluableasexhibitingnotonlythepeculiaritieswhichhavemadeSchalken’spicturessoughtafter，butevenmoresoaspresentingaportrait，ascloseandfaithfulasonetakenfrommemorycanbe，ofhisearlylove，RoseVelderkaust，whosemysteriousfatemusteverremainmatterofspeculation。
Thepicturerepresentsachamberofantiquemasonry，suchasmightbefoundinmostoldcathedrals，andislightedfaintlybyalampcarriedinthehandofafemalefigure，suchaswehaveaboveattemptedtodescribe；andinthebackground，andtotheleftofhimwhoexaminesthepainting，therestandstheformofamanapparentlyarousedfromsleep，andbyhisattitude，hishandbeinglaiduponhissword，exhibitingconsiderablealarm：thislastfigureisilluminatedonlybytheexpiringglareofawoodorcharcoalfire。
Thewholeproductionexhibitsabeauti-
fulspecimenofthatartfulandsingulardistributionoflightandshadewhichhasrenderedthenameofSchalkenimmortalamongtheartistsofhiscountry。Thistaleistraditionary，andthereaderwilleasilyperceive，byourstudiouslyomittingtoheightenmanypointsofthenarrative，whenalittleadditionalcolouringmighthaveaddedeffecttotherecital，thatwehavedesiredtolaybeforehim，notafigmentofthebrain，butacurioustraditionconnectedwith，andbelongingto，thebiographyofafamousartist。
SCRAPSOFHIBERNIANBALLADS。
BeinganEighthExtractfromtheLegacyofthelateFrancisPurcell，P。P。ofDrumcoolagh。
Ihaveobserved，mydearfriend，amongothergrievousmisconceptionscurrentamongmenotherwisewell-informed，andwhichtendtodegradethepretensionsofmynativeland，animpressionthatthereexistsnosuchthingasindigenousmodernIrishcompositiondeservingthenameofpoetry——abeliefwhichhasbeenthoughtlesslysustainedandconfirmedbytheunconscion-
ableliteraryperversenessofIrishmenthemselves，whohavepreferredtheeasytaskofconcoctinghumorousextravaganzas，whichcaricaturewithmercilessexaggerationthepedantry，bombast，andblundersincidenttothelowestorderofHibernianballads，tothemorepleasurableandpatrioticdutyofcollectingtogetherthemany，manyspecimensofgenuinepoeticfeeling，whichhavegrownup，likeitswildflowers，fromthewarmthoughneglectedsoilofIreland。
Infact，theproductionswhichhavelongbeenregardedaspuresamplesofIrishpoeticcomposition，suchas’TheGrovesofBlarney，’and’TheWeddingofBallyporeen，’’AllyCroker，’etc。，etc。，arealtogetherspurious，andasmuchlikethethingtheycallthemselves’asItoHercules。’
TherearetobesureinIreland，asinallcountries，poemswhichdeservetobelaughedat。ThenativeproductionsofwhichIspeak，frequentlyaboundinabsurdities——absurditieswhichareoften，too，provokinglymixedupwithwhatisbeautiful；butIstronglyandabsolutelydenythattheprevailingoreventheusualcharacterofIrishpoetryisthatofcomicality。Nocountry，notime，isdevoidofrealpoetry，orsomethingapproachingtoit；andsurelyitwereastrangethingifIreland，aboundingasshedoesfromshoretoshorewithallthatisbeautiful，andgrand，andsavageinscenery，andfilledwithwildrecollections，vividpassions，warmaffections，andkeensorrow，couldfindnolanguagetospeakwithal，butthatofmummeryandjest。
No，herlanguageisimperfect，butthereisstrengthinitsrudeness，andbeautyinitswildness；and，aboveall，strongfeelingflowsthroughit，likefreshfountainsinruggedcaverns。
AndyetIwillnotsaythatthelanguageofgenuineindigenousIrishcompositionisalwaysvulgaranduncouth：
onthecontrary，Iaminpossessionofsomespecimens，thoughbynomeansofthehighestorderastopoeticmerit，whichdonotpossessthroughoutasinglepeculiarityofdiction。ThelineswhichInowproceedtolaybeforeyou，bywayofillustration，arefromthepenofanunfortunateyoungman，ofveryhumblebirth，whoseearlyhopeswerecrossedbytheuntimelydeathofherwhomheloved。
Hewasaself-educatedman，andinafter-
liferosetohighdistinctionsintheChurchtowhichhedevotedhimself——anactwhichprovesthesincerityofspiritwithwhichtheseverseswerewritten。
’Whenmoonlightfallsonwaveandwimple，Andsilverseverycirclingdimple，Thatonward，onwardsails：
WhenfragranthawthornswildandsimpleLendperfumetothegales，Andthepalemooninheavenabiding，O’ermidnightmistsandmountainsriding，Shinesontheriver，smoothlyglidingThroughquietdales，’Iwanderthereinsolitude，CharmedbythechimingmusicrudeOfstreamsthatfretandflow。
ForbythateddyingstreamSHEstood，OnsuchanightItrow：
ForHERthethornitsbreathwaslending，OnthissametideHEReyewasbending，AndwithitsvoiceHERvoicewasblendingLong，longago。
Wildstream!Iwalkbytheeoncemore，Iseethyhawthornsdimandhoar，Ihearthywatersmoan，Andnight-windssighfromshoretoshore，Withhushedandhollowtone；
Butbreezesontheirlightwaywinging，Andallthywatersheedlesssinging，Nomoretomearegladnessbringing——
Iamalone。