92 Monthly Review of Literature. 



Embedded in a mire of unintelligible nonsense, there are in these volumes 

 many amusing anecdotes, and though it be somewhat irksome to wade through 

 the mire in order to pluck the flowers, yet we think they are worth gathering 

 even at the expense of such inconvenience. We give an extract, not because 

 we think it the best story in the book, but we find it best adapted to our 

 purpose, that is to say, most easily detached from the surrounding mould in 

 which it is enveloped. It is part of the description of a schoolboy's frolic in 

 the dungeon of the castle of Tiverton, which the actors in the scene we are 

 about to give had determined to examine, for the purpose of clearing up some 

 mysteries which tradition has attached to the ruins. The vein of pedantry 

 which will be found in the portion we give pervades the whole work, but if 

 that were the only fault it might be excused without any great stretch- of 

 charity. 



" Wherever there is a castle of any antiquity, and which is known to have 

 experienced the vicissitudes of fortune, fertile brains, a love for the marvellous, 

 or the power of superstition, generally create some mysterious legends respect- 

 ing it, which are to be found in the mouths of the inhabitants in the vicinity. 

 The most usual and favourite place of security (in romance) is undoubtedly a 

 dungeon or subterranean passage : what castle is without it somewhere 

 (though no one can find it ?) and who is it that has ever been to Tiverton 

 and has not heard of the ' dungeon/ that passes from the castle the whole way 

 under the] town ? To resort thither with half a dozen candles ' to explore/ 

 has often been the frolic of a holiday afternoon among schoolboys. I re- 

 member when I was about twelve years of age, and at the time forming one 

 of a large body of rebellious subjects, who groaned under the despotic and 

 harsh government of that tyrannical sceptre (as all boys fancy), the ferula, 

 that some five or six of us formed the design of making a visit to the dungeon, 

 under the sweet persuasion that our antiquarian search and research could not 

 but be attended by such success and discovery, as would shed more light on 

 certain obscure passages in events of by- gone ages than had ever been en- 

 kindled by the laborious pens of all the historians that ever wielded a goose- 

 quill. The conditions and items of the bill of enforcement we need not dwell 

 upon. 



"The second item, however, tended towards me, in the imposition of a tax 

 or forfeit : but no tax placed on humanity was ever levied with such faciMty 

 and good will. The law enforced that I should find candles, tinder-box, and 

 matches, and that I should steal them from the cook, for it was sagaciously 

 perceived that, as my home was nearer to the scene of action than the resi- 

 dences of any of the others, there would be the greatest advantages arising 

 from the enactment of such a clause as this second article compelled. And 

 as to the matter of stealing what we wanted, of course / could do that as well 

 as any,body else : there was no objection to it whatever, either on their parts 

 or on mine : it was fair and just, and nothing was so longed for as to convert 

 unsubstantial words into actual and accomplished deeds. True it was, the 

 cook shortly found herself minus candles, tinder-box, and all the et ceteras, 

 and nine points of the law very soon confirmed that manoeuvre. 



" We set off, giving tongue lustily, like a pack of hounds on full scent, 

 making our way through Saint Peter's churchyard, up the path opposite the 

 richly-carved facade of John Greenway's chapel. 



" ' What a funny ship that is/ said Gradus, a boy about ten years old, as 

 he pointed with his candle towards the sculptured figures on the upper part of 

 the chapel, ' I never saw such a clumsy one in my life/ " 



" Yes," answered Ille-ego, who claimed seniority over us all, " I suppose 

 'tis like what they used to build in former days : there is a boat alongside of 

 her, and they seem to be lowering a cask by a rope " 



" And there's one man on the stern," cried Hic-haec-hoc, interrupting 

 Ille-ego, "did you ever see such a great high stern? not a bit like Cur- 

 wood's boats: see, there's a man pulling a fish out of the water." 



