THE MEN OF PHYSIC.

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mination. Death knew the certainty of his power,and he resolved on its early application.

It was amidst the lone " and witching time ofnight, when church-yards yawn," that, personified," ut ejus est mos," in the attire of a human skeleton,he made his way to the palace and the dormitoryof his royal enemy, as he does to the cot andpallet of the poor. He beheld the princestretched in the blandishments and the wontedsecurity of sleep; in " the perfumed chamber,"" beneath the canopy of costly state." Directlyhe stalked up ; the hard and bony tread awakedthe sleeping prince, and he beheld the horrid fi-gure placed before him, holding a dimly-burningtaper in his left hand, while in his right, elevatedas if to strike, was poised the shaft which neverfails, and which now threatened the execution ofa fatal purpose.

Confounded by the spectacle, he made an effortto spring up; but the first effect of fear is debi-lity: he fell backward, yet with outstretched armsand clasped hands, shrinking from the dreadful ob-