your imagination, be able to call before your fancy the men and the women who lived amidst these monuments-the grey father of the family, with his silverclasped Bible before him, and his household attentively listening to the divine word; and the vigorous and manly sons, the chaste and beautiful daughters, all of them obedient, virtuous, home-loving, and happy.

You may have dwelt, too, on the sweet German faces, so cunningly depicted by their celebrated countryman, Albert Durer-those tender images of virgins arrayed in celestial mildness, and in humility, such as beseemeth creatures of clay,—with that saintly complexion on which roses seem just to have breathed their most etherial hues-the lightly-parted purple lips-the humid eyes, so bashfully seeking the ground, radiant with sublime emotions, and half veiled by silken eyelashes the tresses so carefully woven;- such a lovely image of beauty and chastity was Hedwigis, who made her entrance through the door, first respectfully curtseying to the syndic, and then taking his hand to kiss it, as was the fashion of the age.

The sunken eyes of the old worshipful counsellor brightened up visibly, and his ashen cheeks coloured, not unlike the trunk of a decaying tree, on which the last rays of the setting sun are beaming. After having suffered his hand to be saluted, he imprinted a kiss on the maiden's forehead.

"Yes," said he, " yes, Master Rupert, you are a man well provided for, rich and respected; but the noblest gift which the giver of all good hath showered upon you,

is your daughter Hedwigis. Even we, reverend in years and in office, even we cannot withdraw our eyes from the beautiful child. Why then should we marvel if the young men turn almost crazy about her, and beleaguer her on every side, when going to church and out of church; in the streets and before your windows; yes, Master Rupert, well may you choose your son-in-law from amongst the best of the city."

The face of Master Rupert contracted, and his forehead wrinkled into deep furrows: he ordered his daughter abruptly to furnish a bottle of the forty-eight Hochheimer, and when she had turned her back, he said with an air of reserve

"Most worshipful counsellor, it is true that my child is endowed with great external beauty; and it is no less true, that heaven has made me rich; but how can you speak of these things before the maiden? And as for the best son-in-law in the city"

The counsellor was going to reply, when Hedwigis re-entered with a flagon of Hochheimer, and two green glass goblets, on which oak leaves were chased. Master Rupert at the same time rose, to draw from the centre of the room a ponderous table, the feet of which were curiously carved. The maiden having placed the flagon and the goblets on the board, retired. Scarcely had the pair taken their seats before the table, when a rap at the vestibule announced a third guest.

"Blessed be the day," said Master Rupert, rising and advancing towards the new-comer," which brings my excellent and noble patron within my walls! Be

welcome, most excellent and noble Knight and Doctor de Brummenstein!"

And so saying, he rolled a third arm-chair, with heavy and high back, towards the table, and relieving the doctor of his barret and his gold-headed cane, begged him to be seated.

Hedwigis again made her appearance with another tumbler, which she placed on the table, and curtseying, she kissed the hand of the doctor, which he returned by saluting her on the forehead.

“ Der juchtett,” said the doctor, smiling as he elevated the tumbler to his lips, "that's true fortyeight!" To this his companions assented; and in a short time the three old men became quite frank and jocular.

Doctor Vogt de Brummenstein was a vivacious, merry knight of the old school. He told some of his best stories of the times that were gone by, at which Master Rupert laughed so heartily, that he was necessitated to use his arms after the fashion of a hoop, to support the rotund preponderance of flesh which he owed to good living. The tears actually coursed from beneath his grey brows, and even the grave counsellor and syndic forgot himself and his dignity; but when Hedwigis entered, carrying a clean and shining basket under her arm, and a snow-white table-cloth and napkins in her hand, and when she began to cover the table, and to place the inviting dishes which her head maid held ready,and when farther, she blushingly and timidly excused herself, that the time was so short, and that she could

not appropriately and adequately receive such noble and worshipful guests, and that they must pardon any lack of suitable entertainment; then could neither of the old gentlemen longer find words to express what passed within them. They sat as if in profound amazement. Master Rupert himself, his hands folded on his ample front, smiled complacently when the doctor took the maiden by the hand, and looking her tenderly in the face, said, "O charming child! O good and excellent daughter!" and then kissing her thrice on the forehead, thoughtful and mute, resumed his seat to drink her health with the worshipful counsellor.

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"Master Rupert!" said the doctor, after a long pause, you really cannot thank heaven sufficiently for having given you this inestimable treasure. She will bring you one day to great honours-for who would not wish to be your son-in-law?"

"Just what I have told you, Master Rupert," said the counsellor; "I behold already in spirit, the sweet Hedwigis the bride of a distinguished patrician."

"Dear, worshipful, and excellent Sirs," said Master Rupert, good-humouredly, "you talk of a thing I never yet dreamed of. My Hedwigis has just passed her eighteenth year, and a young damsel like her ought not even to think of marrying. I leave these matters to Him above, who ruleth all for the best; but what I am sure of, is, that neither a patrician nor a nobleman, will ever have my daughter; but a vintner, one who is a citizen of our free and imperial city,-always provided that my daughter do but like him."

The doctor and the syndic regarded each other with expressive looks, when the former said:

"Then your daughter is not to marry above her rank?"

"Heaven forefend," returned Master Rupert.

"But," said the doctor, " if a worthy artist, or even a senator, should choose Hedwigis, what would you say?"

"My young friend," replied Master Rupert," my young friend," repeated he, throwing himself back into his leathern chair, "would I say-show me the wine you have raised, and ranged in your cellars, and signed and marked, unsulphured and pure, like that before us, and dated year after year, that there can be no mistake; if he could not satisfy me in these particulars, I would advise him forthwith to go and to seek his fortune elsewhere."

"Yet if the youth should say," continued the doctor, "I cannot show you my cellars, but I can show you statues which have sprung from under my chisel, or paintings which have started into life upon the canvass, by the force of my imagination—or magnificent vaults and columns, which have arisen at my bidding, and under my direction-what would you answer then, master Rupert? Eh?"

"Ah, most excellent Sir," replied the vintner, in an impatient tone, "what trouble you take about vain and idle things! Once and for all my son-in-law must be of my profession, which, of all handicrafts and callings, I hold to be the most worthy. Do you think