2.. istellantoul. ~_' •TI ~' ~ ~ Li o A TALE . OF,OLD LONDON BRIDGE -o-----. . The Thames, three centuries ago, liad mete/fides essentially different from those tbak - liiititiguish it at the present day. Gone the!. places and gardens which,- from Whitefriors to Weitminster, adorned its banks; :the six-oared canopied barge has -giyen, way to the smoky steamboat; the water -m:0 occupation, by the erection of so =soy bridges, like Othello s, 'is gonel ' and th e spirit ort6mance has fairly 'mashed from the now itnririp;'gasconi and 'tortured stream ;' in a wordiiitraything has ut_ccittr.lbsd to the march of triumphant utility. ' things, were not always 60. As still,on the waters -that vvish the marble paliceS of sea ,bor,n 'Fettle*, :nusic nightly sounds, and love 'breathes his sigh- so, in-the good old times that - shall never come again, did the gallant, ' gliding over the unpolluted' stream; woo his tnbilress. Loie assignations were made there. • The high_and the nobleidid not consider it derogatory to their dignity to touch the gui tar ; the woman's, silver voice_ was heard. s malting yet _more mooth,the unsexed and tai sparest - bosom' the the "gentle Father Thames." • • The-moon shed it good of light c!Exin the , single bridge, wiliest , spanning the noble river, bore on its granite shoulders a hundred 'lto:uses; long shadows were cast eastward this:tide, rushing through the arches, created slumberous sound; the Globe Theatre, ,on -the Bank-side, _where Shakspeare personated .lel4-1 - even:inameirtal creations, bad- closed its (lairs, when an individual, uho had lately flood *Uhl the Walls of that temple ' Theipis, proceeded to the nearest stairs, ;and springing . into his's/berry, rowed leisur.eli out into the stream. • .711.4‘11.an t whom 'we are about to detcribe, thotigh.on tenni of familiar, greeting: With F.sstx, Raleigh, and the. choice Wits of the ; day, did not belong to the aristocratic - class; .a.e, op his - person and bearing,_ nature's no bilitir:-Irsta stamped; that lofty forehead spake ad intelleetual seperiovity ; • the eye, though -subdued, - , And somewhat downcast; through j the mind's abstraction, 'had that searching glance which can -- .read,inen's soul-; the brows ' were drawn from their natural arch almogt to straight line.`,, and-gave to his physiognomy an expression of sternnen., which, however, was, redeemed by the humor that lurke,l rouna_the thip I.ippedlhanclionre mouth the jetty, beard was sthort and peaked ; conical hat, pith a single feather, adorned his head ,his doublet was sashed; Fahil of the finest - -bred?. cloth ruffles were of rich Flanders lice; and the hilt of bhi:straightAsword--a present trice the irreenwas'set with rubies. And•thig wig the deer-stajher, of Stratford on AVon—this iThe Arr4ai.t.iftitkatist was now m the summer tir hit days , and,if we litay be allowed the Metaphor, the of hii rtinown had began to pat forth those leave.s,the beauty and I-testi ness of which have otiduredlor three centuries,. Genius, as regaids its ularacion of. the IS ~ometimes cittait to feed ott ,r'e . .ims of ideal 'beauty,- But at this period of his life, the 'llard of.A.vort, it would F eern, was not antis Aau with worshipping phanta4y: • Tetrarch And lais,platanies afforde I nothing suited to hisltemperament, Und he 3)elded to the pas sions that will enthrall ordinary men. Love for to object, warm, breathing:, living; had kirCed its fire in his heap. "Cold "teemed the creatures of his plastic fancy, td this love ly incarnation orall his poetic dreamings— this sweet palpable shtlili iNs'imenortal . sptnt ; and to pour-forth his loe-'.•litlrg; -and to lines the lily hand oThis sweet .leAsy, did Shak4peaie; on the night in question, urge his whorl down ‘the.Tharnes. iessy was the daughter of the cfeiiiised people - who regard Abraham as their greet progenitor. Her father was an usurer and Jeweler, and hung out his sign on the Old ,boadonPidge. lit WES just above the third arch from the city• side, ere . the Dutchman Morris had erecttd his eater works, that old Manasieb -dwelt. 'Ebert ret /Alt t*O tli!hgs •the world dear unto hiin---bis money and his daughter. From her - extreme lovelioess, Jesey bad obtained •he - soubriquet of the "Beauty of London 'Bridge." Many of the Illustrious of her tribe bad sought her, hand in marriage; but Jessy was deaf to each over ture. Several Christians, also, offered to lay their -titles and rici.e. at bet feet; but hce Manaweb-ang,ily interposed, since,froni prin. eiple,ws well 10. inclination, he bitterly loath ed thefollowere otone 'whom his nation stig `matizei at. the fake I.kfek,ialt. •Yes, tho' Jew "meld have itcled, if possible,,r% steCher part 'than 'a'irirginius, be would liave strangled, his anti and beloved child, ere he seen' her pollatid by in_tmion with a Christian. - • abaltapeare's wherry, glided on, and in a few Minutes, Lavin°. entered the deep shadow cif -the iiret,heland a ed on the wide, projecting . starling... Icssy's sleeping apartment was fai above; bat. the girl, 'unknown to her father, had the; key , of,:a rdwer chamber which opened ,upon a small bra - cony; and thence br herself down into the aims of the enamored poet. Shalrepeare resigned his sculls7.to his young attendant, who knew his duty too well, to lis ten to the conversation. of the lovers. The beautiful Jewess -was wrapped in • a velvet mantel, bordered with . miniver. • Her large, dark; passionate eyes were now. raise& to the heavens, spangled with stars,. and now flied in melting tenderness on him who sat brter• aide... And thus they glided oitsoft light Above,m Lupin ri ng ‘ waters around—conversing in trunnions whispers, and experienditir in _those stolen Moments of reciprocated affection all the bliMthat man is capable of wringing frpui the Meeting boors of this fevered exist ence. We shall not detail at length the conver sation which passed•between Shakspeare and his leesy. Thus nightly they had met, and breathed their vows of faith, and -in each -other's presence had forgotten the world and its cold restrictions. Jessy only trembled lest .her father should discover her armour; ks'rarely a day passed without Manssieh'S bittecir main, sad heaping curses-on the • Christians. • . "if thou