THE GOOD FORTUNE OF OTHERS. THE peasant lean'd out from his cottage alone, But he said, "Were I king for only one night, And a blessing would leave to each slumberer there. How many an eye to the sun's bright beam The king lean'd out from his palace alone, "Oh! were I a peasant for only one night, Of rightly directing my erring heart. Then up to these towers I should look with a smile, And blithely singing my way beguile, And after the labour and toil of the day, I sweetly would sleep the whole night away." So ran their thoughts 'neath the stars' bright glow, The king above and the peasant below; Both, closing their wearied eyes, lay down To dream of good fortune which was not their own. From the German. LINES FOR MUSIC. EARTH'S joys must perish; Fairest flowers are soon decay'd: Oh, seek and cherish The joys which never fade! How sweet in spring the violets blow! The morning sun shines fair and bright, And childhood's hours are bright and gay, Then let our hearts from earth arise, Fairest flowers are soon decay'd: JULY. 15. St. Swithin. S. D. Robson, Levey, and Franklyn, Great New Street, Fetter Lane. F the readers of this magazine some will remember the story of the Knight and the Dragon, in which is explained what a knight of former times was. Knighthood was conferred on the highest and the best; and the oath they took was, to devote themselves to the service of God and to the defence of the weak and oppressed. This was a solemn vow indeed, and knowing as we do how prone men are to break the best promises and vows and resolutions, we must not wonder to find that many who had gained the honour of knighthood by valour, and strength of body, or some great feat in war, should afterwards disgrace the noble order to which they belonged; and so we find many, too many instances of rapine, cruelty, revenge, and oppression, amongst the noble and powerful knights of chivalry. They were powerful, and they used their power as bad men will, to exalt themselves instead of to defend the weak. There were others, however, of a very different mind, good and true, VOL. III. I AUGUST 1844. gentle and kind; and perhaps amongst these he who has gained the fairest name for every knightly virtue, was a knight of France, the Chevalier Bayard. In the French language he is called the knight sans peur et sans reproche,-the meaning of which is, without fear and without reproach. As he was among the noblest, so he was one of the last of the knights of chivalry; for the use of firearms, which had begun in his time, soon made such changes in warfare that it was henceforth conducted in a wholly different manner. I will not, however, keep you longer from the history of my hero,-for such I think you will allow he very well deserves to be called. He was born in his father's castle of Bayard, in the province of Dauphiny, in the south of France, in the year 1476. He was of a high and noble family, and his ancestors for three generations had fallen in battle. His father also had been severely wounded, but lived to a good old age, and a few days only before his death, called his four sons before him to learn from them, in their mother's presence, what manner of life each wished to follow. The eldest said he should wish never to leave his home, but stay and attend upon his father to the end of his days. "Very well, George," said the old man, "since thou lovest the house, thou shalt stay here and fight the bears." And it ought to be explained, that George's occupation of fighting the bears was a very useful one, for in those times the bears committed great ravages in France. Pierre (for this is the name of our hero) had to answer next. He was a lad of thirteen or little more, with eyes like a hawk, and a cheerful countenance; and he said that the good discourse concerning the noble men of past times had taken root in his heart, and therefore he desired to follow the profession of arms, as his ancestors had done. "My child," replied the old man, weeping for joy as he spoke, "Heaven give thee grace to do so! Thou art like thy grandfather both in features and in make, and he in his time was one of the best knights in Christendom. I will put thee in a way to obtain thy desire." The two younger brothers chose to follow the calling of their uncles, who held high offices in the Church. The next day Pierre's father called together all his family to inform them of his son's choice, and to consult them how best it could be carried into effect. Pierre waited upon them at table (as was customary with the youth of that time) with so good a grace as to gain the commendation of all. After long consideration, it was determined to place him in the family of the Duke of Savoy, there to learn every duty of the profession he had chosen; and it was settled, that the next day his uncle the Bishop of Grenoble should take him to Chamberry to present him to the duke. Good horsemanship was so essential an accomplishment in those times, that it was thought a good sign when the young Pierre kept his seat well in spite of the efforts of his horse to throw him, and after a short contest brought the spirited animal completely under his control. His father asked him if he had not been afraid, for the beholders had had reason to fear for him. "Sir," he replied, "I hope before six years are over to make either him or some other bestir themselves in a more dangerous place. Here I am among friends; but then I shall be among enemies of the master whom I shall serve." His mother, who till now had been sitting in one of the towers weeping, called him apart, and enjoined him, as much as a mother can command her child, to love and serve God, and never omit the duty of praying night and morning, to be mild, courteous, humble, and obliging to all persons; temperate, loyal in word and deed; and kind to the widow and orphan, and bountiful to the poor. She then took out of her sleeve (in which ladies in those times carried such small |