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smallness in the lapse of the ages, or to have been mutilated at some unknown, remote period-possibly thrown down and broken as objects of superstitious reverence, if not of direct and positive idolatry, thus very probably exciting indignation, which, as it found opportunity and scope for its exercise, was successful in their demolition. In both these stones we certainly have only fragments—perhaps of Obelisks, or of Jewish "Bethel" Pillars or "Stones "-for all these supposed magical stones are of the same sacred family.

The supposed magical stone, enclosed in the wooden block at the base of the Coronation Chair, has been reputed, from time immemorial, to murmur its approval or disapproval of the royal occupant, only at the moment when the Sovereign was placed in the chair for investiture with the sacred pallium or with the state robes, on the occasion of the King's or the Queen's coronation.

In this respect the stone is very similar in its ascribed supernatural gifts, and in this special oracular speakingpower, to all sacred or magical stones; and more particularly to the famous statue of Memnon in Egypt, which is said to give forth a long, melodious tone with the first ray of sunrise, like that produced by the wind through the Æolian harp. It is not quite clear whether this sound is expected to issue from the stone in the royal chair at Westminster when approval is intended, and the meaning of the stone is benign, or whether sounds at all are to be heard only when displeasure is to be expressed. This strange asserted power of the sacred stone at Westminster to become vocal directly allies it with other oracular stones all over the world. The prevalence everywhere, and in all time, of the existence of special stones having this miraculous gift is a striking and curious proof of the continual, invincible yearning of man for supernatural direct help and direction from powers exterior and invisible to him. He earnestly desires the possibility of personal communication with that intelligent, unseen world, which he cannot avoid thinking is close about him, surveying his

doings. Man tries to overcome the assurance that this invisible, recognitive, responsive world, to betake himself to in his time of trouble, is, so far as his senses insist, so hopelessly out of reach. He languishes to think it attainable.

The oracular stone at Westminster seems only a piece of some pillar or lithos: but no one will attempt to dispute that it is an object of prodigious antiquity, and that its history is very remarkable and interesting. Its place of deposit, too, the shrine of Edward the Confessor, is worthy of it; and both inspire deep reverence-nay, an awful feeling.

E beg to premise that the following fears are not our belief, but that they are educed from old traditions-old as England.

It is a very ancient idea, derived from the highest antiquity, that the colour "white"-which, considered in the mystic and occult sense, is feminine in its origin-is fateful in its effects sometimes; and that, as a particular instance of its unfortunate character, it is an unlucky colour for the royal house of England—at all events, for the king or queen of England personallysingular as the notion would appear to be. We are not aware whether this sinister effect of the ominous colour white is supposed to extend to the nation generally. It is limited, we believe, to the prince or sovereign of England, and to his immediate belongings. The name John, which comes from Iona, a remote feminine root, has also been reckoned unfortunate for the king's name both in England and in France. The reason of this does not appear to be anywhere stated. The origin of the prophecy, also, as to the formidable character of the colour white to England is unknown; but it is imagined to be at least as old as the

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time of Merlin. Thomas de Quincey, who takes notice of the prophecy of the "White King," says of King Charles the First, that the foreboding of the misfortunes of this "White King were supposed to have been fulfilled in his instance, because he was by accident clothed in white at his coronation; it being remembered afterwards that white was the ancient colour for a victim. This, in itself, was sufficiently formidable as an omen. De Quincey's particular expressions are, "That when King Charles the First came to be crowned, it was found that, by some oversight, all the store in London was insufficient to furnish the purple velvet necessary for the robes of the king and for the furniture of the throne. It was too late to send to Genoa for a supply; and through this accidental deficiency it happened that the king was attired in white velvet at the solemnity of his coronation, and not in red or purple robes, as consisted with the proper usage."

As an earlier instance of this singular superstition, the story of that ill-fated royal White Ship occurs to memory, as the vessel was called wherein Prince William, the son of King Henry the First, the heir-apparent, with his natural sister, the Countess of Perche, and a large company of the young nobility, embarked on their return to England from Normandy. It might be supposed that the misfortunes of King Charles the First, which were accepted, at that time of monarchical dismay, as the reading (and the exhaustion) of this evil-boding prophecy, were enough; but there are some reasons for imagining that the effects are not-even in our day-altogether expended. The fatalities of the colour "white" to English royalty certainly found their consummation, or seemed so to do, in the execution of King Charles the First, who was brought out to suffer before his own palace of "Whitehall "-where, again, we find "white" introduced in connection with royalty and tragical events. Whitehall is the Royal "White" Palace of England. The "White Rose" was the unfortunate rose (and the conquered one) of the contending two Roses in this country. This is again a singular fact, little as it has

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been remarked. We will pursue this strange inquiry just a little further, and see if the lights of Rosicrucianism will not afford us a measure of help; for it is one of the doctrines of the Rosicrucians that the signatures, as they call them, of objects have a magical marking-up and a preternatural effect, through hidden spiritual reasons, of which we have no idea in this mortal state,-in other words, that magic and charming, through talismans, is possible; common sense being not all sense.

The colour white is esteemed both of good and of bad augury, according to the circumstances and the periods of its presentation. However (to speak a few strange words), in relation to the use of the name "Albert Edward," in a possible future time, which every loyal subject will hope to be remote enough, we would advise (supposing so humble a voice as ours should reach, or could attain, to the quarters where such a change might be effected) a variation of our future king's name, and an avoidance of this supposedly unfortunate prefix "Albert" in favour of "Edward" only. This name of Edward is an historical, triumphant, and auspicious name; for all our Edwards, except the weak King Edward the Second, have been. powerful or noteworthy men. Now, very few people have had occasion to remark, or have recalled the fact as significant and ominous in the way we mean, that the word "Albert" itself means "White." The root of "Albert " is, in most languages, to be found in "white:" albus, white ; alp, white; Albania, the "white" country. We here recall the "snowy camese," to which Byron makes reference as worn in Albania. "Albion " (of the "white" cliffs), Alb, Al, El, Æl, all mean "white." Examples might be multiplied. Apos, ame, albus, "white," are derived from the Celtic alp; and from thence came the word “ Alps," which are mountains always white, as being covered with snow. Albus, 'white,' certainly comes from the Celtic alp, or alb," says the historian Pezron; "for in that language, as well as in many others, the b and the frequently interchange; from whence the ancient Latins, and the