This venerable and majestic remain of antiquity, when viewed at a distance, has certainly more the appearance of a castle than the ruins of one, the outward walls being almost entire, and presenting nearly the same appearance they did thirty years ago.

Framlingham Church is a fine structure, and was built by the Mowbrays; and the Chancel by the Howards, wherein are several stately monuments of this noble family.

EDWARD DUNTHORN.

The original of the annexed Cut is a lithograph frontispiece to Framlingham: a Narrative of the Castle—a poem of very considerable merit, by Mr. James Bird, of Yoxford: the introduction to which furnishes the following impassioned apostrophe to Framlingham and its decaying Castle:—

Heir of Antiquity!—fair castled Town, Rare spot of beauty, grandeur, and renown, Seat of East-Anglian kings!—proud child of fame, Hallowed by time, illustrious Framlinghame! I touch my lyre delighted, thus to bring To thee my heart's full homage while I sing! And thou, old Castle!—thy bold turrets high, Have shed their deep enchantment on mine eye, Though years have changed thee, I have gazed intent In silent joy, on tower and battlement, When all thy time-worn glories met my sight; Thou have I felt such rapture, such delight, That, had the splendour of thy days of yore Flashed on my view, I had not loved thee more! Scene of immortal deeds! thy walls have rung To pealing shouts from many a warrior's tongue; When first thy founder, Redwald of the spear, Manned thy high towers, defied his foemen near, When, girt with strength, East-Anglia's king of old, The sainted Edmund, sought thy sheltering hold, When the proud Dane, fierce Hinguar, in his ire Besieged the king, and wrapped thy walls in fire, While Edmund fled, but left thee with his name Linked, and for ever, to the chain of fame: Then wast thou great! and long, in after years Thy grandeur shone—thy portraiture appears From history's pencil like a summer-night, With much of shadow, but with more of light! Pile of departed days!—my verse records, Thy time of glory, thy illustrious Lords, The fearless Bigods—Brotherton—De Vere, And Kings, who held thee in their pride, or fear, And gallant Howards, 'neath whose ducal sway Proud rose thy towers, thy rugged heights were gay With glittering banners, costly trophies rent From men in war, or tilt, or tournament, With all the pomp and splendour that could grace The name, and honours of that warlike race. Howards! the rich! the noble! and the great! Most brave! most happy! most unfortunate! Kings were thy courtiers!—Queens have sued to share Thy wealth, thy triumphs—e'en thy name to bear! Tyrants have bowed thy children to the dust, Some for their worth—and some who broke their trust! And there was one among thy race, who died To Henry's shame!—his country's boast and pride: Immortal Surrey!—Offspring of the Muse! Bold as the lion, gentle as the dews That fall on flowers to 'wake their odorous breath, And shield their blossoms from the touch of death, Surrey!—thy fate was wept by countless eyes, A nation's woe assailed the pitying skies, When thy pure spirit left this scene of strife, And soared to him who breathed it into life: Thy funeral knell pealed o'er the world!—thy fall Was mourned by hearts that loved thee, mourned by all— All, save thy murderers!—thou hast won thy crown: And thou, fair Framlinghame! a bright renown, Yes! thy rich temple holds the stately tomb, Where sleeps the Poet in his lasting home, Lamented Surrey!—hero, bard divine, Pride, grace, and glory of brave Norfolk's line. Departed spirit!—Oh! I love to hold Communion sweet with lofty minds of old, To catch a spark of that celestial fire Which glows and kindles in thy rapturous lyre; Though varying themes demand my future lays, Yet thus my soul a willing homage pays To that bright glory which illumes thy name, Though naught can raise the splendour of thy fame!

Mr. Bird is also advantageously known as the author of the Vale of Slaughden; Poetical Memoirs; Dunwich, a tale of the Splendid City; and other poems, which abound with vivid imagery, life-breathing incidents, and interesting narrative; though it is but late justice to recommend his Framlingham to the admirers of fervid verse.

SPIRIT DRINKING

"Nothing like the simple element dilutes The food, or gives the chyle so soon to flow."

The direful practice of spirit-drinking seems to have arrived at its acme in the metropolis. Splendid mansions rear their dazzling heads at almost every turning; and it appears as if Circe had fixed her abode in these superb haunts. Happy are those who, like Ulysses of old, will not partake of her deadly cup. If the unhappy dram-drinker was merely to calculate the annual expense of two glasses of gin per day, he would find a sum expended which would procure for him many comforts, for the want of which he is continually grumbling. If this sum is expended for only two glasses of spirits, what must be the expense to the habitual and daily sot, who constantly haunts the tap-room or the wretched bar? to say nothing of the loss of time, health, and every comfort.

Dr. Willan says—"On comparing my own observations with the bills of mortality, I am convinced that considerably more than one-eighth of all the deaths which take place in persons above twenty years old, happen prematurely, through excess in drinking spirits."

Spirits, like other poisons, if taken in a sufficient quantity, prove immediately fatal. The newspapers frequently furnish us with examples of almost instant death, occasioned by wantonly swallowing a pint or other large quantity of spirits, for the sake of wager, or in boast.

Dr. Trotter says—"We daily see, in all parts of the world, men who, by profligacy and hard-drinking, have brought themselves to a goal; yet, if we consult the register of the prison, it does not appear that any of these habitual drunkards die by being forced to lead sober lives." And he contends, that "whatever debility of the constitution exists, it is to be cured by the usual medicinal means which are employed to restore weakened organs. But the great difficulty in these attempts to cure inebriety is in satisfying the mind, and in whetting the blunted resolutions of the patient; and this is, doubtless, more easily accomplished by a gradual abstraction of his favourite potations."

Dr. Lettsom mentions a person who usually drank twelve drams a day; but being convinced of his approaching misery, took the resolution to wean himself from this poison. He always drank out of one glass, into which he daily let fall a drop of sealing-wax. By this means he had twelve drops less of spirit every day, till at length, his glass being filled with wax, his habit was cured.

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The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 20, No. 575, November 10, 1832

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