where the hand of man has never been; indications everywhere present themselves, that where the nettle, and the dandelion, with its golden petals and sphere of down, reign undisturbed, the rose and lily once grew luxuriantly. The house too, how desolate and changed! The earls of Leicester, of Hinton, and of Ferrars presided here; then came Sir Edward Grey, Lord Ferrars of Groby, and then the Earl of Huntingdon. Here also resided the Marquis of Dorset, the son-in-law of him who wedded the Dowager Queen of France, Charles Brandon, "cloths of gold and freize," as sung the courtly poet, when contrasting his own condition with that of the widowed queen. "Cloth of freize, be not too bold, Though thou art matched with cloth of gold; Cloth of gold, do not despise, Though thou art matched with cloth of frieze." Tradition points through the dim vista of long ages to a broken tower, as the one where Lady Jane resided, and which bears her name. Beside it is a chapel, wherein are effigies of Lord Grey of Groby, and the Lady Grey, his wife. The chapel is carefully preserved, but all else are in ruins:--the tower, the great hall, the state apartment, the refectory, the tennis-court, nothing remains of them but lichen-tinted walls, or ruins black with smoke. Here then, amid lone ruins and green trees, beside the streamlet's rush and the old grove of chesnuts, where the lavrock and the titlark, the goldfinch and the thrush are singing, with no companions but rejoicing birds and flowers, let me recall the mournful realities of bygone days. "Here, in departed days, the gentle maid, The lovely and the good, with infant glee, Along the margin of the streamlet play'd, Or gathered wild flowers 'neath each mossy tree; And little recked what cares were her's to be, While listening to the skylark's soaring lay, Or merry grasshopper that carolled free, In verdant haunts, throughout the livelong day, That beauteous child, as blithe, as sorrowless as they. "And here, where sighs the summer breeze among These echoing halls, deserted now and bare, Oft o'er some tome of ancient lore she hung,-- No student ever since so wondrous fair! Or lifted up her soul to God in prayer, And pondered on his verse, of price untold, Radiant with wisdom's gems beyond compare, Richer than richest mines of purest gold,-- The star that guides our steps safe to the Saviour's fold. "To fancy's wizard gaze, fleet o'er yon height, Hunters and hounds tumultuous sweep along; And many a lovely dame and youthful knight Gaily commingle with the stalwarth throng Of valiant nobles, famed in olden song; But not amid them, as they rapid ride, Is that meek damsel--trained by grievous wrong Of haughty parents to abase her pride, Ere yet her lot it was to be more sternly tried.