The castle became hateful to Albert after this event: he removed to a distant part of the country, and never again revisited the scenes of his earlier years. He also was dead; and Isabel, her love, and her despair, were forgotten by all, save one aged, isolated being, whose time-whitened locks and decrepit frame showed that she too was rapidly descending to the silence of the grave. _London University Magazine_. No. II. * * * * * NOTES OF A READER. * * * * * MOLES Are so voracious as not even to spare their own species. If two are shut up together without food, there will shortly be nothing left of the weakest but its skin, slit along the belly.--_Cuvier_. * * * * * SCOTCH ALE. The strength of Scotch ale, whence it deserves the name, ranges between 32 and 44 pounds weight to the imperial barrel, according to the price at which it is meant to be sold. The general mode of charge is by the hogshead (about a barrel and a half,) for which five pounds, six, seven, or eight pounds are paid, as the quality may warrant; the strength for every additional pound of price being increased by about four pounds per barrel of weight.--_Library of Useful Knowledge_.--Scotch two-penny was so called because it was sold at twopence the Scotch pint, which was nearly two English quarts. * * * * * In a Scotch brewer's instructions for Scotch ale, dated 1793, we meet with the following curious mystical instruction:--"I throw a little dry malt, which is left on purpose, on the top of the mash, with a handful of salt, to _keep the witches from it_, and then cover it up. Perhaps this custom gave rise to the vulgar term _water bewitched_ for indifferent beer." * * * * * AMERICAN LAW. A recent traveller, in describing the American courts of law and their proceedings, says, in one instance Counsellor Lloyd had grossly insulted Judge Turner in the street, and was tried for the offence by the judge. He was half-drunk, but defended himself by the vilest abuse of the judge, who could not silence him. No jury was appealed to; but (we suppose for contempt of court) he was ordered to give security for one year's good behaviour, and, not procuring sufficient bail, was committed to prison. * * * * * The Galwegians who attended David I. of Scotland to Custon Moor, had a favourite amusement of tossing infants upon their pikes! * * * * * A CAT STORY.