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INTRODUCTION OF GAS LIGHT INTO DUMFRIES. "Na, the like o' that!" said Jenny Bryden. "I wonder what the world 'll come to at last. Gas light they ca't, but elf light wad be a better name. My certy! but there's an unco difference atween a low that needs neither oil, tallow, nor wick, an' a bawbee cannel, an auld cruizie, or a bit fir stick ta en oot o' the moss. My mither, honest woman! was weel eneuch pleased wi' sic a taper; and am doubtin' whether she wad hae been unco fond o' reading her Bible at a witch-light. Puir spunkie! am maist wae for him. His bit dancin' light was cheerie as well as eerie whan twa war thegither, an' no that far frae hame; but he may douce his glim an' gang his wa's hame whene'er he likes, if it be true that the man at the gas-wark can mak' ten thousand spunkies at ae brewin'. A' things hae changed noo." "Ay," said Betty Cameron, "if it's no enchantment, it's unco like it. In place o' being fashed with weeks and creesh, ye just turn about a bit spigot thing, an' oot spoots a light like sour milk out o' a barrel. Changed times indeed! Atween Liverpool an' Manchester the coaches rin their lane; an' noo we hae a bonny clear light, ta'en like water in pipes under the grund, that'll spoot up at ony part ye like, if ye only bore a hole no muckle bigger than a preen-head. Weel, weel, I wish them muckle luck o't; but it'll be a while afore the gudeman catches me darnin' his stockings wi' a witch taper at the chumley lug. The brownies langsyne war very helpfu'; but we've nae use for brownie, noo. The Yediter, as they ca' him, says the only salamander kent noo's the spark bred in the blacksmith's throat, and the only brownie a steam-engine, sic as they hae in the Infirmary at Liverpool, that pumps water, kirns the kirn, washes claes, minches turnips, champs potatoes, and wad even mak' the bed wi' its iron arms if they wad let it. Everything's dune wi' machinery that can be dune, an' a great deal mair than should be done that's what I say."-M Diarmid's Picture of Dumfries.

THE SCOTTISH THISTLE.-This ancient emblem of Scottish pugnacity, with its motto Nemo me impune lacessit, is represented of various species in royal bearings, coins, and coats of armour, so that there is some difficulty in saying which is the genuine original thistle. The origin of the national badge itself is thus handed down by tradition :-When the Danes invaded Scotland, it was deemed unwarlike to attack an enemy in the pitch darkness of night, instead of a pitched battle by day; but on one occasion the invaders resolved to avail themselves of this stratagem; and in order to prevent their tramp from being heard, they marched barefooted. They had thus neared the Scottish force unobserved, when a Dane unluckily stepped with his naked foot upon a superbly prickled thistle, and instinctively uttered a cry of pain, which discovered the assault to the Scots, who ran to their arms, and defeated the foe with a terrible slaughter. The thistle was immediately adopted as the insignia of Scotland.-Literary Gazette.

LORDS ELDON AND STOWELL.-John Scott, Lord Eldon, was born at Newcastle upon Tyne, and is the third son of William Scott, of that town. His father was by trade what in the language of the place is called a "fitter," or agent for the sale and shipment of coals. He had, by industry and habits of close saving, accumulated rather considerable means from small beginnings. Beyond this he was a man of great shrewdness and knowledge of the world, and quickly perceiving the strong, and what was better, marketable talents of his younger boys, William and John, he wisely gave them an education in accordance with their mental endowments. It is said that the singular variety in the talent of these two remarkable youths was manifested at a very early age. When asked to "give an account of the sermon," which was a constant Sabbath custom of their father, William, the eldest (now Lord Stowell), gave at once a condensed and lucid digest of the general argument and points of the discourse, if it had the good fortune to possess any smack of qualities so rarely to be found in sermons. John, on the other hand, would go into all the minutiae of the harangue, whether long or short; but failed in producing the lucid general view embodied in half the number of words by his brother. And thus were their characters through life; so true to nature is the admirable aphorism of Wordsworth: "The boy's the father of the man." William was from the beginning destined for the study of the law. John, however, was at first intended for the church, a destination which his early marriage was the unfortunate means of changing; and he, together with his brother, set out to fight his way in the world as a young lawyer. The issue of the encounter was not long doubtful; for not only were his education and character, but every previous incident of his life, admirably calculated to fit him for the scenes in which he was destined to act a part.-Tait's Magazine.

SHARP ENOUGH ALREADY.-A soliciter, who was remarkable for the length and sharpness of his nose, once told a lady, that if she did not immediately settle a matter in dispute, he would file a bill against her. "Indeed, sir," said the lady, "there is no necessity for you to file your bill, for I am sure it is sharp enough already."

NATIONAL PARADOXES.-Somebody once remarked, that the Englishman is never happy but when he is miserable; the Scotchman is never at home but when he is abroad; Irishman is never at peace but when he is fighting.

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NAPOLEON AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES.-The Cabinet de Lecture gives the following anecdote of Napoleon, without pledging itself for its authenticity-if not so, it is at all events very characteristic "Napoleon having entered one of the cities of Italy, the churchwardens recommended to him the 'Sire, will you deign to take our reliques of their church. Apostles under your protection?' Your Apostles! are they of wood? No, sire.' Of what are they, then? Of silver, sire-of solid silver." Solid silver!' replied Napoleon quickly, 'Yes, I shall help them to fulfil their mission; it has been ordained that they should go throughout the world, and they shall. Having said so, the Emperor sent the twelve Apostles to the Mint at Paris."

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TO DETERMINE THE ECONOMY OF A Cow.-The annual consumption of food per cow, if turned to grass, is from one acre to an acre and a half in summer, and from a ton to ton and a half of hay in the winter. A cow may be allowed two pecks of carrots per day. The grass being cut and carried, will economize it full one-third. The annual product of a good fair dairy cow, during several months after calving, and either summer or winter, if duly fed and kept in the latter season, will be an average of seven pounds of butter per week, from five ta three gallons per day. Afterwards a weekly average of three or four pounds of butter from barely half the quantity of milk. It depends upon the constitution of the cow, how nearly she may be milked to the time of her calving, some giving good milk until within a week or two of that period, others requiring to be dried eight or nine weeks previously.

Besides appearing in WEEKLY NUMBERS, the SCHOOLMASTER is published in MONTHLY PARTS, which stitched in a neat cover, contains as much letter-press, of good execution, as any of the large Monthly Periodicals: A Table of Contents will be given at the end at the year; when, at the weekly cost of three-halfpence, a handsome volume of 832 pages, super-royal size, may be bound up, containing much matter worthy of preservation.

PART II., containing the five September Numbers, with JOHN. STONE'S MONTHLY REGISTER, may be had of all the Book sellers. Price 9d. For the accommodation of weekly readers, the Monthly Register and Cover may be had separately at the different places of sale. Price One Penny.

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THE

AND

EDINBURGH WEEKLY MAGAZINE.

CONDUCTED BY JOHN JOHNSTONE.

THE SCHOOL. MASTER IS ABROAD.-LORD BROUGHAM.

No. 11.-VOL. I.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1832. PRICE THREE-HALFPENCE.

IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY OF

SCIENCE.

ALTHOUGH, in our preliminary address, we stated that one of our chief objects in conducting the SCHOOLMASTER, would be to give as much political information as the state of the laws affecting the press would allow, yet we were fully aware of the great importance of diffusing a knowledge of the Sciences, in general, among the people, and, of course, had no intention of excluding them from our pages. We consider it, however, to be one of man's first duties to make himself acquainted with the political affairs of the world at large, and particularly with those of his own country, and, as a necessary accompaniment, with the general doc. trines of Political Economy. Our reason for wishing information of this kind extensively diffused, is, that the people, having a correct knowledge of their situation, may exercise an intelligent and moral influence over their rulers; and that thus the affairs of the nation may be conducted on just, rational, and equitable principles; because experience tells us that, unless this wholesome influence is exercised, government will be carried on in an unjust, irrational, and oppressive manner.

shapen body of the mechanic, confined to certain
actions and attitudes, is to the Godlike form of
the most perfect specimen of human nature." We
entreat our readers, therefore, that, while they take
every proper means to increase their political in-
formation, they neglect no opportunity of acquir-
ing a knowledge of general science. The interest,
indeed, which belongs to political discussions, is
often temporary and dependent on circumstances,
and may therefore be exhausted,-as, for example,
who would now take any interest in discussing the
reasonableness of the system of Parliamentary re-
presentation happily
66 now no more?" But the
gratification and improvement to be derived from
inquiring into the ways of nature, are like a mine
which is not only inexhaustible, but which grows
richer and richer the farther we proceed in our
excavations. For example, we may take great de-
light in observing the annual growth and decay of
the flowers of the fields, even though almost en-
tirely ignorant of their economy. But let us pro-
ceed to inquire into their nature and habits, the
structure of their organs, and the means by which
they appropriate the juices of the earth and con-
vert them into their own substance; and who will
doubt that the gratification derived from such
plants will be infinitely increased? In like man-
ner, no one can behold the powerful movements of
a steam-engine without gratification, though igno-
rant of its principles and structure. But when he
learns that the power which causes all the wonder-
ful movements before him is nothing but common
steam-when he comes to understand the simpli-
city of what at first appeared complex-with what
an increased feeling of delight will be then gaze on
the object before him And this will be found to
be the same to whatever province of nature's works
we direct our attention ;-our gratification and im-
provement will just be in proportion to our know
ledge.

He, however, who limits his studies to politics, and especially to the mere politics of the day, stops very far short of that degree of intelligence which a person living in the nineteenth century ought to possess. A mere violent, babbling politician, ignorant of every thing else, is a being infinitely inferior to one who, with a competent knowledge of political science, lends his influence, founded on such knowledge, to ameliorate the condition of society, and has, at the same time, a general knowledge of the sciences in general; or, in other words, of the works of the Almighty :-such a being is indeed worthy of the name and Godlike form of man. In the words of Dr. Arnott, "He whose view is bounded by the limits of one or two When we speak of acquiring a knowledge of the small departments, will probably have very false ideas various sciences, we mean, in other words, a geneeven of them, but he certainly will, of other parts, and ral knowledge of the laws of the Almighty. He of the whole, so as to be constantly exposed to who possesses a complete knowledge of the va commit errors hurtful to himself or to others. His rious sciences which relate to matter, has a commind, compared to the well-ordered mind of a pro-plete knowledge of the laws to which matter has perly educated man, is what the crooked and mis-been subjected by the Creator. Water, for instance,

has certain properties inherent in it; and it possesses these properties by a law, or laws, of the Almighty. One of its properties is, that it runs from a higher to a lower level; hence we have rivers. Another property is, that when heated to a certain degree, it passes into that wonderful aeriform matter called steam. In like manner, the two metals, copper and zinc, have distinctive qualities; but when combined together in certain proportions, their distinctive qualities cease, and they form that useful and beautiful metal, brass. And this, too, proceeds from laws of the Almighty. The study of science, therefore, is the study of the laws of God; and the investigation of these laws is a duty which we owe, not only to ourselves, but to their divine author.

is the knowledge of science, of the laws to which the numerous substances in nature have been subjected by the Almighty, and the power of apply. ing our knowledge to the improvement of our condition, which has placed this country in its pre.. sent proud situation among the nations of the earth. "A man," says Lord Brougham, "having only a pot to boil, is sure to learn from science reasons which will enable him to 'cook his morsel better, save his fuel, and both vary his dish and improve it." We have read of some savages, who, when they were first discovered, did not know even how to "boil their pot," and when they saw their visitors proceed to kindle a fire, and to" boil their pot," the poor savages ran off in terror. These men were therefore almost in total ignor

the extremest poverty and wretchedness. But under the head of profit, we may include the benefits which accrue to us in the shape of health, from knowing and obeying God's laws. The enjoyment of health depends to a very great extent on the attention we pay certain laws of our Maker. Many of these yet remain to be discovered-as, for example, the laws which, when obeyed, will make that disease-frightful in the present state of our knowledge-Cholera, turn harmless from our doors. But many of the laws of health are habitually neglected, as in the daily recurring scenes of dissipation, neglecting proper exercise, ventilation, &c., not because they positively are not known, but be cause we have not a sufficiently extensive acquain. tance with the laws of nature in general, and have not attained that all-relying confidence in their invariableness, which a more extensive knowledge of them can alone create.

In the Scriptures we have much important in-ance of nature's laws, and they lived in a state of formation conveyed to us, rules of morality laid down, and the will of God revealed, in regard to matters of which, if left to our unaided faculties, we must have for ever remained ignorant. Now, surely no one will deny the benefit to be derived from studying the will of God, as made known to us in the Scriptures; and we conceive that the benefit to be in like manner derivable from studying His will, or laws, as made known to us by science, is only secondary in importance to the other. In both cases, we acquire a knowledge of the Divine will-in the former case conveyed to us in direct terms, because our faculties are too weak to have otherwise made the acquirement-in the latter case we are left to discover them of ourselves, because they are within the reach of our faculties. Some people who fancy themselves very pious and devout, either do, or fain would, interdict from their shelves all books except such as are strictly termed religious; little fancying, in the depths of This ignorance-this contracted view of the their ignorance, that they are thus shewing a con- works of nature, is the cause of the many absurd tempt for, and a dislike to, the works of their notions so prevalent in society. It is this which Creator-those of his works, namely, which are causes us rashly and presumptuously to conceive revealed to us by science. We think that the habit that we can improve on the works of natureof studying science, with a reference to the Divine which causes ladies to imagine that they can imAuthor of the objects we are investigating, is too prove their beauty by contracting their waists onemuch neglected; and that we ought never to for-half, and which causes gentlemen to conceive they get that, while engaged in the pursuit of science, we are investigating the works of God. We conceive, therefore, that it is eminently the duty of the clergy to convey to the people a knowledge of the Divine laws, revealed to us by science, as well as of those which are revealed to us in the Scriptures; and as eminently the duty of the people to spare no labour in acquiring such knowledge;the latter, indeed, is the peculiar province of the Sabbath-the former of the week days.

But the benefits derivable from possessing a knowledge of science do not stop here; but, what may perhaps have more influence on many than any other considerations, profit, also follows in their train. The most unthinking must be aware of the benefits which even our present limited

knowledge of science has conferred on us in our

manufactures, agriculture, &c. The steam..engine is indeed of itself a host. Let it suffice, that it

can improve the appearance of their horses by cutting away their tails! The circumference of ladies waists, and the length of horses' tails, were not, however, given without a purpose; and he or she who presumes, with cord or scissors, to improve the one or the other, must infallibly work mischief. It was at one time the custom to cut trees into various fantastic shapes by way of improving their appearance, but this notion has passed away as a know ledge of nature increased; and we hope to see the day when ladies' waists and horses' tails will in like manner be allowed to grow to their natural dimensions. These deviations from Nature do not, however, as those acquainted with the invariable workings of the Almighty's laws would have anticipated, escape the consequences. Medical men tell rapidly increasing among females, and this in consequence of tight lacing! And we have somewhere seen it stated,

us that diseases in the spine are

that at the commencement of a summer campaign, the horses in the British cavalry used always to be in better condition than those of other countries, but that ere the campaign was half done, they were in the worst condition, and this from want of their tails to drive away the flies!

We have thus attempted to show that we ought vigorously to investigate science, 1st, Because we will derive much gratification and improvement from the study; 2dly, Because the study of science is the study of the works of God, and that therefore we are bound in duty and gratitude to make it the subject of our anxious investigation; and, 3dly, Because a knowledge of science will enable us to better our condition. We have only then to add, that we shall occasionally devote a column of the Schoolmaster to investigations in science; and we need hardly add, our explanations shall at all times be of the most popular description, and level to the minds of the least-educated reader.

CONDITION OF THE POOR OF ENGLAND. "THE VILLAGE POOR-HOUSE." BY A COUNTRY CURATE.

WE conceive ourselves happy in an opportunity of introducing to Scotch readers a poem which the Schoolmaster thinks the most striking publication of the season, both in sabject and execution. It had, we understand, been out of print, before it was even heard of at this end of the island, where, however, it was noticed cursorily, but with high praise, in Tait's Magazine for August. It will make its own speedy way to extensive popularity. The writer, in a neatly turned dedication to Lord BROUGHAM, describes his poem as " an attempt to illustrate the state of feeling amidst the pauper population." A portentous state of feeling that must needs be, if, as we dare not doubt, his descriptions are accurate and faithful. In an introductory epistle to a friend, he says:—

"Five years' experience as a country curate, has taught me many painful lessons and many bitter truths. It has shown me a degraded and benighted peasantry, and convinced me that all the descriptions of country life, which we admire in the poets, are only poetical. God made the country, and man made the town.' Alas! God made both, and man defaces both. But when we turn fom the representations of rural life to its reality, we are startled to find the virtues as much banished from the groves as from the crowded alley; and, I grieve to say it, a stronger line drawn between the extremes of society-or, at least, a wider gap between its connecting links, than even in great cities. Was the rural population once happy and contented, as we find them described in books? or was it the surface only that presented this appearance, while misery and discontent lurked unseen below? Men are be. coming progressively enlightened, and acquire a power of feeling their miseries, and of expressing them. My neighbours here charitable, kind hearted and benevolent on all other subjects-have an apathy about the sufferings of the poor which surprises me. They tell me that, thirty year ago, when all the articles of consumption were dearer, their wages were-less,-and still that there were no complaints while the Taries were in power. I am not old enough to know whether this be tre or not, from my own observation; but if it be true that their bery was greater and their complaints unuttered, I can only hail it ma'specimen melioris ævi,' that the poor are beginning to have their claims advocated, and their sufferings attended to."

The author then contends for educating the poor, and modestly concludes :—

"With regard to the following verses, if they attract any attention to the actual present state of feeling amongst the poor, I shall be quite tisfied. As to the poetry of the performance, the less said the better; petry is too high a word to be applied to any composition of mine."

Smith and Elder, London. Pp. G.

The poem

The poetry, notwithstanding this modest disclamature, is
of no ordinary merit, but truth is the soul of the perform-
ance, presented in vivid and stirring forms.
opens with this pleasing description of The Village :-
Our village has a pleasant look,

A happy look as e'er was seen--
Right through the valley flows a brook,
Which winds in many a flow'ry nook,
And freshens all the green.
On either side, so clean and white,
A row of cottages you see-
And jessamine is clustered o'er
The humble trellis of each door,
Then left to clamber free,

And shake its blossoms far and wide
O'er all the white-wash'd cottage side.
As dying evening sinks away,

The old church tower, erect and grey,
Catches far up the parting light,

And half grows holy to the sight.

The picture of the church is wound up to point the contrast between the "pensive sinner" and the comfortable Rector.

It is

Calm, silent, shaded, and serene,

Some blessed spot where God has been.
Here might the pensive sinner creep

To mourn his wicked courses:

Here, o'er his "youth's fond errors" weep-
What matter though the Rector keep

His carriage and four horses?
Weep on! thou man of sin and tears!-
But trouble not the Rector's ears.

The Rectory stands all aloof,
And rears its proudly slated roof
In middle of a stately park,

(Five acres and a perch.)

The porter's lodge, where lives the clerk,
Gives entrance by an iron gate
Wide-opened upon days of state,

When my lady drives from Church;

For my lady's knees are so stiff with kneeling,
And her nerves so strain'd with devotional feeling,
That she sends for the carriage and takes a drive,
And comes home to dinner at half-past five.

We have next the spruce dwelling of the thriving Attor ney, which, besides its plaster front, verandah, and pilasters, has a gravelled drive, and a high-railed wall; for, the worthy innate

-could not endure that his windows should lie
Exposed to every vulgar eyes

The principal gate is always barr'd,

But a door leads through the stable-yard,

And see!-just over the wall, you can get

A view of the roof of his barouchette,
Blazon'd and gilt for his lady's rides;

And he keeps a green gig for himself besides.
A thriving village-fair to see→→→
Admired by each new comer,
And leaves are out on every tree,
The birds sing loud, the birds fly free,-

'Tis now the height of summer.
Ch, blessed God! who o'er the earth,
The air, the sea, hast scatter'd mirth,
The blessed mirth that cheers the heart,
When happiness and joy must rise
From every sight that charms the eyes-
How good, how bountiful thou art!
Oh, what has man to think of more
Than bless thy goodness and adore?

The gloomy Village Poor-house comes next, with its miserable inmates,

Men-young, and sinewy, and strong,
Condemn'd to see, day after day,
Their moments creep along

In sloth-for they have nought to do,
And-start ye not-in hunger too!

From the picture of these gnawing miseries, and the black despair of the men and women of the work-house, we have this rapid transition :--

There's a wit at the Parson's board to-day,
How fast he speaks, and the party how gay
The gentlemen rear-at a College joke,

The ladies blush-at an equivoque

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--is over and done,

And merrily now, as sinks the sun,

He quaffs the brown ale till his heart grows kind,
And he sups as if he had never dined;
And a village pauper comes creeping up,
Who envies his mutton and envies his cup,

And the Farmer hears his complaint with a frown,
And looses the mastiff to tear him down.

This farmer is a yeoman bold

Of the right modern English mould;

To Rector and Squire, with countenance sad,

He says tithes are heavy and times are bad.

The Rector and Squire at his tale relent,

And take off from the tithes and diminish the rent.
Ho! ho! shouts the farmer, and jingles his purse,
The tithes might be higher, the times might be worse,
But the Rector and Squire are a couple of sages—
I'll take sixpence a-week from my workmen's wages,
For the indolent rogues are much overfed-
And I'll buy little Jane a piano instead.

Again we return to the work-house to have another pauper history and song; impassioned, powerful, and painful-a pauper domestic tragedy. The deep misery of Jack Morley, brutalized by the extreme of want, and the degradation of his un-wedded bride, whom we see but in her grave, are contrasted with the joyous nuptials of that happy pair of industrious persons, the butler and the lady's-maid. The village bells are, on a balmy morning, playing the triple bob-major in honour of a ceremony not opposed by "the prudential restraint."

Well, I declare! 'tis a beautiful sight

Six pretty maidens dress'd trimly in white,
And see, all stiffen'd with velvet and silk,
The Bride, in a bonnet as spotless as milk.
Louder and louder, the bells ring out,
And a crowd has collected all round about,
And off in four gigs sweeps the cavalcade,-
The Butler has wedded the Lady's-Maid.

The Butler has two score and ten pounds a-year,
The key of the cellar and cock of the beer,
A hard-working man you may solemnly swear,
For he stands every day at his master's chair,
And, after such labour, how hard is his fate,
He must lock up the bottles and count the plate;
Ah! truth to say, he's the worst used of men.
His pounds should be double of two score and ten.

The Lady's-maid! she's to be pitied too,
She has twenty pounds, and so much to do,

To curl up her mistress's hair night and morning-
It leaves so little time for her own adorning ;-
And just when dear Jenkins is saying sweet things,
To be off in the midst, if her lady's bell rings-
In short, she's surrounded with toils and woes,
And wears all ner inisti css's cast-off clothes,
Besides tinging her cheek with rouges and plaster,
And listening nonsensical tales from her master;-
With labour and cares her position abounds,
And all for a trifle of twenty pounds!
Rumour asserts, but then Rumour's a liar,
That the Butler's first-born will resemble the Squire.

In this way the poem proceeds. Part II. opens with the description of a well-fed, pompous, and slyly sensual clerical magistrate riding to Quarter Sessions, to officiate as Chairman, when his horse is startled in passing the village work-honse door-and

It seems so strange to a Magistrate's steed

That a pauper should sing, that he's startled indeed;
And the clerical Justice has some thoughts of bringing
An action against the low wretches for singing; 1
Impertinent dogs!

The song is that of Martha Green, an aged female pauper, who sings her yesternight's dreams of her cottage home, and early maternal happiness. This song is replete with pathos and beauty.

It was a blessed dream,
Methought I saw a fair young child, a cottage, and a stream,—
A fair young child beside the stream, a cottage clean and white;
Methought my heart leapt up, to see so beautiful a sight.
And soon from forth the cottage came, with many a merry noise,
A playful group of children fair, of happy girls and boys,
Four fair-hair'd boys, four blue-eyed maids,-my heart leapt up to see
A careful mother watching them beneath a spreading tree,

I look'd and look'd, and as I gazed on each fair boy and girl,
My bosom heaved with many thoughts, my mind was in a whirl.
Oh, God! the truth flash'd forth at once, the dream was a sign,-
I was that mother 'neath the tree, those little ones were mine!
Eight girls and boys were there, I ween,-where are the darlings now!
We can follow the fate of only one of this offspring of
virtuous and suffering poverty-the widow's last son :-
My stately James, my pensive boy, so thoughtful and sedate,
What fault is theirs who stung thy soul, and spurn'd thee into hate!
All, all at once, his nature changed-a man of savage mood,
A ravening savage-demon-sold-despairingly he stood.
What was his crime they never told, yet afterwards I heard,
He spread a net, and caught in it some curious kind of bird-
Some silly bird. They took my James and bound him as he slept,
No word he spoke, but scowl'd severe, and scorn'd me as I wept.
I saw my James, my gallant James ;-one night when, all alone,
I shiver'd at the fireless hearth, and made to God my moan,
A man rush'd in, all spent with haste, with wild and blood-shot eye,
"Mother, I come to see you once,-once more, before I die!
"Nay, doubt me not, I'm yours indeed, your James in very truth,
Not the same silent, soul-less James you knew me in my youth,
A man-though they have trampled me, and stamp'd with felon brand;
A man-for I've had vengeance now! there's murder on my hand!"
Take, in opposition to the tragedy of poor Martha Green,
this grave congregation of "Learned Fellows."

Six massive men in sable suit,

Of mighty bulk, and hanging brows,
Are darkly sitting, foot to foot,
Enjoying a carouse,-

All learned men, and fill'd with knowledge,
Six Senior Fellows of a College.

How grave they sit! how wise they look!
Each portly face is as a book,

Where ye may read triangle and line,
Cube root, parallelogram, circle, and sign,
And a very particular judgment in wine!
Wise Senior Fellows are they all,
Steady as clock-work in chapel and hall;
Six mighty parsons devoted to heaven,
All looking out for a college living.
Twenty years have they wasted their breath,
In praying for murder and sudden death,—
But the jolly incumbents, whose death would delight them,
Live on, as if merely on purpose to spite them :—
Twenty years they have all been engaged,

And their mistresses now have grown "certainly aged."
Oh! how they wade through the Morning Post,

In hopes the old Rector has yielded the ghost,

That he's broken his neck by a fall from his horse,
Or gone off in a fit in the second course,
Providentially choked by the bone of a cod,

1

Or some morning found " Dead,-by the finger of God ;”—
Ah! Senior Fellowships always give birth
To" Glory to God and good will upon earth."

Though thus lavish in quotation, we can give our readers no adequate idea of the force, point, and beauty of this poem-full of rapid and brilliant transitions-its shifting lights brought broadly out by the dark depths of its massive shadows. As a relief to the scenes we have passed, we

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