of gaiety and happiness-a golden era of refinement and enterprise, but this was not the case; these pleasures were enjoyed by a very limited portion of society-the great bulk of the people were in a servile and miserable condition. Those times are not to be envied. The spirit of enterprise was at once foolish and degrading to man, and was calculated to produce a baneful effect upon the character of woman-they were times, in short, more deserving of the satirical pen of Cervantes than the high eulogiums customary from the pens of poets and novel writers.

Editor.

BRAVERY.

HE is not a brave man but a fool, who endangers his life without adequate cause. What great mistakes have been made with respect to this little word brave! We are accustomed to apply the word only to those who signalize themselves in the battle-field, whereas the most brilliant specimens of bravery have been displayed in very different situations. We are accustomed to hear it said of Napoleon, when the circumstances are recited to us of his adventures in the various battles he fought-what a wonderfully brave man he must have been! But was not equal bravery displayed by Columbus, who navigated the ocean in search of new countries ?and which of the two exemplified the more noble species of bravery-that more worthy of, and dignifying to, man? The one madly rushed through fire and destroyed his fellow-men that he might

acquire fame-the other ventured over fathomless waters that he might benefit mankind by extending the boundaries of science, and opening new fields for commerce. The brutal bravery of Alexander or Cæsar, which has been so much boasted of, is disgusting to every right thinking man, but the manly bravery of those who have nobly and perseveringly contended against imposition and tyranny, or who have struggled to abolish the vices of any particular age is the kind of bravery that wisdom takes delight in contemplating, and such are the heroes to whom nations should gratefully award the highest prizes they have it in their power to bestow.

Editor.

Part EE.

MISCELLANEOUS

POETRY.

ON A CAGED EAGLE.

OFFSPRING of a kingly race,
Born on never tiring wing;
Far beyond where eye can trace,
E'en beyond imagining.
Thou of such majestic form,
Thou that brav'st the angry storm,
Thou whose piercing fiery eye
With the lightning's flash may vie;
Who hath dared to bind thee here?
Who hath lured thee from thy sphere?

How they've humbled thee, proud bird,
Chained thee fast to once spurned earth,
Wings that lashed the winds untired,
Now to thee are nothing worth.

When thou view'st thy sphere, the sky,
Still thy spirit soars on high;
Years may follow one another,

Nought can thy ambition smother.

Still majestic; yet I ween,

Not now what thou once hast been;
Ruffled now thy pinions are,

Sluggish is thy mien with care.

Bright thine eye, but far more bright
Was it in thy native height;
Still it flashes as in scorn,
Of the base, the lowly born.

M1

When thy matchless wing was free,
Sailing o'er the boundless sea,
Bearing thee above the cloud,
Where beneath rolled thunders loud,
Thou wert feared by all below,
Dreadful wert thou to thy foe
Little then thou thought'st thine age
Would be lingered in this cage.

Thou remindest me of the fate,
Of earth's proud, ambitious great,
Who, like thee, have soared on high,
And could once the world defy:
To whom once the menial crowd,
With obsequious rev'rence bowed,
Yet like thee, have, e'er they died,
Thus been hurled from scenes of pride.

Editor.

TO A CATTERPILLAR.

Dost thou live cheerful in thy present form,
And brave each biting blast and pelting storm,
Calmly bearing all?

Art thou of bright and happier days now dreaming,
Poor worm that art so lone and wretched seeming,
On this ivied wall?

I fain would know if Hope supporteth thee,
For much I think that thou art like to me,
Dwelling lowly here;

And bearing what by chance may be thy fate,
But having prospect of a happier state,
Quickly coming near.

Oh! I have thought and hoped when I have seen
Thee flitting gaily winged 'long hedge rows green,
That I then did see

An emblem of the nobler human race,

Who, when from earth released, bright wings should grace,

Who to rest might flee.

Editor.

A GENETHLIACON.

HAIL, first-born offspring of a brother dear!
Bright be thy course on earth from year to year!
In childhood's sunny days may'st thou be blest
With rosy health, by parents be caressed.
May they in turn the parents' blessing share,
And own their joy far, far exceeds their care;
Acknowledge that to God they owe all praise
For having thee to enliven all their days.
May they with fondness watch thy youth's career,
Thy first attempts to speak with transport hear,
With tender looks watch thy attempts to run,
And guard thee from the dangers thou should'st shun.
To thee may Wisdom's path be early known,
And beauteous Virtue's face to thee be shown;
Oh! may'st thou in the former love to tread,
And with the latter be securely wed.
Then surely length of happy days thou'lt see,
And honoured age thy due reward wilt be.

Sweet Infant! ere I leave this pleasant theme,
Of thee I'll tell what is my waking dream,
How I, in fancy, trace thy steps through life,
And see thee struggling through this world of strife;
How bright, methinks, the course is thou dost run,
And what good actions thou hast nobly done.
When thou these lines shalt read some future day,
(Mayhap when he who penned them shall be clay,)
May they, within thy soul, a rage inspire,
And to great deeds thy emulation fire.

Methinks I see thee now a playful boy,
Thy sparkling eyes betokening thy joy,
Thy diligence by all thy friends approved,
And by thy schoolmates all, sincerely loved;
And on thy smiling countenance I trace,
The germs of future, open, manly grace.
And what is deemed the noblest trait of youth,
Thou never fear'st to speak the simple truth,
God's holy laws thou constantly dost keep,

And for his mercy pray'st each night ere thou dost sleep.