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Thus as I prayed, I heard a voice reply, Soft as in summer-eve the breezes sigh In fitful cadence on Æolian lute,"Shall sin-stained man the Harp of Heaven pollute ?

No other hand than hand of Innocence,
And unsoiled Truth, may draw sweet music
If such be thine-"
[thence.

Then suddenly I saw,
With deep joy tempered to admiring awe,-
Fair as the fairest Houri formed to bless
The faithful with unfading loveliness,
(So feigns the Prophet of the Arab land),
Near me a shape of wondrous beauty stand!
Blue were the robes around her limbs that
flowed,

And blue the lustre in her eyes that glowed, The bright locks floating from her forehead pale

Waved on the silvery whiteness of her veil : (Such as on some high-favoured bard of eld The Muse hath smiled:)-and in her hand she held

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I heard, nor answer'd but with tears. It is for the reader to say whether these youthful aspirations have been realised. We honestly think so. poet's eye, ear, hand, heart, are unmistakeably evident in these pages. But that which peculiarly characterises them is a profound melancholy. Some of these poems, as it seems to us, must have been written, as they can only be read, in tears. We instance the "Farewell to Cumbria," "An Imagined Reality," "To Her who is not."

We have not detected any conscious imitations in the poems, but we are occasionally reminded of Henry Kirk White, and of the juvenile verses of Coleridge. Like Coleridge's also, we have, as a "psychological curiosity, some verses (and by no means the worst) composed in sleep. With these, and another citation, we close our notice of this very interesting volume.

THE CANARY.

(Verses composed in Sleep.) [Every lover of Poetry is familiar with Coleridge's" Kubla Khan," and with the origin of its composition. Until this morning, I have been a sceptic: my own experience has convinced me. Reader, hear my story.

Last night, or it might be early this morn

ing, I seemed to be sitting-it needs not to specify where or with whom-in a small room, the half-opened casement whereof fronted the west. On one side of the mantel-piece hung a bird-cage. One present remarked that its tenant looked sulky and ill-at-ease; whereupon the fair owner, opening the door of the cage, drew him out, and, unregardful of the open window, placed the Canary upon a Bible which lay expanded on the table. What followed, is related in the following lines.

Hitherto is no marvel. But, when all was over, the weeping girl, I dreamed, requested me to put the incident into rhyme. I instantly complied, and-methoughtcomposed the lines beneath. When just about to recite them to her, my sister called me, and I awoke; but the verses remained fresh upon the tablets of memory. Worthless in themselves, they are given here as a psychological curiosity.]

Gently she drew him from the golden cage, And placed him drooping on the sacred pageThe trembling bird, bewildered, back retired :

Then, by Isaiah's prophet-notes inspired, Poured forth a stream of song so wild and shrill, [still!Awed was each heart, and every tongue was He paused-from the half-opened casement shone

A stream of glory from the setting sun; Glanced his keen eyes, his downy plume was stirr'd,

Quivered each winglet of the wondrous bird. Expectant silence sat on every soul;

Sudden, a low unwonted music stole From forth his parted beak, while on him fell That halo from the Heavenly Israel. "Farewell !"-for thus articulate the sound Thro' that admiring audience rolled around : 'Farewell, sweet girl!-thy favourite hastes to join

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The spirits of his brother-birds divine.
Yet, when at eve, o'er thy enslumbered sense,
Mysterious music breathes its influence,
Wilt thou not know the singer?"-

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Who hoards his heaps in stealth, All wrinkled, wan, and bent !Who would for Wealth lament ?

"Shall I lament for PLEASURE ?-
The dance, the song, the jest,
The purple-tinctured vest,
The wine-cup's sparkling zest ?"
Life's fleeting moments measure,
Recalled as soon as lent !-
Nor dance, nor cup lament!

"Shall I lament for SONG?"
Sweet tho' the minstrel sing,
His heart is withering:
A solitary thing
He walks amid the throng,
With silent anguish spent!-
O, not for Song lament!

"Shall I lament for LoVE?

For Beauty's witching smile ?"
Beware of Beauty's wile:
She flatters to beguile!-
Go, set thy heart above :
Repent, repent, repent

Thy days of youth misspent-
Thy wasted days lament!

C. S.

have it, with a face and form I had known full well in days of yore, as appertaining to a certain DIXON DAVIE, or, as he himself preferred being styled, and, indeed, invariably impressed upon his coadjutors in the service the propriety of, and, moreover, his just claim and title to, "according to the regulations," whenever such trifling conventional amenities passed between them as chits, messages, or requisitions, -MISTER CONDUCTOR DIXON DAVIE !

Loud and hearty were the exclamations of surprise which escaped us on recognising each other. "Bless me, is that yourself, Thady! Where on earth did you spring from ?" "Who would have thought it, eh! Davie?-how are you, old fellow? You don't look stunning at all events"-flashed between us, with the rapidity of a volley, and the opening burst over, we engaged, snug and comfortable enough, gradually "easing off" while narrating our respective ups and downs since last meeting.

Having gingerly touched upon these,

DIXON DAVIE'S FIRST FURLOUGH. glanced casually at various domestic

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Vision" to have pronounced it juste milieu, could he only have "held an inspection," did I, Thaddeus Cotter, make my exit from the Presidency of.

Fate, fortune, or whatsoever else, generous reader, pleaseth thee best, decreed, that I should be spilt just upon entering that delightful scandalloving station, BAZEERGHUR, the whereabouts of which, for various reasons, I leave to the imagination to conjecture, -sufficing to tell thee, I made it my head-quarters.

A morning or so after my advent, while enjoying a "constitutional," amidst the shady lanes which partially skirt the lines, killing time pleasantly enough, ad interim, by jotting down in my mind's eye the varied changes which had been worked since my former sojourn there, years previous, an abrupt turn in the pathway brought me up, "chock-a-block," as sailors

crosses (Davie was a Benedict), chronicled the sayings and doings of ancient chums, and passed in review the tout ensemble of things in general, with all the calmness of a brace of quid nuncs, Davie pulled up short with a muttered "God bless me, how stupid !"-rushed to a small wicket, hard by, which gave admission to his compound, and, steadfastly regarding me with a not-to-bedenied-under-any-consideration kind of. look, incontinently inveigled me within, "just," as he expressed it, "till he introduced me to his Den and appurtenances.”

"The Den," as Davie chose to designate his bungalow, was just the sort of thing you would look for in the home a man well-to-do in the world; "the appurtenances" require trotting out,

more in extenso.

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and as haughty withal; her craving to be thought somebody insatiable; while her vanity led her to bore every one to death with repeated inuendoes to her dear, deceased, Major progenitor, and the vast dower she had bestowed upon Mr. D. Pedigree and pice were her idols; respectability and rupees her hobbies, and cruelly she rode them.

And yet, perhaps, I somewhat wroug thee, thou roundabout little creature. Say, has grief, unavailing grief, for the loss of contour and girlhood's bloom, aught to do with these, thy maturer aspirations ?-or, hads't thou mated higher, would they not have lain dormant, life-hidden, within thy heart's inmost recesses-unheeded, uncalled forth? Antecedents such as thine well merited a meeter spouse than one but holding warrant rank! Hence the fell cankerworm, say, was it not so ?

Like cockles," all alive O!" squalling and squabbling "from morn till dewy eve," five hybrid olive brances, mischievous as monkeys, uncivilised as Bheels,

"Formed the sum total of their parent's bliss, And kept his table in a constant roar."

Well do I remember thee, thou promising offshoots from the parent stem, -three girls and two boys, varying in tint from "Real Honduras" to "Lundy Foot's high toast."

And now, though last, not least, seeing that he stood upwards of six feet "in his stockings," and was proportionately burly-a word or two "anent the Master."

Davie was an unco' North-countryman. Rough and ready. Originally packman for a Kendal woollen-house, he had, some eighteen years previously, "one cloudy day," to use his own words, "taken the shilling to serve John Company." Sent out to this country with other recruits, he had, on landing, been drafted into the artillery, whence, in course of time, being a steady, active fellow, he was placed upon the staff, promoted to sub-conductor, and attached to the contingent force of a Rajah in alliance with the Government. When dubbed full rank, Davie bethought him to marry. Casting his eye around, it chanced to fall plump upon the little heiress aforesaid; who, besides appearing

VOL. I.-58

66

nothing loath to change her name, was sole mistress of her purse and person. So, they speedily got "buckled," and, gay as a trooper bold," forth stepped from the church door Mr. Dixon Davie, the envied proprietor of the charming Olivia, her 20,000 rupees, and half a dozen substantial tenements, situate at an adjacent hill sanitarium, to boot.

With Davie married, time flew fleeting as the wind ; during which, his little wife had ofttimes blessed him with pledges of domestic joy. Several of these "passed away" in infancy, "frail flowers of a day," while others, sturdier five, survived, perchance to reach matu- ́ rity, and pay back all their parent's love and care, perchance to - aye, who shall fill up the hiatus?

Let us but hope the best, nor trench upon the future. Davie was a gregarious animal, and having undergone a twelve years' spell in the jungles, he wearied for a change, and craved once more to "herd among his follow-men." In short, he conceived he had well earned a "ticket-of-leave," and so, the delicate state of "mem sahib's" health forming a valid excuse, Davie applied for, and obtained his wish.

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In due course, his name appeared in orders, with permission to proceed to Bazeerghur for twelve months. advance of pay made square, and sundry other money matters arranged, Davie packed his peaking better-half, and squad of young hopefuls, into a lumbering spring bandy, his tent and traps on a brace of hackeries, mounted his tattoo, felt that his pistol was safe, cork uppermost, gave a last look round, to see that" all were present," roared a chillao to the nigger drivers, and commenced his march towards Bazeerghur, which place he reached, safe and sound, some ten months prior to our casual rencounter already alluded to.

On Davie's first putting in an appearance, prompted or otherwise, deponent sayeth not, he established himself as a pucka officer of high political or staff standing (I forget which), lived au prince, and gave most unexceptionable feeds. His tin flew, and, with it, his reputation as "a regular top-sawyer." "Who the devil can he be ?" was in the mouth of every one. Army Lists were vainly searched through and through,

from title-page to fly-leaf; confidential inquiries made in all quarters ;— to no purpose-none could tell : none knew more than that he ordered like a nabob, and paid promptly.

This novel excitement of baffled curiosity had continued to rage steadily for the space of about a month, racking the good folks' brains sadly for a solution, when, one morning, finding his last batch of Eil de Perdrix exhausted, Davie drove down to Messrs. Marrow, Flattery, & Sausman's establishment, to order a fresh supply.

Having condescendingly acknowledged the profound obeisances and thanks of Marrow, the senior partner of the firm, for his "distinguished patronage," he lingered yet a moment in the door-way, drawing on his glove, preparatory to stepping into the buggy, when the voice of a soldier behind him, who had just been served with a pound of "Negro-head," exclaiming By yer lave, sur, if ye plase !" caused him to wheel half round, and, oh! horror of horrors-the man, a long-forgotten seasoner and shipmate, claimed him as an acquaintance !

66

Here was the grand climacteric reached with a vengeance! Verily and indeed had the "star" of Davie's "destiny declined." Thus publicly plucked of his blushing honors; his brevet, with accompanying adventitious aids, scattered to the winds; his charlatanry rendered palpably manifest-Davie made a virtue of necessity, and levanted in

stanter.

He drove home like a fiend, locked himself up in his dressing-room, and denied himself to every one, until, half an hour afterwards, the screams of his children forced him to the side of la belle Olivia, who, it seems, dear, oversensitive little creature, dreaming no evil, had gone off into violent hysterics upon reading the direction card of a certain case of champagne which Marrow, Flattery, & Sausman's sepoy had just deposited in the verandah, and which was addressed in extra-large round hand-" To MISTER CONDUCTOR DIXON DAVIE" !

CHAPTER II.

TRUE to the training of his youthful days, Davie, on having his pseudo-dig

nities flung back upon him, like damaged goods, calmly shelved them for fresh customers, and joined his late dupes in the laugh against himself. "The thing was a good joke-and what more could be made of it? -no harm had been done, he had only astonished the Natives a trifle-bus!"

The nine days' wonder over, the Davies, male and female, once again showed as usual at all the fashionable haunts, and soon found themselves surrounded by new troops of friends; for, although tacitly deciding henceforth to imbibe his veritable Eil de Perdrix, on special occasions, solus, did not Davie continue his "slap-up spreads"-was not his beer "Bass's best"-his brandy and weeds "first-chop" ?—and so long as they were temptingly displayed on all occasions, was not their donor lauded as an undeniable "brick" ?—was not his friendship worth cultivating his acquaintance a valuable acquisition? Of a verity, the humblest of us have but to hang out mutton, and the wolves will be sure to follow, wherever we go.

What is commonly called "the world," reader, though apt at times to be censorious, is mightily soon satisfied, and easily forgives the peccadilloes of those able to purchase its indulgences. So at least the Davies found it.

But while, externally, "all went merrily as a marriage bell," Davie's amour propre was fated to receive another stunning wound-sudden as the first; but far severer, because more lasting.

His trip had taught him another wrinkle. Lionising at a fashionable station, he learnt to his cost, was vastly different to rusticating in the jungle. His purse told him so, and warned him to retrench. Yet how could he?-how break the agonising intelligence to Mrs. D.? There was the poser! Had not his medical adviser, Mr. Manuel Salva dor DeGama Cabral, Graduate of the Ramfuzlal Institute, Member of the College of Surgeons, Gowleapore, and Clinical Lecturer of Mooteambhoy's Hospital,-one of the choicest of India's young alumni,—in the kindest, most considerate, and disinterested manner possible, confidentially whispered into his ear, that "in the present precarious state of Mrs. D.'s health, the slightest shock to her nervous system might be

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attended with fearful consequences;
that he would not be answerable-bear-
ing in mind her recent alarming indis-
position" (the champagne fit)-"if the
least imaginable annoyauce or opposi-
tion might not bring on a relapse of
hysteria"; and were not his injunctions
strictly laid down, that she required
the greatest care and attention"; that
"she must be watched morning, noon,
and night-her every little whim an-
ticipated, if possible, and all her fancies
humoured"?

Thus barred from breaking his mi-
series to Mrs. D., what was he to do?
-whom could he advise with-whom
consult?

Davie thought, and thought, and thought, until he thought himself into a fit of the blues; and, at the end, admitted himself nonplussed.

dian mind an introductory knowledge of the immense advantages their country possesses, a just appreciation of her vast vegetable and mineral capabilities; show the Natives her bonâ fide products-exhibit them as they now are, and contrast them with what they might become, if only aided by European arts and mechanism."

In strict reliance that his confidence should not under any circumstances be abused, Mr. Crummy proceeded to inform his patient listener that he had mentally arranged a plan for carrying out these particular views with undoubted success. He proposed giving a series of lectures in the vernacular at various of the leading outstations, and demonstrating his principles by means of drawings, diagrams, and model machinery. Nay, indeed, he might add, that at that very moment he was in actual correspondence with the local authorities of Bazeerghur regarding the project, and had gone the length of requesting the loan of the assemblyrooms as an audience-chamber; but somehow doubted the success of his application. He rather feared that the illiberal exclusiveness of a "certain clique," whose names delicacy alone forbad his disclosing, would render his efforts in the great and glorious cause of mental emancipation nugatory!

To stifle the dismals, Davie accepted an invite to meet a few friends at the quarters of a bachelor neighbour. They were jolly dogs all, and Davie imbibed a considerable amount of spiritual consolation in their society. With one of the set, in especial, he became downright hand and glove, ere half an hour had elapsed, and, long before midnight, the pair were inseparable as the Siamese twins.

Mr. Peter Crummy, the new-found magnet of Davie's attraction, was a gentleman luxuriating upon his own resources, which were as numerous as remarkable. His personal abominations of gold-coloured curly hair, and a strong cast in the off eye, were counterbalanced by an insinuating address, and confidence,-some might say cheek, but I prefer drawing it mild,"―ample for an Old Bailey barrister.

66

He pos

From mechanics in general, Mr. Crummy reverted to particularising branches, of which he ran through the long-roll, halting at some, but making a dead-set at hat-manufacturing, which he pronounced "the most lucrative of any."

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In that peculiar tone of voice, scarce louder than a whisper-so low, yet so distinct,-which steals, as 'twere, upon your confidence, did Mr. Crummy expatiate upon hats and hatters. Intimately acquainted with the whole routine, how glibly flowed his words. "Materials, with few trifling exceptions, procurable, he might say, on the spot, in any quantity; labour remarkably cheap; incidental expenses a mere bagatelle ; the necessary outlay to start with a paltry couple of thousands or so; no risks; without a solitary rival in the field with his experience to superintend, and the entire East for a consti

sessed a fund of anecdote, and spun such
yarns; had travelled everywhere; been
introduced to celebrities in all quarters,
and had, at one time or another, enter-
tained business relations with some of
the first European houses. In the
In the
present instance, however, mechanics,
for which he exhibited a perfect genius,
were the chief burden of Mr. Crummy's
song. "India," he declared to Davie,
"could only be regenerated by their
introduction; once bring them into play
effectually, and Hindoostan might under-
sell the globe! What was required was
simply this-instil into the Anglo-In-tuency, what might not be realised!"

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