Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

articles from New South Wales and other southern countries, constitute the basis for a grand Museum of Natural History. Dr Gersenheim, from Dresden, has, with the assistance of his late friend Pallas and others, collected a Zoophytic Cabinet, no less valuable than comprehensive, which he has presented to the King of Prussia, for the use of the new university. The care of this collection has been committed to the learned Illger, a profound explorer of nature, who has been called from Brunswick to the new

university, as particularly capable of rendering this collection of curiosities useful. The King has likewise, for the same museum, recently purchased of Herbst, a clergyman at Berlin, his famous collection of crustaceous fish; and negociations for various other collections have been set on foot. If to these be united the regularly classified botanical-garden, under the care of the great Wildenow, the whole will not fail to be productive of the most gratifying results in the study of physiology.

Poetry.

Prologue and Epilogue to the Tragedy of Helga.

PROLOGUE.

PONDERING the labours of his mimic reign, Our stage-director schem'd the year's campaign,

Tragic and comic muse before him came, Farce, pastoral, opera, masque, and melo-drame,

On his bewildered méditation past;
With scenes, unpainted yet, and parts

uncast,

Speeches ne'er spouted, dresses yet un

made,

Songs never set, and music yet unplayed: Then mov'd the stage auxiliaries along, Man, monster, and machine, a motely throng

[blocks in formation]

Yet in that clime, though elemental strife For now no more, the mean processions Wrecks each fair trace of vegetative life,

pass,

In Hamlet's phrase, each actor on his ass. Car, camel, war-horse, water-dog appear, And Blue-Beard's elephant o'erwhelms the

rear.

'Mid Iceland's waste, of ashes and of

snows,

Even there of old, the light of song arose;
From her dark bosom, the historic lay
O'er ancient Europe pour'd the mental day.

Perplex'd, and 'midst the dark and du- In royal halls, their harps her minstrels

[blocks in formation]

Enough, if simply, yet to nature true,
Our wandering bard his sketch dramatic
drew,

To shew how sternly rival minstrels strove,
Stung by the jealousy of fame and love.

EPILOGUE.

IN times like these, when British travellers find

Their foreign tours, that narrow limits

bind,

Through France and Italy forbid to roam,
They seek familiar wonders nearer home;
Gigantic snakes are cast on Orkney's isle,
And mermaids rise in Caithness and Ar-
gyle;

These spread their toilets, (wondering
shepherds swear)

And comb with ivory fingers, emerald hair.
If more informed observers sally forth,
They find fresh wonders somewhat farther
north;

"Tis not enough the Iceland traveller tells
Of burning mountains and of boiling wells;
His moral marvels too, you find he brings,
Minstrels that for preferment sing to
.kings;

Ladies that keep their virgin vows so nice, (As if like salmon, vows were kept in ice.) For three long years wait in their native isle,

And dare not flirt with mortal all the while.

[ocr errors]

Do you believe the wonders they relate ? No, sure, if our experience carry weight. No courtly Lords, now rival rhymes rehearse,

Or claim blue ribbands for their skill in verse;

No Ladies now, when loyers leave their side,

Wish seas between them and their destin❜d bride;

No modern Ladies sit, to pine and mope,
And wait three tedious years the wan-
derer, Hope;

But if the careless beau forgets his belle,
These find another answer quite as well;
Too happy should her Edgar disappoint
her,

To find some Haco with a larger jointure.
But, (for our author frowns) all jokes
apart,

If in his scenes you trace the human heart; ́
If to your view these artless scenes may
give

Passions in every latitude that live;
Ambition towering like the cliffs that rise
On Iceland's coast to meet the angry skies;
Love! ardent love! that burns like I-
la's fire,

Or boils like Geyser's fount with jealous
ire ;

If Helga's feelings are but felt by you,
You will not ask me if her story's true,
But yield your tear, without your reason's
leave,

If nature prompt the tale, and passion

weave.

On the death of Mr Archibald
Campbell.

As flow'rets ope their beauties wild
Unto the rosy morning sun,
And drooping lose their fragrance mild,
Ere half his bright career is run.

So, oft descends into the tomb
The youth, whose worth begins to shine; ;
How dreadful is the sudden doom,
Yet, Campbell, such a doom was thine.

But laid in thy untimely grave,
Alas! shalt thou remain unknown?
Shall no sad friend attempt to save
Thy merit from oblivion?

Be mine the task, be mine the song
To celebrate thy well lov'd name,
Though, would another voice more strong
Had rais'd it to immortal fame !

For though thy cheek would often glow
With pleasure's smile; yet still thine eye
Would glisten at the tale of woe,
With tears of softest sympathy.

So bless'd by fortune's balmy breath
Who ev'ry gift had kindly given;
Thus sudden snatch'd away by death
I'd murmur-but it comes from heav'n.

Alas! but doubl'd is our grief,
Reflecting on thy flow'ry view;
As dew drops bright on ev'ry leaf,
But mock the rose-bud's faded hue.

Ah! need I tell the mournful gloom
That o'er each anxious feature spread,
When told, that to the silent tomb
The fairest hope of youth had fled.

Then was each broken murmur stay'd,
And hush'd the joyous voice of mirth;
It was the last sad tribute paid
By friendship to departed worth.

But stop-nor break the calm repose
Of hearts that have profusely bled,
Nor add a single tear to those
A mourning relative hath shed.

But

[blocks in formation]

INFURIATE o'er the distant waste,
Along the men of battles haste;
Loud clank their arms!---the mingled
train

Afar forsake their natal plain,

And hail th' approaching foe!
Where vengeance thro' the val'rous fields
The sanguine sword of Freedom wields,

And aims th' avenging arduous blow.
Again! they burn with vigorous fire;
Again! they fight with desp'rate ire:
But, ah! from drear Batavia's soil,
Why mourns Britannia, midst her prosp'
rous toil?

Alone, where yonder laurels wave,
She bends beside her minstrel's grave,
The Bard, who, in his native north,
Long breath'd in bless'd effusion forth

Wild youth's impassion'd strain;
Where, Nature's happiest harp hestrung,
And Teviot's mountain echoes rung

Triumphant o'er the giddy plain.
His were the songs, whose music smooth.
Shew'd life, all love-and love, all truth;
And wak'd to rapturous joy the soul,
That beat beneath his mild divine controul.
On foreign lands, his lyre resign'd,
Now vibrates with the formless wind;
And, tuneless laid! the conscious note
Does not in wild vibration fioat,

In aerial circles borne ;
While from her mazy radiant ring,
Sweet Fancy, flaps the drooping wing,
And falls a-down to earth forlorn.
And trembling Truth, with look distrest,
Reclines upon her beauteous breast:

[blocks in formation]

Here, grateful greets thy shade sublime, That bless'd beyond the bourne of time, Fate's ruthless powers defy.

Where brightly, eke thy hallowed name, Shall blaze amidst seraphic flame!

While dreadful Death himself shall die. Swell, Minstrels ! swell the warbling tone, And soothe sweet Nature's mournful moan;

And Scotia, be that labour thine,
To watch thy honours, at his silent shrine.

Awake, ye youths of sordid gold!
Awake, with em'lous ardour bold!
See! from yon orient paths afar,
Bright Genius, turns his rapid car,
And courts your nobler flight.
Along, he fires the slumb'ring land,
And, beckoning, whirls his golden wand,
'Midst volumes of ethereal light:
Now, o'er his vot'ry's tear-spread urn,
Sadd'ning he stoops awhile to mourn;
Then, bright on beams of ether hurl'd,
Circles with boundless thought a suppliant
world.

Hark! how aloud the borean waves Are dash'd against the chrystal caves, And, murm'ring high, the echo swells Around, from Ocean's bed of shells,

And charms with hollow moan. While trem'lous o'er the troubled deep The spirits of the waters weep,

Incumbent woe, that's Mem'ry's own, And swift along the cavern'd shore, The winds convey the murmurs o'er, Where, 'neath gray twilight's gath'ring gloom,

Fair Scotia's tears bedew her Leyden's tomb, H.

January 20, 1812, Water of Leith.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We regret, that from the late period at which the Observer was received, we were not able to insert it this month.

The pieces by the Ettrick Shepherd will appear next month.
J. E. S. and I. I. R. will probably obtain early insertion.

Proceedings

Proceedings of Parliament.

MOUSE OF LORDS.

Friday, January 10.

schism, pregnant with all those calamities which at times, shake the foundation of empires. His Lordship reprobated the

LORD LIVERPOOL moved the thanks 'idea of restrictions and disabilities on ac

of the House to Lord Minto, the Governor Gen. of India, and to Gen. Abercrombie, Sir $. Auchmuty, &c. for the late important services in the East. His Lordship, as a reason for deviating from the usual practice of confining this mark of distinction to naval or military, stated that the expeditions which terminated in the reduction of the islands of Bourbon, Mauritius, and Java, was the result of measures undertaken by Lord Minto upon his own responsibility, before the instructions sent by government had reached him. The Noble Secretary then expatiated at some length upon the merits of the military and naval commanders employed in these different

[blocks in formation]

count of religion, and entered into a his tory of their origin. He found it in the fears justly entertained under Charles II. of the opinions possessed by the Duke of York, afterwards James II. the heir ap parent, to whom the whole of the Catho lics were politically devoted.-The same motives subsisted in the following reigns, and as long as claims to the Crown of those Realms, disallowed by Parliament, were maintained by Catholic pretenders. But the only cause of the penal statutes as gainst Roman Catholics, had vanished long ago, and the effect must of course fonow the same fate. His Lordship admitted that the lower clases of Irish Catholics still retained strong prejudices against their fellow citizens; and one of the advantages expected from an United Parliament was, that they would adopt measures to remove all grounds of national jealousy. Instead of which, the higher classes of Roman Irish Catholics were debarred even from aspiring to a variety of honourable and lucrative situations which his Lordship enumerated. The case was peculiarly hard in respect to the army, for the Irish Parliament had provided for the advancement of the Roman Catholic on the military estabilshment of that kingdom; but no sooner had that army become English by the Union, than this wholesome and just provision was done away contrary to the spirit of that social contract, and without any grounds whatever. His Lordship afterwards recapitu. lated the various reasons which he had already adduced to induce their Lordships to agree to an inquiry, and concluded by moving, "That a Committee be appoint ed to inquire into the State of Ireland."

Thé

[ocr errors]

The Duke of DEVONSHIRE seconded the motion.

[ocr errors]

The Marquis WELLESLY defended the onduct of the Duke of Richmond and the Irish Administration, and declared his conviction that none of them would have attempted to stand between the king and his subjects. The Government, however, had been advised that the assembly of the delegates was contrary to law, and that opinion had been declared correct by the Court of King's Bench. Whatever feelings we may have towards the admission of Catholics into Parliament, did their Lord. ships mean to say, that an assembly, consisting of Prelates, Nobility, and Electors from different counties, was a fit assembly to be sitting in Ireland after the Union? This was not a question merely of religious indulgence, but whether every State was rot justified in restraining what was in jurious to the State. He held all restraint to be evil; but the danger on the other side may be greater; and if so, hold to your restraints. A Noble Earl had said, this was a question of State. Let them abate the question of right on one side, and the fury of zeal on the other, and consider it equally. He had considered, that the best mode of disarraying the disaffected in that country, would be to remove the bond that holds them together.-The restrictions embodies them all-if these restrictions were removed, the different classes, the army, the navy, the law, &c. would separate, and be looking to their own individual interest. How far they should be removed, or what security should be acquired from the Catholics, he was not prepared to say.-Would it be said the Catholics enjoyed no privileges, no power or weight in the State? No one dould say they did not; they were admit ted into the army, into the navy, and into the law, and he was of opinion, that though there was no Popish Pretender remaining, yet that so large a body were not to be released from all restrictions, and admitted into the body of the State, with out considering what security should be required for the preservation of the esta blished religion. He would advise them, till the time arrived when they might be admitted, to consider what security they had to offer that they would conduct themselves as good and peaceable subjects, and, by dutiful submission to legal authority, pave the way for their admission to those privileges in which they were so anxious to participate.

The motion was supported by the Duke

of Bedford, the Marquisses of Downshire and Lansdowne, and Lords Somers, Moira, Gray, Darnley, Erskine, Carysfort; and opposed by Lords Aberdeen, Westmoreland, Buckinghamshire, Sidmouth, Mulgrave, and Liverpool.

Upon a division, the motion was nega tived-162 to 79-Proxies included,

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

Friday, Jan. 10.

THE CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in moving the thanks of the House to Lord Minto and Sir S. Auchmuty, for their services in the East, stated that the merit of having planned all the expeditions, belonged solely to the former. After noticing, in terms of high praise, the conduet of Commodore Rowley in wresting the superiority from the French in the In dian seas; the gallantry of Sir S. Auch muty, Colonels Gillespie and M'Leod, the latter of whom died in carrying a redoubt, he moved, first, That thanks be voted to Lord Minto for the wisdom and ability with which he had applied the resources entrusted to him, to the destruction of the French power in the East Indies; stating further, that the brilliant successes which had attended our arms were owing to that vigorous system of operations which he had so wisely adopted and pursued.

Mr SHERIDAN thought that the merits of Lord Minto had not been made out; no necessity had been stated for the Noble Lord accompanying the expedition, and superintending the military and naval ope rations in person.

He disapproved of this civil controul, which was too like the system adopted by the French in the revolutionary war, when civil deputies from the convention were sent to superintend the commanders of armies. It was confessed that Lord Minto had undertaken the expedition contrary to the advice of every person, even of Admiral Drury himselfi He then stated that greater dangers never encompassed any army than these in which Sir S. Auchmuty had been involved. That gal lant General had no alternative but a disgraceful and precipitate retreat, or an assault by storm, in which the safety of the He concluded whole army was at stake. by stating, that he thought justice had not been done to Commodore Rowley, who, by rallying our broken force in the Indian seas, paved the way for the subsequent

[blocks in formation]
« ZurückWeiter »