Sizar at St. John's. Trinity would have suited my plans better, but the expences of that college are greater.

With thanks for your kind remembrance of me, I remain,

Dear Sir,

Very respectfully and thankfully yours,

H. K. WHITE.

YES, my stray steps have wander'd, wander'd far
From thee, and long, heart-soothing Pöesy !
And many a flower, which in the passing time
My heart hath register'd, nipp'd by the chill
Of undeserv'd neglect, hath shrunk and died.
Heart-soothing Pöesy! - Though thou hast ceased
To hover o'er the many-voiced strings

Of my long silent lyre, yet thou cans't still

Call the warm tear from its thrice hallow'd cell,

And with recalled images of bliss

Warm my reluctant heart. Yes, I would throw,
Once more would throw, a quick and hurried hand
O'er the responding chords. - It hath not ceas'd —

-

It cannot, will not cease; the heavenly warmth
Plays round my heart, and mantles o'er my cheek;

Still, though unbidden, plays. — Fair Pöesy !

The summer and the spring, the wind and rain,

Sunshine and storm, with various interchange,
Have mark'd full many a day, and week, and month,

Since by dark wood, or hamlet far retir'd,

Spell struck, with thee I loiter'd. - Sorceress !

I cannot burst thy bonds ! — It is but lift
Thy blue eyes to that deep bespangled vault,
Wreathe thy enchanted tresses round thine arm,

And mutter some obscure and charmed rhyme,
And I could follow thee, on thy night's work,
Up to the regions of thrice-chastened fire,
Or in the caverns of the ocean flood,
Thrid the light mazes of thy volant foot.
Yet other duties call me, and mine ear
Must turn away from the high minstrelsy
Of thy soul-trancing harp, unwillingly
Must turn away; there are severer strains,
(And surely they are sweet as ever smote
The ear of spirit, from this mortal coil
Releas'd and disembodied,) there are strains,
Forbid to all, save those whom solemn thought,
Through the probation of revolving years,

And mighty converse with the spirit of truth,
Have purged and purified. To these my soul

Foretaste of bliss rewards me; and sometimes

Spirits unseen upon my footsteps wait,

And minister strange music, which doth seem
Now near, now distant, now on high, now low,
Then swelling from all sides, with bliss complete,
And full fruition filling all the soul.
Surely such ministry, though rare, may sooth
The steep ascent, and cheat the lassitude

Of toil; and but that my fond heart
Reverts to day-dreams of the summer gone,
When by clear fountain, or embowered brake,
I lay a listless muser, prizing far,
Above all other lore, the poet's theme;
But for such recollections I could brace
My stubborn spirit for the arduous path
Of science unregretting; eye afar

Philosophy upon her steepest height,

And with bold step, and resolute attempt,

Pursue her to the innermost recess,

Where thron'd in light she sits, the Queen of Truth.

These verses form nearly the only poetical effort of this year. Pardon their imperfections.

TO MR. B. MADDOCK.

MY DEAR BEN,

St. John's, Oct. 18th, 1805.

I AM at length finally settled in my rooms, and, according to my promise, I write to you to tell you so. I did not feel quite comfortable at first here; but I now begin to feel at home, and relish my silent and thoughtful cup of tea more than ever. Amongst our various occupations, that of attending chapel is to me not the least irksome, for the service is read in general below the span of my auditory nerve; but when they chaunt, I am quite charmed, for our organ is fine, and the voices are good. This is, however, only on high days and festivals, in which number the present day is to be reckoned, (St. Luke's.)

My mathematical studies do not agree with me, and

you may satisfy yourself I shall never be a senior wrangler. Many men come up with knowledge enough for the highest honours, and how can a man be expected to keep up with them who starts without any previous fund? Our lectures begin on Monday, and then I shall know more of college difficulties.

My rooms are in the top story of the farthest court of St. John's (which you perhaps remember) near the cloisters. They are light, and tolerably pleasant; though, as there was no furniture in them, and I have not yet bought many necessary articles, they look very bare. Your phiz over the chimney-piece has been recognized by two of my fellow students: the one recollected its likeness to Mr. Maddock of Magdalene; and the other said it was like a young man whom he had seen with Mr. Maddock, and whom he supposed to be his brother.

Of my new acquaintances, I have become intimate with a Mr. ***, who, I hope, will be senior wrangler. He is a very serious and friendly man, and a man of no common mathematical talents. He lives in the same court with me. Besides him, I know of none whose friendship I should value; and, including him, no one whose hand I would take in preference to that of my old friend, so long as I see my old friend with his old face. When you have learned to be other than what you are, I shall not regret that B. M. is no longer my friend, but that my former friend is how no more.

I walked through Magdalene the other day, and I could not help anticipating the time when I should come to drink your tea, and swallow your bread and butter, within the sacred walls. You must know our college was originally a convent for Black Friars; and if a man of the reign of Henry the Sixth were to peep out of his grave, in the adjoining church-yard, and look into our portals, judging by our dress and appearance, he might deem us a convent of Black Friars still. Some of our brethren, it is true, would seem of very unsightly bulk; but many of them, with eyes sunk into their heads, from poring over the mathematics, might pass very well for the fasting and mortified shadows of penitent monks.

With regard to the expences of our college, I can now speak decisively; and I can tell you, that I shall be here an independent man. I am a Senior Sizar, under very favourable circumstances, and, I believe, the profits of my situation will nearly equal the actual expences of the college. But this is no rule for other colleges. I am on the best side (there are two divisions) of St. John's, and the expences here are less than any where else in the university.

I have this week written some very elaborate verses for a college prize, and I have at length learned that I am not qualified for a competitor, not being a Lady Margaret's scholar; so that I have lost my labour. Compared with the other men of this large college, I find I am a respectable classic, and if I had time to give

VOL. 1.