POETICAL ESSAYS.

TO THE PRIMROSE.

I'd sing thee many a merry tale,
By John MAYNE.

Or paint thy charms in amorous measure;

I swear the swiftly varying gale
BY murm'ring Nith, my native stream, Ne'er, varying, blew on such a treasure.
I've hail'd thee with the morning's beam;
Woo'd thee among the Falls of Clyde, With fifty more such flights as these,
On Levin's banks, on Kelvin-side;

Such as the dreaming bard composes,
And now, on Hanwell's flow'ry plain, Who but in fancy's wand'rings sees
I welcome thy return again

The coral lip, the cheek of roses :
At Hanwell! where romantic views,

Or in my song to nature true, And sylvan scenes, invite the Muse;

I'd paint the bliss 1 oft have known, And where, lest erring man should stray, When, whilst each moment swifter tie, Truth's blameless Teacher leads the way! Beneath yon hill with thee alone, Lorn tenant of the peaceful glade,

I've clasp'd thee to my glowing breast, Emblem of Virtue in the shade,

And sworn I lov'd ihee o'er and o'er; Rearing thy head to brave the storm

And as to inine thy bosom prest, That would thine innocence deform!

I still have lov'd thee more and more : Of all the flow'rs that greet the Spring,

"Till fceling I could never tell Of all the flow'rs the Seasons bring,

Thee how I lov’d, or paint my bliss, To me, while doom'd to linger here,

I've press'd thy lips' bewitching swell,
The lowly Primrose shall be dear!

And drown'd the accents in thy kiss.
Sprung like a Primrose in the wild,
Short, like the Primrose, MARION smild; Whilst every kiss still made me feel
The Spring that gave her blossoms birth,

That I did love thee more sincerely,
Tore them for ever from the earth;

Then from my heart a sigh would steal, Nòr left, ah me! one bud behind,

And I would say. I love you dearly!' To tranquillize a Parent's mind,

'Twas all my rapture, let me say, Save that sweet bud which strews the way, But, Fanny! 'twas sincerely true; Blest Hope! to an eternal May!

And I was bless'd to hear tbee say, Lorn tenant of the peaceful glade,

Blushing, My William, I love you!" Emblem of Virtue in the shade,

Thus many a happy night I've pass’d, Rearing thy head to brave the storm

And thought it Red but as a minute,
That would thinc innocence de form!

And I would ever think the last
Of all the flow'rs that greet the Spring, Had most of heav'nly rapture in it.
Of all the flow're the Seasons bring,

This be my theme! no more I'll sigh,
To me, while doom'd to linger here,

No more Ill strike the Lyre of Woe; The lowly Primrose shall be dear!

From hence be mine the Harp of ley,

And sweetly may its numbers flow. 1

THE LYRE OF WOE,

A Rbapsody.
ADDRESSED TO FANNY.

By W.M.T-
I'VE struck the Lyre of Woe too long,

My plaints can ne'er make sorrow ccase;
To pleasure now I'll give my song:

AS! could the su zin my Fanny please,

BALLAD.

By W.M.T-
DARK and cold was the night, and the wind

was loud howling,
But I felt it not, F,

wand rag with thee;

me.

And tho'o'er the lone church-yard the black Who lent his cane for me to ride, cloud hung scowling,

And fix'd my little legs astride, I sat on a grave-stone with chee on my And smiled to see the horseman's pride? knee.

My Father: And I felt too a bliss tho' the scene was so And when the cane had run its course, dreary,

And I grew cir'd of that resource, A rapture which none could inspire, love, Who bought this painted rocking-horse? but thee;

My Fathet. 'Twas the press of thy lips made me fancy it cheary,

By

converse wise and manners kind, When sat on a grave-stone with thee on my With knowledge of the useful kind?

Who help'd to store my opening mind knee,

My Father And when the fierce tempest's shrill whis- Who was it that with anxious care, tlings grew louder,

Forewarn'd me of each dangerous snare, And thy bosom began to be fill’d with Taught how to seek for aid and where?

alarms; Than the gem-cover’d monarch thy William

My Father. was prouder,

Shall I not then, from day to day, To see thee forget all thy fears in his arms. Serive that my future conduct may Thus, F, thro'life will I ever protect thee,

Thy love and tenderness repay, Thro' each varying scene I still constant

My Father. will be:

Yes! I intend, while still a boy, Should sorrow assail thee, or friendship ne. My hours of study so t'employ glect thee,

As to be call’d thy darling joy,
Thou still shalt be welcom'd, my F, by

My Father.
And when I shall become a man,
I'll still pursue the grateful plan
In every instance where I can,

My Father.
MY FATHER.

And as thy peaceful end draws near, WHO in my helpless infancy

Be it my care thy hours to cheer Assisted oft to wait on me,

As long as thou continuest here, To ease my mother's arm and knee?

My Father. My Father. When Death his pointless arrow tries, When at my Mother's breast I lay,

And summons thee from earth to rise, Who would attempt in sportive play,

My hand shall close thy long-loved eyes, To make me turn my head away?

My Father! My Father. Sheffield, 1907. Who would not let the servant share With Mother her nocturnal care, But chose himself that cross to bear?

To the EDITOR of the Lady's MAGAZINE, My Father

Sir, And when at night I left the breast,

THE twofollowing PocmsThave every reaWho took me on his arm to rest,

son to believe are original, but I cannot pledge And to his manly bosom prest ?

myself that they are so. They fell into my My Father. hands by mere chance, in the remains of some

letters from one female co another, which Who, if the Rushlight ceased to glow,

from the appearance of the paper, writing, Would softly down the staircase go

&c. must have been written nearly fifty years. To fetch another from below?

At all'events, I trust you will join with me in

My Father. thinking they are deserving of a public perusal, Who, when for pain I could not rest,

and a place in your esteemed Mag.zine. His tender sympathy exprest,

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

J.M.L. And cried each posture for the best?

My Father.

A LADY'S WISH.
Who join'd in all my childish plays, COULD we our present wish obtain,
And in the pleasant suromer days

Should we contented rest?
Who drew me in my little chaise ?

Perhaps that wish might fatal prove,
My Father. Lamented, if possesgrad.

1

Constantinople, Feb. 14. ing of the passage of the Dardanelles. ON the 24th of January, an English The works are strengthened, and float. brig arrived in the Straits of the Darda- ing batteries constructed, while the ships nelles, when the commandant of the of war under the captain Pacha are castles ipformed its captain, that under augmented every day. Batteries are the present circumstances he could not also erecting at the extremities of the permit him to pass, withour sending for Seraglio, upon the Seven Towers, Le.' instructions how to act. The captain ander's Tower, and as far as Scutari. of the English brig, unwilling to wait, Twenty thousand men are already as immediately sailed on, and continued sembled at Gallipoli, to oppose the land. his course till his masts were shot away. ing of the English. It was generally thought that this cap On the seventh, several of the di. tain was the bearer of dispatches to Mr. plomatic corps received letters from Mr.' Arbuthnor, according to which the Arbuthnot, dared on board the admiral's Porte would have tn choose, between re- ship, Canopus, off Tenedos, in which newing its alliance with England and he declared, that his only object in Russia, or an immediate attack upon leaving Cons:antinople was to obtain Constantinople.

a position where he could carry on his Mr. Arbuthnor has written to the negociation with safety. This negoEnglish factory, advising them to take ciation continues through the medium measures for their safety. Till the 29th of the captain Pacha. ult. it was uncertain what part the Porte A circular note has appeared to-day, would take, when the English ambas- which affords little hope of his prósador formally demanded - his passports posals being accepted by the Ottoman in writing, with leave to dispatch a Porte; and we have just learned that courier. In the mean while, a French the English minister has received his. courier brought advices of the defear of ultimatum, to the following import:the Russians in Poland, which the • The Porte does not think it consistent Porte immediately communicated to the to enter into iwgociations with an arn English ambassador.

· bassador who has deserted his post, On the thirtieth, Mr. Arbuthnot and has, consequently, derermined to and his countrymen went on board the transmit the explanations demanded Endymion frigate. He has since ar- immediately to London.'. rived at Tenedos, where he joined the

The English amba'sador, Engiish feet statiuned near thc Darda. Mr. Arbuthnot, having left Constannelles.

tinople without taking leave, the Porte General Sebastiani has been invested cannot but consider his departure as a with the order of the crescent, of the declaration of war, and has sent off first class; and Mr. Franchini and M. Tarrars to Smyrna and other ports, Ruffin have received that of the second with orders to detain and take

posses class,

sion of all English ships that may be February 18. · The Porte is engaged found there. in taking measures to prevent the forc Konigsberg, Frb. 22. The corps of

Vol. XXXVIII,

Fib, !9.

Gg

soners.

general Sidmoratz has effected a jurc his attack to Seburg, in order to force tion with general Bennigsen's army. the enemy to give up the horses he had He brought with him about 1400 Prus collected. sian and some Russian prisoners, as General Ploss's advanced posts fell well as 2 or 300 French by whom i hey in with more of the enemy's troops in were guarded. Bonaparte's retrcat has the neighbourhood of Braunsberg; in all the precipitation of a flight, and it several actions with them he made a is alone owing to the speed of the Cos. numbes of Bernadotte's corps prie sack horses that so many prisoners are daily made. Within these three days According to

some accounts, the 750 prisoners, several officers, and a neighbourhood of Dantzic is entirely quantity of waggons and forage have cleared. Near Dirschau, there has been brought in. At the sight of the been a smart action between some of Russians, detachments of French, ex the insurgents and the garrison of hausted by farigue and famine, throw Dantzic, in which the latter were totally down their arms. The Russian ad. defeated. vanced guard is already at Liebstadt. Since Sunday, 3000 French cavalry The main army is advancing towards have entered Elbing, and yesterday the Vistula, and in a short time it 2000 infantry were expected. will be seen on the other side of that

Feb. 26.

On the 24th, the head river,

quarters of general Bennigsen were Feb. 23. The skirmishes which pre again removed from this city. On the ceded the retreat of the French arıny, first day they were transferred to and the frequent flags of truce sene in Creusburg, and yesterday they were at by them, gave sufficient indications of Zinten; they were following the same their design

In all these skii mishes tract with the army which is in pursuit the bravery of our troops deserves, no of the enemy. tice, and only tended io establish the

Vienna, Feb. 27. General St. Vin. superiority of our light troops over cent is suill at the head-quarters of the those of the enemy. We gained con Emperor Napoleon. Couriers from siderable advantages on the 14th at hiin arrive daily, which occasion long Borchersdorff, and on the isih, at conferences, at which the emperor and Mansfeld; and on the 16th also, when the archduke Charles assist; but no the enemy sustained considerable loss, movement is yet observed among the we obtained great advantages.

troops, or the least preparation for Feb. 25. The pursuit of the enemy affords brilliant opportunities for our Hobrnstrin, Feb. 28. The following troops almost every day.

is the siruation of the grand army, ac. On the (wenty-first, the Herman cording to the last accounts :--The Platow entered Lichstadt with the ad- prince of Ponte Corvo cccupies Braunsvanced guard, where he took a large berg, Elbing, Frauenberg, Holland, and quantity of baggage from the enemy, the whole coast up to the mouth of the made several prisoners, and set 200 Passarge, which river covers the van Russians at liberiy.

of his army; marshal Soult occupies On the same day, general Lestocq Liebstadt, Mchrungen, and Liebmuhl; attacked Hcilsburg with two battalions and marshal Ney, Guttstadt, Heilsberg, of grenadiers, where two of the ene and Allenstein, at which place he has my's regiments attempted to defend the fixed his head-quarters. Marshal Da. place, which was stormed, and the voust is at Hollenstein and Gilgenberg, latter driven out with considerable and keeps an attentive eye upen Wirloss.

tenburg, Passepheim, Orfelsburg, Wil. On the twenty-second, major Arnim, lenberg, the sources of the Passarge, with a detachment of cavalry, attacked the Alle, and the Oncleff; this last the town of Bischoffsteen, drove out river, by the channel of the Nerew, ihe enemy, and made several prisoners. empics itself into the Vistula, and the Ile meant at the same time to extend two first run into the Frisch Haff. Mar.

war.