Thus sigh'd the poor wand'rer, and, under a willow, He stretch'd himself forth, the cold earth was his pillow; The following Sonnet is extracted from the volume of Poems, just published, by Miss Mitford. They are in the true spirit of poetry. On being requested to write on Scottish Scenery. Fair art thou, Scotia! The swift mountain stream Gushes, with deaf'ning roar and whit'ning spray, From thy brown hills; where eagles seek their prey, Or soar, undazzled, in the solar beam. But, dearer far to me, be thou my theme, My native Hampshire! Thy sweet vallies gay, Trees, spires, and cots, that in the brilliant ray Confusedly glitter, like a morning dream. And thou, fair forest! lovely are thy shades, Thy oaks majestic o'er the billows pale High spreading their green arms; or the deep glades Where the dark holly, arm'd in prickly mail, Shelters the yellow fern, and tufted blades, That wave responsive to the sighing gale. Buonaparte and Commerte. BUONAPARTE. Who art thou with front so bold, My imperial will opposing? VOL. 1. Miscreant think not to evade My decrees and sov'reign pleasure: War is now my only trade, Terror my compulsive measure. COMMERCE. Tyrant! I've been often told Of thy malice, fury, madness; Ne'er shall sink me into sadness. BUONAPARTE. Death and h--ll! what do I hear! Varlet! scoundrel! robber! ruffian! Óff!-or from this fist thy ear Shall receive Imperial cuffing. I devote now to-combustion! COMMERCE. Burn away, my Bullyrock! Burn away!-the goods are paid for ; Quick consumption of the stock, Merchants know is good their trade for. Yet I pity the poor slaves, Who must always pay the piper, When thy fiery passion raves, O thou most malicious viper! HAFIZ. A Merman.-A letter from Monmouth, dated 13th instant, says :-About eight o'clock yesterday morning, two fishermen going down the river, in their truckles, fishing for salmon, found their net much heavier than usual: and, which, on coming to shore, they found containing a huge monster, the upper part bearing exact resemblance to a man, the middle to a beast, spotted like the leopard, and a tail like a fish, the hair on his head green. He had red eyes, and tusks five inches and an half in length, and he measures, from head to tail, thirteen feet and three quarters. He is now deposited in the Town-hall, for the inspection of the curious. To the Editor of the London Chronicle.-Sir, Having lately seen some very just observations respecting the power of music in soothing mental irritation, I beg leave to introduce to your notice an authenticated anecdote as related in Eastcott's Sketches on the Origin, Effects, &c. of Music. Farinelli, who came into England in the year 1734, was born at Naples in the year 1705; before he came here, he had been received at Rome, Venice, and Vienna, as a prodigy, and listened to with the greatest astonishment. He quitted England in 1737, and after visiting Paris, where he was heard with delight, he went to Madrid. Previous to his arrival, the Queen of Spain and the Court of Madrid had received the most ex traordinary accounts of his voice and abilities from several parts of Europe. Philip the Fifth, the reigning monarch at that time, had been some time before seized with a melancholy, which had deprived him of the ability to transact any affairs of state, and had rendered him incapable of conducting even his own private business; he had for a long while refused to be shaved, and his appearance was not even commonly decent. In fact, a total dejection of spirits had so far reduced him, that having tried every experiment commonly in use, and having had the best medical advice, without the least effect, very little hopes were entertained of his recovering. Upon the arrival of Farinelli, the Queen determined to try the effects of music, his majesty being very sensible of its charms. For this purpose she contrived to have a concert in a room adjoining the King's apartment, in which Farinelli sung one of his captivating airs; Philip soon discovered very considerable emotion, and before he had finished the second movement he was quite overcome. From this time the King's disorder abated, and by daily repeating the same experiment, a perfect cure was effected. A number of other instances may be related of the medicinal effects attributed to music; but the above, Sir, being somewhat applicable, I trust this will not be thought unworthy of notice in one of your columns. LYRICUS. Melancholy Occurrence.-A most dreadful transaction has involved the family of Sir Stukely Shuckburgh, Bart. of Upper Shuckburgh, in the county of Warwick, and the family of Lieutenant Sharpe, of the Bedford militia, in the deepest distress. Lieutenant Sharpe having paid his addresses to Miss Shuckburgh, which were disapproved by the family, formed (if he should be disappointed in obtaining the object of his affections) the horrid determination of putting a period to his own and her existence, which he carried into effect on Sunday morning last, in the plantations of Shuckburgh Park. They were overheard in earnest discourse by the butler, as if Lieutenant Sharpe was persuading her to elope with him; and, as Miss Shuckburgh uttered the words, No, no! he immediately heard the report of a pistol, which in a few seconds, was succeeded by another, and they were instantly lifeless corpses! After a most deliberate investigation of all the circumstances of this most affecting and awful event, before John Tomes, Esq. and a respectable Jury, and the Rev. Mr. Bloomfield, a magistrate of the county, a verdict of Lunacy was given respecting Lieutenant Sharpe, and that Miss Shuckburgh died by his hand. Lieutenant Sharpe had been occasionally for some weeks preceding in a state of mental derangement, and in confinement. |