EXPOSTULATION. "Like thee, oh stream! to glide in solitude Noiselessly on, reflecting sun or star, Unseen by man, and from the great world's jar Kept evermore aloof-methinks 'twere good o live thus lonely through the silent lapse Of my appointed time." Not wisely said, Unthinking Quietist! The brook hath sped Its course for ages through the narrow gaps Of rifted hills and o'er the reedy plain, Or 'mid the eternal forests, not in vainThe grass more greenly groweth on its brink, And lovelier flowers and richer fruits are there, And of its crystal waters myriads drink, That else would faint beneath the torrid air. Inaction now is crime. The old earth reels Inebriate with guilt; and Vice, grown bold, Laughs Innocence to scorn. The thirst for gold Hath made men demons, till the heart that feels The impulse of impartial love, nor kneels In worship foul to Mammon, is contemned. He who hath kept his purer faith, and stemmed Corruption's tide, and from the ruffian heels Of impious tramplers rescued periled Right, Is called fanatic, and with scoffs and jeers Maliciously assailed. The poor man's tears Are unregarded-the oppressor's might Revered as law-and he whose righteous way Departs from evil, makes himself a prey. What then? Shall he who wars for Truth succumb To popular Falsehood, and throw down his shield, And drop the sword he hath been taught to wield In Virtue's cause? Shall Righteousness be dumb, Awe-struck before Injustice? No!-a cry, "Ho! to the rescue!" from the hills hath rung, And men have heard and to the combat sprung Strong for the right, to conquer or to die! Up, Loiterer! for on the winds are flung The banners of the Faithful!-and erect Beneath their folds the hosts of God's Elect Stand in their strength. Be thou their ranks among. Fear not, nor falter, though the strife endure, Thy cause is sacred, and the victory sure. THE OLD MAN'S SOLILOQUY, (The middle of December-Thermometer at Zero.) This feels like winter! Ugh! how bitterly Cometh the keen northwester! In the west Dark clouds are piled in gloomy masses up, And from their folds comes freezingly the breath Of the Storm-Spirit, couched and shrouded there. But yestermorn the streams were murmuring With their low, silvery voices, pouring forth Their own peculiar music on the air, And glancing in the sunshine radiantly. Now their clear tones are hushed-for the Frost-King The voice of melody that dwelt with them Where stays the sunshine? Hath it learned that Is chilled through all her veins, and for some grudge Ho! bring my cloak, Katurah! Heap the wood On the hot hearth-draw up the high-backed screen: Let the winds whistle now, if so they will I care but little for their minstrelsy, Of the light skaters on the frozen lake— The happy dogs!-Heaven grant they may not freeze. But s'death: a few short years will make a change When they bring with them gout and rheumatism, Our Bessie had a loving heart; No living girl could gentler be- Upon her father's knee; Grew brighter and more bright. With reverent voice she breathed her prayer, When last her lips upon us smiled- Our home is poor, and cold our clime, From such a weary earth! Her spirit from its goal! We wrapt her in her snow-white shroud- THE WITNESSES. BY HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. In Ocean's wide domains, Half buried in the sands, Lie skeletons in chains, With shackled feet and hands. Beyond the fall of dews, Deeper than plummet lies, Float ships with all their crews, No more to sink or rise. There the black slave-ship swims, Freighted with human forms, Whose fettered fleshless limbs Are not the sport of storms. These are the bones of slaves; They gleam from the abyss; They cry, from yawning waves, We are the Witnesses!' Within Earth's wide domains Are markets for men's lives; In deserts makes its prey; All evil thoughts and deeds, That choke Life's groaning tide! These are the woes of slaves; They glare from the abyss; They cry, from unknown graves, We are the Witnesses!' SONNETS BY HENRY ELLISON. THE STARS. The stars come forth, a silent hymn of praise THOUGHT. What is the Warrior's sword compared with thee? Hurl him into the dust! for thou art free, WORLD-MUSIC. There is a music which I love to hear Fill the wide world, His temple, far and near! Have entered in at last, and with them sing WHOM TO PLEASE. True men and upright, of whate'er degree, With sweating brow, or crown upon your head, True sons of your great Father, missionéd To do his work of love, to bind and free, AN ANSWER. A foolish dreamer! well, e'en be it so- Could it a sense procure ye, though it were TO KEATS. Thou art the truest poet, Keats, for thou : His life's least details, when his name has grown A word of power, and a light about It gathered, that attends not a King's throne! HOW TO SEEK TRUTH. As something God has made for a wise end! My whole heart, with all feelings deep, intense, But not so is it with the works of Man On these I boldly lay my hand, on creeds THE PURPOSE OF A LIFE. E'en in my boyish days, ere yet a cloud Aye, even then I made a boyish vow, To him who wears upon his head the crown SELF GREATNESS. The beggar's staff has often wider sway AMBITION. Glory enough 'twere for the greatest man To write what men should in their mouths still have, And scope perdurable, that since began The world high mention of mankind still crave: HOPES OF THE FUTURE. We do not work our wonders with the sword, ON SOME FLOWERS ABOUT A COTTAGE. Oh sight beyond all others passing-dear! ON SEEING A POOR MAN TO WHOM I HAD Has had, and caught the voice poetical GIVEN CLOTHING. I met the old man now so warmly clad The face, which they with smiles might make so glad, Which speaks through all her lovely works so clear. MEANS OF CIVILIZATION. With things of little cost, of every day, As common as kind words and gentle looks, And daily greetings, and familiar books, That teach us wisdom while it seems but play: With means at hand still by life's daily way, As natural as flowers by the brooks, As pleasant as field-paths thro' sylvan nooks, And so cheap that the poorest can defray and rival of France. The celebrated Dr. Price of London, and the still more distinguished Priestley The expense thereof: with these and things like these, of Birmingham, spoke out boldly in defence of the We work our wonders by the fireside : Our magic-charms, the kiss of love and peace; THE HEART'S PLACES OF WORSHIP. How many shrines, for its affections there Of the world's gold or favour-e'en the stone Far richer than we since through gold have grown, Revolving, far far better than a throne, great principles of the Revolution. A London club of reformers, reckoning among its members such men as Sir William Jones, Earl Grey, Samuel Whitebread and Sir James Mackintosh, was established for the purpose of disseminating democratic appeals and arguments throughout the United Kingdom. In Scotland an auxiliary society was formed, under the name of Friends of the People." Thomas Muir, young in years, yet an elder in the Scottish kirk, a successful advocate at the bar, talented, affable, eloquent, and distinguished for the purity of his life, and his enthusiasm in the cause of Freedom, was its principal originator. In the 12th month of 1792, a Convention of Reformers was held at Edinburgh. The government became alarmed, and a warrant was issued for the arrest of Muir. He es. caped to France, but soon after, venturing to return to his native land, was recognized and imprisoned. He was tried upon the charge of lending books of republican tendency, and reading an address from Whose feet, not innocent brooks, but false lips kiss! Theobald Wolf Tone and the United Irishmen before THE SCOTTISH REFORMERS. BY JOHN G. WHITTIER. the society of which he was a member. He defended himself in a long and eloquent address, which concluded in the following noble and manly strain. <<What, then, has been my crime? Not the lending to a relation a copy of Thomas Paine's worksnot the giving away to another a few numbers of an innocent and constitutional publication-but my crime is for having dared to be, according to the measure of my feeble abilities, a strenuous and an active advocate for an equal representation of the I have just been conversing with an aged gentleman, who has called my attention to the details furnished by late British papers, of the laying of the corner-stone of a monument in honor of the politi-people in the House of the People-for having dared cal reformers, who were banished in 1793 to the convict-colony of Botany Bay. My friend was in Edinburgh at the end of their trial; and, although quite young at that period, distinctly remembers their appearance, and the circumstances preceding their arrest. I know not that I can occupy a leisure evening better, than in compiling a brief account of the character and fate of these men, whose names even are unknown to the present generation in this country. to accomplish a measure, by legal means, which was to diminish the weight of their taxes, and to put an end to the profusion of their blood. Gentlemen, from my infancy to this moment, I have devoted myself to the cause of the people. It is a good cause-it shall ultimately prevail—it shall finally triumph." He was sentenced to transportation for fourteen years, and was removed to the Edinburgh jail, from thence to the hulks, and lastly to the transport ship, containing eighty-three convicts, which conveyed him to Botany Bay. The impulse of the French Revolution was not confined by geographical boundaries. Flashing hope into the dark places of the earth, far down among The next victim was Palmer, a learned and high · the poor and long oppressed, or startling the oppres-ly accomplished Unitarian minister in Dundee. He sor in his guarded chambers, like that mountain of fire which fell into the sea at the sound of the Apocalyptic trumpet, it agitated the world. The arguments of Condorcet, the battle-words of Mirabeau, the indomitable zeal of St. Just, the iron energy of Danton, the caustic wit of Camille Desmoulins and Gaudet, and the sweet eloquence of Vergniaud, found echoes in all lands; and nowhere more readily than in Great Britain, the ancient foe was greatly beloved and respected as a polished gentleman and sincere friend of the people. He was charged with circulating a republican tract, and was sentenced to seven years' transportation. But the friends of the people were not quelled by this summary punishment of two of their devoted leaders. In the 10th month, 1793, delegates were called together from various towns in Scotland, as well as from Birmingham, Sheffield, and other places |