I can see her bending o'er me, as I listen to the strain Which is played upon the shingles by the patter of the rain.

4. Then my little seraph sister, with her wings and waving ir And her bright-eyed, cherub brother-a serene, angelic pair-Glide around my wakeful pillow with their praise or mild reproof, As I listen to the murmur of the soft rain on the roof.

5. And another comes to thrill me with her eyes' delicious blue.
I forget, as gazing on her, that her heart was all untrue;
I remember that I loved her as I ne'er may love again,
And my heart's quick pulses vibrate to the patter of the rain.

6. There is naught in art's bravuras that can work with such a spell,
In the spirit's pure, deep fountains, whence the holy passions swell,
As that melody of nature-that subdued, subduing strain,
Which is played upon the shingles by the patter of the rain!

2. THE SHIPWRECK.

COATES KINNEY.

1. Ar half-past eight o'clock, booms, hen-coops, spars,
And all things, for a chance, had been cast loose,
That still could keep afloat the struggling tars;
For yet they strove, although of no great use.
There was no light in heaven but a few stars :
The boats put off, o'ercrowded with their crews:
She gave a heel, and then a lurch to port,
And going down head-foremost-sunk, in short.

2. Then rose from sea to sky the wild farewell;
Then shrieked the timid, and stood still the brave;
Then some leaped overboard, with dreadful yell,
As eager to anticipate their grave;

And the sea yawned around her like a hell;

And down she sucked with her the whirling wave,
Like one who grapples with his enemy,
And strives to strangle him before he die.

3. And first a universal shriek there rushed,

Louder than the loud ocean, like a crash
Of echoing thunder; and then all was hushed,
Save the wild wind and the remorseless dash
Of billows; but at intervals there gushed,
Accompanied with a convulsive splash,

A solitary shriek: the bubbling cry

Of some strong swimmer in his agony.

BYRON.

XXV.-ANECDOTES.

1.-SIDNEY SMITH ON SWEARING.

1. SIDNEY SMITH, when traveling in a stage-coach one day, long before railroads were dreamed of, was terribly annoyed by a young man who had acquired the polite habit of swearing to such an extent, that he interlarded his discourse with it, as though it were a constituent part of the language. As there was a lady present, the matter was doubly annoying. After enduring the young man's displays for some time, the "wag, wit, and wicar," as one of his cockney admirers called him, asked permission to tell the company a little anecdote, and thus commenced:

2. "Once upon a time-boots, sugar-tongs and tinderboxes-there was a king of-boots, sugar-tongs, and tinderboxes-England who, at a great ball,-boots, sugar-tongs, and tinder-boxes-picked up the Duchess of-boots, sugartongs and tinder-boxes-Shrewsbury's garter-boots, sugartongs and tinder-boxes-and said, 'Honi soit qui mal y— boots, sugar-tongs and tinder-boxes-pense,' which means in English, 'Evil to him who-boots, sugar-tongs and tinderboxes-evil thinks.' This was the origin of-boots, sugartongs and tinder-boxes-the order of the garter."

3. When Sidney Smith had concluded, the young gentleman said, “a very good story, sir; but what has boots, sugar-tongs, and tinder-boxes to do with it?” "I will tell you, my young friend," said Smith, "when you tell me. what blasphemy has to do with your conversation. In the meantime allow me to say, that's my style of swearing."

2. THE BARRISTER AND THE WITNESS.

1. THERE is a point beyond which human forbearance can not go, and the most even of tempers will become roused at times. At an assizes held during the past year, both judge and counsel had a deal of trouble to make a timid witness speak sufficiently loud to be heard by the jury; and it is possible that the temper of the counsel may thereby have been turned from the even tenor of its way. After this gen tleman had gone through the various stages of bar plead

ing, and had coaxed, threatened, and even bullied witnesses, there was called into the box a young ostler, who appeared to be simplicity personified.

2. แ

"Now, sir," said the counsel, in a tone that would at any other time have been denounced as vulgarly loud, "I hope we shall have no difficulty in making you speak out."

"I hope not, zur," was shouted, or rather bellowed out by the witness, in tones which almost shook the building, and would certainly have alarmed any timid or nervous lady.

"How dare you speak in that way, sir?" said the counsel. 3. "Please, zur, I can't speak any louder," said the astonished witness, attempting to speak louder than before, evidently thinking the fault to be in his speaking too softly.

"Pray, have you been drinking?" shouted the counsel, who had now thoroughly lost the last remnant of his temper. Yes, zur," was the reply.

"And what have you been drinking?"

"Corfee, zur!"

4. "And what did you have in your coffee, sir?" shouted the exasperated counsel.

"A spune, zur !" innocently bawled the witness, in his highest key, amidst the roars of the whole court-excepting only the now thoroughly wild counsel, who flung down his brief, and rushed out of court.

3.-POINTED REPROOF.

1. SOME eighty years ago a very zealous professor of religion went to Dr. Gill, and told him she had something against him, and she considered it her duty to reprove him. 2. "Well, my good lady," said he, "what is the difficulty." Why, sir, I think your bands are too long."

"Ah! do you? I have never thought any thing about it; I will get a pair of scissors, and I will thank you to cut off as much as you think best."

She replied, "I hope you will not be offended."

"Not at all, not at all, madam," he replied.

3. Without much ceremony she folded and cut off quite large piece of the bands.

"Are you now satisfied? look again and see; perhaps

you had better cut off a little more while you are about it, and be satisfied."

"I do not know but I had; I think they are still rather long;" and she cut off a second piece, saying, "there, I think, that will do."

4. "Well, my friend," said the Doctor, "I must now tell yuu I have something against you."

"Ilave you, sir," she exclaimed, "what is it?"

"I think your tongue is rather too long, and you had bet ter let me cut a piece off."

XXVI. HATE OF THE BOWL.

1. Go feel what I have felt

Go bear what I have borne-
Sink 'neath the biow a father dealt,

And the cold world's proud scorn:
Then suffer on from year to year-
Thy sole relief the scorching tear.

2. Go kneel as I have knelt,

Implore, beseech, and pray—
Strive the besotted heart to melt,

The downward course to stay-
Be dashed with bitter curse aside,
Your prayers burlesqued, your tears defied.

3. Go weep as I have wept

O'er a loved father's fall

See every promised blessing swept-
Youth's sweetness turned to gall-
Life's fading flowers strewed all the way,
That brought me up to woman's day.

4. Go see what I have seen

Behold the strong man bow,

With gnashing teeth, lips bathed in blood,

And cold and livid brow

Go catch his withering glance, and see
There mirrored, his soui's misery.

5. Go to thy mother's side,

And her crushed bosom cheer

KIDD.-12

Thine own deep anguish hide--
Wipe from her cheek the bitter tear;
Mark her wan cheek and pallid brow—
The gray that streaks her dark hair now-
Her failing frame and trembling limb;
And trace the ruin back to him
Whose blighted faith, in early youth,
Promised eternal love and truth,
But who, forsworn, hath yielded up
That promise to the cursed cup;

And led her down, through love and light,
And all that made her prospects bright;
And chained her there, mid want and strife,
That lowly thing, a drunkard's wife;
And stamped on childhood's brow so mild,
That withering blight, a drunkard's child!

6. Go hear, and feel, and see, and know,

All that my soul hath felt and known;
Then look upon the wine-cup's glow—
See if its beauty can atone-
Think if its flavor you will try!
When all proclaim 'tis drink and die!

7 Tell me I hate the bowl

Hate is a feeble word:
I loathe―abhor-my very soul
With strong disgust is stirred--
Whenc'er I see, or hear, or tell,
Of the dark beverage of hell.

XXVII.-STEAM-ENGINE.

1. THE following account of the parts of the steam-engine is intended, without entering into minute practical details, still fully to explain the principle or general nature of the machine It should serve to render very interesting to an attentive reader, a visit to any place where a steam-engine is in use; and it should make evident the folly of many of the modern schemes for improving the engine.

2. The part which first claims attention, is the great barrel, constituting the center or main portion of the machine, in