SEC. CLXXIX.

THE PLANETS AND FIXED STARS.

The planets are all attached to the sun ; and, in circling 1 around him, they do homage to that influence which binds 2 them to perpetual attendance on this great luminary. But, the other stars do not own his dominion : they do not circle

around him. To all common observation, they remain im3 movable ; and each, like the independent sovereign of his

own territory, appears to occupy the same inflexible posi4 tion in the regions of immensity. What can we make of 5 them? Shall we take our adventurous flight to exjlore 6 these dark and untravelled dominions? What mean these

innumerable fires lighted up in distant parts of the universe ?

Are they only made to shed a feeble glimmering over this 7 little spot in the kingdom of nature ? or do they serve a

purpose worthier of themselves : to light up other worlds, and give animation to other systems ?

Chalmers

SEC. CLXXX.

BURNING OF THE FAME AND ESCAPE OF THE PAS

SENGERS.

We embarked on the 2d inst. and sailed at daylight for 1 England, from the East Indies, with every prospect of a quick and prosperous passage.

The ship was every thing 2 we could wish; and, having closed my charge here, much

to my satisfaction, it was one of the happiest days of my 3 life. We were, perhaps, too happy; for in the evening

came a sad reverse. Sophia had just gone to bed, and I 4 had thrown off half my clothes, when a cry of Fire ! —

Fire !-roused us from our calm content; and in five min5 utes the whole ship was in flames ! I ran to examine

whence the flames principally issued, and found that the 6 fire had its origin immediately under our cabin.-Down 7 with the boats !-Where is Sophia ?-8 Here.—The chil9 dren ?-10 Here.—11 A rope to the side !—Lower Lady 12 Raffles.—13 Give her to me, says one.-14 I'll take her, 15 says the captain.— Throw the gun-powder overboard.16 It cannot be got at: it is in the magazine, close to the fire. 17 -Stand clear of the powder. 18 Scuttle the water-cask. 19 —Water! water !-20 Where's Sir Stamford ? 21 Come 22 into the boat: Nilson! Nilson! come into the boat.-Push 23 off! push off! Stand clear of the after part of the ship. 24

All this passed much quicker than I can write it. We 25 pushed off; and as we did so, the flames burst out of our

cabin windows, and the whole after part of the ship was in flames.

SEC. CLXXXI.

TOM FLINTER AND HIS MAN.

1 I have been reading Judge Barrington's Sketches. 2 It

is the most pleasant book about Ireland I ever read. I 3 was especially amused by the following

DIALOGUE BETWEEN TOM FLINTER AND HIS MAN.

he ;

4 Tom Flinter. Dick! said he.
5 Dick.

What ? said he.
Tom Flinter. Fetch me my hat, says

For I will go, says he, 6

To Timahoe, says he,
To the fair, says he,

And buy all that's there, says he.
Dick.

you owe, says he,

And then you may go, says he, 7

To Timahoe, says he,
To the fair, says he,

And buy all that's there, says he.
8 Tom Flinter. Well, by this and by that, says he,
Dick! hang up my hat, says he.

Coleridge.

Pay what

The night wind with a desolate moan swept by;
And the old shutters of the turret swung

Screaming upon their hinges ; and the moon,
I As the torn edges of the cloud flew past,

Struggled aslant the stained and broken panes
So dimly, that the watchful eye of death
Scarcely was conscious when it went and came.-
The fire beneath his crucible was low,
Yet still it burned; and ever as his thoughts

Grew insupportable, he raised himself
2 Upon his wasted arm, and stirred the coals

With difficult energy; and when the rod
Fell from his nerveless fingers, and his eye
Felt faint within its socket, he shrunk back
Upon his pallet, and with unclosed lips
Muttered į rúrse on death! The silent room

From its dim corners mockingly gave back
His rattling breath ; the humming in the fire

Had the distinctness of a knell; and when 3 Duly the antique horologe beat one,

He drew a phial from beneath his head,
And drank; and instantly his lips compressed ;
And with a shudder in his skeleton frame,
He rose with supernatural strength, and sat
Upright, and communed with himself.

I did not think to die
Till I had finished what I had to do :
I thought to pierce the eternal secret through
With this

my
mortal

eye:
I felt-Oh God! it seemeth even now,
4 This cannot be the death-dew on my brow,

And yet it is--I feel
Of this dull sickness at my heart afraid ;
And in my eyes the death-sparks flash and fade ;

And something seems to steal
Over my bosom like a frozen hand:

Binding its pulses with an icy band.
5 And this is death! 6 But why
7 Feel I this wild recoil ? It cannot be

The immortal spirit shuddereth to be free ! 8 Would it not leap to fly,

Like a chained eaglet at its parent's call ? 9 I fear, I fear that this poor life is all !

Yet thus to pass away!
To live but for a hope that mocks at last!

To agonize, to strive, to watch, to fast, 10 To waste the light of day,

Night's better beauty, feeling, fancy, thought,
All that we have and are, for this ! for nought !

Grant me another year,
11 God of my spirit! but a day, to win

Something to satisfy this thirst within! 12 I would know something here! 13 Break for me but one seal that is unbroken! Speak for me but one word that is unspoken!

Vain! vain! my brain is turning 14 With a swift dizziness; and my

heart grows And these hot temple-throbs come fast and thick;

And I am freezing: burning : 15 Dying! Oh God! if I might only live! 16 My phial :-ia! it thrills me : I revive

sick;

17

Ay, were not man to die
He were too glorious for this narrow sphere!

Had he but time to brood on knowledge here, 18 Could he but train his eye,

Might he but wait the mystic word and hour,
Only his Maker would transcend his power!

Earth has no mineral strange, The illimitable air no hidden wings, 19 Water no quality in its covert springs,

And fire no power to change,
Seasons no mystery, and stars no spell,
Which the unwasting soul might not compel.

Oh, but for time to track
The upper stars into the pathless sky:
To see the invisible spirits, eye to eye:

To hurl the lightning back:
To tread unhurt the sea's dim-lighted halls :
20 To chase Day's chariot to the horizon-walls :

And more : much more: (for now
The life-sealed fountains of my nature move :)
To nurse and purify this human love :

To clear the god-like brow
Of weakness and mistrust, and bow it down
Worthy and beautiful, to the much-loved one.

This were indeed to feel
21 The soul-thirst slaken at the living stream:
To live :-Oh God! that life is but a dream !

And death-Aha! I reel22 Dim-dim-I faint-darkness comes o'er my eyes

Cover me! save me !-God of heaven! I die!

23 ’T was morning; and the old man lay alone.

No friend had closed his eyelids; and his lips, 24 Open and ashy pale, the expression wore

of his death-struggle. His long silvery hair

Lay on his, hollow temples thin and wild;
25 His frame was wasted, and his features wan

And haggard as with want; and in his palm
His nails were driven deep, as if the throe
Of the last agony

him sore.
The storin was raging still; the shutters swung

Screaming as harshly in the fitful wind; 26 And all without went on, (as aye it will,

Sunshine or tempest,) reckless that a heart
Is breaking, or has broken in its change.

had wrung

The fire beneath the crucible was out;

The vessels of his mystic art lay round, 27 Useless and cold as the ambitious hand

That fashioned them; and the small silver rod,
Familiar to his touch for three-score years,
Lay on the alembic's rim, as if it still
Might vex the elements at its master's will.

And thus had passed from its unequal frame 28 A soul of fire: a sun-bent eagle stricken

From his high soaring down: an instrument
Broken with its own compass.

Oh how noor
Seems the rich gift of genius, when it lies,
29 Like the adventurous bird that hath out-flown

His strength upon the sea, ambition-wrecked :
A thing, the thrush might pity, as she sits

Brooding in quiet on her lonely nest ! Willis. Sentence 10th.-A fragmentary comp. close decl. exclam. The conclusion is wanting : " is a disappointment indeed” or something similar. Sentence 11th.An indirect interrog. excl. close, of the second kind. Sentence 13in.- This is perf. loose indirect interrog. excl., of the second kind. Sentence 15th.-A fragment. single compact, first part : terminates of course with the bend. Sentence 23d.- A fragment. close decl. excl.: the end wanting. Sentence 24th.- Aha! serious surprise or the surprise of fear.

SEC. CLXXXIII.

LEATHER-STOCKING ON THE PRAIRIE.

“ You seem to have but little plunder, stranger, for one 1 who is far abroad ?" bluntly interrupted the emigrant, as

if he had a reason for wishing to change the conversation. 2“ I hope you ar' better off for skins ?" 3 “ I make but little use of either," the trapper quietly re

plied. “At my time of life, food and clothing be all that is 4 needed; and I have little occasion for what you call plun

der, unless it may be now and then, to barter for a horn of powder or a bar of lead.”

“ You ar' not, then, of these parts, by natur', friend !” the emigrant continued, having in his mind the exception which 5 the other had taken to the very equivocal word, which he himself, according to the customs of the country, had used

baggage" or effects." 6 “ I was born on the sea-shore, though most of my life has been passed in the woods."

The whole party now looked up at him, as men are apt 7 to turn their eyes on some unexpected object of general in

terest. One or two of the young men repeated the words

“ sea-shore ;” and the woman tendered him one of those 8 civilities, with which, uncouth as they were, she was little

for 66