"Children," and quote them as an agreeable sample, premising that they would not have been the worse of some little tincture of imaginative feeling; for, expressive as they are of mere natural emotion, they cannot well be said to be poetry. We object, too, to the sentiment of the close, for thousands of childless men are rich in the enjoyment of life's best affections; and some of the happiest couples and the best we have ever known, are among those from whom God has witheld the gift of offspring. Let all good Christian people be thankful for the mercies graciously vouchsafed to them; but beware of judging the lot of others by their own, and of seeking to confine either worth, happiness, or virtue, within one sphere of domestic life, however blessed they may feel it to be;

"For the blue sky bends over all,"

and our fate here below is not determined by the stars.

CHILDREN.

"Harmless, happy little treasures,

VOL. VII.

Full of truth, and trust, and mirth,
Richest wealth, and purest treasures,
In this mean and guilty earth.

How I love you, pretty creatures,
Lamb-like flock of little things,
Where the love that lights your features
From the heart in beauty springs.

On these laughing rosy faces
There are no deep lines of sin,
None of passion's dreary traces
That betray the wounds within ;

But yours is the sunny dimple

Radiant with untutor'd smiles,
Yours the heart, sincere and simple,
Innocent of selfish wiles;

Yours the natural curling tresses,
Prattling tongues, and shyness coy,
Tottering steps, and kind caresses,
Pure with health and warm with joy.
The dull slaves of gain, or passion,
Cannot love you as they should,
The poor worldly fools of fashion
Would not love you if they could:

2 A

Write them childless, those cold-hearted,
Who can scorn Thy generous boon,
And whose souls with fear have smarted,
Lest-Thy blessings come too soon.

While he hath a child to love him,
No man can be poor indeed;
While he trusts a Friend above him,
None can sorrow, fear, or need.

But for thee, whose hearth is lonely

And unwarm'd by children's mirth,
Spite of riches, thou art only

Desolate and poor on earth:

All unkiss'd by innocent beauty,
All unloved by guileless heart,
All uncheer'd by sweetest duty,

Childless man, how poor thou art!"

We like the following lines still better; and considered แ as one of the moods of his own mind," they may be read with unmingled pleasure.

WISDOM'S WISH.

"Ah, might I but escape to some sweet spot,
Oasis of my hopes, to fancy dear,

Where rural virtues are not yet forgot,

And good old customs crown the circling year;
Where still contented peasants love their lot,
And trade's vile din offends not nature's ear,
But hospitable hearths, and welcomes warm
To country quiet add their social charm;
Some smiling bay of Cambria's happy shore,
A wooded dingle on a mountain-side,
Within the distant sound of ocean's roar,

And looking down on valley fair and wide,
Nigh to the village church, to please me more
Than vast Cathedrals in their Gothic pride,
And blest with pious pastor, who has trode
Himself the way, and leads his flock to God;
There would I dwell, for I delight therein !
Far from the evil ways of evil men,
Untainted by the soil of others' sin,
My own repented of, and clean again:

With health and plenty crown'd, and peace within,
Choice books, and guiltless pleasures of the pen,
And mountain-rambles with a welcome friend,
And dear domestic joys, that never end.

There, from the flowery mead, or shingled shore,
To cull the gems that bounteous nature gave,
From the rent mountain pick the brilliant ore,
Or seek the curious crystal in its cave;
And learning nature's Master to adore,

Know more of Him who came the lost to save;
Drink deep the pleasures contemplation gives,
And learn to love the meanest thing that lives.

No envious wish my fellows to excel,

No sordid money-getting cares be mine;
No low ambition in high state to dwell,

Nor meanly grand among the poor to shine :

But, sweet benevolence, regale me well

With those cheap pleasures and light cares of thine,
And meek-eyed piety, be always near,

With calm content, and gratitude sincere.

Rescued from cities, and forensic strife,

And walking well with God in nature's eye,
Blest with fair children, and a faithful wife,

Love at my board, and friendship dwelling nigh,

Oh thus to wear away my useful life,

And, when I'm called in rapturous hope to die,
Thus to rob heaven of all the good I can,

And challenge earth to show a happier man!"

But the best set of stanzas in the volume are those entitled "Ellen Gray.” The subject is distressing, and has been treated so often-perhaps too often-as to be now exhausted-or if not so, nothing new can be expected on it, except either from original genius, or from a spirit made creative by profoundest sympathy and sorrow for the last extremities of human misery. We do not think the idea very happy of "Contrasted Sonnets"-such as, Nature-Art; The Happy Home-The Wretched Home; Theory Practice; Riches - Poverty; Philanthropic-Misanthropic; Country-Town, and so on; and 'tis an ancient, nay, a stale idea, though Mr Tupper evidently thinks it fresh and new, and luxuriates in it as if it were all his own. Sometimes he chooses to show that he is

ambidexter—and how much may be said on both sidesleaving the reader's mind in a state of indifference to what may really be the truth of the matter-or disposed to believe that he knows more about it than the Sonnetteer. The best are "Prose" and "Poetry "-and they are very good-so is 'Ancient," but "Modern" is very bad.

Mr Tupper has received much praise from critics whose judgment is generally entitled to great respect-in the Atlas, if we mistake not in the Spectator—and in the Sun. If our censure be undeserved-let our copious quotations justify themselves, and be our condemnation. Our praise may seem cold and scanty; but so far from despising Mr Tupper's talents, we have good hopes of him, and do not fear but that he will produce many far better things than the best of those we have selected for the approbation of the public. Perhaps our rough notes may help him to discover where his strength lies; and, with his right feelings, and amiable sensibilities, and fine enthusiasm, and healthy powers when exercised on familiar and domestic themes, so dear for ever to the human heart, there seems no reason why, in good time, he may not be among our especial favourites, and one of "the Swans of Thames ”—which, we believe, are as big and as bright as those of the Tweed.

DE BERENGER'S HELPS AND HINTS.'

[SEPTEMBER 1835.]

THE Baron, in a series of letters to his son Augustus, desires to instruct him "how to become an overmatch for anybody who, in any shape, may aim, either at his life, his purse, or other property, or at unfair impediments to his justifiable pursuits, or at the disturbance of his peace of mind in any way, or of his enjoyments generally." He disclaims all rivalry with Lord Chesterfield, whose chief aim was to give his son the ostentatious accomplishments of a fine gentleman. Such accomplishments the Colonel is far from despising, but he rightly prefers to them all "unsophisticated ideas of honour." Neither does he seek to make his Augustus a disciple of the Tom and Jerry school, a thoroughbred Pickle, or a knowing varmint. But, "just as a merchant possessed of superior knowledge may be deemed richer than a more opulent rival, whose information is contracted, so, by the cool and judicious, as well as adroit application of even inferior physical powers, shall you be taught and enabled to subdue even gigantic, but ignorant opponents." And the worthy Baron says, "I will exert my best endeavours to show you how you can effect all this, yet without adopting any but fair and honourable means." It is long since we have read a more amusing and instructive series of letters, and we recommend the volume to the study of the youth of Great Britain and Ireland before they make a visit to the metropolis. Our article must be a short one, but we shall return to the consideration of some of the most interesting subjects treated of in the Helps and Hints, and for the present confine ourselves to the precautions which are necessary in walking the streets of great cities-the general rules and cautions to be observed on the highways and

1 Helps and Hints how to Protect Life and Property, &c. By LIEUT.-COL. BARON DE BERENGER.