early youth.

Oh, say my friend-is this the grove
Through which with thee so oft I've stray'd?
Are these the scenes we us'd to love,
In Summer's glowing garb array'd?-
The breeze is chill-the leaf is sere:
Yet to my heart this scene is dear.

Come, lead me to my favorite tree,
Beneath whose shade I've oft reclin'd;
Or to that Bower, so dear to me,

Where roses blush'd, and woodbines twin'd:
Tho' cloth'd in Autumn's sombre gloom,
They'll whisper still of former bloom.

Rememberest thou that dewy grot,
Peering above the Ocean wave?
Embosom'd there, my heart will not
Forget the promise that you gave:
"Where'er in life thy paths may tend,
"Augusta-still I am thy friend!",

Yes, thou hast been, and still wilt be,
All that thou ever didst profess:

I never dream'd a change in thee!
Thy heart in friendship's singleness,
Ne'er fram'd a hope-a thought-alone,
Which e'en an Angel might not own!

GUILT AND DESPAIR.

Black night hath no alarms
For him who fears not death!
Who shuns the light-and loves
The tempest's wildest breath.

Mad visions of the brain-
Conscience!-Thou canst not fright:

Thy barb is powerless now
This recreant heart to smite!

AUGUSTA

Memory-call back the past!
Arrest the flight of Time,

And if there's room, write' Wretch'
'Neath my long list of crime.

But think not I will weep
One tear of penitence:
A curse is on my brain,
Tears will not wash it hence.

Those cannot weep who feel
The riot raging here-
That fix'd unceasing agony,
The living soul's despair!

For me there are no bands*—
To earth, or heaven-no tie:
I know my fate: I know
My soul's dark destiny!

The wretch who from his grasp
Sees the last splinter riven,
By the red lightning's flash,
As o'er the wild waves driven-

Still to the floating wreck
Lifts his despairing eye,
Till the last whelming surge
Echoes-Eternity!

Thus do I cling to life,
Though every hope is fled;
Nor heed the malison

On my devoted head!

"The wicked have no bands in their death."

SONG.

O where is that soul beaming eye,
That came o'er my heart in its gladness!
O where is that soft heaving sigh,
That could thrill its fond feelings to madness!

I have liv'd a whole age in those hours,

A victim to passion's delusion

I have culled her most fragrant flowers,
And rejoic'd in my bosom's illusion.

Still, though I no longer am gay,
I fain would not knuckle to sorrow,
For though I've been wicked to-day,
I'll try to do better-to-morrow.

H.

GORDON

VOL. I.

"With youthful fancy, or with matron taste,
"We cull the meadow, or explore the waste,"-PAINE.
The brightest flowers, the purest gems, to save
From the dark bosom of oblivion's wave.

BOSTON.....SATURDAY.....OCT. 11, 1823.

No. 41.

ORIGINAL SKETCHES.......NO. III.

THE POOR ARTIST.

How often in the cottage of the peasant, even amid the uncultivated wilds of Nature, do we see genius struggling through the dense clouds that surround her, and the bold energetic mind bursting from the restraints which ignorance and poverty have imposed.

James Ellwood was the eldest son

young James, several times a week, to convey these stores to Albany, and sell or exchange them for other articles more needful. At other times he was occupied in cutting trees, or shooting game, which is abundantly plenty in those mountain solitudes.

It was here the young enthusiast, of a numerous family. His father (before he acquired the alphabet) owned a small farm on the banks felt a powerful susceptibility of the of the Hudson, which with the most sublime and beautiful of nature. In diligent cultivation afforded barely his moments of leisure, seated upon sufficient to supply the necessaries a cliff, or straying upon the banks of life. Possessing no means of of the river, he would portray with acquiring even the first rudiments his pencil the scene before him with of education without expense, the wonderful accuracy. He soon obchildren were suffered to continue tained a few paints, which he dein a state of almost savage ignor-lightedly used, with much freedom, ance as neither of their parents and although it must be confessed, were qualified to instruct them. his sketches were not much improThe business of their lives, even in infancy, was labour-picking herbs, and gathering fallen apples, &c. for the market. It was the task of VOL. 1.

ved, by being coloured-still, they
wore a glare, which suited the vul-
gar eye better than his softest and
most graceful pencillings.
81

James's mercantile speculations | mellifluous voice, to the old though were now increased, and in addition beautiful song of "The Meeting to catnip, pumpkins and potatoes, he of the Waters." supplied the Albany toyshops with There was a sweet artlessness in an occasional sketch of the banks the expression of her blooming face, of the Hudson. By these means and a simplicity in her dress, which he was enabled to defray his expen- harmonized with the beauty of the ses at the village school, and also scene. Her sleeves, which were to dress himself in a style more con- drawn to the shoulder by a blue ribgenial to his fancy. His excursions bon, shewed an arm of the most soon extended to New-York, where exquisite symmetry, while the black he experienced the joys of Paradise, bracelet, which encircled her small on visiting the "Gallery of Fine wrist, was beautifully contrasted Arts." Here the whole world of with the whiteness of her slender fancy seemed at once bursting upon hand, as she touched the strings of his view. Inspired by this raptur- the instrument. Her bright hair, ous vision, he returned to his hum- unconfined by combs or ribbons, ble home, and while musing again curled lightly upon her polished in his favourite solitudes, he seem- shoulders with that graceful simpli ed to have acquired a new fund of city of nature, which has ever been ideas, to have discovered in his own admired by the poet and the paint bosom, a rich mine of imagination, er. James, from the embowering of which he was before unconscious covert, which concealed him from of possessing. He borrowed noth-view,gazed on the fair vision before ing-he copied nothing, yet what he had seen,had given a characier to his delineations, and a style to his colouring, which spoke the dawn of a powerful genius, and a strong conception of beauty, which required only the liberal spirit of patronage to encourage its energies.

him with an intensity of interest and admiration, which at first suspended his power of transferring to his tablet the scene which so enchanted him. The lady, however, by commencing another song, remained in the same attitude sufficiently long for him to obtain a perfect sketch of her face and person, when suddenly the charm was broken by the appearance of a man of stern aspect, who approached, and taking her guitar, drew her arm within his, desiring her to hasten with him to the house, as Captain Wallace was waiting there to see her-on particular business !-said the old gentleman emphatically.

Wandering among the picturesque scenes that border the Hudson, in quest of a subject for his pencil, a beautiful edifice struck his eye, built in the style of a Chinese pagoda, and environed by the most beautiful pleasure grounds. Here rose the light boudoir, gracefully shaded by the woodbine; there, played the sparkling fountain; while in a deep and solitary glen, the willows wove their shadowy branches over the still cold lake. It was here that destiny gave to the pencil of the young artist a scene, that took his prison'd soul and lapped it in Elysium." Seated upon its banks he beheld a beautiful girl, scarcely beyond the bloom of childhood, lightly touching the strings of her guit- "I do--I do,"-returned she, ar, in accordance with a rich and | but I never will marry him.”

The girl retreated, and seated herself on the bank, from which she had risen, and covered her glowing face with her hands.

"Come-no affectation, Mariano childish folly, if you please; you should consider yourself highly bonoured by the attention of Captain Wallace."

tate."

"Never will?" questioned her fa- Unfortunately, however, the leaf upther with severity, "then you never on which he had pencilled the loveshall be acknowledged as my daugh-ly Maria, had in his hurry escaped ter, or possess one foot of my es- from his port folio, and laid fairly developed on the green grass before the enraged father. Hastily snatching up the drawing, he glanced over it, and passing it to Maria, said with a smile of irony

66

"How many more sittings" will your artist require, in order to finish his work?"

"Father," said she, rising, and fixing her dark blue eyes upon his scowling face, "you have ever since my earliest recollections indulged me in every fancy which caprice could suggest, simply because you sought to gratify my childish wishes, however wild and extravagant "Oh my father," said Maria," do they might be. Now that my mind not judge of me so harshly! I never is matured, at least, its follies are saw the person whom you allude to, corrected by reason and reflection-nor can I imagine who could have you refuse to listen to my arguments done this; but," added she, with on a subject which is of the utmost simplicity, I should like to know, importance to my future happiness: for there is something so singular in nay, you would even force me into the circumstance!" a connection which would be the certain seal of my misery."

"Future happiness! and seals of misery! So much for novel reading -ha! I now perceive the reason for your violent repugnance to the Captain," said he, glancing at the bushes, which James incautiously parted to obtain a clearer view of the scene. "So, Miss, you have a Damon sighing in the shades, have you? but he shall " sigh" for something else, I'll warrant him," said the old man, raising his cane, and hobbling to the spot.

Maria, without the least conjecture of his meaning, looked wildly round, exclaiming," Indeed, father, you are mistaken. I never saw a being in this valley, whom I did not expect to meet."

"Oh! very likely," said he. "No one in the world, excepting some one of our family or friends," rejoined she.

"Perhaps he already considers. himself as one of my family: it is therefore my province to salute

him."

So saying, he approached the shade; but James, as may be imagined, had thought best to make his exit, as soon as he was discovered.

Singular, indeed!" said her father, keenly eyeing her, as if still doubtful of the truth-" but come, let us return to the house, and if you receive the Captain as you ought, I will forgive this foolish affair.""

"I will receive him as I ought, sir: that is, as your friend, not as my lover. But I have no claim to your forgiveness for a fault which I never committed, and I hope you will endeavour to discover the person who has been the cause of your unkind suspicions."

At this moment they were joined by the gallant Captain, who rallied her taste for solitude, and added, that he had long been straying about the grounds in search of her.

To be concluded in our next.

Saturday Evening.

K.

THERE are few perhaps who have not strayed of a moonlight evening, out of the precincts of the living world, to linger and contemplate among the grass-grown memorials of those who are gone.

An appalling chill shoots through