The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-31 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS SON G of the POOR MAN

BY ELIZA COOK.
(From the Dispatch.)
" A merry Christmas, Gentlemen,"
'Tis thus the ancient ditty runs,
But minstrels chime no hailing rhyme,
For Poverty's low, haggard sons.
A merry Christmas to ye all,
Who sit beneath the green-twin'A roof,
To mark how fast the snow flakes fall,
Or listen to the ringing hoof.
A pleasant tune the north wind hums,
When that's without, and ye within;
But like a serpent's fang it comes
Upon the poor man's naked skin.
A merry Christmas to ye all,
Who fold warm robes o'er limb and brass',
Who sleep enclosed by cur tain'd wall,
With blankets on your couch of rest.
But I—the poor man—what shall be
The merry Christmas tide to me?

I've seen men hew the log trunk through,
I've seen them hear the holly by.
To pile upon the sparkling hearth,
And graeo the ox smoki,i; high.
The oak-r,,,i is a mighty thing,
And beauteous the brrry red,
Bat ttollmv is the joy tiny bring,
To eyes that dimly look for bread.
The poor man's fire!--pshsw! how should he
Feel such a strange. luxurious want?
The poor man's meal I—..h, let it be
Some scrap, utigarnish'd, cold and scant.
" A merry Christmas, Gentlemen,"
'Tis thus the ancient ditty runs;
But nought we hear of welcome cheer,
For Poverty's low, haggard sons,
Nor malt, nor meat, nor fruit, nor wine,
Oh, a merry Christmas will be mine.
A rapid ding-dong swelleth round,
The giant steeples shake with glee,
And mistletoe is gaily bound
With branches from the laurel tree.
The midnight gloom is deep—but, hark!
The tones of kindly custom flow,
Sweet music cometh in the dark,
With voices greeting, as they go,
" A merry Christmas, Gentlemen."
Aye, great ones, it is all your own,
The hour is sung, the harp is strung,
Where Plenty flings her treasures down:
What has the poor man got to do
With bells and bay-wreaths, songs and mirth?
Let me creep on with Misery's crew,
'Twixt piercing sky and frozen earth;
Nor malt, nor meat, nor fruit, nor wine,
Oh, a merry Christmas tide is mine.
The rich man's boy laughs loud to find
Thick ice upon the streamlet's tide;
His round cheeks freshen in the wind,
His warm feet bound along the slide.
But little loves the poor man's heir
Upon the stagnant rill to look;
He crouches from the biting air,
His thin blood curdles with the brook.
The well-born daughter smiles to think
How gay the lighted room will seem •
When friends shall meet to dance and drink,
And all be glad as fairy dream.
The poor man's girl shall only care
To hug her tatter'd garment tight,
To wring the hoar frost from her hair,
And pray that sleep may come with night.
Pale children of a pauper slave,
Rare Christmas gambols ye will have.
" A merry Christmas, Gentlemen,"
Fill, fill your glasses high and fast;
The north wind's shriek is fiercely bleak,
What matter! let it rattle past.
" A merry Christmas, Gentlemen,"
Feast on and chaunt a hlythesome strain,
The cutting chill grows bleaker still,
What matter! till the glass again,
Stir up the blaze—rejoice and feed,
Shout and be happy as ye can,—
My groan arrests ye! take no heed,
'Tis but a hungry fellow-man."
" A merry Christmas, Gentlemen,"
'Tis thus the ancient ditty runs,
No tongue shall sing, no bells shall ring,
For Poverty's low, haggard sons;
Nor malt, nor meat, nor fruit, nor wine,
Oh, a merry Christmas tide is mine!

LLO 1-I)'S SHIPPIN

LONDoN, Dwc. 30. —Wind Northerly, moderate breeze,
and cloudy.
FOLEY, DEC. 27. ---The Fair Maid of Perth, from
London to the North, came ashore near here this morn-
ing, but got off again without damage.
GALWAY, DEC. 21.—Arrd. Superb, Liverpool, much
strained, and with loss of bulwarks, &c.
Orr FRASERBERG, DEC. 22.—Waterwitch,
St. John's, New Brunswick.

DEAL, I )Ec. 28.—W in d S. S. W., light.—Arrd. Bland,
Callan, Calcutta ; Camillus, Mules, Demerara ; Riga,
New Orleans ; Britannia, Quebec ; Mary Bannatyne,
China; Zuid Holland, Lendman, Batavia for Rotterdam;
Royal Sovereign, Freers, Coquimbo ; Arcadia, Hood,
Quenec for Hull ; Bumhopeside, Roby, ditto. 10 P.M.,
thick fog_.
OFF PORTLAND, DEC. 26.—Constantine, New Or-
leans for Havre.

PORTSMOITTII, DEC. 28 AND 29.—Wind S.S.E.—Arrd.
Hamlet, Fergus, Trinidad.
CLYDE, DEC. 27.—Arrd. Acadian, Auld. Charleston;
Gaitsherrie, Houston, Quebec. 26. Sld. Catherine Isa-
bella, Madeira and Cape of Good Hope. 27. Clydesdale,
Trinidad.

LOCHINDAL, DEC. 23.—Arrd. Londonderry, Hattrick,
St. John's, New Brunswick.

COULTORSAY, DEC. 24.—Fragments of wreck are
coming ashore in different parts of the island, supposed
from some vessel lost on the coast.

BRIDLINGTON, DEC. 22.—The Affiance, Spencer, from
London to Shields (reported as a brig belonging to
Cowes), ran on the rocks off Flamborough Head, but was
assisted off the following tide, arter throwing part of her
cargo overboard, and proceeded without apparent da-
mage.

WATERFORD, DEC. 27.—Sid. Ann Kenny, Charleston.
CORE, DEC. 26.—Arrd. Hope, Carver, Ichaboe; Ca-
lista, Meyer, Honduras; Velocity, M`Grath, St. John's,
New Brunswick, with loss of sails, &c. 27. Ben Brace,
Park Colony, Jainaison, Ferris, Butterfield, and Albion,
Martin, Ichaboe. Sid. Perseverance, St. John's, New
Brunswick.

CROOKRAVEN, DEC. 25.—Arrd. Lacy Ann, Tripp,
Ichaboe (Oct. 14), crew sick, pumps choked, and part of
the cargo thrown overboard.
BELFAST. DEC. 27.—Arrd. Constitution, Miramichi.
WEXFORD, DEC. 28.—The Jaeger, Redington, which
went ashore to the north of this place, is expected to go
to pieces every tide, the weather being very bad-306
bales and cases discharged.
LIVERPOOL. DEC. 28.—The Thomas H. Perkins, from
New Orleans, ashore on Burbo yesterday, has been got
off, and in here, leaky ; the Independence nd
Southerner, both for New York, are putting back, leaky.
Arrd. Gemini, Calcutta; Edward Harewood, Madras;
Diamond, Smith, Valparaiso; Hudson, Page, Savannah;
Pursuit, Miramichi ; Asenath, Rockshire, and Royal
William, Quebec. 29. Nancy, Quebec. 27. Sld. Eliza-
beth, New Orleans; Idare, Belize. 28. Emily, Africa;
Asia, Maranham ; Stephen, Cuba; Sir Henry Pottinger,
Charleston ; Virginian, New York. 29. Cambridge,
Charleston. Off, Leghalem, China; Catharine, Ichaboe;
Susan (supp.`, Ichaboe; Ambassador,
MONTROSE. DEC. 25.—Sid. North Esk, Ichaboe.
SCARBOROUGH, i)EC. 28.—Arrd. Palemon, London,
with stern-post and rudder damaged, having been ashore
at Filey; Reaper, Cockenzie, for Lynn, with part of cargo
thrown overboard, having been ashore to the North of
Filey Brig.
Hinz, l)Ec. 28 —Arrd. Trident, Smit, St. Thomas
for Ham burgh ; Huntf.r, St. John's, New
Bruns•vick ; Theodore, Cole, Quebec.