The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-17 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL STATION

f We resume our notice of the advantages which Liverpool
possesses over Southampton, as the station tor the West In-
dian steamers, and shall first point attention to those for
landing and embarking, repairs, &c.
SOUTHAMPTON.—AII we can learn from the evidence on
this point, amounts merely to the fact, that Southampton is
not yet capable of accommodating the packets;—that, in-
deed, while Liverpool is a port already made, Southampton
has yet, at an immense outlay, to be formed and adapted for
the purpose. Mr. Wm. Walker " sees no difficulty in
driving piles into the mud, and forming jetties to allow ves-
sels to approach," and, " as engineers have made a basin at
Sheerness, he does not see why the same might not be ac-
complished at Southampton." He admit:, that even at the
jetty at that port passengers cannot always embark, and that
" at low water spring tides he thinks it possible the steam-
ships would ground. Captain Ward (who is employed at
the works at Southampton, connected with the docks and
railway, and where evidence ought therefore to be received
with some caution,) speaks more favourably. He admits,
however, that there are yet no graving docks, but that two
are projected ; that there are three foundries, and that en-
gines (of what kind or size ?) are constructed there ; that the
company have taken ground to erect forges upon ; that a
light is to be put on the Spit outside of Calshot Castle,
which is much wanted, and that the Great Liverpool may
have grounded, but not in the direct channel. The evidence,
indeed, taken en masse, shows that Southampton is compa-
ratively a young port, and the conclusion to be drawn is,
that " with all efforts and pliances to boot," it can never be
rendered equal to our port. Let us on the other hand refer
on this point to
Liverpool.—There is no port in Great Britain where the
facilities for the repairs, either of the ship or machinery,
are so great as at Liverpool.—Lieutenant Lord. I think it
presents more advantages than any other port in the king-
dom. We have docks, made for the purpose, capable of
containing the largest steamers. For all the purposes of a
ship for docking and repairing, and getting supplies for the
station, I think Liver pool decidedly the best port that can
be selected.—Aikin. Passengers may be landed at all times
of the tide on the quay. The government have a small
steamer for landing and embarking the passengers, when the
large steamers do not dock. The mails may be landed or
got on board at all times. The rise of tide at the dock Vacs
is 32 to 33 feet. The mails may be taken on board even if
the packet sails at dead low water.—Lieut. Lord. The docks
at Liverpool afford perfect facilities for large steamers.—
Capt. Drew. We may add to this evidence, that the largest
vessels do not " ground" on the Mersey, (unless they are
wilfully run ashore); that if they enter even at low water,
when they cannot dock for some few hours, they have excel-
lent anchoring ground in the stream, and also in the Sloyne,
on the Cheshire side opposite, about a mile and a quarter from
the principal quays, and where they are protected from
westerly gales by the high land in Wirrall. The large go-
vernment Irish Mail-packets, more constantly on the latter
ground, where they lie in perfect safety a little to the north
of the quarantine hulks. There is no instance ofany accident
befalling them, and they now never enter the docks, in order
to save time, but when in want of repair. The Halifax and
Boston mail-ships, after leaving dock, generally proceed to
sea from the same spot, where excellent moorings are fixed.
When they come up at high water they can dock immedi-
ately, and all goods (with the exception of luggage arriving
on the eve of their departure) are shipped in the docks. In
place of only three small foundries, we have upwards of 40
on a large scale, one of which employs in the building and
repairing of large engines, boilers, &c., upwards of 700 men.
There are also large and numerous manufactories of chain
cables, cordage, and every article of ship's appurtenances,and
an ample and constant force of shipcarpenters, joiners, cabi-
net-makers, upholsterers, &c.
3. COMMUNICATION AND COMMERCE WITH THE WEST

Date of leaving

London

(rid Marseilles),
Jan. 4, 1841
Feb. 4
March 4
April 5 .

May 1
June 5.

July 5

August 4 ..
September 6

In addition, however, to the facilities thus afforded for the
transit of our mails to India, we have now to communicate
the concession by the Viceroy of Egypt to the Peninsular
and Oriental Navigation Company of a route for the transit
of merchandize from Alexandria to the lied Sea, by which
the time occupied in the conveyance of goods to the markets
of India will he reduced to within a few weeks of that occu-
pied by the transmission of correspondence. The permission
is to commence on the Ist of January, 1842, the Viceroy fur-

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE AFRICAN TRADE AND KING PEPPLE

We have been favoured with the following communication
from Capt. Grant, of the ship Hero, belonging to this port.
The letter was received by the Brutus, which reached here

on Sunday :
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

do not know if you have either time or inclination
to read all that the prolific pens of your contemporaries pro-
duce from day to day ; but I beg to call your attention, and
that of your numerous readers, to the convention for the total
suppression of the slave trade, entered into by Great Britain
and King Pepple and the Chiefs of Grand Bonny; a copy of
which I annex :

" Convention for the Total Suppression of the Slave Trade,
agreed upon by William Tucker, Esquire, Captain of
H. B. Majesty's ship Iris, and Senior Officer in com-
mand of tier Britannic Majesty's ships and vessels on
the West Coast of Africa, and King Pepple and the
Chiefs of the Bonny Dominions.
" It is agreed, and the two contracting parties hereby co-
venant and agree—
" Ist. That the slave trade shall be totally and for ever
abolished in the dominions subject to the jurisdiction of
King Pepple and the Chiefs of the Bonny ; and that no
slaves shall he passed through or exported from those domi-
nions, from the date of the ratification of the agreement.
" 2nd. That in consideration of the total abolition of the
slave trade for ever, and that no slaves shall ever be permit-
ted to pass through or be exported from the said dominions,
Great Britain engages to pay King Pepple, on the ratifica-
tion of this agreement, goods to the amount of ten thousand
dollars per annum for five years.
" 3rd. That on each future time of making the annual
payment, the roan of war bringing the annual gift shall fur-
nish Great Britain with a document from the merchants fre-
quenting the Bonny, certifying the fact that no slave trade
has, to their knowledge, existed there, and that no slaves
have bean passed through the dominions subject to the juris-
diction of King Pepple and the Chiefs of Bonny during the

preceding year.
" 4th. That if, at any time whatever, either from want of
that document, or from any other circumstance, it shall ap-
pear that the slave trade has been carried on in, from, or
through the dominions subject to the jurisdiction of King
Pepple and the Chiefs of the Bonny, the gifts mentioned in
the preceding article will be discontinued, the slave trade
put down by force, and King Pepple and the Chiefs of the
Bonny will subject themselves to severe acts of displeasure
on the part of Great Britain.
" sth. That King Pepple shall make a proclamation and a
law, prohibiting all his subjects, or persons depending on
him, from selling any slaves to be transported from the do-
minions subject to his jurisdiction, or to aid, or abet, or
assist in any such sale, under penalty of severe punishment.
" t th. That, at the particular request of King Pepple, the
said gift shall he paid to him in dollars, viz., ten thousand
dollars per annum year by year, for five years ; upon the
document required being received as proof of his having ful-
filled the above articles. _ .

" 7th. That should Great Britain at any future time per-
mit the slave trade to be carried on again, the Kings and
Chiefs of the Bonny shall be at liberty to carry on the slave
trade also.
" Done at the Parliament House, Bonny Town, this 20th
day of August, 1811.

" (Signed)

" WILLIAM TUCKER.
" KING PEPPLE.

" In the presence of
" M. flaunt, Lieut. commanding H.M.S. Pluto.
" W. Webster, 2nd Lieut. H.M.S. Iris.
" Thos. E. Symonds, addl. Lieut. H.M.S. Iris.
" Robert Graham, assistant surgeon, do.
" Christopher Jackson, ship Hesperus.
his his
" King X George. Grand X Bonny.
mark. mark.
his his
" Jack X Brown. Jew Jew X Peter.
mark. mark.
his his
" Old Indian X Qucn. Captain X Hart.
mark. mark.
his his
" Jew Jew X Guana. Manilla X Pepple.
mark. mark.
his
King X Holiday.
mark.

his
" Anna X Pepple.
mark.
his
" Dappo X Pepple
mark.
his
" Ogea X Africa.
mark.
his
X Bonny.
mark.
his
" Tom X Tom.
mark.
his
" John X Africa.
mark.
his
" Long X Bristol.
mark."

his
Parliament X Gentleman
mark.
his
Allison. X
mark.
his
Black X Foobra.
mark.
his
Jungo. X
mark.

" Jetn

his
Young Anna X Pepple
mark.

Now supposing that King Pepple should think proper to
carry on the slave trade (if nut in the Bonny) in the adjacent
rivers, with several of which there is daily communication
through the creeks, and it being a notorious fact that half
the slaves exported from the Brass River are purchased from
the Bonny dealers, who, may I ask, would give information
of the same ? Is it reasonable to suppose that the merchants
or agents frequenting the Bonny would have the hardihood •
to do so. or even to refuse furnishing the necessary docu-
ment, when, by so doing, they would draw down upon them-
selves King Pepple's severest displeasure, and for ever pre-
clude all hopes of trading i❑ his territories.
To shew with what despotic sway he exercises his royal
prerogative, I mention the following facts, and then leave it
to the judgment of a discerning public to decide whether it
is just to call upo❑ us, either individually or as a body, to
furnish such document or information :
" All vessels arriving in the Bonny, before opening trade,
are compelled (however unwillingly) to entrust the King with
any amount of goods he may think proper to demand. If
the merchant or agent refuse to comply with his exorbitant
demand, the trade of the vessel is (though in an indirect
manner) stopped ; but this is a case of rare occurrence. The
goods are paid, and, after the merchant has purchased suffi-
cient oil to load his vessel, he is compelled to detain her a
month or six weeks (and frequently two or three months),
till it suits his Majesty's convenience to pay his debt. The
loss sustained by the owners of the vessel, in this manner, is
considerable, as, independent of the loss in men's wages and
interest of money, they seldom succeed in getting the whole
of the debt liquidated ; and it is more than they dare do,
even to remonstrate with him upon his unjust proceedings."
For the last two months the trade has been at almost an
entire standstill, owing to the arbitrary proceedings of the
King, in seizing upon all oil he can lay his hands upon, to
liquidate his heavy debts ; and we dare not even send our
boats to guard our own oil, under penalty of having all oil
so brought on board deducted from the amount of his debts
due to us.

And what protection have we against such gross imposi-
tions ? Where are her Majesty's cruizers ? some may ask.
If we claim their assistance, though it is not actually DENIED
to us, still the interference is seldom to our advantage. I
myself once, when waiting in this river for payment of trust,
called upon one of them to interfere in my behalf; and
though I had been detained upwards of a month, the com-
mander decided that a French vessel (the Navigatcur, of
Nantes), which had been detained about a week, should be
despatched first. One would imagine that it would be better
policy on the part of Great Britain to afford her utmost pro-
tectii to a trade which is yearly increasing, and cannot fail
to add a-aonsiderable sum to her revenue; but possibly she
is not aware o 7 es neglected state.

The objects I have✓in view in thus trespassing upon your
valuable time, are—in the first place, to shew the inefficacy
of the treaty entered into by Great Britain and King Pepple,
inasmuch as the British government can have no means of
ascertaining whether the contract is fulfilled by King Pepple
or not; and, in the second, to shew the unprotected state of
British property in this river. But I suppose it needs not,
in the present day, when men perform their operations by
rules deduced from precedent—when they work out their
business by principles founded on the calculations of experi-
ence, govern communities by systems drawn from the state-
ments of statistics, and will scarcely form an opinion without
due consultation and data—to say one word regarding the
importance of a strict investigation into the real state of
affairs in the Bonny, and of summary proceedings being
taken on the part of Great Britain to check the despotism
of King Pepple, so as to afford protection to the property of
the merchants trading in his dominions.
Your kindly publishing this letter, if you deem it worthy'
of a place in your columns, will greatly oblige,
Sir, very faithfully yours,
Ship Hero, Bonny River, Sept. 26th, 1541

F. GRANT,

THE LATE MR. COURTENA Y.

STEAM MAIL COMMUNICATION WWI THE EAST INDIES, AND oPENING FOR E TRANSIT
OF MERCHANDIZE OF A ROUTE ACROSS THE ISTHMUS Ok SUEZ.

We give below a Table, showing the time which has been of her rich possessions in the Eastern and Western worlds
occupied in the transit of the Mails between the East Indies —reducing, what but a few sears ago were distances which
and Great Britain during the present year. To those who required months to communicate between, to voyages of
are interested in the welfare of those noble possessions, and only weeks or days, can her merchants and. manufacturers be
to the mercantile and manufacturing community in particular, blind to the advantages which the future offers to their view
—to whom they offer the prospect ()fan almost unlimited field in these markets—more important and more valuable, we
for enterprize and industry—the regularity of coinmunica- do not hesitate to say, than all that they can ',ring, by the
tion which, by the aid of steam, we have been enabled to most unlimited and reckless concessions, from the whole
attain with them, must be productive of unmixed gratifica- I world besides ?
tion. When England is thus drawing round her the whole

OVERLAND MAILS FOR INDIA, 1811

Arrived at Bombay, Days to I Arrived at
(rid Suez, Aden, &c.) Bombay. I Madras.

Feb. 13 .. .. (per Victoria) 40 Feb. 20 .
IMar. 14.... (per Berenice) 38 March 21
April 10.... (per Victoria) 37 April 18.
May 8.... (per Cleopatra) 33 May 13 .
June 6.... (per Auckland) 33 June 15 ..
'July 7 .... (per Victoria) 32 July 13 ..
lAug. 5 .. (per Cleopatra) 31 Aug. 12 ~
ISept. 6.... (per Beret,ice) 33 Sept. 13.,
iOct. 11 .... (per Victoria) 35 Oct. 18 ~

Days to

I\l2;:lras

Arrived in Calcutta. Days to
(In divisions.) Calcutta,

47 IFebruary 21, &c.
45 March 23, &c. .
45 April 19, &c....
40 !May 16, &e.
42 iJune 16, &c....
38 iJuly 18, &c....

38 ' Aug.
- -
40
Sept. 18, &c
. _

46
41
43

A Mail will be made up in London, for India, vid Falmouth, on 31st Dec., and rid Marseilles, on the 4th January

OVERLAND MAILS FROM INDIA, 1841

Arrived in, Louth* Arrived in London
Date of leaving Per Steamer to Days from Days from
via vid Falmouth,
Bombay. Suez. Bombay..
Marseilles. - +I Oriental Sc. Great Liverpool.•
---•
January 1,1811 ... Victoria
February 1 Berenice March 11
March 1 Victoria
April 1
May 1 Berenice June 3
May 23
June 19
July 19
September 2.. .... Victoria
October 1
November 1 Berenice
In addition, however, to the facilities thus afforded for the nishing the necessary military escort to ensure the perfe(
transit of our mails to India, we have now to communicate sacety of the goods conveyed. We need scarcely commer
the concession by the Viceroy of Egypt to the Peninsular , upon the importance which this arrangement—even as i

wishing the necessary military escort to ensure the perfect
tifety of the goods conveyed. We need scarcely comment
ipon the importance which this arrangement—even as at
present conceded only to the Oriental Steam Navigation
Company—is likely to afford to the interests of our mercan-
tile readers, as opening to the commerce of Europe the pros-
pect, at no distant day, of the unrestricted communication
.hus afforded with the markets of India and China.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR.—In answer to the inquiries you have made respect-
ing the late Mr. Courtenay, I can only say that I have very
little more to add to that which has already appeared in the
report of the inquest in the Liverpool Times and other pa-
pers, but to that little you are welcome.
I was called to this unfortunate gentleman about five
o'clock in the afternoon of Friday last, and found him, as
described by Sarah Harris on the inquest, lying on his right
side, with his face to the wall, and bedewed with perspira-
tion, his breathing was loud, effected with much difficulty,
and with rattling in the throat ; the action of his heart was
much impeded. To relieve the latter symptom, I took three
or four ounces
.of blood from the arm, which seemed, in a
slight measure, and for a very short period, to do so. The
countenance was cadaverous and of the usual vacant appear-
ance, which is observable in poisoning by opium or its prepa-
rations, the pupils of the eyes were contracted to the size of
pins'-heads, and no shaking or other similar means were ca-
pable of arousing him ; 1 found that none of the usual secre-
tions had taken place since he retired on the previous even-
ing; all these circumstances led me to conclude that my
patient was under the influence of a poison of a narco-
tic class, most probably opium, and I desired Sarah Harris
to see if she could find any bottle which might have con-
tained laudanum or other poison. She speedily discovered
the bottles described by her in her evidence, and which, by
their labels, I found had contained a solution of morphia, the
essential salt of opium. Of course my opinion as to the
cause of Mr. Courtenay's state was now fully made up ; and
I requested Mr. Radley, the proprietor of the Adelphi Hotel,
to let me and my patient have the benefit of another opinion,
and Mr. Bickersteth was immediately sent for. Before his
arrival I had ascertained that the unfortunate gentleman
could not swallow, so that internal means were not available,
except by the use of the stomach-pump. I had ordered
mustard cataplasms to be applied to the feet and stomach,
and also hot water bottles to the inside of the calves of the
legs and thighs. Mr. Bickersteth speedily afforded me his
valuable assistance. In consultation with him it was deter-
mined to use the stomach-pump, although apparently so
many hours had gone by as to render it useless, as far as the
removing any portion of the poison ; yet still it was just
possible that the poison might have been more reently taken
than had been supposed, and some portion still be in the
stomach. The patient was raised for the purpose of passing
the tube, when the respiration became more difficult and the
pulse failed ; so much worse, indeed, did the change of posi-
tion cause the patient to appear, that Mr. Bickersteth and
myself thought his last moments had arrived. Of course
no further attempt for the present could be made to use the
stomach instrument. It was also very apparent, that with-
out sonic very powerful means were resorted to—although
the system slightly rallied when the recumbent position was
regained—life in a few minutes would be extinct. It was
therefore determined to make use of the powerful stimulus
of the electro-galvanic battery, as being the means most
likely to prolong life, and to give nature time to overcome
the obnoxious influence she DOW laboured under; for in
many such cases, if life can be maintained for a certain time
by any means, it is preserved. Mr. Lewis, Mr. Bickersteth's
assistant, speedily attended with the electro-galvanic appa-
ratus, and we proceeded to the use of this wonderful power,
and with considerable apparent benefit; for the pulse, respi-
ration, and appearance of the countenance—all improved
under its use. Friction and other means were also used
from time to time. After the application of the battery
for nearly four hours we deemed it proper once more to
attempt the unloading of the stomach, with the view—
after having done so—of injecting into that organ certain
medicines, for the purpose of producing more complete re-
action. We succeeded in injecting a considerable portion of
warm water, which was again withdrawn, and another por-
tion thrown in, and again withdrawn, until the liquid coming
away from the stomach was colourless. The first portion of
liquid was of a very dark colour, resembling porter, but did
not, so far as we could judge, contain morphia, nor was it
likely so to do if the poison was taken the previous night.
During the use of the stomach apparatus, the galvanic bat-
tery was of necessity discontinued for a short time; but its
use was speedily resumed, but without any beneficial effect,
and the unfortunate gentleman breathed his last at 25 mi-
nutes to eleven on Friday evening.

All the other particulars, interesting to the public, ars
pretty fully detailed in the reports of the inquest.

I cannot conclude this statement without bearing my tes-
timony to the prompt kindness of Mr. Radley, and the great
attention paid by him and his domestics to the deceased gen-
tleman. I am, sir, your obedient servant,
HY. STOOKES.
27, Lime-street, Liverpool, 16th Dec., 18-41.

THE LIVERPOOL EXCHANGE NEWS-ROOMS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Sin,—As a subscriber of many years standing to the above
room, allow me, through the medium of the STANDARD, to
call the attention of those who have power to prevent annoy-
ance, to the system of turning out the subscribers at four
o'clock each day. The represented advantage is a solitary
one—viz.: that it closes business at that hour.
The actual disadvantages, annoyances, and inconveniences,
are many, amongst which are the following, viz.—That the
subscribers are turned out of the room just as the London
Morning Papers are received; thus the majority of them era
prevented seeing that news which gets to hand at the abevs
hour—and, as the room is not re-opend till five o'clock, most
of the merchants and others leave their offices by that time—
thus the opportunity of perusing the London Morning Papers
is altogether lost to them for many hours.
Secondly ,—Many persons Irons the inland towns would
be glad to see the London morning papers at four each day,
as well as to be permitted to remain in the room, hut are
thus Thrust out, and have to pass the time as they best can—
in many cases inconveniently in the counting-houses of their
friends, whose business is thus interrupted.
And again, as to closing business sooner, it has no such
effect, for the gentlemen merely resort to the outside, or go
on the flags, and remain there, as before the room was closM,
so long as they think proper, except in the case of a wet day,
when the vexation of being thus ordered out (for the manner
in which the porters almost drive the subscribers out is any-
thing but courteous) is most annoying—to say nothing of the
danger to the health of the parties from a deluge of rain.
I am well assured a vast majority of the subscribers agree,
that the closing of the room between four and live is unne-
cessary and uncalled for, and that the sooner the system it
given up the better.
People paying so large an annual subscription are entitled
to every consideration, and the sentiments of each might be
easily ascertained, when the subscriptions for the coining
year are collected.—Yours, &c., A. B. C.

MARINER'S CHURCH SEAMEN'S READING

ROOM AND SCHOOLS

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—Will you allow me through the medium of your
paper to call the attention of your readers, and more espe-
cially of the merchants and shipowners, to this institution,
the main object of which is to promote the comfort and benefit
of our seamen while on shore, by affording them an oppor-
tunity of spending their evenings profitably and comfortably,
and thus preserving them from those innumerable evils and
temptations to which they are exposed. The room is open
with fire and light and books every evening in the week from
six till half-past ten, free of all charge to the seamen ; and in
the morning it is occupied, as a daily school, for the daugh-
ters of seamen, where they are receiving a scriptural and
valuable education suited to their circumstances. In addi-
tion to this, a master has been appointed during the past year
for the instruction of the apprentices in navigation three
evenings in the week, to which subscribers of one guinea are
privileged to send apprentices. It is also the
.desire of the
friends engaged in this institution to form lending libraries
for the use of the crews at sea.
It has now been opened for three years, with increasing
success ; and many of the seamen have expressed their
thanks for the privilege thus afforded them. Above 3000
have availed themselves of it during the past year ; and many
of them have been constant and regular in their attendance
while on shore, so that I may appeal to this fact as a proof
of its usefulness, and of the value which the sailors, put upon

As a great deal of interest has been excited in reference to
this melancholy case, and as some misrepresentations have
crept into the accounts, which appeared in our own journal
as well as our contemporaries, we have applied to the surgeon
(Mr. Alexander Stookes) who attended the deceased, and
gave evidence at the inquest, for further information. The
following we have received, and believe it will be reed with
interest :

it.
Hitherto, however, their efforts have been much camped
for want of funds, and it is feared they will he compelled to
relinquish the services of the navigation master, unless the
subscriptions are increased.
The amount of subscriptions and donations during the
past year is only about £B7. The subscriptions being .£4l,
and donations £2d. The annual expenses amount to £.120.
I trust the perusal of these facts may
induce many to come
forward, and assist the institution by their subscriptions and
contributions, and that the best interests of the seamen may
be thereby increasingly promoted.-1 remain, sir. your's
obediently, .

NV. MAYNARD, President and Treasurer
Mariner's Chui-ch, Dec. 16, 1841.

r rE.—Then began the plunder! the
vs
I.I.7NDER OF GilUzN
whole of the chiefs' women, children, and property of every
description was in this inner court ; and you soon saw Cash-
mere shawls, ermine dresses, and ladies' inexpressibles, over
The carved wood-
work in the windows and doors was knocked in, and the
the blood-stained uniforms of our men.
poor women themselves, in some instances, dragged out
before the guard, which General Sale immediately ordered
arrived. The poor creatures cried and sobbed
our arms ; none, however, were either°i
oar': pretty
over them,
Such a scene of plunder and confusion I
never saw. One blackguard of ours had a cooking•pot
wrapped up in a Cashmere shawl ;
a second was busily ern-
ployed in ripping up a woman's quilt, and sticking the silk
into his pocket or inexpressiblrs ; while tbree or four others
i bad seated themselves on the steps with a huge poi of bailie-
! rind paste..--Cerpt. Pane': Pre Tears he podia.

Dortrp.

TO JEANNE,
ON THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF HER BIRTHDAY

If in life's mingled cup there be
A season when from gall 'tis free,
When to its briar the sparkles mount,
Nectarious from the chrystal fuuut
Of happinesi; and in its flow
Is tinctur'd with hope's brightest glow,
Unsullied with a sigh or tear,
It is a maiden's twentieth year.
From off such cup, o'erfraught with bliss,
Could I but steal one trembling kiss,
Inspired with it, I would essay,
To sing thy twentieth natal day.
Yet, as it is, with warmer glow
Than which from friendship's fount doth flow,
I bid thee joy, and with this wine,
Invoke those deities benign,—
Hebe —with lilies to bedeck
Thy forehead fair, and fairer neck ;
And Hygeia,—on thy cheeks, her rose
In bloom luxuriant to repose,
Till time, not care, forbids their stay,
Chasing them playfully away
Liverpool, December 17th, 1841

lAGO

THE PAST, THE PRESENT, THE FUTURE

The Past ! It is the Present's infancy !
Sublime in mystery its distant birth ;
When first it sprung from vast eternity,
At His command whose fiat form'd the earth !
It is a wide-spread chart, on which we trace
Mountains of error, wastes of burning grief,
And seas of blood from man's ensanguin'd race—
How few fair spots afford the eye relief !
It is a fountain, from whose deep abode—
Source of the varied, wonderful and vast !
The streams of age, succeeding age, have ffow'd,
Till in the bosbw of the Present cast !
It is a mirror, holding up to view
A thousand scenes that throng the Present time;
Displaying, with reflection clear and true,
Our joy and grief, our virtue and our crime !

The Present! 'Tis a bubble on the blast!
Fragile as those which childhood's breath can raise;
How short a time its fleeting moments last !
It melts into the Past as on we gaze !
It is an ocean, bearing on its breast
The tides of human happiness and woe ;
There, passion's waves uprear their foaming crest,
Sporting with wrecks of ages as they flow !
'Tis a brief masquerade!-- A mixture strange
Of scenes and characters of motley hue,
Where hatred, love, ambition, pleasure range;
Restless the many, and content—the few !
It is a friendlY monitor to man
It points to scenes and, ages that have fled—
Urges him on to labour whilst he can,
And whispers warnings from the silent dead!

The Future! What is that ? A vortex deep,
Embosoming the Present with the Past.
Ne'er shall its all-absorbing waters sleep,
Long as profound Eternity shall last !
It is a mine 'neath man's unconscious feet,
Danger and death conceal'd within its womb.
How oft, whilst Fortune smiles with sad deceit,
He looks for length of days, and finds—the tomb !
It is the entrance to Infinity !
How lofty and how wide its portals stand!
All pass them to their endless destiny—
People of ev'ry clime and ev'ry land.
It is of mysteries the mystery ;
Itself alone itself can e'er explain :
No finite mind can sound infinity—
Reason attempts it, but attempts in vain !
Liverpool, Dec. 16, 1841

LITERARY NOTIC.ES,

J. M. L

(SECOND NOTICE.)
The Mind, and other Poems. By Chas. Swain. J. Walms-

ley, Liverpool

We resume our notice of this very charming poem. We
now turn to the third part, which opens with stanzas upon
" imagination and fancy." An allusion to the spirituality
of the fairy mythology is very graceful :
From the bright chamber of the vestal rose,
No more the fairies to their revels bound :
The lily's ivory halls no more disclose -
Their elfin tribe—nor fays with goss'mer crowned
Slow float on silver blossoms to the ground :
No more we hear their viewless minstrels play,
As when in emerald rings they danced around :
The vision and the grace have left our day,
And England's fairy world passed with its youth away !

The influence of flowers upon the imagination is sweetly
described. Among others of merit, we find the following :
Have not the flowers a language ? Speak, young rose !
Speak, bashful sister of the footless dell!
Thy blooming loves, thy sweet regards disclose.
Oh, speak !.'for many a legend keep'st thou well :
Old tales of wars—crusading knights who fell,
And bade thee minister their latest sighs!
Speak, gray-haired daisy—ancient primrose, tell!
Ye vernal harps !. ye sylvan harmonies!

Speak, poets of the field;! rapt gazers on the skies !

The following stanza must paint to the " mind's eye" a
perfect Claude-like scene—jUst such a picture as Wilson
would have given us to illustrate the passage :
Seek we the forest's quiet pathways deep,
And Nature's flowery page together read :
How ocean-like the billowy branches sweep !
This mild green gloom is just the light we need ;
And the young fawns—how silently they feed!
How still and statue-like—half life, half dream !
Slow mounts the wood-dove, like a spirit freed;
And now a swan comes sailing up the stream,
And o'er the waters dark floats like the morning beam.
The influence of Nature's works upon the mind is *hewn

in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth stanzas. bn

the subject of Science the poet soars in elevated language
he writes with an enthusiastic feeling upon its progress

mark him :
The elements most subtle in their range,
Fire,-water,-are thy servants ; and the air—
Theboundless air obeys thee I—thou canst change
The barren dales of earth, to valleys fair !
Touch the bleak waste, and leave a garden there !
From stagnant marshes drain the vernal rill i
Give to confusion, beauty !—and repair
The scathe of years with grace-directed skill ;
Even from noxious herbs the dews of life distil !

The appearance of a ship in full sail is beautifully described
—these stanzas, especially the first, we account as peculiarly

graceful

A glorious object breasts the stately main !
A winged wonder of the sunny air !
With loveliness to make a seraph vain,—
With strength the armament of kings to bear ;
To front the tempest in his treacherous lair,
And dash the ruin, smiling, from her wings !
Oh gaze upon her, looks she not most fair
Of all terrestrial, perishable things,
Save only that which from the eternal Godhead springs ?
Onward to distant climes—romantic lands—
Where'er the glowing waves of ocean roll,
The queenly ship conveys her wide commands
From realm to realm—from pole to utmost pole—
Reckless of danger—vanquishing control—
She seems the agent of a throne divine ;
A living creature with a dauntless soule7—
A form in which the finer powers combine,
And, Science, this great gift—this noble work is thine 1—
Upon the subject of commerce, Charles Swain shows his
"'whereabout " His residence in Manchester could not fail to
give him a reverence for Watt, and inspire a verse for the
" loom." The following may be supposed to describe the
birth of the steam-engine—and Watt the parent of the

mighty creature.
Wintry and pale the gray-eyed Day awoke
And drew the cloudy curtains of his sleep ;
Dawn—like a smile—upon the cold town broke,—
The footless pavement—and the silence deep :
Yet there watch'd One who ceaseless thought did keep
Upon the movement of an iron rod ;
As though fame, power, and fortune, at one leap
Would reach the spot that pale mechanic trod,—
There—where his Engine moved like some organic-god !
The vignette which heads this part is as a sweet view of a
mill, with rocks water, and figures, by Grealbach, from a
sketch by Salmon.
In the fourth and concluding part, we find the Mind meta-
physically considered— .
The morning Wind that lingers o'er the rose,—
Plays with the willow,—or the harp-string finds,
Wakes perfume,—music,--grace ;—but where are those
Would say grace, perfume, music—were the Winds ?
So are there agencies of many kinds
Waking intelligence by thousand ways ;
But fancy, taste, and feeling,—are the Mind's !
The agency is but the wind that plays

Bethlehem

The poem beautifully concludes on " Sel•

.Salvation ! bid the earth resume the sound,
Sing it—ye forests—lift your boughs in song.
And thou—vast ocean—to thine utmost bound—
Swell the bright tidings of the Cross along.
And you—ye giant mountains—with a tongue
Majestic as the thunder harp above,
Sound forth Salvation to the world's wide throng I
Again the ark is saved—by Christ—the Do's !
And mind redeemed through God's almighty endless love

We have now gone through this poem and pointed out
what we consider to be the best stanzas in it, not that we
have given them as the best—or that the rest are inferior to
them—but as the best for our purpose—that of showing the
construction and quality of the production altogether. It will
be seen that the poem is one possessing extraordinary merit,
in a literary point of view, and an acquisition to the library.
We have gone into it at some length, because at this period
there is really a dearth of works of this description, and
standing in merit. The miscellaneous poems we shall re-
serve for another number.

Smallwood's Magazine. Smallwood, Bond-street, London

" Miss Muckleston's Pic Nic Party" commences the num-
ber. The story opens with the longest-winded paragraph we
have met with in the course of our reading. The subject is
a description of Mount Edgecumbe. Dr. Shepherd's inte-
resting and valuable " History of Venice" reaches the 9th
chapter. " The Prisoner of the Palais Royal" is concluded.
It shows that a man may see plenty of the world, and be
prosperous—after a fashion—while living in a very small
space. The paper upon " Milton" contains many curious
anecdotes of him and his family. " A Summer in Germany"
is a silly story—horribly feminine and sloppy. " The Wolf,"
a Norwegian tale, is not much better. "The Happiest
Days of my Life" is another maudlin contribution. The
extract from " Old Harry's Scrap Book" presents us
with Fitzfireball's " Devil's Stork." We are happy to find
it concluded. " The Impenitent" is continued. We have
Mot liked this story from the commencement, and it has:not
improved upon acquaintance. So much for the prose, which
we regret to say is far below the standard of excellence in
periodical literature. The poetry consists of an Italian ode,
by Gabriel Rossetti. Mrs. James Morris contributes a grace-
ful sonnet on " Friendship," and Mr. Morris a clever poem
entitled " The Birth of Music." " The Birthday," by
Charles Lewis, is of a melancholy cast ; the subject, a widow
lamenting for her deceased lord on his birthday. The
".Stanzas for Music" would be found very unsuitable for the
purpose. " The Perjured Knight" is sad stuff. We really
regret to see the magazine so badly supplied. We have been
hitherto pleased with its contents. Mr. Smallwood must
bestir himself for the next number. The review of Madame
Laffarge's nasty book is well written. Madame is cut up
into ribbons. The colonial review does not contain much ;
the most interesting article is on the subject of Assam tea.