DESPAIR.

Come glooms impervious, come thou darksome night,
Your shades accord with my desponding soul:
Hope's cheering ray once shone-its dawn was bright,
But cheerless now, the clouds of sorrow roll.

When hope is fled, what cordial is at hand,
To cure or soothe the madness of despair;
Can sleep, tho' potent, with its magic wand,
In Lethe sink the memory of our care?

In vain we court the downy couch of rest;
In vain we seek the charms of soft repose;
Still we are troubled-with new griefs opprest
For fancy adds a thousand to our woes.

Come then, dark night, with thy most gloomy shade,
Conceal me with thy mantle, I implore,

For once lov'd scenes, by day my sight invade,
And sleep their visionary forms restore.

&-Ampersand.

SELECTED.

(The following elegant and pathetic effusion, is selected from a small volume of Poems, by THOMAS C. UPHAM, A. M. of New-Hampshire. We call upon the impassioned admirers of Southey, Scott, Crabbe, or even the admirers of Anacreon Moore and Byron, to point out any thing of the pathetic that excels it. It justifies the motto we have chosen for our POETICAL Department' Columbian Muse-advance and claim thy right."--Ed.]

MONTGOMERY'S RETURN.

There came down the Hudson, one bright summer's even,
Not a chieftain from war, nor a spirit from heaven;
For the warrior expired as the brave wish to die,
When danger was threat'ning and glory was nigh,
But the corpse of that warrior, the bones of the brave,
Tho' forty years buried, came down the dark wave.

There came down the Hudson, at closing of day,
Montgomery's bones in their funeral array;
All dark was his coffin, all lonely his shroud,

And the weepers around him were mourning aloud;

They mourn'd for the chieftain, who struggled of old
Whose body had crumbled, whose bosom was cold. ·
In the times that have faded, he fought at Quebec,
But the quicksands of battle there made him a wreck,
By the walls of Quebec, where he met with his doom,
The highminded Englishmen gave him a tomb!

But his country have summon'd bis bones down the wave,
In the land of the freemen, to find them a grave.

To a Connecticut citizen, Mr. DAVID BUSHNELL, were the American people indebted for the invention of what was called the "American Turtle." It effected more than the " Torpedo." Being placed in a fleet of Powder Kegs in the Delaware, designed to run “under water,” under ̧ the British fleet, at Philadelphia, they exploded too soon; but produced consternation in the British fleet, and the following sarcastic Poein, from the Hon. FRANCIS HOPKINSON.

THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS.
A song.-Tune, Moggy Lawder.
Gallants, attend, and hear a friend

Trill forth harmonious ditty:
Strange things I'll tell, which late befel
In Philadelphia city.

'Twas early day, as poets say,
Just when the sun was rising,
A soldier stood on log of wood,
And saw a sight surprising.

As in a maze he stood to gaze,

The truth can't be denied, Sir, He spied a score of kegs or more, Come floating down the tide, Sir,

A sailor, too, in jerkin blue,

The strange appearance viewing, First damn'd his eyes, in great surprise, Then said "Some mischief's brewing.

"These Kegs now hold the rebels bold,

"Pack'd up like pickled herring; "And they're come down, t' attack the town

"In this new way of ferry'ng."

The soldier flew; the sailor too :

And scar'd almost to death, Sir,
Wore out their shoes to spread the news,
And ran till out of breath, Sir.

Now up and down, throughout the town,
Most frantic scenes were acted;

At his bed side he then espied

Sir Erksinet at command, Sir;
Upon one foot he had one boot,
And t'other in his hand, Sir.

"Arise! arise !" Sir Erksine cries;
"The rebels-more's the pity-
"Without a boat, are all on float,
"And rang'd before the city.

"The motley crew, in vessels new,

"With Satan for their guide, Sir,
"Pack'd up in bags, or wooden kegs,
"Come driving down the tide, Sir,

• Sir William Howe.
+ Sir William Erksine.

The Kegs, 'tis said, though strongly made
Of rebel staves and hoops, Sir,
Could not oppose their pow'rful foes,

The conqu❜ring British troops, Sir,

From morn to night those men of might
Display'd amazing courage;
And when the sun was fairly down,
Retir'd to sup their porridge.

An hundred men, with each a pen,
Or more, upon my word, Sir,
It is most true, would be too few
Their valour to record, Sir,

Such feats did they perform that day,
Upon those wicked kegs, Sir,
That years to come, if they get home,
They'll make their boasts and brags, Sir.

ORIGINAL SKETCHES, ANECDOTES, &c.

PREPARED FOR THE RURAL MAGAZINE.

PRESIDENT DWIGHT AND JOSEPH DEN- first" said he " and by some esteemed the

termined not to be intimidated by censure— nor will he be enervated by commendations. His associates and friends, it is hoped, are firmly fixed in the same determination . As it regards this work, the existence of Par

As a Theologian, he is profound and elo- have approved of the work by "Commuquent. But Doctor Dwight is too opin-nications," and hope their civility has not ionated-is rigid-excessively rigid, and blinded their judgement. The Editor is dethis you know, sir, is inconsistent with Christian charity. As to Jo. Dennie, I have known him from childhood; and know that you are, in a great measure mistaken as to his dissipation. He has, to be sure, enjoyed the fascinating charms of so-ties, Religious and Political are unknown, ciety-and he never refused to participate however frankly opinions may be expresin the fashionable amusements of the day, sed in other places. Steady to our purwhich, many of the rigid moralists of pose, we hope, as we advance in the publithe age pronounce "vicious." Doctor cation, and increase in the knowledge of Dwight replied, by asking-"Do you the History, Biography, Agriculture, and know who you are talking to?”— "You can Manufactures, of our native state, to aftell Sir" said Mr. Dennie. "Well sir, ford a rational and useful "Monthly Mumy name is Timothy Dwight." "Well sir,seum." In our Miscellaneous and Poetical my name is Jo. Dennie." After a cor- departments, we hope to blend innocent dial salutation, the Doctor observed" If amusement with useful instruction. The I am too opinionated and rigid, and you too "laughing philosophers" will generally dissipated, we both ought to reform." find a small dish in our Variety.

The Farmer and the Manufacturer will find a from the admirable Address of the Hon. rich repast in the Selections

THE DIVINE AND THE WAG. An eminent divine in Connecticut, in the hours of necessary relaxation from severe study, occasionally indulged himself in fa-Noah Webster, and that of the "American cetious conversation with a wag and pun- factures." If they may have been before Society, for encourageing Domestic Manuster in humble life; but would always endeavour to impress upon his mind some im-read, a second perusal will afford new portant truth. The wag, as is usually the pleasure, and impart new information. case when wags are admitted to familiarity with the great, became grossly familiar. The divine, to repel him, censured him for his vices, and told him that he heard of many things greatly to his shame and disgrace. The wag replied "I also hear many things against you, sir." "What! against me "Yes, sir, I heard one man say t'other day, that when you was out of the pulpit, you ought never to go into it again-and another man said, when you was in the pulpit you never ought to come out of it again."

EDITOR'S CLOSET.

WE now present our largely increased list of Patrons with the Second Number of "The Rural Magazine and Farmer's Monthly Museum." The solicitude we felt, upon offering them the First, is much diminishing by the cheering notes of approbation we have accidentally heard. As "puffing" will not aid a publication, if worthless, so it is not needed if it has val

ue.

An "Acrostic" upon Miss **** *** is received, but cannot be admitted-1st. Because it may possibly wound her feelings, although a most delicate production-2d. Because we have an aversion to Acrostics, Conundrums, Anagrams, Riddles, &c. &c. We hope "G" will write upon other subjects.

We have received the Organization, and Constitution of the "Windham County Agricultural Society," for 1819; but postpone the insertion of it, until we can obtain an account of all that has been organized for the present year in Connecticut.

We intended, in this number, to have noticed the "Bref Remarker," a series of papers originally published in the Connecticut Courant, and recently published in a volume. We think, (although we are not certain) that 'The Prompter' was originally published in the same paper. In publishing such productions, a Newspaper becomes

We must decline inserting any "Let-"useful." ters, or Extracts of Letters" received, approving of the Plan of the Publication or the Manner in which it has, in infancy, been conducted. We, however, tender our thanks to those of our Patrons who

A description of "The Corn-Sheller" is promised for our next number, by an obliging and leading member of "The Hartford County Agricultural Society."

Biographical Department.

"BIOGRAPHY-THE MIRROR THAT SHEWS US MAN.

T

A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

JAMES MONROE,

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

[SOME of our patrons, whose expressed that a Brief Biographi opinions we hold in high estima- cal Sketch of JAMES MONROE, Pre. tion, have suggested that the His-sident of the United States, should torical and Biographical Depart- be furnished the reader. The ments of this Journal might be Editor of this Magazine, prepared made occasionally more interest-a Sketch for another purpose, ing, by filling them with a di- within the last year, which has versity of "detached sketches," been published and republished. than by devoting them exclusive-That it is correct in point of fact, ly to Connecticut History and the reader may rest assured; as the Connecticut Biography. A much writer derived his materials from greater number are decidedly a source, indisputably accurate. of opinion that this arrange- It was included in the first Edition ment is the most judicious that of "THE PRESIDENT'S TOUR,' could be made. We shall vary and will be retained and enlarged from it at pleasure, as it will be perceived we have in this Number.

A very general wish has been
Vol. 1.

in the Second Edition of that work, which the Proprietor, Mr. Silas Andrus, will shortly put to press.]

10

Ed.