Love sat on a lotos-leaf afloat, And saw old Time in his loaded boat; While Love sat clapping his wings, and cried "Who will pass Time?" Patience came first, but soon was gone Care and Grief could not lend an oar, And Prudence said (while he stay'd on shore), "I wait for Time!" Hope fill'd with flowers her cork-tree bark, And lighted its helm with a glow-worm spark: Then Love, when he saw her bark fly fast, Said "Lingering Time will soon be past! Wit went nearest old Time to pass, But Time sent the feathery arrows back, His gossamer sails he spread with speed, And only Memory stay'd to chide Waken and listen then, Bride of May! CCLXXI. THE SOLDIER IN EGYPT. From my slumber I woke at the dead hour of night, The moon on the billows was trembling and bright As it rose o'er the Pyramid's head. John Findlay, the author of this piece, was born at Glasgow in 1782. His parents were in a humble condition of life, but of a most respectable character, and they gave their son all the advantages of a good education. From the academy of Mr. Hall of that city, he was sent, at the age of fourteen, to the university. He there soon distinguished himself above most of his contemporaries, and became an excellent Greek and Latin Scholar. In the Philosophy class he was distinguished for the excellence of his prose com Its beams lent a magic far dearer than sleep, The battle had ceas'd with the sweet setting sun, I paus'd-it was nought but the answering gun positions; and during his academical career he wrote various short poems, chiefly on classical subjects, remarkable for ease, elegance and spirit. While yet a student, living within the walls of the college, he published, in 1802, a volume entitled "Wallace, or the vale of Ellerslie," with other poems. These were composed when he was about nineteen years of age, and are generally esteemed. Wallace may be called his principal performance. It is doubtless an imperfect composition; but it displays a wonderful power of versification, and contains many splendid descriptions of external nature. It was shortly afterwards republished with considerable additions.—Soon after he published an edition of the " Grave" with many admirable notes; wrote a learned and ingenious life of Cervantes, and edited an edition of Smith's Wealth of Nations, a task that might have been supposed out of his province, but which he executed with considerable ability, displaying an intimate acquaintance with the principles of political economy, and with the works of all the most eminent French writers on that science. The prospect of a situation in one of the public offices led him to London in 1807, where he wrote many learned articles, particularly on antiquarian subjects, for different periodical publications, and busily employed himself in the study of old English Litera ture, in which he was excelled by few, and in which he ever afterwards delighted. Being disappointed in his hope of a permanent establishment, he returned in 1808 to Glasgow, and in that year published a collection of "Historical and Romantic Ballads," in two volumes. The notes with which they are illustrated are interesting and valuable. In these volumes are to be found two ballads of Findlay's own composition, written in imitation of "Songs of the olden time," which have been pronounced by very able critics to be in their kind almost perfect. At the close of the year 1810, his hopes of a permanent situation in London I thought of the woe and the carnage again— And the tear that had started at sight of the slain, Oh pleasant it is, on a far foreign shore, It awakes the dull spirit that slumber'd before, Was it hope or illusion my bosom that warm'd, To the spot, O for ever be fetter'd my sight- Even this corse cover'd strand is a couch of delight, When such visions my fancy can see. were again revived, and he left Glasgow with a view of consulting two of his friends then resident in England. He had, however, only proceeded to Moffat, when he was struck with a kind of apopletic siezure, which in a short time terminated, in the very prime of life, the existence of a man, who possessing unquestionable ability, promised fair to be an ornament to literature, and society in general. て CCLXXII. THE FISH-HAWK, OR OSPREY *. Soon as the sun, great ruler of the year! * This is another poetical extract from Wilson's Ornithology, illustrative of the Fish-hawk, or Osprey, whose regular arrival at the vernal equinox, the busy season when fishing commences, procures it many a benediction from the fishermen. "The Italians are said to compare its descent upon the water to a piece of lead falling upon that element, and distinguish it by the name of Aquila Piumbina, or the Leaden Eagle." |