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A REMINISCENCE OF WORDSWORTH.

(Concluded from number before last.)

"I AM pleased to find," he said, while we were taking about Byron, "that you preserve your muse chaste, and free from rank and corrupt passion. Lord Byron degraded poetry in that respect. Men's hearts are bad enough. Poetry should refine and purify their natures; not make them worse."

I ventured the plea that Don Juan was descriptive, and that Shakspere had also described bad passions in anatomising the human heart, which was one of the great vocations of the Poet.

"But there is always a moral lesson," he replied, quickly, "in Shakspere's pictures. You feel that he is not stirring men's passions for the sake of awakening the brute within them: the pure and virtuous is always presented in high contrast-but the other riots in corrupt pictures, evidently with the enjoyment of the corruption."

I diverted him from a theme which it was clear created unpleasant thoughts in him and asked his opinion of the poetry of the day.

"There is little that can be called high poetry," he said; "Mr. Tennyson affords the richest promise. He will do great things yet; and ought to have done greater things, by this time."

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"His sense of music," I observed, seems more perfect than that of any of the new race of poets."

"Yes," he replied, "the perception of harmony lies in the very essence of the Poet's nature; and Mr. Tennyson gives magnificent proofs that he is endowed with it."

I instanced Tennyson's rich association of musical words, in his 'Morte d'Arthur,' 'Godiva,' Ulysses,' and other pieces-as proofs of his possessing as fine a sense of music in syllables as Keats, and even Milton; and the patriarch poet, with an approving smile assented to it.

I assured him how much I had been interested with Mrs. Wordsworth's conversation respecting Southey, and told him that James Montgomery of Sheffield, in an interview I had with him many years before, had spoken very highly of Southey.

"Well that is pleasing to hear," he observed, "for Mr. Montgomery's political opinions have never resembled Southey's.'

"That was Mr. Montgomery's own observation," I rejoined, "while he was assuring me that he lived near to Mr. Southey for a considerable time, at at one period of his life, and he never knew a more estimable man. He affirmed, too, that when people attributed Mr. Southey's change of political opinions to corrupt motives they greatly wronged him."

"And depend upon it they did," Wordsworth answered, with great dignity: "it was the foullest libel to attribute bad motives to Mr. Southey. No man's change was ever more sincere. He would have hated himself had he been a hypocrite; and could never afterwards have produced anything noble."

He repeated Mrs. Wordsworth's remarks on Southey's purity of morals, and immense industry in reading almost always with the pen in his hand; and his zeal in laying up materials for future works. With a sigh he recurred to his friend's mental decline and imbecility in his latter days-and again I led him to other topics.

"There will be great changes on the Continent," he said, "when the pre

sent King of the French dies. But not while he lives. The different governments will have to give constitutions to their people, for knowledge is spreading, and constitutional liberty is sure to follow."

I thought him perfectly right about Louis Philippe-and which of us would not have thought him right in 1846? But yet I had mistaken his estimate of the King of the Barricades.'

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Ay, he is too crafty and too powerful," said I, " to be easily overthrown : there will be no extension of French liberty in his days."

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'Oh, but you are mistaken in the character of Louis Philippe," he observed, very pointedly; "you should not call him crafty: he is a very wise and politic prince. The French needed such a man. Ile will consolidate French character, and render it fit for the peaceable acquirement of rational liberty, at his decease."

I remembered the venerable age and high mental rank of him with whom I was conversing, and simply said-" Do you think so, sir?"-without telling him that I thought he scarcely comprehended his subject. But how the events of 1848 must have made him wonder!

He had the same views of the spread of freedom in England, in proportion to the increase of knowledge; and descanted with animation on the growth of Mechanics' Institutes and similar institutions. "The people are sure to have the franchise," he said, with an emphasis, "as knowledge increases; but you will not get all you seek, at once--and you must never seek it again by physical force," he added, turning to me with a smile: "it will only make you longer about it."

A great part of the time he was thus kindly and paternally impressing his thoughts upon me, we were walking on the terrace outside his house,-whither he had conducted me to note the beautiful view it commanded. It was indeed a glorious spot for a Poet's home. Rydal Lake was in view from one window in the cottage, and Windermere from another with all the grand assemblage of mountain and rock that intervened. From the terrace the view of Windermere was magnificent. The Poet's aged and infirm sister was being drawn about the court-yard in a wheeled-chair, as we walked on the terrace. He descended with me, and introduced me to her,—as a poet! —and hung over her infirmity with the kindest affection, while she talked

to me.

When I hastened to depart-fearing that I had already wearied him—he walked with me to the gate, pressing my hand repeatedly, smiling upon me so benevolently, and uttering so many good wishes for my happiness and usefulness-that I felt almost unable to thank him. I left him with a more intense feeling of having been in the presence of a good and great intelligence, than I had ever felt in any other moments of my life.

THOMAS COOPER.

Self KnowledGE.—Who seeth not how great is the advantage arising from this knowledge, and what misery must attend our mistakes concerning it. For he who is possessed of it not only knoweth himself, but knoweth what is best for him. He perceiveth what he can and what he cannot do; he applieth himself to the one, he gaineth what is necessary, and is happy; he attempts not the other, and therefore incurs neither distress nor disappointment. From knowing himself, he is able to form a right judgment of others, and turn them to his advantage, either for the procuring some good or preventing some evil. On the contrary, he who is ignorant of himself, and maketh a wrong estimate of his own powers, will also mistake those of other men; he knows neither what he wants or undertakes, nor yet the means he maketh use of; so that Ire not only fails of success, but oftentimes falls into many misfortunes; while the man who sees his way before him most commonly obtains the end he aims at, and not only so, but secures to himself renown and honour.-Socrates in Xenophon.

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Correspondents will please address "Thomas Cooper, 5, Park Row, Knightsbridge, London." I intimated last week that I should leave town on Monday, May 27. All letters sent to my own home will be forwarded to me. But as I am to remain in the neighbourhood of Newcastle one fortnight, any correspondent who wishes to reach me direct-can address me (from June 1st to the 16th) at " Mr. Barlow's, Bookseller, 2, Nelson Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne."

N.B.-Any public Institution, or Reading Room, may be regularly supplied gratis, with the Peace Advocate." It will be left to the care of Mr. J. Watson, Queens' Head Passage, within a few days of the first of each month. Notice of a wish to be so supplied being sent to Edmund Wheeler, 2, North Buildings, Finsbury Circus.

A. F. HUNT.-I have never read the publication which he names; and if it be so vile as my correspondent intimates it to be, I think it the more advisable not to draw attention to it.

H S.-Let the party of Darkness go on: they had better show their real character: the Light of the nineteenth century will be advantaged by it.

H. P. A.-Advertisements of Strauss's works have already appeared in two numbers of this journal.

CHARLES LAMB.-I never heard of the custom he mentions. The Yam is usually described to be the original potatoe.

D. C.-I have such a design in view for next year, if I live and be well.

F. G. In this writer's article The Educationist and the Religionist,' in our No. 19, there occurs a grammatical error which he wishes to have corrected. Instead of "Are logic, astronomy, algebra, geography, are any one of the arts and sciences adverse to religion?” (page 290) the reading should be "Is logic, &c.," and "is any one, &c." I take blame to myself for the printed error. Any correspondent might have made such a slip of the pen,' in haste; but an Editor' ought to have his eyes about him, and prevent errors going into print. I trust readers will forgive my neglect.

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X. P. Z.-What he proposes would please me better than the present plan; but variety, variety!' is echoed on all sides. Greatly obliged by the communication he enclosed.

R. J. Hovingham.-If he thinks a little, he will discern that the introduction of his question might be misinterpreted, and placed to the account of the person who now answers him. With every sense of his right motives, I hope he will excuse my declining his proposition.

Lectures, in London, for the ensuing Weck.

SUNDAY, May 26, at half-past 7, Hall of Science, (near Finsbury Square,) City Road. "Kosciusko, and the struggles for Polish Independence"-Thomas Cooper. At halfpast 7, Literary Institution, John Street, Fitzroy Square. "Piety and Poverty, or Orthodox Reform"-Robert Cooper, of Manchester. MONDAY, May 27, at half-past 8, Mechanics' Institute, Gould Square, Crutched Friars, "Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin"-Samuel M. Kydd. At half-past 8, Finsbury Hall, 66, Bunhill Row. "Student's Life in the Nineteenth Century"-Mark Wilks. At half-past 8, Pentonville Athenæum, 23, Henry Street. "Life and Writings of Lord Byron"-Thomas Shorter. At half-past 8, Soho Mutual Instruction Society, 2, Little Dean Street. "Vegetarianism"-W. Turley.

WEDNES., May 29, at 8, Hackney Scientific and Literary Institution. "Popular Proverbs' -George Dawson, M.A.

THINKINGS, FROM LORD BACON.

THOUGHTS.-A man would do well to carry a pencil in his pocket and write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for, are commonly the most valuable, and should be secured, because they seldom return.

NOBILITY AND GENTRY.-Let states that aim at greatness take heed how their nobility and gentry do multiply too fast; for that maketh the common subject grow to be a peasant and base swain, driven out of heart, and in effect but a gentleman's labourer.

ILLIBERALITY OF PARENTS.-A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected and the youngest made wantons; but in the midst, some that are, as it were, forgotten, who many times, nevertheless, prove the best. The illiberality of parents in allowance towards their children, is a harmful error, and makes them base; acquaints them with shifts; makes them sort with mean company; and makes them surfeit more when they come to plenty; and therefore the proof is best when men keep their authority towards their children, but not their purse.

HENRY THE SEVENTH (whereof I have spoken largely in the history of his life) was profound and admirable in making farms and houses of husbandry of a stand ard; that is, maintained with such a proportion of land unto them as may breed a subject to live in convenient plenty, and no servile condition, and to keep the plough in the hands of the owners and not mere hirelings.

INCONVENIENCE OF A NUMEROUS NOBILITY.-A numerous nobility causeth poverty and inconvenience in a state, for it is a surcharge of expense; and besides, it being of necessity that many of the nobility fall in time to be weak in fortune, it maketh a kind of disproportion between honor and meaus.

ALCHYMY.-The pursuit of Alchymy is at an end. Yet surely to Alchymy_this right is due, that it may truly be compared to the husbandmen whereof Esop makes the fable, that when he died, told his sons he had left unto them a great mass of gold buried underground in his vineyard, but did not remember the particular place where it was hidden; who when they had with spades turned up all the vineyard, gold indeed they found none; but by reason of their stirring and digging the mould about the roots of their vines, they had a great vintage the year following: so the painful search and stir of Alchymists to make gold, hath brought to light a great number of good and fruitful experiments, as well for the disclosing of nature, as the use of man's life.

OFFSPRING. The joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears; they cannot utter the one, nor they will not utter the other. Children sweeten labour, but they make misfortunes more bitter; they increase the cares of life, but they mitigate the remembrance of death.

THE SAME. He that hath wife and children, hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly, the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; which both in affection and means, have married and endowed the public.

BOLDNESS.-Boldness is ever blind for it seeth not dangers and inconveniences. Therefore it is ill in counsel, good in execution; so that the right use of bold persons is, that they never command in chief, but be seconds, and under the direction of others. For in counsel, it is good to see dangers; and in execution not to see them, except they be very great.

ENVY.-A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For men's minds will either feed upon their own good, or upon other's evil; and who wanteth the one will prey upon the other, and who so is out of hope to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune. DEATH.-Men fear death, as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other.

Leicester.

SHAKSPERE'S BIRTH-DAY,-IN THE FUTURE.

The young spring morn breaks brightly on a scene
Of festival outstretching far and wide;
Toil is respited, mute the town's huge din,
And throngs of freemen, consciously allied
To England's Shakspere, hail with soul-felt pride
This glorious natal day! With bright blythe spring
In their hearts dancing, to the mountain side

And greenwood haunt, 'mid sunshine revelling,
They speed to gather flower-wreaths fresh and wild,
Wherewith to bind the brows of Nature's soothest child!

Thence, to the public squares and gallerics,

Thronged with Shaksperean groups in marble wrought,
Resort the festive crowds; and gazing seize

Nobler conception of the poet's thought

From the life-look the sculptor's art hath caught!

At length with night's approach, are free to all

The theatres, with bodied fancies fraught:

True love's sad end, content's sweet peace, pride's fall,
The din of camps, the pomp of courts: these vary

With tread of midnight ghost, or moonlight freaks of fairy.

Ophelia, Desdemona, Juliet,

The stored love-wealth unfold of woman's heart;
Macbeth, Lear, Hamlet. Jacques, Othello,

Their hour," personified with perfect art
By later Keans and Kembles-men athwart
The renovated stage who grandly move,
And masterly the thoughts sublime impart

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Bequeathed by genius; while around, above,
The eager crowds drink every word and look
And feel within their souls a loftier being woke.

Not yet hath come this day of jubilee,

Not yet men hold thus dear to mind the birth
Of him whose sole name beams more sovereignly
Than all kings, nobles, joined, that strut o'er earth!
But shall not this day come-the meed of worth?
Sons of our Shakspere's England, shall it not?
Oh, men whom genius fires, arouse! make dearth
Óf saint and hero days! let be forgot

All feast and folly tides! so ye but spare

To consecrate one day to true fame's worthiest heir!

WILLIAM WHITMORE.

Birmingham,

SONNET.

TO SHELLEY.

Thou wronged and childlike spirit !-oft have I,
Enraptured, pondered o'er thy living page,
Then turned indignant to the bigot age,-
That basely on thy head heaped calumny,
And spat its sland'rous venom on thy name.
Thou loving heart and earnest !-it is well
For us, and for the world, that such have been,
Who dared to raise their voice above the swell
Of tyrant shouts,-despising scorn and shame.
How in thy bosom burned Truth's holy flame,
When mock religion in the church was seen!
Then came thy song resounding full and free,
In praise of justice, right, and liberty,-
Which yet shall win its meed-a deathless fame!

JOHN ALFRED LANGFORD.

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