Anon, a sudden flash and bright
Glared on the sea between ;
And plainly in the evil light

The pirate craft was seen;-
And bounding swift amid the drift
The ball, it whistled keen.

Up flew the helm! but black despair
Had smitten all the crew!

For vain it were the ship to wear
Full in the rover's view;

And vainer still defence to dare
For men unarmed and few.

And ere the vessel's drift was changed,
Or her fore course was lowered,
The rover on her quarter ranged
And laid her close on board;
Then o'er her side, like hounds untied,
The yelling pirates poured!

Christ Jesus! now for precious life
The desperate fray begun;

As, man to man, and knife to knife,
Outnumbered far, in hopeless strife,
They perished one by one!

So swift the work of death they plied,
That ere the first blood spilt had dried,
The butcher's deed was done!

THE CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER.

The shot, the shrieks, the trampling sound,

Had roused in dire alarm

The maid, in softest slumber drowned,
Without a thought of harm ;—

Then savage faces, glaring round,

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Crowd on her bed: she shrieked and swooned, Grasped by a pirate's arm!

She strained her ear-she strained her eye

Her eye is dim with tears:

Her breath grows quick-her heart beats high, As, parting in the eastern sky,

The pearly vapour clears;

And, bearing down, distinct and nigh,

A gallant ship appears!

Her lofty spars, her canvass square,

Her long and guarded side,

And the redcross flag that waved in air,
The glory of the sea declare-

The Island kingdom's pride!

As strong and beautiful and brave,
Like a fair swan she stems the wave-

The ocean's queenly bride!

The wreck they near-they shorten sail-
The ready boat is lowered-
Oh joy! and now, with eager hail,

The captain springs on board

The lover clasps his lady pale,
To hope and life restored!

L'ENVOI.

My tale is told; and some may be
That deem it wild and strange ;—
But answer, ye that love the sea,
If aught that walks the sea is free
From wonder and from change?

J. R. CHORLEY.

THE LOST CHILD RECOVERED.

LINGERING 'mong the furze and broom, The heather and the field-flowers wild; Even like a blossom was the bloom

Of the fair forest child,

Who, wandering from his mother's foot, Had sought the berries' tempting fruit.

The skies-how fair they seemed to him! To him the fruit how rich, how sweet! How cool the waters of the stream

Wherein he laved his feet;

And O! how grateful was the shade
Of the still boughs above his head!

THE LOST CHILD RECOVERED.

But now the setting sun had cast

A lengthened shadow from his side;
And tired and harassed, at the last
He sat him down and cried;

And long and bitterly he wept,
Till worn and wearied all-he slept.

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How calm and placidly he sleeps!
The green, green turf beneath his head;
The raspberry tinting all his lips

With colour rich and red

How beautifully falling there,
The clusters of his auburn hair!

His hand upon his breast the while
Is thrown in careless child-like grace,
And radiantly his dreaming smile

Discourses on his face,

Of thoughts that ever and anon

To home and all its pleasures run.

'Tis midnight-and the boughs above Bend o'er the child yet slumbering there; The stream, a very song of love,

Breathes to the still night air;

How calm he sleeps-oh! sure the wild
Deep solitudes have blest the child!

Like the dog of famed Montargis, when
He saved the child-with signs of joy
Brave Hector gladly through the glen
Hath tracked and found the boy,
And licks his cheek in kindness, and
In kindness moves his little hand!

Roused from his sleep, the child yet knows
His shaggy favourite, and around
The dog's rough matted neck he throws
His arms, with sudden bound;
And joyfully they wandering come,
Towards their pleasant mountain home.

Oh! who shall tell how full, how free, How glad his kindred's pulses beat! How leaped each grateful heart when he Thus wandered to their feet!

With unaffected native grace,

And smiles like sunshine on his face!

W. SINCLAIR.

THE WIDOW'S SON.

He never was light-hearted

The first kind face he knew
Had frequent tears upon its cheek,
And sadness in its hue!