USEFUL AUTHORS.

ONE kind alone remained, seen through the gloom
And sullen shadow of the past: as lights
At intervals they shone, and brought the eye,
That backward travelled, upward, till arrived
At him, who, on the hills of Midian, sang
The patient man of Uz; and from the lyre
Of angels, learned the early dawn of Time.
Not light and momentary labor these,
But discipline and self-denial long,

And purpose stanch, and perseverance asked,
And energy that inspiration seemed.

Composed of many thoughts, possessing each
Innate and underived vitality,

Which, having fitly shaped, and well arranged
In brotherly accord, they builded up—

A stately superstructure, that, nor wind,

Nor wave, nor shock of falling years, could move;
Majestic and indissolubly firm,

As ranks of veteran warriors in the field,
Each by himself alone and singly seen,

A tower of strength; in massy phalanx knit,
And in embattled squadron rushing on,

A sea of valor, dread, invincible.

Pollok.

THE PILGRIM FATHERS.

BOLD men were they, and true, that pilgrim band, Who ploughed with venturous prow the stormy

sea,

Seeking a home for hunted Liberty

Amid the ancient forests of a land

Wild, gloomy, vast, magnificently grand!
Friends, country, hallowed homes they left, to be
Pilgrims, for Christ's sake, to a foreign strand,—
Beset by peril, worn with toil, yet free!
Tireless in zeal, devotion, labor, hope;

Constant in faith; in justice how severe ! Though fools deride, and bigot sceptics sneer, Praise to their names! If called like them to cope, In evil times, with dark and evil powers,

O, be their faith, their zeal, their courage ours!

COLUMBUS IN CHAINS.

TWAS eve:-upon his chariot throne The sun sank lingering in the west; But sea and sky were there alone,

To hail him in this hour of rest; Yet never shone his glorious light More calmly, gloriously bright.

Nor clouds above, nor wave below,
Nor human sound, nor earthly air
Mingled with that o'erwhelming glow,
Marred the deep peace reposing there;
The sea looked of the sky's fair mould,
The sky, a sea of burning gold.

Anon, a single ship, from far,

Came softly gliding o'er the sea, Lovely and quiet as a star,

When its fair path is calm and free, Or like a bird with snow-white wing, Came on that glittering, gentle thing.

She came, with buoyant beauty crowned, And yet disturbed the scene's repose;

For she, of all the objects round,

Alone was linked to human woes ;

She only, 'mid the glorious span,
Spoke of the world, -the world of man.

And yet she bore from conquering feat
The brave, the joyous, and the free,
And many a nobler heart that beat
With hopes as boundless as the sea;
One only felt his course was run,—
He gazed upon the sinking sun.

His the keen eye and stately form,
And Reason's majesty of brow;
His the firm soul that danger's storm,
When most it baffled, could not bow,
The soul that taught him now to wear
His fetters with a kingly air.

Yet was that mighty soul subdued

By man's neglect and sorrow's sway, As rocks, that have the storm withstood, May silent waters wear away.

But the vexed spirit spurned its yoke; He looked upon his chains, and spoke :

"Adopted land! Adopted land!

And these, then, are thy gifts for me, Who dared, where unknown seas expand, Seek realms and riches vast for thee!

Who made, without thy fostering power,
An undivided world thy dower!

"O'er Spain yon glorious sun may set,
And leave her native realm a while;

May rise o'er other lands, and yet -
Even there- on her dominions smile;
Be, when his daily course is run,
To Spain a never-setting sun.

"I served thee as a son would serve;
I loved thee with a father's love;
It ruled my thought, and strung my nerve,
To raise thee other lands above,
And, from a Queen of Earth, to be
The single Empress of the Sea.

"For thee my form is bowed and worn
With midnight watches on the main ;
For thee my soul hath calmly borne

Ills worse than sorrow, more than pain;
Through life, whate'er my lot may be,
I lived, dared, suffered, but for thee.

"My guerdon? - 'Tis a furrowed brow,
Hair gray with grief, eyes dim with tears,
And blighted hope, and broken vow,
And poverty for coming years,

And Hate, with Malice in her train :

What other guerdon?- View my chain!