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independence of the Canadas, we conceive that neither their prosperity and happiness, nor our own, would be promoted by an union; which would require on our part an amendment to the Constitutionaccording at least to the views of the State-Rights school now happily prevalent in this country, and daily extending and strengthening their influence--an amendment not likely to gain the assent of two-thirds of the States. And while the questions of the navigation of the St. Lawrence, and the harbouring of fugitives from justice or service, could easily be satisfactorily arranged without an union, the manifest common interest of both, the spirit of the age, and the ascendency, in both, of that popular will which can never in an industrious and commercial republic be in favor of war, will afford an ample guarantee against any danger of hostile collision between the two. This is, however, all prospective and speculative; and we allude here to these ideas, only in refutation of the argument that it is even for the interest of this country-having sufficiently considered the question of its duty, on the higher grounds of national honor and good faith-to connect itself with the cause of the independence of the Canadas, by taking part in the contest to be waged for its achievement, with a view to the supposed advantages to be derived from their annexation to our Union.

THE DIVER.

FROM THE GERMAN OF SCHILLER,

By the Author of "Pocahontas."

"WHO'LL venture it among ye all, my knights and pages brave, A plunge into the darksome depths of yonder boiling wave! A golden goblet, rich with gems, I cast into the deep,

He who will dive and bring it thence, the shining bowl may keep."

Thus speaks the king, and from the cliff, that flings its rugged pride, In sullen majesty above Charybdis' howling tide,

A glittering cup of burnished gold he hurled into the sea,
"Who is there, then, I ask again, will fetch that bowl for me?"

The knights and pages hear his words, yet answer none is given;
They gaze upon the raging sea, then on the smiling heaven,
And no one cares, for golden bowl, to tempt that yawning grave,—
A third time speaks the king: "How now! will none the venture

brave!

But all were silent; when a page, of free and gentle blood,
And gallant mien, stept forth from where his tim'rous comrades

stood,

Undid his silken sash, and cast his broidered cloak away,
Ladies and lords, in wonder great, the noble youth survey.

And as he neared the rocky verge, and gazed upon the main,
Each wave she drank Charybdis gave, loud-bellowing, back again;
And still with sound like booming peal, from distant thunder given,
Forth, forth, from out the black abyss, the rushing stream is driven.

It bubbles up, it gurgles forth, it hisses and it roars,
As when on raging fire a stream of gushing water pours;

Wild sheets of foam shoot up to heaven, waves dash into the air,
As if old Ocean's pregnant womb another sea would bear!

At length the stormy Power is laid, and through the foamy rack,
Down, down, as if to hell, there yawned a gaping gulph of black;
And ever as the boiling waves that whirling vortex near;
Sucked far adown its darkling depths, their waters disappear.

Now quick, or e'er the swell roll back, the page looks to the sky, Breathes forth a hasty prayer, and then-that wild and warning cry!

The greedy surge has swept him down, far, far from mortal ken, And over him mysteriously the waters close again.

And now above the water-gulph the waves are calm once more, From Ocean's sullen depths alone upsounds the hollow roar, "Now, fare thee well, high-hearted youth.," thus lords and ladies

cried,

While still, with deep and deeper moan, howled dark Charybdis' tide.

"Cast in thy kingly crown, and say, 'whoever brings it me
Shall wear it too, and in my stead shall Lord and Sovereign be.'
The costly prize seek him who lists; for who may live to say
What hidden things that prison-deep shrouds from the light of day?
There many a gallant argosie has sunk, to rise no more,
A shattered keel, a shivered mast, are all the waves restore."
And still with ceaseless tempest-roar, like voice of winter blast,
Loud and more loud that ocean-strife its deafening din upcast.

It bubbles up, it gurgles forth, it hisses and it roars,
As when on raging fire a stream of gushing water pours;

Wild sheets of foam shoot through the air, waves thunder toward

heaven,

As forth from out the black abyss the billowy tide is driven.

And see, upon the flood's dark breast a streak of silver gleam! A snow-white neck! a nervous arm divides the rushing stream: 'Tis he! and lo! with gesture glad, aloft in his left hand

He bears the dear-won bowl, and gains at last the long'd for land.

Long, long and deep, the swimmer breathed; then hailed the glorious light.

Exultingly they welcomed him, both lord and lady bright.

"He lives! from out the whirlpool's depths, from out a wat'ry grave, Right gallantly has he prevailed his soul alive to save."

He comes the joyous crowd gives way. He sinks unto his knee, And to the king presents the cup. The king-well pleased is he— Signs to his daughter fair, and she steps forth with gentle smile, And fills the cup with sparkling wine; and blushes still, the while.

"Oh king! let him rejoice who breathes in rosy light above," (Thus speaks the youth:) "In yonder gulf what living horrors

move!

Let no man tempt the gracious Gods, and dare the impious sight; mercy they have covered it beneath eterual night!

In

"Down was I dragged with lightning speed; and from some deep

sea cave,

Drove forth against me, as I sank, the whirl-stream's raging wave;
It seized me with resistless force, it dashed me round and round;
In giddy circles sweeping on, far through that vast profound.

"I cried to God, at utmost need, to rescue me from death,
And lo! a sharp rock's salient point, projecting from beneath;
I grasped it; there the goblet hung, on pointed coral cast,
Else had it fallen into the depths of that unfathomed waste.

"For still the purple darkness lay, beneath me, mountain deep; And there, although to human ear all sounds for ever sleep,

The

eye revolts at monstrous forms, and shudders to behold Newts, dragons, snakes, and loathsome things, to shapeless masses rolled.

"It teems, that hideous ocean-hell, with black and frightful swarms, There giant polypi stretch forth their thousand slimy arms

There looms th' unwieldy cuttle-fish, there haunts the stinging ray, And grinds his teeth th' insatiate shark, hyena of the sea.

"And there I hung; and on my heart with conscious horror smote The dreadful thought, that there, alone, from human aid remote, In the vast ocean-solitude I clung, in helpless dole,

Amid that noisome cavern-spawn, the only conscious soul.

"And while I shuddered at the thought, crept some huge creature on, It moved a hundred joints at once-it snapped at me-'twas done! Blinded with fear I loosed my hold, and then the whirlpool's might Seized me, but haply swept me up, to safety and to light."

Marvelled the king; and soothly said: "The goblet is thine own; This costly ring, too, shall be thine, enriched with precious stone If once more thou wilt venture down, and bring me word again, Within Charybdis' deepest cave what wonders may be seen."

With softened heart the daughter heard, and spoke, in fluttering

tone:

"Father, forbear this cruel sport! Bethink thee, he has done What no one dared: and if thy heart's wild wish thou can'st not

tame,

Let some among your knights step forth, and put the page to shame."

The king has snatched the goblet, and has dashed it in the sea,— "Fetch me that bowl once more," he cried, "and thou shalt be

to me

The first among my belted knights-ay, more! as wedded wife, This very night, shalt her embrace, who pleads to save thy life!

It kindles in his inmost soul, it lightens from his eye;

He sees her blush, that lovely one; he hears her wistful sigh; He marks her cheek fade deadly pale; she sinks! The youth is gone!

In death or life, that costly prize must soon be lost or won.

They hear the thund' ring ocean-surge, they note its backward

sweep;

And fair young eyes, bedimmed with tears, look out o'er that lorn

deep:

They come, they come, the lone sea-waves, they swell and they subside,

But no sea-wave brings back the youth, to claim his ling'ring bride!

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