Mercantile Library Association. The last is a collection of brilliant thoughts, with many local allusions, in compact but flowing and harmonious versification, and is the longest poem Dr. HOLMES has published since the appearance of his " Metrical Essay" in 1835. Dr. HOLMES is a poet of wit and humour and genial sentiment; with a style remarkable for its purity, terseness, and point, and for an exquisite ON LENDING A PUNCH-BOWL. THIS ancient silver bowl of mine-it tells of good old times Of joyous days, and jolly nights, and merry Christas chimes; They were a free and jovial race, but honest, brave, and true, That dipp'd their ladle in the punch when this old bowl was new. A Spanish galleon brought the bar-so runs the ancient tale; 'Twas hammer'd by an Antwerp smith, whose arm was like a flail; And now and then between the strokes, for fear his strength should fail, He wiped his brow, and quaff'd a cup of good old Flemish ale. 'Twas purchased by an English squire to please his loving dame, Who saw the cherubs, and conceived a longing for the same; And oft. as on the ancient stock another twig was found, "T was fil'd with caudle spiced and hot, and handed smoking round. But, changing hands, it reach'd at length a Puritan divine, Who used to follow Timothy, and take a little wine, But hated punch and prelacy; and so it was, perhaps, He went to Leyden, where he found conventicles and schnaps. And then, of course, you know what's next: it left the Dutchman's shore With those that in the May-Flower came-a hundred souls and more Along with all the furniture, to fill their new abodes To judge by what is still on hand, at least a hun dred loads. "was on a dreary winter's eve, the night was closing dim, When old MILES STANDISH took the bowl, and fill'd it to the brim; 'he little captain stood and stirr'd the posset with his sword, And all his sturdy men-at-arms were ranged about the board. He pour'd the fiery Hollands in-the man that never fear'd— He took a long and solemn draught, and wiped his yellow beard: And cae by one the musketeers-the men that fought and pray'd All drank as 't were their mother's milk, and not a man afraid. That night, affrighted from his test, the screaming eagle flew: He heard the Pequot'e inging whoop, the soldier's wild halloo; And there the sachem learn'd the rule he taught to kith and kin: "Run from the white man when you find he smells of Hollands gin!" A hundred years, and fifty more, had spread their leaves and snows, A thousand rubs had flatten'd down each little cherub's nose; When once again the bowl was fill'd, but not in mirth or joy 'Twas mingled by a mother's hand to cheer her parting boy. "Drink, JOHN," she said, "'t will do you good; poor Blithe look'd the morning on cottage and spire; Hush'd was his parting sigh, While from his noble eye Flash'd the last sparkle of Liberty's fire. On the smooth green where the fresh leaf is spring- "Tell to our sons how their fathers have died;" Lies by the weapon that gleams at its side. Over the hillsides the wi'd knell is tolling, From their far hamlets the yeomanry come; Long have they gather'd, and loud shall they fall: Blazing and clanging from thicket and wall. Pale is the lip of scorn, Low on the turf sha'l rest, Ere the dark hunters the herd have pass'd by. Far as the sunshine streams over the plain, Woke all the mighty land, Girded for battle, from mountain to main. Borne on her northern pine, Heaven keep her ever free Wide as er land and sea A SONG OF OTHER DAYS. As o'er the glacier's frozen sheet So, through life's desert springing sweet, Some rain or dew descends, "T is Nature's law that wine should flow To wet the lips of friends. Then once again, before we part, My empty glass shall ring; They say we were not born to eat, For baser tribes the rivers flow That know not wine or song; If one bright drop is like the gem Of rubies melted down! Then once again, &c. The Grecian's mound, the Roman's urn, Yet still the purple grapes return It was a bright Immortal's head From dead ANACREON'S strings; A welcome, then, to joy and mi-th, To scatter o'er the dust of earth Their sweetly mingled flowers; THE CAMBRIDGE CHURCHYARD OUR ancient church! its lowly tower, Is shadow'd when the sunset hour Long ere the glittering vane, Like sentinel and nun, they keep Their vigil on the green; One seems to guard, and one to weep, And both roll out, so full and near. Their music's mingling waves, They shake the grass, whose pennon'd spear Leans on the narrow graves The stranger parts the flaunting weeds, They shade the sculptured stone; The graven willow's pendent bough, But what to them the dirge, the knell? These were the mourner's share; Throbb'd through the beating air; Rung on the coffin's lid. The slumberer's mound grows fresh and green, Then slowly disappears; The mosses creep, the gray stones lean, But, long before the once-loved name No lip the silent dust may claim, That press'd the breathing clay. Their smiling babes, their cherish'd brides, Hast thou a tear for buried love? All that a century left above, Go, read it in an nour! The Indian's shaft, the Briton's ball. The hot shell, shattering in its fall, The bayonet's rending wedge,— Here scatter'd death; yet seek the spot, No trace thine eye can see, No altar, and they need it not Who leave their children free! Look where the turbid rain-drops stand The knightly crest, the shield, the brand Of honour'd names were there; Alas! for every tear is dried Those blazon'd tablets knew, Save when the icy marble's side Drips with the evening dew. Or gaze upon yon pillar'd stone,* Whose ashes press that nameless bed? Lean o'er the slender western wall, The breath that bids the blossom fall An exile'st date and doom; Who stood thy grave beside, I wander'd to thy buried mound, Choked to its gates with snow, As if a sultan's white-robed slaves Had scatter'd pearls and gold. Nay, the soft pinions of the air, That lifts this trembling tone, Its breath of love may almost bear, To kiss thy funeral-stone; And, now thy smiles have pass'd away, For all the joy they gave, May sweetest dews and warmest ray When damps beneath, and storms above, The tomb of the VASSALL family is marked by a free stone tablet, supported by five pillars, and bearing nothing but the sculptured reliefs of the goblet and the sun,- Vas Sol, which designated a powerful family, now almost forgotten. The exile referred to in this stanza was a native of Honfleur, in Normandy. AN EVENING THOUGHT. WRITTEN AT SEA. If sometimes in the dark-blue eye, Or soothed by gentlest melody, Still warms this heart of mine, Yet something colder in the blood, And calmer in the brain, Have whisper'd that my youth's bright flood Ebbs, not to flow again. If by Helvetia's azure lake, Or Arno's yellow stream, Each star of memory could awake, As in my first young dream, I know that when mine eye shall greet That gird my home, it will not meet O, when love's first, sweet, stolen kiss Was that flush'd cheek as now? Alas! the morning dew is gone, Life's iron fetter still is on, Its wreaths all torn away; Happy if still some casual hour Can warm the fading shrine, Too soon to chill beyond the power Of love, or song, or wine! LA GRISETTE. AH, CLEMENCE! when I saw thee last And turning, when thy form had pass'd I dream'd not in that idle glance And only left to memory's trance A shadow and a name. The few strange words my lips had taught Their gentler sighs, which often brought All, all return'd, more sweet, more fair; I walk'd where saint and virgin keep I knew that thou hadst woes to weep, I watch'd where GENEVIEVE was laid, I knelt by MARY's shrine, Beside me low, soft voices pray'd; And when the morning sun was bright, The rose of Notre Dame, I wander'd through the haunts of men, In vain, in vain; we meet no more, And wither'd, on thy simple cross. THE TREADMILL SONG. THE stars are rolling in the sky, The earth rolls on below, Then tread away, my gallant boys, Why should not wheels go round about Wake up, wake up, my duck-legg'd man, Arouse, arouse, my gawky friend, And shake your spider-legs; What though you're awkward at the traie! There's time enough to learn, So lean upon the rail, my lad, And take another turn. They've built us up a noble wall, Here, tread upon the long man's toes, And punch the little fellow's ribs, But poke him in the farther eye, Hark! fellows, there's the supper-bell, If ever they should turn me out, * Circular-stained windays are called roses DEPARTED DAYS. YES, dear, departed, cherish'd days, Could Memory's hand restore This straining eye might close, We strive against the stream, Each moment farther from the shore, Where life's young fountains gleam Each moment fainter wave the fields, And wilder rolls the sea; The mist grows dark-the sun goes downDay breaks-and where are we? THE DILEMMA. Now, by the bless'd Paphian queen, I had a vision in my dreams; I ask'd a matron, which she deem'd THE Sun stepp'd down from his golden throne And the Lily had folded her satin leaves Why crisp the waters blue? That would lie by the Rose's side; How fast will thy summer glide, Or flourish a blooming bride? "O, the Rose is old, and thorny, and cold, And he lives on earth," said she; "But the Star is fair and he lives in the air, And he shall my bridegroom be." But what if the stormy cloud should come, And ruffle the silver sea? Would he turn his eye from the distant sky, To smile on a thing like thee? O, no! fair Lily, he will not send One ray from his far-off throne; The winds shall blow and the waves shall flow And thou wilt be left alone. There is not a leaf on the mountain-top, or & golden sand on the sparkling shore, She look'd in vain through the leating ra |