poets which his merits entitle him to; his songs in "The Beggars' Opera," (especially "When the heart of a man, &c.") being some of the finest lyric productions in our language.

SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

As a poet, Sir Walter Raleigh appears not to be appreciated as he deserves to be. His Poems, which consist, mostly, of short pieces, have not yet been admitted into any of our classical collections; a beautiful and correct, but limited edition, has, however, been published by Sir Egerton Brydges, together with a Memoir of his life. Had Raleigh cultivated his talent for Poetry, there can be no doubt that he would have attained a high rank among the bards of that poetical age; but his genius was too universal to admit of being confined to any one particular pursuit. As his productions are difficult of access, the following specimens of his style will, probably, prove acceptable to the reader. The first is said, (like several other pieces, and, in particular, "The Soul's Farewell," the authenticity of which admirable little Poem is, however, by no means

universally admitted) to have been composed on the eve of his judicial murder.

"Even such is time, that takes no trust;

Our youth, our joys, our all we have,
And pays us but with age and dust;

Who, in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days!

But from this earth, this grave, this dust,
My God shall raise me up, I trust!"

"The Shepherd's description of Love," originally published in " England's Helicon," is of a very different character.

MELIBEUS.

'Shepherd, what's love, I pray thee tell?

FAUSTUS.

It is that fountain, and that well,

Where pleasure and repentance dwell :
It is, perhaps, that sauncing bell,

That tolls all into heaven or hell :

And this is Love, as I heard tell.

MELIBEUS.

Yet what is Love, I prithee say?

FAUSTUS.

It is a work on holy-day,

It is December match'd with May,

t

When lusty bloods in fresh array
Hear ten months after of the play :
And this is Love, as I hear say.

MELIBEUS.

Yet, what is Love, good Shepherd, sain ?

FAUSTUS.

It is a sunshine mix'd with rain;
It is a tooth-ach; or like pain:

It is a game, where none doth gain.

The lass saith no, and would full fain :
And this is Love, as I hear sain.

MELIBEUS.

Yet, Shepherd, what is Love, I pray?

FAUSTUS.

It is a yea, it is a nay,

A pretty kind of sporting fray,

It is a thing will soon away;

Then, Nymphs, take 'vantage while ye may :
And this is Love, as I hear say.

MELIBEUS.

Yet what is Love, good Shepherd, show?

FAUSTUS.

A thing that creeps, it cannot go ;

A prize that passeth to and fro,

A thing for one, a thing for mo,
And he that proves shall find it so,
And, Shepherd, this is Love I trow."

To these, we cannot resist the temptation of adding the following beautiful little Poem, although we are aware that Raleigh's claims as its author are not ascertained with certainty.

"Shall I, like a hermit, dwell
On a rock, or in a cell,
Calling home the smallest part
That is missing of my heart,
To bestow it where I may
Meet a rival every day?
If she undervalue me,

What care I how fair she be ?

Were her tresses angel gold,
If a stranger may be bold,
Unrebuked, unafraid,

To convert them to a braid,
And with little more ado

Work them into bracelets, too;
If the mine be grown so free,
What care I how rich it be?

Were her hand as rich a prize
As her hairs, or precious eyes,
If she lay them out to take
Kisses, for good manners' sake:
And let every lover skip

From her hand unto her lip;

If she seem not chaste to me,
What care I how chaste she be?

No; she must be perfect snow,
In effect as well as show;
Warming but as snow-balls do,
Not, like fire, by burning too;
But when she by change hath got
To her heart a second lot,

Then, if others share with me,

Farewell her, whate'er she be !"

EXECUTION OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

THE pitiful weakness evinced by King James the First, in sacrificing to the jealousy of a foreign Court the life of so distinguished and deserving a man as Raleigh, has ever been regarded with feelings of horror and indignation. The manner, too, in which this was effected is such as to brand with infamy all who had any share in the barbarous transaction.

The original conviction, on which, after a lapse of fifteen years, and a virtual, if not legal, pardon subsequently granted, it was thought proper to order his execution, was, in itself, so palpably unjust, and so inconsistent with all law, as to cast a stain, which can never be effaced, on the character of Coke, the Attorney-General,