To the bright sun-set-there sits one
Whose eyes towards that setting sun
Are turned in vain-its lustre falls
Unheeded on those sightless balls.
But on the silver hairs that stray
From her plaited coif, the evening ray
Reposes, and with mellow light
Edges the folds of her kerchief white.
That aged matron's chair beside,
A little damsel azure eyed
And golden haired, sings merrily,
The while her restless fingers ply
The tedious woof of edging fine;
And as across the length'ning line,
With lightning speed the bobbins fly,
The little maid sings merrily.

A moment since, the holy word

Of God, from her youthful voice was heard-
The sacred book of his written will

On the bench at hand lies open still:
Th' allotted evening-portion there
She has read aloud with duteous care,
Imparting to the ear of age,

The comforts of that holy page

That cheers the soul with inward light,
Tho' the dim eyes are sealed in night.
It was a scene might well engage
The soul's best feelings-youth and age-
The youthful voice, entoning clear
Those blessed truths, to Christians dear,
The shrivelled hands, and rayless eyes
To Him who dwelleth in the skies,
Uplifted in the sacrifice

Of prayer and praise-that simple rite,
Accepted incense in His sight,

Whose Holy Spirit, passing by

The claims of proud sufficiency,

Yet ever near to those who seek,

Dwells with the lowly and the meek." P. 6.

The voice of the stranger, asking for refreshment, strikes old Alice as familiar, and it is with a faultering tongue that she invites him to stay.

"How freshly can a sound restore

The things, and scenes that are no more!
A strain of music heard before,

How from oblivion's darkest night,
As with a flash of mental light,
Doth it recall the very place
The time, each dear familiar face,

But the magic of a voice! a word!
Uttered in accents long unheard-
As if the grave in silence drear
Dissolved, that thrilling tone we hear,
And all the past comes back again,

We
It

To the full heart, the teeming brain." P. 9. Here we shall close our extracts and our remarks. have received pleasure, and we thank the author for it. can hardly be doubted that she will venture again to sea, and we shall be glad to hail her voyage, and venture to predict her success. Dropping our metaphor, we would advise a change of metre, we cannot think the one she has chosen a good choice for long narratives-there is too much. sameness in it, and too little rhyme; too much facility, and too much temptation to diffuseness. We would press upon her also the advice which was not long since urged in our journal upon Mrs. Hemans, that a more diligent study of the great masters of our language,not merely of their matter, but the principles on which they expressed their thoughts, and constructed their sentences, is absolutely necessay, for any one who aspires to become an English classic.

ART. VIII. Journal of a Ten Month's residence in New Zealand; by Richard A. Cruise, Esq, Captain in the 84th Regt. Foot. pp. 323. 8vo. 10s. 6d. Longman & Co, THE object of the present volume is to illustrate the customs of New Zealand; and as the author rather lengthily phrases it, "to assist in leading to the adoption of proper measures for extending the blessings of civilization to a people eminently gifted with every natural endowment, and inhabiting one of the finest islands in the South Seas." Preface p. iv.

It was not, however, exactly with this view that the expe dition was planned, which is to lead to such sublime results: and anxious, as we may feel, to indulge with Capt. Cruise in speculations of philanthropy, and even to place implicit faith in the pleasant reveries which his project tends to awaken, we are afraid, that the assistance communicated by his journal is rather inadequate to the proposed end. There is little original information to be derived from it; and the casual details which possess interest, are, in comparison, with the rest of the volume, unfortunately rare. Natural History records not

the smallest obligation; Botany, weeps in piteous measure over his neglect; and Mineralogy, shrinking beneath unmerited disdain, finds neither relief nor condolence from Philosophy. Captain Cruise is evidently not a scientific man; but we do not perceive that spirit of inquiry, nor that shrewdness of reflection which may be looked for, with propriety, even from a journalist. Why print, if not to enlighten our darkness? if we remain "as we were," what is our benefit, and how has he fulfilled his engagement? We do not object to travellers in the situation of this author, committing their lucubrations to the press on the contrary, we commend it; because we think that it promotes a desire to collect and disseminate information. Nor are we so fastidious as to prohibit all but men of first rate talent from inditing a book of travels. This, though desirable, cannot be had upon every occasion, and, therefore, much valuable matter would be lost, which a faithful and assiduous narrator might convey to us with sufficient exactness. We are entitled to ask that no clogging repetition be obtruded, and that the same intelligence which once has been well and truly said, should not be recapitulated some degrees worse. "In which predicament, we say you stand," Capt, Cruise. There is scarce one fact, if one, relating to the "general customs of the country," which does not appear in the narrative of Captain Cook's "Voyage to the Pacific Ocean." Why are they repeated? to substantiate his account? No; and they do not substantiate it. For unless it were certain that the work alluded to had never been inspected or heard of there can be no positive evidence (we disclaim the thought of incivility,) that the earlier writer did not furnish the whole statement. It is no question, be it remembered, whether Captain Cruise writes from his own knowledge, or not; there can be no doubt upon that point, but, the coincidences hinted at, are not marks of authenticity; which would have been the only good excuse for their re-production. The better way, and we believe, the shorter, would have been to compare Captaiu Cook's account with his own observations; where they agreed, to pass them ; where they varied, to notice the variance, and offer as good a reason as might be met with for the discrepancy. Supposing them unanimous. a single sentence confirmatory of Captain Cook, would have been enough—would have reduced the bulk of the volume, and spared the necessity of these remarks.

The object of the expedition, commenced in the latter part of 1819, was in the first instance to transport a number of convicts to New South Wales: after which they were to

proceed to New Zealand with the view of taking in a cargo of large spars, used as top-masts in the British navy. The tree considered by competent persons as best adapted for this purpose, is called the Cowry or Cowdy tree; which sometimes measures, Capt. Cruise, says, "one hundred feet from the ground without a single branch, and is afterwards headed almost as umbrageously as the lime."

For the better success of this enterprize, the Dromedary store-ship was fitted up; and detachments from the 69th and 84th. regiments of foot, amounting to about sixty men under the command of Captain Cruise, were appointed as a guard. From New South Wales they prosecuted their voyage, in company with a colonial schooner, directed by the Governor of that country to supply such assistance as the occasion might require. Here the journal commences; and as we presume that our readers will not much care to know about the fair days and the foul days, of which there is very punctual intimation, we shall leave the author to the solitary and unmolested enjoyment of them.

The Dromedary brought from New South Wales, the Rev. S. Marsden, who is principal chaplain to the colony. This gentleman, with laudable industry, has formed an establishment for the education of natives of New Zealand, &c. nine of whom, principally sons of chiefs, took the present opportunity of returning to their own country. Amongst the rest was Tetors,

"A man, one would imagine, in his forty-fifth year; he was six foot two inches high, and perfectly handsome, both as to features and figure; though very much tatooed, the benignity, and even beauty of his countenance were not destroyed by this frightful operation." P. 6

There is an engraving of this personage prefixed to this book; and we beg leave respectfully to recommend his appearance and character to the future manufacturers of New Zealand romances (whether they be in three, four, or five volumes) as excellently fitted for a hero of the very highestclass. He is the possessor of an aqueline nose, a circumstance of some importance both to ladies and gentlemen of the sentimental quill, and a circumstance too, of which Captain Cook declares that he never saw an instance. "Voyage to the Pacific Ocean," Vol. i. p. 154, 4to. are not told how the race has been improved, nor whether other specimens of the caste exist.

See

We

The inhabitants of New Zealand, are described as somewhat darker in complexion than Spaniards; strong, active,

and well-limbed; but overwhelmed in filth. On some occasions they exhibit considerable feeling; and "it is customary with this extraordinary people" observes Captain Cruise, "to go through the same ceremony upon meeting as upon taking leave of their friends."

"They join their noses together, and remain in this position for at least half an hour; during which time they sob and howl in the most doleful manner. If there be many friends gathered around the person who has returned, the nearest relation takes possession of his nose, while the others hang upon his arms, shoulders and legs and keep perfect time with the chief mourner (if he may be so called) in the various expressions of lamentation. This ended, they resume their wonted cheerfulness and enter into a detail of all that has happened during their separation." P. 19,

The New Zealanders are ingenious artificers, though deficient in implements; and some of them carve with great taste and skill. They are fond of war, though there is little real bravery in their character. They lay in ambush, and surprise and murder their enemies, whom they afterwards devour. In these expeditions, of course, great atrocities are committed. Tooi, the younger brother of a Zealand chief, who had resided for a length of time in England and even returned under the care and conduct of a missionary, could not forget or forego the savage customs in which he had been nurtured.

"He dwelt with marked pleasure npon an instance of his generalship, when having forced a small party of his enemies into a narrow place, whence there was no egress, he was enabled successively to shoot two and twenty of them, without their having the power of making the slightest resistance. To qualify this story, he remarked, that though all the dead bodies were devoured by his tribe, 'neither he nor his brother, ate human flesh, nor did they fight on Sundays.' When asked why he did not try to turn the minds of his people to agriculture, he said it was impossible; "that if you told a New Zea lander to work, he fell asleep; but if you spoke of fighting, he opened his eyes as wide as a tea cup; that the whole bent of his mind was war, and that he looked upon fighting as fun"." P. 38,

We fancy this is not all native wit; or, if it be, marvellous spirit has been transfused into the English version.

On the return of a victorious party of Zealanders with a multitude of captives which they had made, a circumstance occurred, that merits insertion in this place, not only as an instance of the almost unimaginable barbarism of savage manners; but as evinciug that the sources of human feeling are alive in the rudest, as in the most cultivated walks of life; as evidencing the force of nature, where her power is weakest