304 THE IGNIS FATUUS. 



of whom, since its establishment has invested a million of money in land, 

 paying also 1,200/. per annum for the ground-rent of his house alone 

 deep in the system of boroughmongering, and the most purse-proud of 

 all the enemies of the liberties of England. 



But the fate of the Bank is sealed ; mystery, bribery, and falsehood 

 have not prevailed, and in General Jackson his country has a host for 

 the vanquishment of the powers of darkness. From our inmost souls 

 we offer him our admiration of his energy and recondite wisdom, be- 

 lieving that the whole world should thank the ruler of a mighty nation, 

 whose determination has effected so valuable a lesson to the people of 

 other countries, no longer to endure the mysterious financial chains by 

 which the few have so long contrived to defraud and enslave the many. 



THE IGNIS FATUUS. 



" Thoti speak'st right, 

 I am (he merry wanderer of the night." 



Midsummer Night's Dream. 



WHENCE didst thou come, most gamesome fairy? say 



If thou wast cradled on some fleecy cloud, 



Fed by soft rains, rocked by the breezes loud, 

 Ripened to beauty by the sunbeams gay ? 

 Come forth and show thyself to mortal eye, 

 Nor ever thus delude th' unwary passer by. 



Or didst thou sleep upon some lonely lake, 



On smoothest water-lily leaf reclining, 



Till the round moon upon thy slumber shining, 

 Dissolved its dreamy spell, and bade thee wake ? 

 And lent she then a sparkle of her light, 

 To thy deceitful lamp thou syren of the night ? 



Or was thy home beside some rushy spring, 



Girt in by many a moss-embroidered stone, 



Some small and quiet fountain, hardly known, 

 Save to the summer flies, that came to wing 

 Their droning flight around its tangled edge 

 Of waving willow stems, and green and speary sedge. 



Oh ! were I but a wandering sprite like thee, 



I would not in such lonesome places tread ; 



But when the east with morning clouds was red, 

 Wing forth to pastime with the early bee ; 

 And stay my flight o'er shaded flowery dells, 

 To gather drops of dew from leaves and lily-bells. 



Or, if my lamp were seen to mortals' ken, 



It should not shine to lead their feet astray ; 



For I would light the weary on his way 

 Through treacherous swamp or bough-entangled glen ; 

 And only vanish where, in shelter lone, 

 A bright and cheerful blaze through cottage window shone. 

 And in such fantasies, all gay and wild, 



My life, a happy summer-day, should fly, 



Though I might weep for mortal woe, and sigh 

 To see how man in fruitless labour toiled : 

 And when old Care drew near, in mantle gray, 

 My silken wings should spread, to bear me far away. ^-H. F. C. 



