71 

 LONELY THOUGHTS. 



While the mists are on the fallow 



Ere the lark hath left her nest, 

 Or the bittern from the shallow 



Booming stirs the cotter's rest ; — 

 Let me pray ! — the wreaths ascending 



Like a cloud to Mercy's shrine, 

 And the vocal choirs are blending 



Nature's morning prayer with mine. 



When the sun is on the mountain, 



When the kine are in the glade, 

 And the house-dog by the fountain. 



And the ploughman 'neath the shade ;— 

 Rest me then — for silent Nature — 



Silent even the babbling rill — 

 Speaks to me — to every creature, 



'*^ Commune with thy heart ! Be still." 



When the old grey tower is shaded. 



And its coming bells are tolled ; 

 When the banner flag hath faded 



With the breeze upon the hold ; 

 Think, my soul, how life's imposing 



Visions, like the prospect, fly ; 

 Life itself, like day, is closing, 



'Tis the right of man, to die. 



E6s. 



EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN 

 COLQUHOUN GRANT. 



When the first intelligence that the army of Portugal was con- 

 centrating on the Tormes reached Wellington, he sent Captain 

 Colquhoun Grant, a celebrated scouting oflicer to watch Marmont's 

 proceedings. That gentleman, in whom the utmost daring was 

 so mixed with subtlety of genius, and both so tempered by dis- 

 cretion, that it is hard to say which quality predominated, very 



