POETRY. 7 



pay to the Apostolic chamber, on the feasts of Saints 

 Peter and Paul, half an ounce of gold, i. e. twenty 

 shillings of lawful money of England. 



Several of the abbey walls and turrets still remain, 

 monuments of its fallen grandeur. There exists a 

 spacious arch at the principal gateway of the abbey, 

 surmounted with a tower and spires it appears to bear 

 traces of the time of Henry VI. Another relic, 

 crowned with a venerable, ivy-mantled, tower, is at 

 present a chapel, granted to nonconformists by an 

 earl of Bedford. The porch at its entrance is enriched 

 with the arms of the abbey vair, or et azure : on a 

 chief of the first, two mullets gules. 



W. E. 

 Park Wood. 



ON SEEING THE PAINTING, 



BY SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE, 



OF MRS. CALMADY'S TWO CHILDREN. 



Sweet age of innocence ! that sunny smile 



That glance of happiness so free from guile 



Are childhood's own ; what negligence and grace 



Dwell in that attitude and half embrace : 



Tis nature's self, so exquisitely true ; 



Surprised, we own the skill of him who drew. 



No vulgar task, fair cherub ones, to paint 



Sincerity ere clouded by the taint 



Of fashion, vain formality and art, 



Which seek too soon their image to impart ; 



For who can mingle with the world nor feel 



Softly and secretly its maxims steal, 



Blotting from artless infancy each trace, 



And lending gloss and polish in their place '! 



Yet how inferior : ah what charm can please 



Like sweet simplicity and native ease ? 



No posture studied, and no accent feigned ; 



Each smile, each tone, each movement unconstrained : 



