52 Original 



wardp $ent for some 6lva\'mg3; and 

 having, by varkrOs pretences, got all 

 the servants out of the house, shut 

 himself up ; and, setting fire to the 

 shavings, was burnt with his house. 

 After his deatli, the eslate was pur- 

 chased by the late Sir Dudley Rider, 

 father of Lord Harrowby. 



TUNNELS. 



Should a history of tunnel-making 

 be found necessary, it will appear that 

 the earliest for the purpose of internal 

 navigation was executed by M. Ri- 

 guet, in the reign of Louis the Four- 

 teenth. The object was to forward a 

 public work, beneficial in its ten- 

 dency, — the canal of Languedoc,— by 

 conveying it through a mountain near 

 Beziercs. This required no inconsi- 

 derable art and labour: it is cut into 

 a lofty arcade, and lined with free- 

 stone the greatest part of the way ; to- 

 wards the ends it is only hewn through 

 the rock, the substance of which is of 

 a soft sulphureous nature. 



The first excavated in this country 

 was by the ingenious Mr. Brindley, 

 on the Duke of Bridgwater's naviga- 

 tion near Manchester. The next was 

 Ihe justly celebrated tunnel of Hare- 

 castle-hilljin Stafl'ordshire, excavated 

 «lso by Mr. Brindley. The plan and 

 execution were masterly, and admira- 

 Lly suited to the purpose. It passes 

 more than seventy yards below the 

 surface of the earth, and is carried 

 through a variety of strata, quicksands, 

 &c. its length is 2,880 yards. The 



Potlhj. [Feb. I , 



object was to pass a canal through it, 

 from the Trent to the Mersey ; this 

 has since been called the Grand 

 'JVnnk. 



Another work of prodigious diffi- 

 culty, and a great exemplification of 

 ingenuity, was the tunnel of Sapperton. 

 Much ability appears in the execution 

 of this design ; tlie tunnel here was 

 carried through two miles of solid 

 rock ; its extreme length is two miles 

 and three-quarters. By conveying au 

 inland navigation through it, the ri- 

 vers Thames and Severn were united. 



In the Great Drift or tunnel, about 

 four miles above Newcastle, the art of 

 excavation may be considered as hav- 

 ing ascended to the highest state of 

 improvement. This was finished in 

 1797, and is three miles and a quarter 

 in length ; a great part of it perforated 

 through a hard rock of whinstone, 

 nearly equal in density 1o the hardest 

 flint. It reaches from the banks of the 

 river Tync to near Kenton. 



The canal, too, of Languedoc may 

 certainly be considered as a colossal 

 specimen of art. It may be railed the 

 canal of the two seas, from its joining 

 the Mediterranean and the Ocean, at 

 the distance of 250 miles. Francis 1. 

 projected it; but it was begun (in 

 1665,) and finished under Louis XIV. 

 France is not to be robbed of the ho- 

 nour of this, nor Louis to lose his 

 claim to the character of a patron of 

 the arts. 



ORIGINAL POETRY. 



THE NEW YEAR. 



By J. R. PRIOR. 



I SAW a fine Rirl on her mother's knee,— 

 They were Uughin^'ly binshinj and joyoHS ; 

 J-ove snn? with their lips, "So (lelij<hted are we ! 



Is there AU(thl in this world can destroy us?" 

 It was worship to see and to hear them iu bliss. 



It was hnpe to inherit their story; 

 But Death kill'd the innocent g\r\ with a kiss, 

 And recall'd her to silence and glory. 



What's the Year but a child on the lap of Time, 



That is dear in its youth and creation! 

 Round pur hearts ana our passions its innntUs will 

 climb. 



And detain ns at home in Love's nation : 

 But the Seasons, its parents, advance it to prime. 



And 'tis pleasant to solace the story,— 

 That ycais, like our chiMreii in nature sublime, 



In their death aie exalted to glory. 



The woodbuds ar« blown in the rain and wind. 



And the sun and the moon are their lovers ; 

 They are warmed into leaves, and Ihelr fruits are 

 assijn'd, 



While mortality lingers and hovers : 

 The blush and the savour, the beautiful form, 



Are promoted and fjather'd in crlory ; 

 Thd li^htninft awake:- in the voice of ths storm, 



And Ihey live but iumcmoiy'j jloiy. 



> a year 



The Ivrics of birds and the swcclncss ofsonnd. 



Like music in passionate droaniinf;. 

 Sink deeper the heart as they circle Its bound 



In the praise of security beaniini^ : 

 How short! — for the mouths nuniber'd into i 



Pass onward their glory foruetting; 

 Creation fresh objects iiives Nature to be.ir. 



To eclipse with their rising its setting. 



Cold freezes the air, and the nights are lone ; 



It is pain for the poor and forsaken! 

 How liappy the heart that can give with a tone 



And a s|)irit of fieedom unshaken! 

 Joy never is briithter than shining on grief. 



Never dearer than soothing her story. 

 Never sweeter than yielding the bairn of relief. 



Nor purer than witnessing glory. 

 1 wonld'VHlne each moment, — caress every morn, — 



I would link them in pulses of feeling, 

 Tho' I witness ten thousand to£rebus borne. 



And Eternity rapidly stealing : 

 Still, still, should my faith , like a star that is blight, 



Relv on the truth of this story : — 

 "That Years are the heralds which lead me aright 



To possession, and infinite glory." 

 IsUngion. 



NAPOLEON'S TOMB. 



HASTILY COMPOSED ON THE SPOT. 



Beholu tliat lonely sea-girt rock, 

 I'p-forc'd hy some touviii&ivc shock 



From 



