216 
-rumout of traces of human footsteps, and 
_a lonely dwelling, discovered. by some 
traders in the woods on the northern 
_side of Empalado’s' shore,) had set out 
with a little band of converts, in the 
hope of making new proselytes. On 
the fourth day of their journey a human 
foot-mark is descried, the print of 
which they cautiously trace. 
“ Them, thus pursuing where the ‘track 
may lead, 
A human voice arrests upon their way. 
-They stop; and thither whence the sounds 
proceed, 
_All eyes are turn’din wonder,...not dismay, 
For sure such sounds might charm all fear 
away. 
‘No nightingale whose brooding mate is nigh 
From ‘some sequester’d bower at close of 
=" dys 
‘No lark rejoicing in the orient sky, 
Eyer pour’d forth so wild a'strain of melody. 
“The voice which through the ringing 
"forest floats 
‘Is one which having ne’er been taught the 
* ‘skill 
‘Of marshalling sweet words to sweeter 
notes, 
‘Utters all unpremeditate, at will, 
A modulated sequence loud and shrill 
Of inarticulate and long-breath’d sound, 
Varying its tone with rise and fall and trill, 
Till all the solitary woods around 
With that far-piercing- power of melody 
‘ resound.”” 
The Jesuit makes a signal of silence ta 
his attendants, and proceeds cautiously 
alone. — 
«¢ Anon, advancing thus the trees between, 
He = beside her bower the songstress 
wild, 
Not ‘distant far, himself the while unseen. 
Mooma it was, that happy maiden mild, 
Who in the sunshine, like a careless child 
OF nature, in her joy was caroling. 
A heavier heart than his it had beguiled 
So to have heard so fair a creature sing 
The strains which she had learnt from. all 
sweet birds of spring. 
“‘ For these had been her teachers, these 
‘alone; 
And she in many an emulous essay, 
At length into a descant of her own 
Had blended al! their notes, a wild display 
Of sounds in rich irregular array; » 
And now as blithe as bird in vernal bower, ° 
Pour’d in full flow the unexpressive Jay, 
Rejoicing in her consciousness of power, 
But in the inborn sense of harmony yet 
; more.’ e ¢ : 
“When now the Father issued from the’ 
‘- “wood 
Into that little glade in open sight, - : 
Like’ one entranced, beholding ‘him, she 
stood ; af ‘ 
Yet had she more of wonder than affright, 
News fron. Parnassus. 
[Oet.1, 
Yet less of wonder than of dread delight, 
When thus the actual vision came in view 5. 
:For instantly the maiden read aright ~*~ - 
-Wherefore he came; his garb and beard 
she knew ; f 
All that her mother heard had then indeed — 
been true. | : 
*¢ Nor was ‘the Father filled with less 
surprise ; 
He, too, strange fancies well might en- 
tertain, 
‘When this so fair a creature met his eyes, 
He might have thought her not of mortal 
Strain ; 
Rather, as bards of yore were wont to 
feign, J 
-A nymph divine of Mondai’s secret stream ; 
Or haply of Diana’s woodland train : 
For in her beauty Mooma such might seem, 
Being less a child of earth than like a poet’s 
dream. 
“‘ No art of barbarous ornament had scarr’d 
poe her virgin limbs, or ’filed her 
face ; 
Nor ever yet had evil passion marr’d 
In her sweet countenance the natural grace 
Of innocence and youth; nor was there 
trace ‘ 
Of sorrow, or of hardening want and care. 
Strange was it in this wild and savage place, 
Which seem’d to be for beasts a fitting lair, 
Thus to behold a maid so gentle and so fair. 
“ Across her shoulders was a hammock 
flung ; ; 
By night it was the maiden’s bed, by day 
Her only garment. Round her as it hung, 
In short unequal folds of loose array, 
The open meshes, when she moves, display 
Herform. She stood with fix’d and wonder- 
ing eyes, : 
And trembling like a leaf upon the spray, 
Even for excess of joy, with eager cries 
She call’d her mother forth to share thab 
glad surprise.” , 
Ee - 
For the Monthly Magazine, ; 
On the Economy of Tastz. 
The Domestic Fireside. ; 
. has always appeared to me, that, 
the advantages of a correct taste 
have seldom been sufficiently appreciat- 
ed. They have generally been regarded 
as referable only to objects of luxury 
and shewy accomplishment — to arts, 
that minister merely to the gratification, 
of the indolent and the opulent—to 
poetry and music, painting and ‘sta- 
tuary, and the ornamental parts of 
architecture, furniture, &c, The prin- 
ciples of taste have, therefore, been lit- 
tle attended to in the general education ; 
of youth ; and even among those classes 
of society in whose education they have 
not been entirely neglected, their prac- 
tical application has generally been con- _ 
fined to superfluities of luxury—seldom 
