508 STANZAS SPENSERIAN. 



is 370;^ feet high. From these facts it would appear that in this 

 neighbourhood there is a clump or part of a ridge of iiigh land, which 

 must be crossed with the least sacrifice of mechanical power; and, all 

 things duly considered, we are of opinion that the line adopted by 

 Mr. Stephenson is as good as any that could have been selected for 

 the purpose. The descent from ihe summit level leads into the 

 Avon valley, which is crossed about eleven miles north-north-east of 

 Warwick, the Avon, where the road crosses it, being 240 feet high. 

 The watershed that divides the Avon valley from that of the Trent 

 drainage is 432 feet above the sea level. In descending into this 

 drainage, with aslope of nearly eleven feet per mile, the road crosses 

 successively the Blyth (297 feet), the Cole (332 feet), and the Rea, 

 the last of which is in the immediate neighbourhood of Birmingham, 

 where the railroad ends in the Nova Scotia Gardens, at an elevation 

 of 365 feet above the sea level. 



From the elements that we have thus briefly laid before our readers, 

 it will be evident that the Birmingham railroad has been constructed 

 with due reference to economy, both in construction and transport- 

 cost ; and we heartily wish that the same wisdom that has laid down 

 this line may be applied with equal success to the formation of other 

 plans, in districts where there is a fair reason for supposing that the 

 demand for carriage will be more than suflicient to meet the ex- 

 penses of the first outlay and permanent cost of transport. We 

 hope to resume the subject with fresh illustrations on an early oc- 

 casion. Until then, and with many exhortations to caution and dis- 

 cretion, we wish our readers a temporary farewell. 



Z. 



STANZAS SPENSERIAN. 



MIDNIGHT. 



I've seen thy car, with lightning's swiftest wings. 

 Whirl o'er the desert time hath strewed with dust 

 Ofmonarchs, emperors, palaces of kings. 

 Of giant statues, and time-mocking bust. 

 Where rav'ning ruin deep its fangs had thrust ; 

 When chaos frown'd, and hell itself were free. 

 And the unruly stars their spheres did burst ; 

 While flash on flash from minute-gun did flee. 

 And youth and beauty all were entomb'd in the sea. 



M.M.I. 



