MY FATHER,

WHо in my helpless infancy
Assisted oft to wait on me,

To ease my Mother's arm and knee?
My Father.

When at my Mother's breast I play,
Who would attempt, in sportive lay,
To make me turn my head away?

My Father,

Who would not let the servant share
With Mother her nocturnal care,
But choose himself that cross to bear?
My Father:

And when at night I left the breast,
Who took me on his arm to rest,
And to his manly bosom prest?

My Father.

Who, when for pain I could not rest,
His tender sympathy express'd,

And tried each posture for the best?
My Father.

Who join'd in all my childish plays,
And in the pleasant summer days
Who drew me in my little chaise ?

My Father.

Who lent his cane for me to ride,
And fix'd my little legs astride,

And smil'd to see the horseman's pride?
My Father.

And when the cane had run its course,
And I grew tired of that resource,
Who bought this painted rocking-horse?

My Father.

By converse wise and manners kind,
Who help'd to store my opening mind
With knowledge of the useful kind ?

My Father.

Who was it, that with anxious care, Forewarn'd me of each dangerous snare, Taught how to seek for aid, and.where? My Father.

Shall I not then from day to day,
Strive that my future conduct may

Thy love and tenderness repay,

My Father?

Yes, I intend, whilst still a boy,
My hours of study so t' employ
As to be call'd thy darling joy,

My Father

And when I shall become a man,

I'll still pursue the grateful plan

In ev'ry instance where I can,

My Father.

And as thy peaceful end draws near,
Be it my care thy hours to cheer

As long as thou continuest here,

My Father.

When death his pointless arrow tries,
And summons thee from earth to rise,
My hand shall close thy long-loved eyes,

My Father!

A BOASTING

COXCOMB.

Such Things there are !

DRYDEN.

I ENTERED into conversation with a personage, who seated himself by my side, and would discourse with me, although I gave him little encouragement to do 30. He seemed a man of vast importance; for he talked of all the gentlemen who had seats in the north of England with the most easy familiarity: they were all Tom, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Frank, with him. He appeared, likewise, intimate with most of the gentlemen of Edinburgh; recollecting, therefore, my message to Mr. Mainfort, I distantly asked him if he knew such a gentleman

Why! aw-aw---aw---u --um---Pray, Sir, are you well acquainted with him ?"

"Not at all, Sir."

"No! God bless me! there is not a better fellow in the world than Malcolm Mainfort.

He has been

a soldier too,---between you and me, a bit of a bouncer---does not mind a crack or so---but a develish jolly dog. Madam his wife rules the roast ---she keeps famous company; though nothing. under a duchess will go down with her---I like her parties very much---capital suppers---Emma Mainfort keeps all alive---so dashing, so shapey---the handsomest girl in all. Edinburgh."

Thus he went on, giving me the whole history of the family; though, for a person who seemed to live on terms of intimacy with them, his language did not seem over respectful: He knew London too> well, he said: was at all the routs; was acquainted with all the performers at the theatres; dined with and supped with He was a great poli

tician too, and was hand-in-glove with all the famous speakers on both sides..

After he was gone, I remained for some time lost in admiration of his character; but looking out of the window, I was much surprised to see him tripping along with a pair of rusty saddle bags under his arm. The waiter coming accidentally by, I had the curiosity to ask him if he knew that gentleman ? "O very well, Sir," replied the fellow," he comes here twice a year; there is not a man-milliner does more business in his way than he does."

The mystery was now quite solved.

"Oh! pride, pride," said I to myself, "I can no longer wonder that thou hast been the bane of my peace, the ruin of my poor father's fortune; he had some fuel to feed the flame: but it is evident, that the passion of pride is as natural to us as the air we breathe; we all are proud of something; and if no innate consciousness of superiority presents a real argument for arrogance, like the boasting coxcomb who has just left me, we borrow our light from some surrounding object."

INDIAN SUPERSTITION.

What are these

So wither'd, and so wild in their attire,

That look not like th' inhabitants of the earth,
And yet are on it.

SHAKSPEARE,

I HAD been in the island two years and upwards, when a misfortune befel my friend Palmer; a strange mortality appeared among his negroes, and such as seemed to defy medical aid and research. Seven female and four stout male slaves had died in the course of a few months, and he saw others whose appearance, hue, and desponding air, shewed they were rapidly on the decline,

From the strange tales that I had heard, and from the symptoms that agreed with them in the deceased negroes, my thoughts were fortunately directed to