ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

Of the same cast of character is the following.

"Sweet is it when the spirit is at rest,

And peace attunes the mind,

On the green down at summer tide reclin'd
To listen to the whisper of the wind:

And on the clouds that canopy the west
Round the slope sun's vast orbit roll'd,
O'er billows of the molten gold;
Catch in quick colours ere they fade
The seraph's plume with light inlaid,
And picture fair in blissful dream

Bright visions floating on eve's roseate beam.
Far diff'rent they by hope betray'd,
Thou Julian! and the hapless maid!
They on the cliff where tempests swept
Thro' the long day sad vigils kept,

There commun'd with the ev'ning star
Till night drove up her ebon car.
Then ere they slowly left the steep,

Pale moon-beams saw the mourners weep,
And gazing on the vacant main

Shape in each cloud a sail in vain.

Yet, gentle spirits of the air

Who to the couch of wo repair,
And in a dream of bliss impart

The balm that heals a wounded heart,
On guardian wing their vigils kept
Where innocence with Constance slept.
In vision to her charmed sight
Blue Ocean show'd its mirror bright;
There mid fair gales a galley brave
In shadow dancing on the wave,
Loos'd every sail, for voyage spread,
And Julian there the virgin led."

In fact, if a judgment can be formed of an author's ideas from his work; if in this, as in all the other relations of life, the dispositions of man is to be ascertained by his actions, these are the thoughts that Mr. Sotheby himself entertains. He does believe, we think, that his genius is better calculated for pastoral, than martial subjects; and of this the volume before us furnishes abundant evidence. Although the tenor of his subject leads to the tented field, he continually slides into pastoral scenes-he recurs to them again and again, and at last quits them with apparent regret.

Nor can it be asserted with truth that such interludes were introduced to relieve the mind, by a grateful variety, from the storm and bustle of a camp. No one acquainted with Sotheby will contend, that his pages involve so deep an interest, as to render such an expedient either necessary, or proper. The pastoral scenes do not heighten our interest in the martial ones, as they would do in the pages of Scott, were such contrast at

tempted. They render the features of both war and peace less perceptible and distinct, and contribute to the faintness of the impression made on the memory when the story is finished. The law of contrast demands characters deeply drawn, and strongly opposed: it requires something to surprise, and the greater the disparity the more is this emotion excited. In the page of Mr. Sotheby we pass from the one to the other by mild and quiet stages, and are sensible only of a change of scene on our arrival.

We had marked another passage of the nature of the foregoing one for insertion, and we give it, as it affords a full illustration of the principle above laid down.

"Hard is his heart, who never at the tomb
Of one belov'd o'er the sepulchral urn

Has mus❜d on days that shall no more return,
And call'd around from the funereal gloom
Shades of past joy, while tears that lenient flow
Seem to obliterate the sense of wo.

Lo! on the mirror bright of former days
Whereon we love to gaze,

Repicturing the scenes of happiness,
No forms unkind intrude.

O'er each harsh feature rude
Gathers the shadow of forgetfulness;
While all that minister'd delight

Floats like a blissful dream before the sight

'Tis as a pleasant land by moonlight seen,

Where each harsh form that met the day

In darknes dies away:

Smooth gleams and tender shadows steal between,

While the pale silvery orb glides peaceful o'er the scene."

The work terminates with the prediction of the Hermit, which we have before alluded. Although this "prophetic ode," as it is intitled, does not rank with the similar vision of Gray's Bard, or even with that of Don Roderick, it has much poetical merit. We extract it for the gratification of our readers, dismissing at the same time the poem of Mr. Sotheby with sentiments, if not of admiration, at least of good-will.

"Long o'er thy realms, exultant Spain!
"In peace their scepter'd race shall reign.
"Yet-stay!"

Why pause, prophetic seer?

Why bursts th' involuntary tear?

The fire that glow'd thy cheek, why flown?

Why silenc'd, joy's triumphant tone?

"Return," he cried-"thou vision bright!

"Fall'n is the banner that, unfurl'd

"By conquest, claim'd another world;
"The flag that way'd o'er Pavia's fight.
2 M

VOL. III.

"Spaniard!-Iberia's glories fade.

"Ah!-what art thou,-gigantic shade! "Terror of earth, enthron'd sublime, "Who, crown'd by horror, fraud and crime, "O'erlook'st the world, an idol god! "O'er Gaul th' avenger lifts the rod, "Shivering the sceptres of the globe, "And dyes in blood of kings his robe. "Thou, too, my hapless country! thou "Shalt at the idol's altar bow; "Thou by thy native sons betray'd, "By scepter'd vice and folly sway'd: "Thy nobles slav'd, thy princes sold, "Thy ruler under yoke of gold; "Thy warriors on the frozen main "Fetter'd beneath the Gallic chain.

"What now shall save a sinking land? "I see in arms a people stand, "Stand where their great forefathers bled, "While Rome and all her legions fled, "And o'er their consecrated grave "The rescu'd flag of freedom wave.

"Hark! 'tis the Empress of the main

"Speaks, as she casts her shield o'er Spain:
"Beneath my trident, strike the blow,
"And boldly grasp the Gallic prow.
"Beneath my trident free thy host,
"Unyoke their strength on Funen's coast;
"Assert the birth-right of the brave,
"Conquer, or claim a patriot's grave!
"With thee his sword the Briton draws:
"Freedom is thine and Britain's cause.
"Spain! though the ruthless fiend of war
"Wheel o'er thy realm his scythed car,
"Level with iron mace thy tow'rs,

"And waste with flame thy peaceful bow'rs:
"Though smoke with blood thy untill'd ground,
"Palace and altar blazing round,

"All is not lost: Yet, yet remains

"Valour, that slavery's yoke disdains,

"Honour remains, that nurs'd thy sires,

"Vengeance, that roused Saguntum's fires:

"To want, to wo, to death resign'd

"Remains th' unconquerable mind:
"The rocks, th' eternal rocks remain
"The bulwark of Pelayo's reign:
"The starry cope, the cold bleak sky
"Sheltering the sons of liberty.
"On every mount the weapon lies
"That gain'd the Gothic victories,
"Freedom!-to man in birth-right giv❜n,
"Guard it-the rest confide to heav'n."

275

Outlines of a Plan for the Regulation of the Circulating Medium of the United States.

In a preceding article of this Number, we took a cursory view of the late proceedings of congress, and established, from the general aspect of our situation, the conclusion, that something must be wrong in the arrangement of our national concerns. We also undertook to investigate particularly the question of our finances, under the impression, that a solid system of finance is indispensable to national prosperity.

Finding, however, that financial power depends on an ample revenue, and on public credit, which is itself, in part, a consequence of the former, we thought that the task could not be well accomplished, without going back to the source of revenue, which is taxation. We, of course, briefly discussed the principles, and enumerated the characteristic features, of a good system of taxation, and then proceeded to pass in review, the different modes of taxation, which have been devised, carefully pointing out their defects, particularly as far as they have been adopted, or are intended to be resorted to in the United States.

We showed, that internal taxes on consumable commodities, besides violating in their operation, in a high degree, the fundamental principle of justice, are particularly incompatible with the character of our country, and government; that duties on imports,-less objectionable in many other respects-make the public revenue entirely dependent on foreign commerce, and thereby place a nation, which has no other resource, when assailed, or wronged by a maritime power, in the miserable dilemma, of being obliged to choose between impotent resentment, or ignominious submission. We finally endeavoured to prove, that a direct personal tax, properly organized, and always concomitant with the customs-so as to enable government, by a small increase of the rate of the former, at any time to supply a temporary deficiency in the latter -is the only one, strictly correct in principle, and congenial to our federal republic.

During this discussion we took it for granted, that the country is sufficiently supplied with a medium of circulation, but, remarked in the outset, that it forms an essential branch of the duties of the financial department, "so to regulate the circulating medium of the country, that an adequate supply of it, for the exigencies of the nation, never shall be wanting."

Upon reflection, it has occurred to us that our disquisition must seem imperfect, did we omit to show in what manner this important object may be best accomplished. We have, therefore, resolved upon devoting a separate article to this topic, as one of no less importance to the public than those, which we have already handled, of the same nature.

Before we proceed, we must again request our readers to bear in mind, that a sufficient supply, of a good circulating medium, is indispensable, in order, both to render taxes productive, and public credit, efficient. There cannot, absolutely, exist any financial power without it.

Were a country ever so exuberant in wealth; were it flowing with milk and honey, yet could not taxes be paid in either; nor could its wealth be brought into action against an enemy, except through a circulating medium.

The more extensive a country, the more its wealth must, of necessity, be diffused: of course, the greater the difficulty of bringing it into action; the more decided the impossibility of bringing it promptly into action, unless there be a sufficiency of something, representative of that wealth, and coefficient with it, that can be quickly collected, and employed whenever wanted;-in other words, unless there be a sufficiency of circulating medium. It is, therefore, particularly indispensable in a country such as ours, and in our times, when the success of military movements depends so much on rapidity of execution.

A metallic circulating medium has intrinsic value. A nation not possessing mines of her own, has no legal means of obtaining it, except by exchange of commodities. The amount and description of these, produced at home, as well as the demand for them abroad, depend on circumstances, which, generally, cannot be considered as within the control of government. Of course, the supply of circulating medium, in this case, lies also beyond its control.

Governments have tried often, but always in vain, to bring money into a country, or to prevent its going off, when the situation of things had a contrary tendency. Under such cir cumstances, and in a season of war,-rapacity and violence, favoured by military success, have proved the only effectual means of replenishing the public chest; or else, forced circulations of fictitious values-precarious expedients, with bankruptcy in their rear,-have been resorted to: or poverty has compelled to submission and peace. A metallic circulating medium, besides many other inconveniencies attending it, is highly objectionable on this ground; and ought, by a nation

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »