It is really refreshing to meet with a little volume such as that before us, at a time when the press is growing weary beneath the burthen of trash of all descriptions, upon which the name of poetry is unhesitatingly bestowed. The Village Poor House contains matter of a very different kind. The author, be he or be he not a country curate, is a poet of very high order; and although his mind is somewhat more soured than is usual with the class into which he has entered, his unassuming volume is a rich treasure, from which the reader may gather much that is valuable. We quote a page in support of our opinion:

TOM PERKINS'S SONG. "Ah! well I recollect the time, 'Twas in the glorious sunshine prime, "Twas in the month of June, A soldier's coat I first put on, First gloried in a soldier's gun,

And march'd to gallant tune,Merrily, merrily march'd we, then, A thousand brave and happy men.

66 Happy, and brave, and young, and gay, Where'er we we went, 'twas holiday; And crowds came forth to see; Bright eyes their sweetest glances cast On each gay soldier as he past;

And joyous men were we ; Their pray'rs pursued us to the main, We now were on the route to Spain. "A thousand gallant hearts were we, As ever pour'd their life-blood free, Or cross'd the salt-sea foam To battle as 'twas right we should, — To scorn the tempest, fire, and flood, And die to save our Home;

A very worthy deed, I wis,

To die for such a home as this!

"When victory sat upon our swords,
How gratitude made knights and lords,
And towns flamed up in light!
Wealth, honours, praises, all were shed,
Like rain, upon each noble head,
For such a glorious fight-
We, all the while, who struck the blow,
Had nothing but our wounds to show.

"We fought in every field of fame,
Like blood-hounds, staunch upon the
The eagle quail'd at last.
Death, like a mower, o'er us stood,
And victory held the feast of blood, -
It was a rich repast,-
And then rose up a wild halloo -
'Twas England shouting, Waterloo !

game;

"Honours and rich rewards are mine,
A medal on my breast to shine,

It plays a gallant part -
And seems my very heart to goad-
When scraping dirt from off the road,

Or yoked in Quarry-cart

I, who have toil'd, and fought, and bled,
Am doom'd to earn inhuman bread!

"My pension for our grateful land
Pours bounty with unsparing hand,
And scatters all her hard,-
Six pence a-day is all she gives,
How merrily an old soldier lives-
Go, ask the Parish board,

It seizes it the hour 'tis due-
A glorious fight was Waterloo."

This is not a solitary instance of the writer's power. The volume contains scarcely a page of less vigorous verse.

The Natural Son.

We have just had a little volume laid before us, of poetry, -"The Natural Son." There never was a little volume more poetically printed - with more sentiment on the title-page.

There are two frontispieces; one, "The Haunted Glen;" the other, "Circe ;" the Circe of the Bard, the heroine of the tale.

The idea is pretty and new. As the knight-errant of old entered the lists, his ladye's picture on his shield, the modern hero, embarking on an enterprise equally as chivalrous in these days, inserts it at the head of his volume. Circe is very beautiful, very voluptuous-looking; and, whatever we may feel for his book, we most devoutly beg to compli ment our author on his mistress.

But we do not mean to speak - we could not speak if we would, after the appeal made to our feelings— with critical severity. What this little poem wants, is chiefly energy and originality; what it possesses, is a certain degree of elegance and grace, which however by no means sustains itself, and which loses great part of its effect from the evident imitation it is meant to be of the lighter works of Lord Byron. Something between Beppo and Don Juan.

There is a good deal of quaint sharpness in her➡ "One in whose quiet countenance Whigs trace The map of a close boro'-"

"Her sparkling face Clear and transparent as a glassy pond." The pond is not a very choice comparison with a lady's face; and we think that Circe might have deserved better things. Still, with all his defects, there is something in her young poet (for we are sure he must be very young) which induces us to say ➡ we wish to hear of him again.

[Mr. Cockburn has just sent us a very able book on the practical working of the Reform Bill; which, as well on the ground of its intrinsic merits as on account of the character of Mr. Cockburn as a rising barrister, will demand more of our attention in another Number than our arrangements for the present one will admit of]

THE prospects of the drama may be said to have improved since our last, if it be only in virtue of the brilliant success which has attended Laporte's first speculation at Covent Garden Theatre. Such audiences have not been seen at either of the great houses for the last twenty years; and simply by the accession of two distinguished performers Mars and Taglioni. This settles the impertinent question to which the players have given currency, as to the dramatic taste of British audiences, and the disposition of the higher classes, in particular, to support and encourage theatrical performances, at least when they can do so without compromising, in their own persons, that outward decency and decorum, to which they pay such fastidious attention. The fact is, that no other class of the community has so much need of the excitement which is to be obtained in an equal degree by no other means. With the exception of a well-conducted dramatic performance, there is no English mode of amusement in which that curse of the upper class of English society, ennui, does not intrude itself; and there is no trouble or cost at which the class in question will not purchase that exemption, excepting only that of seeking it where hitherto it has been alone obtainable namely, (not to mince the matter,) in a place uniting the two leading features of the bear-garden and the brothel. The performances of Mars and Taglioni are of too refined a character to attract gallery company; and the arrangements of Laporte are too politic to include the gratuitous admission of public women as part of the evening's entertainments. The consequence is, that the boxes and the orchestra are crowded every night with a brilliant assemblage of company, three-fourths of which consist of women of rank and fashion; and the pit is filled with the élite of the respectable portion of middle life. This is final, so far as relates to the tastes and inclination of the English public for theatrical performances. There is, in fact, no other "public" which has, from its habit and temperament, half so much occasion for them; and therefore none by which, when encou raged at all, they are encouraged so liberally and profusely.

Precisely the same inferences are to be drawn from other facts connected with the recent state of our theatres. The little theatre in the Strand has no gallery; and its performances are conducted with perfect decorum and good taste: it is filled nightly with a respectable and attentive audience. It was nearly the same with the Olympic, under Madame Vestris's management. The company, however, was by no means so select, because (in behalf, we suppose, of the gal

lery) the performances were more free, and the admissions less judiciously restricted. But Matthews's performances alone might long ago have proved what we would here infer. His audiences have, for the last ten years, included more of the upper and respectable classes of society than all the other theatrical audiences of the metropolis put together; - only excepting those of the King's Theatre and the French plays. And the reason is, that notwithstanding their comparative monotony, they have scrupulously avoided any offence to public decency, and have abstained (not purposely perhaps, but necessarily) from appealing to gallery applause.

We had nearly forgotten to instance the German operas, in proof of our position that there is no lack of theatrical taste in the respectable portions of the English public. Mediocre as those performances have been (of course, excepting the superlative acting and perfect singing of Madame Schroeder Devrient, and those, be it remembered, were not among the attractions of the first few nights,) they have nightly filled to overflowing the largest theatre in the metropolis, and at extravagantly high prices of admission: while all the regular efforts of the present manager of the King's Theatre, added to his alleged personal influence as a man of wealth and station in society, have not been able to compass a single paying house!

We shall not enter into any detailed notice of the performances at Covent Garden,-the exquisite character of Mars's acting, and the pieces in which she for the most part acts, (namely, the genuine comedy of the French stage,) being well known; and as for the dancing of Taglioni, luckily it does not fall within our department of critical notice, or we might be tempted to expatiate upon it in terms not suited to the staid and grave character which we are bound to maintain in these sober-suited pages. Suffice it, that while the dancing of Brugnoli is all art-open, undisguised, gratuitous art; and while that of Heberlé is merely art carried to that uttermost pitch of perfection at which the art is concealed, and becomes a sort of second nature, the dancing of Taglioni is the perfection, not of art, but of nature itself,-tutored by art, it is true, and tutored to the very utmost pitch that is compatible with the existence and supremacy of nature -but nature still, refined, or rather condensed, into a sort of quintessential spirit— a sentiment, an abstraction, which can be felt and appreciated, but not understood, much less described; nor, indeed, should any one attempt the latter task, unless they are content to incur the charge to which we, for one, are fain to plead guilty-that of writing

As to novelties at the other regular theatres -(meaning thereby those which have hitherto accomplished the honour of being regularly reported on in these pages), we must again decline to enter into any thing like detail. By many degrees, the best is one produced at the Haymarket, entitled, "A DUEL IN RICHELIEU'S TIME," a close translation from a French piece, as clever and effective as it is offensive to good taste and injurious to good morals. The merit, and the sole merit, of this piece, even in the original, is, that it presents a lively and characteristic picture of the manners of the time and country to which it relates. But this picture is drawn from a story, the object and effect of which is to excite the feelings to a painful degree; that excitement being in itself the end sought for, not the means to any thing else; and, what is still worse, the excitement is made to grow out of a spurious and mischievous sympathy with feelings and actions that are at variance with the principles of society at least, whatever they may be with human nature. A deceived and injured husband -a guilty wife-a false sense of honour - a spurious courtesy -an empty and unmeaning generosity, such, and such like, are the materials of this clever but worthless production; and we are the less inclined to tolerate it, that it is the work of a lady, — we mean the English translation.

The three principal characters the lover, husband, and wife -were acted by Vining, Cooper, and Miss Taylor, cleverly enough by the two former, but most falsely and extravagantly by the latter, of whom we are at last compelled to despair; for it is clear, that she is bent on exaggerating her errors of style every time she is told of them. What a performance was Madame Albert's of this very character!

The only other novelty at this theatre, is a second piece from the pen of young Matthews "The Court Jester." It is, we believe, like the above, a close translation from the

extravagant; but, unlike that, it is neither clever in its concoction, nor exciting in its details and effect. It is, however, wholly free from that unpardonable fault which we were compelled to point out in the first production of the same writer; it is not indecent. But it is only not so, because the effect sought to be produced, is serious instead of comic; for, in point of subject, it touches on what ought to be interdicted ground in an acted drama, and which is so, where any thing better than mere excitement is aimed at. The story is that of a betrayed peasant girl transformed, by the mingled love and remorse of her betrayer, into a princess. Miss Taylor played this character less extravagantly than the one alluded to above, but still at a melancholy distance from that simplicity which can alone render such parts attractive. The title of the piece - -"The Court Jester " — is like a court jest, at once empty and deceptive.

The only other novelty of which we have to speak. is one of which we would fain not speak: first, because it is unequivocally bad; and, secondly, because it comes from a source whence we are accustomed to look for better. Fun-broad, coarse, and extravagant-it is true; but real English fun, is what we look for at the hands of Mr. Peake; and, in "The Climbing Boy," he gives us, instead, spurious humanity, false sentiment, and mere vulgarity. His "Climbing Boy," is a kidnapped young gentleman who is made a chimney-sweeper, "by the force of circumstances," and remade into a young gentleman by the same; and the comicality of the affair arises out of his leaving his black marks upon white bed curtains, and chair covers, and cambric pocket-handkerchiefs! Moreover, we have a poacher, a policeman, a street-sweeper, and a lady in silk, who sings a comic song as broad as it is long!

Such are the novelties of our national Drama during the last month!

MENT OF SCIENCE.

We some time ago noticed at length the formation of this important association, at York. The next meeting was appointed to be held at Oxford, and it has taken place accordingly.

It may be well to repeat that the objects of the Society, which, though in its infancy, is yet in so flourishing a condition, are, to promote the interests of science, by collecting together, once a year, the learned from all parts of the United Kingdom; - to encourage the personal interchange of ideas and opinions, and the reciprocation of information —as well as to make known the desiderata in science, and thus to settle, as it were, a combined plan of operations for the scientific campaign during the ensuing year. There exists that spirit of fellowship-a sort of freemasonry it may be termed among men of science, which would render such a meeting desirable, even should no other practical good result from it. The union thus brought about among persons engaged in kindred pursuits, situated in different parts of the kingdom, and personally unacquainted, except perhaps through the medium of common fame or private correspondence, must be attended with benefit as well as gratification to all the parties concerned.

It is, therefore, with pleasure we insert abstracts of some of the more important and attractive lectures that have been delivered during the several meetings that have taken place. They are abridged chiefly from the Oxford Herald and the Oxford Journal.

"Professor Buckland read a lecture on the geology of the neighbourhood of Oxford. He demonstrated, by examples, the dependence of the character of the soil upon the condition of the subjacent strata; and called their attention to the adaptation of sand and calcareous and argillaceous soils to the different modes of agriculture. He enlarged on the advantage of improving the mineral condition of all soils by artificial manures, the application of which is founded on the principles of agricultural chemistry; and suggested the importance of adding to the geological committee of the Association a section to be devoted to the improvement of agriculture. He expatiated on the agricultural state of Ireland as connected with the possibility of reclaiming peat-bogs, distinguishing those which are capable of being reclaimed from those which, in his opinion, can never be reclaimed without an outlay of capital far exceeding any profitable return. He also explained the manner in which water is supplied from the sea, through the medium of the atmosphere, to fertilise the earth by

rains, and to furnish a perpetual supply of water for the maintenance of springs and rivers. The professor pointed out many defects in the ordinary systems of draining; and illustrated, by examples, the important fact, that large tracts of land might be permanently drained at small expense, by methods depending entirely on consideration of the geological structure of the substrata. He also spoke of Artitian wells, and suggested the advantage that would arise from a more general application of them in the neighbourhood of London. After an excursion of nearly six hours, occupied chiefly in exhibiting the geological character of the neighbourhood, the professor returned with the party to dinner. In the evening, the different sections were occupied with papers and discussions, as at the previous meetings."

"An interesting account was delivered by Mr. Scoresby, of a singular effect produced by lightning on the New York packet vessel. Its object was to throw light on the disputed question, whether conductors provoke the discharge of electric fluid, which might otherwise pass over a body innocuously, or carry off the fatal effects of it, though it may invite an explosion?' During a terrific storm which the above vessel weathered in April, 1827, an iron rod was attached as a conductor, to the mast-head, and let down, in an oblique direction, into the sea. A flash of lightning soon struck it, with a terrible explosion; the cabins were filled with sulphur, and the whole vessel was wrapped in flames. The lower part of the conducting rod was found, on examination, to be fused-owing, probably, to its being thinner at that end, and therefore not having a sufficient body of conducting power. Other effects, however, were very remarkable. The compasses changed their points; all the chronometers in the vessel stopped; and, what is more, parts of their mechanism were discovered to possess magnetic attraction. Every knife and fork acted like so many loadstones. An infirm and elderly gentleman, who lay disabled in the ladies' cabin, was so fortunately electrified, that he instantly skipped about, and, when the vessel arrived in port, walked home to his hotel. The inference which Mr. Scoresby drew from these circumstances was, that this conducting rod, though it perhaps occasioned a severe shock, by attracting the electric matter, yet saved the vessel from a fatal blast. This conclusion of Mr. Scoresby was confirmed by another gentleman, who adduced the instance of a single vessel, armed with a similar conductor, which alone escaped injury out of many others, not so defended, that lay close around her."