not done, although he had written more about Nancy than any other known author, up to that time, which was, to rhyme with that name with as much if not more facility than with any other; while his predecessor, in several hundred songs, in fact in all he had written of the name, which was that of his wife, (with only one exception, which occurs in his song called Nancy's the Name,' in which he versifies with the word pansy, at the same time confessing his inability to find another, and the difficulty he experienced in racking his brains. for that,) was put to his non plus. In vindication of Eugenius, I insert the verse on which he hinges his triumph. It runs thus:

'I once of my mind box'd the compass around,
For a rhyme to the name of my love,
And for a long spell naught but fancy I found,
That notion of sounds would approve.

At last, avast heaving, I cried, soft and slow,
There's a flower, and they call it a pansy,

But the true name, d'ye mind me, is heart's ease, and so
'Tis the best rhyme that can be for Nancy.'

Now with what justice Eugenius contended that even that second rhyme was a make-shift, a lame adoption of an exploded name for the real word, I shall leave my readers to decide, and lay before them the selections I made from his works, the first of which is the acrostic referred to in the commencement of my narrative. Certain it is, that even the quotation I am about to make, is a plain evidence that our young friend did not arrogate more than he substantiated. to the proof:

'ACROSTIC.

'No angel from heaven, no creature on earth,

A h, no! nor of dark necromancy,

No odds if tall, short, thin, or lusty in girth,

C an equal your beauty, your talent, and worth,
You exquisite angel, my Nancy!'

But

Such is the first dash into poetry, the first ebullition of incipient genius, from the pen of one whose reputation I would not have hazarded by publishing for the first time the unrestrained effort of an ardent boy's imagination, were I not satisfied that my readers would sooner patronize, than harshly criticize, a young beginner. Those who are unwilling or incapable of deciding upon peculiar talent, may perhaps blame Eugenius for the conclusion he came to, relative to his, considering the displeasure it occasioned his father; but then that father was one of the very class of people I have named; and again, it so happened, that his son was a fatalist; and with the prejudices of such an one, would he argue upon the rectitude of the opinion he had espoused and cherished, with regard to the course toward which he should apply his mind; and the conviction he entertained of his fitness for the pursuit he had adopted, is plainly discernible in the following passage from one of his early tragedies, entitled, The Flinty Heart; or 'None so Blind as Those who Wont See.' The reader may clearly trace in the character of Pauloni, an evident portraiture of the author himself; while that of Lady Nancy admits of no question, as to whom it is indebted for its original. The scene is described as a rocky cave, at the end of a subterraneous passage;

Pauloni discovered, enveloped in a large cloak. He takes his watch

from his pocket:

'Tis five and twenty minutes past the time,

And yet she comes not!
Why do n't she come?

Alas! enough she don't!

Perchance the baron writhes beneath the gout,
And she her sire attends with rigid care.
Oh if 't is so, ease him, ye healing gods!
And thou, lethargic Somnus! from thy couch
Rise, and around his spring-stuffed easy-chair
Spread thy dark wings, and lull him to a nap.
Though he to racking pangs aband ns me,

To harsh-tongued hoarseness and rheumatic shocks,
Ease him, that longer no unlucky chance
May from Pauloni keep his darling Nance!'

LADY NANCY, in the passage:

Who on that hapless maid, sad Nancy, calls?'

PAULONI.

My oracle has spoken, and Pauloni's dumb.
I have a sire, of him am free to speak.
The soaring eagle high upon the wing,
Bearing aloft a mother's only prize,

When suddenly brought down from her career,
By the sure shaft of the distraught papà,
Knows not more anguish than is mine to bear
From a fierce father's arbitrary will.

And may the avenging gods

LADY NANCY.

Rash hot-blood, hold!

You ar' n't a father!

6

Some obscurity in the мss., which is a very cramped piece of penmanship,' precludes farther extracts.

M.

A NATIONAL SONG OF DENMARK. BY JOHANNES EVALD.

Nils Juel gave heed to the tempest's roar,
Now is the hour!'

He hoisted his blood-red flag once more,
And smote upon the foe full sore,

And shouted loud through the tempest's roar,
'Now is the hour!'

'Fly shouted they, 'for shelter fly,
Of Denmark's Juel, who can defy
The power!'

North Sea! a glimpse of Vesselt rent
Thy murky sky!

Then champions to thine arms were sent ;
Terror and death glared where he went;
From the waves was heard a wail, that rent
Thy murky sky!

From Denmark, thunders Tordenskiol,
Let each to heaven commend his soul,

And fly!

Path of the Dane to Fame and Might,
Dark-rolling wave!

Receive thy friend, who, scorning flight,
Goes to meet danger with despite,
Proudly as thou the tempest's might,
Dark-rolling wave!

And amid pleasures and alarms,
And war and victory, be thine arms
My grave!

* Name of a Danish Admiral, pronounced Yuel.

Another celebrated Danish Admiral, surnamed Tordenskiold, or Shield of Thunder.

OUR WEDDING-DAYS.

BY THE AUTHOR OF OUR BIRTH-DAYS,' IN THE DECEMBER NUMBER.

THE commemoration of interesting events, is a practice which has prevailed in all ages, and in all parts of the world. It is founded on rational principles, and at the same time is intimately connected with the heart, and its strongest feelings. The very universality of the custom furnishes proof that it has been considered as having a pleasant and salutary influence. It has, and always was intended to have, a direct tendency to revive, continue, and strengthen, those principles, or those feelings, in which the commemorated event had its origin, and from which its peculiar interest is derived. Few, if any events in life, are of a more tender and permanent interest than MARRIAGE, or leading to such all-important consequences. Formed, as this enduring contract is, amidst a thousand delightful associations and promises of happiness, it would seem that the anniversary of the wedding-day would call up recollections of an exciting nature, and spread around it charms of peculiar value. It is found useful, and gratifying to our feelings, as citizens, to celebrate the day of our country's independence, and revive the patriotic ardor which gave it birth. Is it not equally gratifying and useful, for husband and wife to celebrate the happy day when they affectionately joined in a declaration of confiding dependence on each other, during the journey of life, for their comforts, prosperity, and peace? The anniversary of such an era should awaken all their sensibilities, and deepen the impressions made upon their hearts on that day when their destinies were united. Memory was not given to us merely as a treasury of common and ordinary facts, to serve as aids or monitors to us in transacting the business of the world, nor even to furnish us with intellectual assistance, in our advance toward the heights of learning, in its various departments. On the contrary, pleasure, as well as utility, was designed to be promoted, by indulging in the exercise of this wonderful power. The heart and affections, as well as the mind and reasoning faculties, were intended to derive from this power of recollection unnumbered pleasures; sometimes exhilarating, sometimes composing, sometimes spreading around us the sunshine of the soul;' at others, charming us in the soft shades of peaceful contemplation. Such being the uses of memory, in its magic operations, we should avail ourselves of them as far as we can, and enjoy them as delicate materials in the lovely manufacture of domestic happiness, and the preservation of that inestimable article,' in all its original polish, brightness, and beauty. If some should be inclined. to consider my arguments Utopian, they should remember that HOPE has extensive possessions in Utopia, and is often regaling herself in visiting and admiring them. Beside, Hope leads us on to the obtain

* AN unblemished life of more than three score years and ten, and an extensive knowledge of society and social intercourse, impart to the monitions of our venerable correspondent an added interest and value. They are especially worthy of earnest heed by all the newly-married, 'whose name is legion.' EDS. KNICKERBOCKER.

ment of valuable results, by stimulating us to exertion. In this world we seldom overtake all we pursue, or reach those elevations to which we are prone to aspire. The moralist inculcates principles which all should reverence and obey, though he does not anticipate that such success will attend his labors. Much may be done to promote the object in view, and, therefore, much should be done for that purpose and that reason.

Every happy pair' at the altar consider the moment when they exchange their vows, as the happiest they have ever enjoyed; as the blushing morning of a long summer day of unclouded beauty, that will continue through life. Then, all around is full of hope and promise. It is true, no human power can prevent this delightful day from losing a portion of its loveliness; unwelcome events must, at times, have their influence; novelty must cease to be novelty; cares will command, and often distract, attention. Sickness and sorrow may darken and surround the dwellings of the most fortunate; and death may enter them; but all these circumstances are so many arguments in favor of every measure which may have a tendency to lessen the influence and the consequences resulting from the causes above enumerated. In such circumstances, what can be more natural, and more comforting to them, than to look back to the hour of their union, as a verdant and sunny spot on life's journey, and usually in its beautiful spring-time, and recollect what were the causes which then made them so happy, and then ask themselves whether those causes have the same influence on their first anniversary, as they had at the commencement of the first year of their married life; and, if the answer is in the negative, then to inquire, why this influence has been impaired, and what is the cause of it. When every thing around is declaring the effects of time, and never-ceasing changes - too many of them having a direct tendency to weaken the more gentle affections, and strengthen those with which the heart has no connexion surely it is the part of wisdom to 'keep the heart with all diligence,' as the most certain mode of preserving the domestic and social atmosphere in a state of calmness and purity. It is of no importance whether this couple were married in May or December; among flowers and zephyrs, or storms and snow-banks. Their hearts formed their thermometer, and that indicated that there all was sumIt is probable that they calculated, as most others do, that their stock of love then in possession would continue unimpaired, without any particular attention on their part. If they reasoned at all, they may fairly be supposed to have thus reasoned. But my advice to all who are about entering on life's journey, arm in arm, is to remember that, for wise reasons, the manna in the wilderness was supplied daily, with the exception of one day in the week; and that it was to be sought and gathered every morning, in a sufficient quantity for the day. Even so it should be with those who have joined their hands, hearts, and fortunes, for life's pilgrimage, (with the omission, as the gownsmen might express it, of the exception above stated.) Kindness, gentleness, sweetness of disposition, suavity of manner, and a constant desire to please, manifested by both of the parties, should furnish each day the manna of love, in such happy measure, as to answer all the claims of the day; and the sooner it is gathered

mer.