TRANSLATIONS.

TO MRS. BLOUNT ON HER BIRTHDAY.

Oh be thou blest with all that Heaven can send,
Long health, long youth, long pleasure, and a friend :
Not with those toys the female world admire,

Riches that vex and vanities that tire.
With added years if life bring nothing new,
But like a sieve let every blessing through,
Some joy still lost, as each vain year runs o'er,
And all we gain, some sad reflection more;
Is that a birthday? 'tis, alas! too clear,
'Tis but the funeral of the former year.
Let joy or ease, let affluence or content,
And the gay conscience of a life well spent,
Calm every thought, inspirit every grace,
Glow in thy heart, and smile upon thy face.
Let day improve on day, and year on year,
Without a pain, a trouble or a fear;
Till death unfelt that tender frame destroy
In some soft dream or ecstasy of joy;
Peaceful sleep out the sabbath of the tomb,
And wake to raptures in a life to come.

A. POPE.

IDEM LATINE.

Sint tibi sinceri comites, careasque senecta,
Det tibi caelestis gaudia longa Pater.
Mitti procul nummos, muliebria gaudia, causas
Curarum et vanae taedia blanditiae.

Quo tibi vita, novi si nil accesserit annis,

Si, velut in crebro, gaudia quæque fluant? Quid nos, quotquot eunt anni, tot gaudia fallunt, Crescit et in mæsto corde doloris onus?

Hei mihi! natalis quas spes dabit ille futuras?
Nil nisi crede mihi "Jam fuit annus
"ait.
Sit tibi habere satis, requies, et gaudia, opesque,

Securam et vitam te meminisse juvet.

Mens tibi sit placidae placida, et nova gratia detur,
Corde vigor, lepido risus in ore micet.

Et tua se semper meliorem proroget ætas,
Neve dolor cruciet, sollicitetve metus.
Et tranquilla olim teneros mors occupet artus,
Dum peregre mentem somnus agitve calor.
Tum fruere Elysio, somnis excussa supremis,
Quà tibi lætitiæ sit sine fine dies.

A. P. WICKHAM.

A CHARACTER.

He belonged to those thin and pale men as Cæsar names them, who sleep not in the night and who think too much; before whom the most fearless of all hearts has shaken. The quiet peacefulness of a face always the same hid a busy fiery soul which stirred not even the veil behind which it worked, and was equally inaccessible to cunning or love; and a manifold, formidable, never-tiring mind, sufficiently soft and yielding momentarily to melt into every form, but sufficiently proved to lose itself in none, and strong enough to bear every change of fortune. None was a greater master than he in the art of seeing through mankind and winning on hearts: not that he let his lips, after the manner of the court, confess a bondage to which the proud heart gave the lie, but because he was neither covetous nor extravagant of the marks of his favour and esteem, and by a prudent economy in those means, through which one binds men, he multiplied his real store of them. Did his mind bear slowly, so were its fruits perfect: did his resolve ripen late, so was it firmly and unshakeably fulfilled.

ANON.

IDEM LATINE.

Erat ille ex macris pallidisque iis, quos dicit Caesar, noctu non dormientibus, nimia cogitantibus, qui vel fortissimis metum incusserunt. Vultu erat quieto, nullam de cogitatis indicium praebente, qui nec dolo nec amore capi poterat. Ingenium ei multiplex, formidolosum, laboris patiens, ita facile ut in formam quamlibet se relaxaret, peritius tamen quam ut cuipiam totum se traderet, omnibus fortunae vicibus superius. Idem homines perspicere, gratiam conciliare optime sciebat: qui non, ut plerique, obsequium, a quo abhorreret animus, ore profiteretur, sed officiosae benevolentiae nec nimis parcus nec prodigus, quum ea parce adhiberet, quitus conciliantur homines, plura in necessitatem haberet. Mers, ut tardiores, ita perfectos fructus proferebat. Consilia, ut serius maturarentur, ita constantius peracta sunt.

J. H. W. LEE.