SONNET.-BY CELIO MAGNO.

Che fa? che pensa? e come il giorno spende
Or la mia Dea? forma di seta, ed'oro
Con la candida man ricco lavoro?
O col canto e col suon l'anime prende?
Move il pié forsè, e dove i passi stende
Seco amor guida, e de le grazie il coro?
O pur del suo crin biondo il bel tesoro
Al sol dispiega, e lui d'invidia accende?
O sostien con la man del vago volto
Le rose, e sta pensasa in bel sembiente,
In me forse tenendo il cor rivolto?
Se a ciò mi degna; o me felice amante,
Benchè lontano, e d'aspie cure involto!
O donna senza par, bella, e costante !

What thoughts and works employ? How spends the day
My goddess? Forms she now of silk and gold
The rich embroidery, where her white hands play,
Or, warbling, wins she hearts-howe'er so cold?
Haply she moves i' th' dance with steps of air,

Love and the Graces round her raptured gazing,
Or to the sun unfolds her golden hair-

The beauteous treasure all his envy raising!
Or with her snowy hand sustains the roses

Of her sweet cheek, in matchless pensive seeming,
And haply thinks on me while she reposes;

M. A. H.

Would I were worthy of her slightest dreaming! Blest swain! though far away, and steeped in care, Whose peerless lady is as true as fair! SHETLAND PONIES.-"I expected to observe Shetland ponies galloping in every field; but they are chiefly running wild among the distant unenclosed hills, where, in most instances, the fore-legs are manacled together. Nothing is trusted to the honour of a Shetland pony, but they are all shackled in a most uneasy manner, hobbling along like rabbits, which inconvenient contrivance ruins their paces afterwards. When well fed from an early age, they grow nearly to the height of a donkey; but some years ago, Mr. Hay reared a perfectly well-formed pony, which measured only twenty-six inches high. Not so tall as a moderatesized hobby-horse! I have heard sportsmen talk in praise of a horse that would canter round a cabbageleaf, but here was one literally capa

ble of doing so. The very largest men ride these tiny little creatures at full speed, looking from a distance as if they had merely hooked on a pair of additional legs, being scarcely raised a foot off the ground, and yet racing rapidly along. How would a regiment of cavalry look, mounted, or lowered rather, on these stout little chargers?". · Miss Sinclair's "Shetland and the Shetlanders."

The greatest depth that ships have ever attained by soundings, was reached by the vessels constituting the Magnetic Expedition, under Cap tain James Ross, which sailed on the 5th of May for Van Dieman's Land, About 900 miles SSW. of St. Helena, in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, these ships obtained soundings at the extraordinary depth of 3,600 fathoms!

SELECTED SONGS FROM THE FRENCH.-No. V.

L'ABEILLE ET LE PAPILLON.

(FABLE).

Dans un parterre où mille fleurs
Répandaient leurs parfums et mêlaient leurs couleurs,
Auprès d'une abeille morose,

Un papillon sur une rose
Par caprice vint se poser....

De toutes fleurs ici prétends-tu disposer!
S'écria l'abeille en colère;

Inconstant qui ne sais rien faire
Et n'as qu'un jour à voltiger!

Je le sais, lui répond le papillon léger;
Chacun a son instinct et fait bien de le suivre ;

Du maître qui nous fit tel est le bon plaisir ;

Travaille, puisque tu dois vivre.

Moi je me hâte de jouir.

De C.

Here is a pretty rural picture by the Hon. Mrs. Norton, from "The Dream, and other Poems" :

"There, sprang the sunny cricket; there, was spread

The fragile silver of the spider's thread,

Stretching from blade to blade of emerald grass,
Unbroken, till some human footstep pass;

There, by the rippling stream that murmur'd on,
Now seen, now hidden--half in light, half sun-
The darting dragon-fly, with sudden gleam,
Shot, as it went, a gold and purple beam;
And the fish leap'd within the deeper pool,

And the green trees stretch'd out their branches cool,
Where many a bird hush'd in her peopled nest
The unfledged darlings of her feather'd breast,
Listening her mate's clear song, in that sweet grove
Where all around breathed happiness and love!"

Literary Notices.

An Account of the recent Persecution of the Jews at Damascus; with Reflections thereon: and an Appendix, containing various Documents connected with the subject. By DAVID SALOMONS, Esq. Longman and Co. AWELL-TIMED and useful publication. The greater part of the book is occupied with a narrative of the horrible atrocities inflicted on the poor Jews at Damascus, under the auspices of the mock-liberal French consul. The details of this narrative were collected on the spot by the Rev. Mr. Pieritz, who was born a Jew, and educated for the profession of a Rabbi. Later in life he renounced the religion of his fathers, and was engaged as missionary for the conversion of the Syrian Jews. He may, therefore, be supposed to have a perfect knowledge of the religious rites of the community from which he has seceded, more particularly of those which, according to the torturers of Damascus, are mysteries,

to which the Rabbis alone are admitted. At the same time, it is not likely that he should have any interest in concealing abominations which, if they existed, ought to be exposed. After perusing this narrative, with the comments of Mr. Salomons, not a shadow of doubt can remain in an unprejudiced mind that the Jews of Damascus have been

made the victims of an atrocious and utterly unfounded calumny.

Extracts from Holy Writ, and various

Authors, intended chiefly for the use
of Soldiers and Seamen. By CAPT.
SIR NESBIT WILLOUGHBY, R.N.
C.B., K.C.H.

Amongst the highest and holiest ministrations of philanthropy must be placed those efforts which seek to humanize the horrors of war, regarded as the inevitable, though dear, defence of nations. It is from religious sanctions, and considerations of duty, that valour derives its best and most durable sup