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POETRY. WHEN IS THE TIME TO DIE?

I asked the glad and happy child, Whose hands were filled with flowers,

Whose silvery laugh rang free and Wild Among the vine-wreath'd bowers;

I crossed her sunny path, and cried, “ When is the time to die ?”

“ Not yet! not yet l” the child replied, And swiftly bounded by.

I asked a maiden; back she threw The trcsses ofher hair; ’ Grief’s traces o’er her cheeks I knew, Like pearls they glistcned there; A flush passed o‘er lier lily brow, I heard her spirit sigh; “ Not now,” she cried,“ 0 no! not now, Youth is no time to die 1”

I asked a mother, as she pressed Her first-born in her arms, As gently on her tender breast She hushed her babe’s alarms; In quivering tones her accents came-— Her eyes were dim with tears; I “ My buy his mother‘s life must claim, For many, many years.”

I questioned one in manhood's prime, Ofproud and fearless air;

His brow was furrowed not by time, Or dimmed by woe or care.

In angry accents he replied, And flashed with scorn his eye—-

“ Talk not to ME ofdeath,” he cried, “ For only age should die.”

I questioned age; for him the tomb Had long been all preparer]; But death, who withers youth and bloom, This man ofyears had spared; Once more his nature’s dying fire Flashed high, and thus he cried; “ Life! only life, is my desire l” Tlten gasped, and groaued, and died. I

Iasked a Cliristian—“ Answer thou, When is the hour ofdeath ?” \ A holy calm was on his brow, And peaceful was his breath; And sweetly o’er his features stole A smile, a light divine; ‘ He spake the language ofhis soul—- “ My Master‘s time is mine !”

THE TRE Zl‘l BLING EYELID.

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BY MRS. SIGDURNEY.

It was the day before Christmas, in the year 1778, that during the war of the American revolution, an armed vessel soiled out of the port of Boston. She was strongly liiiilt, and carried twenty guns, with a well appointed crew ofinorc than a hundred, and provisions for a cruise of six months. As she spread her broad white sails, and steered from the ’ harbour with a fresh, fair breeze, she made a noble appear-

ance. Many throbbing hearts breathed a blessing on her voyage, for she bore a company ofas bold and skilful sea- men as eyer dared the perks ofthe deep. But soon the north wind blew and brought a heavy sea into the bay. The night proved dark, and they came to anchor with ditficulty near the harbour of Plymouth. The strong gale that buffet- ed them, became a storm, and the storm :1 hurricane. Snow fell, and the cold was terribly severe. The vessel was dri- ven from her moorings, and struck on a reef ofrocks. She began to fill with wager, and they were obliged to cut away her masts. The séa rose above the main deck, sweeping over it at every surge. They made every exertion courage 'could prompt or hardihood, endure. But so fearful were the wind and cold, that. the stoutest man was not able to strike more than two b‘ows in cutting away the must, with- out beiag relieved by another. The wretched people throng- ed together upon the quarter-deck, which was crowded al- mostto suffocation. They were exhausted with toil and suffizfing, and could obtain neither provisions our fresh water.’ They were all covered by the deep sea, when the ‘wesesl became a wreck.

Unfortunately the crew got access to ardent spirits, ondxmauy of them drank to itiLoxicatiou. Iiisubordination, mutiny and madness ensued. The officers remained clear Iriindetlg’but lost all authority over the crew, who raved about them. A more frightful scene can scarcely be ima- gined. The dark sky, the raging storm, the waves break- ing wildly over the rocks, and threatening every moment to swallow up the broken vessel and the half frozen beings Who maintained their icy hold on life, lost to reason and to duty, or fighting fiercely with each other. Some layiu dis- gusting stupidity, others with fiery faces, blasphemcd God. Some in temporary delirium, fancied themselves in places surrounded by luxury, and brutally abtised the servant, who, they supposed, refused to do their biddiugs. Others there were, who amid the beating ofthat pit'iless tempest believed themselves in the home that they never Inorc must see ; and with hollow, reproacbtul voices, besought bread, and wondered why water was withheld from them liy the hands—that were most dear. A few, whose worst passions were quickened by alcohol to a fiend-like fury, assaulted or wounded those who came in their way, making slirieks of defiance, and their curses were heard above the roar ofthe storm. lntempcrance never displayed itselfin more distres- sing attitudes. At length death began to do his work. The miserable creatures an dead every'liour upon the deck, be- ing frozen stifl'and hard. Each corpse, as it became breath- ‘less, was laid upon the heap of (lead, that more space might be left for the survivors. Those who drank most body were the first to perish.

~0n the third day ofthese horrors, the inhabitants ofPly- mouth, after making many ineffectual attempts, reached the wreck, not without danger. What a melancholy spectacle!

Lifeless bodies stiffened in every form that suffering could

devise. Many lay in a vast pile. Others sat with their heads

reclining on their knees; others grasping the ice covered ropes; somein a posture of defiance, like the dying gladia- tor;otliers with bands held up to heaven, as if deprecat— ing their fate. Orders were given to search eariicstlv for ‘every mark or sign of life. One boy was distinguished _.om-id the mass of dead,‘ only by the trembling of one of v _Iiis eyelids. "The poor survivors were kindly received into the houses of the people of Plymouth, and every effort used for their restoration. The captain and lieutenant, and a few others _who had abstained from the use ofardciit spirits, survived. The remainder were buried, some in sc- parate graves, and others in a large pit, whose hollow is still to be seen on the south-west side of the burial-"round at

Plymouth. b T li‘li'e funeral obsequi‘es were most solemn—When the

clergyman, who was to perform the last service, first enter-

ed, and saw niore than seventy dead bodies, some fixing upon him their stony eyes, and others with faces stiffened into tbeliorsible expression oftheir last agony, he was so 'hfi'octedas to faint. Some were brought on shore alive,and received every attention, but survived but a short time. Others were restored after long sickness, but with their ,Itmbssoinjured by the frost as to become cripples for life.

In a village at somc distance from Plymouth, a widowed mother, with her daughter, were constantly attending a Coach, on which lay a sufferer. It was the boy whose Eyeldld attracted the notice of pity as he lay aiming the

en .

“,Mother,” said he in a feeble tone, “ God“ bless you for havmg taught pie to avoid ardent spirits. It was this that ' “Fad me- Allel‘ those around rue grew intoxicated,l had

enough to do to protect myself from them. Some attacked

(hired me to fight. Others pressed the poisonous draught to my lips, and bade me drink. My lips and throat were parched With thirst. But I knew it‘ldrank with them, I must lose my reason as they did;and perhaps blaspheme my Maker. 1

“One by one they died, these poor infuriated wretches. Their shrieks and groans still seem to ring in my ears. It

good men, Warned them of What would ensue, if they thus

was in vain that the captain and other officers, andafewl

continued to drink, and tried every method in their powerl

‘0 restore them to order. They still fed upon the intoxi— cating liquor until they grew deln-ious; they died in heaps.

“Dear mother, our sufferings from cold and hunger you cannot imagine. After my feet were frozen, but before] lost the use of mv hauds,l discovered a box among trag- nients of the wreck, far under water. 1 toiled With a rope to. drag it tip, but my strength was not suflictent. A com- rade, who was still able to move a little, asststcd me. I At length it came Within our reach. we'lioped that it might contain bread, and took courage. Uniting our strength we burstit opeu.——lt contained only a few bottles of olive Oil, yet we gave God thanks; for we found that by occaSioually inoisleningr our lips with it and swallownig a little, it allaycd the gnawing, biirning'pain in the stomach. Then my coni- rade died; and I lay beside him as one dead, surrounded by corpses.

“Presently the violence ofthe tempest, that had so long raged, subsided, and I heard quick footsteps and strange voices amid the wreck where we lay. They were the bles— sed people of Plymouth. who had dared every danger to save us. They lifted in their arms and wrapped iii blankets all who could speak. They then earnestly sought all who could move. But every drunkard was among the dead; and I was so exhausted \Vitli toil and suffering and cold, that 1 could not stretch a hand to my delivercrs. They passed .me again and again.

“They carried the livmg to the boat. [feared that I was left behind. Then lprayed earnestly in my heart ‘0 Lord, for the sake of my widowed mother, fortho sake of my dear- est sister, save me !’ Metl‘iought the last man had gone, and l hesought the Redeemer to receive my spirit. But 1 folLa warm breath on my face. lstraiued every nerve. My whole soul strove and shuddered within me. Still tny body was iiiiiiioveable as marble. Then a loud voice said, ‘Come back and help me out with this poor lad. One of his eye- lids tremblcs—lie lives.’ 0 the music ofthnt sweet voice to me! The trembling eyelid, the prayer to God, and your lessons often'iperance, my mother, saved me.”

Then the loving sister eiiiliraced him with tears, and the mother said, ‘Praise be to him who hath spared my son to be the comfort of my age l’ '

THE LATE RICHARD ARKWRIGHT, Esq—The wealthiest Commoner in England—We have already announced the de- uiisc ofthis gentleman, and we obtain the following particu- lars connected with the accumulation of his vast property from the Morning Herald. He died p05sessad, it is reported, of not less than seven millions sterling in personal property alone, irrespective of landed estates. As an individual capi- talist there is not one in Europe at the present time who can approach within lialfthe distance, excepting, perhaps, the excellent no less than Wealthy Mr. Solomon Heine, of Huinburgh, who, according to general repute, is estimated to concentrate in his own person the representation 0f.money value to the vast amount of four millions sterling. It must be remembered, however, that this sum represents the whole property of Mr. Heine, whereas the late Mr. Arkwright was possessed oflauded estates perhaps one or two millions be- yond the amount at which the personality is rated. Im- ineusely wealthy as are the Bai‘iugs, the Rotliscliilds, the Hopes, &c., of Europe, there is not, has not been, one that could be placed at all in the comparison; not all the magni- ficent fortunes drawn out of, with all the vast capital remain- ing still in the princely house of Baring would, perhaps, all combined, reach to the amount; notall the capitals of all the Rothschilds throughout Europe together equal probably more than one half the enormous mass of accuiriulatcd hordes left behind by the late Mr. Arkwright. Out of Eu- rope the only capitalist who could approach the comparison would be Mr. Astor, of New York, whose name will be familiar with all travellers from the massive and magnificent pile ofbuildiiigs which, as Astor’s Hotel, has administered to their convenience—a building which, of the description, and for the special use, stands unparrallelcd in the whole world; with this palatial structure itJiiiist Lie understood that Mr. Astor neither was nor is otherwise connected than as planner and proprietor, and as forming part ofhis vast estate. The reports current about the enormous wealth created and accumulated by this extraordinary man carry it as high as sixteen or seventeen iiiillions ofdollars, or say about four iiiillioussterliug; but ofcourse whilst he is living this can only be matter of conjecture, though perhaps not far from the truth. In illustration ofthe fact, however, a curi- ous anecdote has been in circulation in the United States. During the lifetime ofthe lnte Stephen Girard, who li‘oni a poor outcast exile li‘om St. Domingo driven out by the former slave population, becariie the greatest banker and capitalist ofPhiladelphia, it was a subject of something like rival con- tention between the people of Philadelphia and New York which possessed the greatest capitalist—that is, which was the more wealthy man, Girard or Astor. Doubtless the question was not without its interest to the iiioney-mnking parties themselves. The death ofthe one or the other, or of both, could however alone solve the speculations, and iii the former case then only to the survivor. Accordingly, on the death of Stephen Girard some years ago, the actual extent of his wealth was verified by the publication of his testa- ment, by which the largest proportion was bequeathed for the establishment and support ofliterary and public institu- tions. When Mr. Astor was informed that the total sum of Girard’s wealth reached only to some eleven or twelve mil- lion ot dollars, he is reported to have exhibited signs ofsatis- faction, and iii an under toiie,ns ifspcaking to himself, to have remarked “that would not do”—-—iiieauiiig of course 'thatit did not come up to the llitll‘k of his own prodigious possessmns.

The late Mr. Richard Arkwright was the only son of Sir Richard Arkwright, the founder and father of tlic “ factorv system” as it now exists. He succeeded to all the numerous spinningfiictories on the death ofSir Richard iii 1792,1hen estimated at the value, capital stock included, of about half a million sterling. As the profits of cotton spinning then, and for years alierwards, were counted by shillings per pound, instead of tartliiiigs, as iiow,except in the liner sorts, it may be safely asserted that by his extensive spinners in Craliibrd, Bakewcll, and Manchester alone he could not have derived a less income than £400,000 per annum. The extensive works at Manchester alone be disposed of some time afterwards in favour of his ii‘ianagers, Messrs. Barton and Simpson, who both realised large fortunes. He gave up the spiuiiing works at Bakcwcll some five or six years ago only to parties who, it is believed, had been long in his service; but those at Crnuford near his own reside'nce he carried on, as understood, to the time of his death. Mr. Richard Arkwright, besides various other concerns highly prosperous for the most part, was the principal if iiot'thc sole proprietor ofsouie banking establishments in the coun- tics of Derby and Nottingham. From taste and not from uiggardly notions ofsaviug he lived without the least osten- ltlllUl'l of display; the scale ofhis household expenditure is supposed not to have exceeded £3,000 per aiiuum, of which the larger portion was laid out upon his gardens, on which he prided himself; so that by the natural and equable force of accumulation during 5‘2 years, even had not one pound of surplus income been reinvested and made to bear interest, he must still have been possessor] of millions.

He was probably the last ofthe historic names connected and coeval with the foundation of what are now designated the liictory and power systems. The late Sir Robert Peel, who maybe esteemed the head ifnot the parent of calico printing, realised and bequeathed a vast fortune to his des— cendants. The mountain of wealth accumulated bv Mr. Arkwright has already been referred to. But Hargreaves, the inventor of the “spiniiig-jcnny,” died in but iniddlina circumstances. Samuel Croniptou, the inventor of [big “mule” frame, which has carried the art of spinning yarn to its greatest perfection, died in poverty, notwithstandinu a parliamentary grant of £5,000 in 1812, which melted awiav through the mistbrtuues ofhis sons in the business iii which by means of thisgraut, he established them. And lastly: the late Mr. \Villiani Radcliffe, of Stockport, (whose death occurred only last year) the inventor of the “ dressitw nia- chines; and veritable father, of the “ power-loom” system for until the epoch ofthat invention the power-loom wasz powerless or impracticable, perished in almost abject pover- ty ;_u tact reflecting no small discredit on the opulent ina- nufacturers of Manchester, who, after plundering liim ofhis

invention by the unscrupulous appropriation of which they enriched themselves, might surely have let fall a few crumbs from their own overloaded tables to comfort the old age and penury ofthe man they contributed to sink into panperism.

CANAL BETWIXT CAIRO AND Suez—We learn, on the au- thority ofa correspondent at Cairo, that the Pasha has de- termined on constructing a canal between that city and Suez, and that the work is to be commenced forthwith. It is ex- pected that this undertaking will not prove so arduous as may at first sight appear; in many places all that is requr- site to be done being merely to clear out the bed of the an- cieat canal; and as Melieniet All has now turned his sword into a plouglishare, it is not improbable he may find employ— merit for Some of his troops on the work. The following particulars ofthis ancient canal may not be uninteresting to our readers :—

The great Sesostris appears to have been the first who conceived the project of uniting the Nile to the Red Sea by means of a canal, and actually commenced this gigantic en- terprise, which, however. he (lid not finish. At a subsequent period it was resumed by one ofhis successors, Pharaoh Necho, on which occasion 120,000 men perished. It was not, however, then completed, in consequence of the res- ponse ofthe Oracle, which was consulted by that monarch, to the effect that.“ the construction of the proposed canal would expose Egypt to the invasion of foreigners.” During the dominion ofthe Persians, however, it was continued by Darius, the son of Hystaspes, and finally completed by Ptolemy Pliiladelphus, after whom it was named. ‘ The geo- grapher Stralio relates that it “ Was furnished With ingeni- oust contrived sluices, which Were opened to admit the passage of vessels, and afterwards very promptly shot.” It was ]40 miles long, 60 yards wide, and 30 feet deep. it commenced at the [’elusiac, or most easterly branch of the Nile, near Bubasatis, (about 35 miles north of Cairo,) and after flowing through the Lake Amer, like the Rhone through the Lake ofGeueva, it terminated at Assiuie, a town near the site of tire modern Suez. By means of this canal, vessels from the Red Sea, when they reached the Pelusiac branch ofthe Nile, could either descend to the Egyptian ports of the Mediterranean, or ascend the river to Memphis and Thebes. By furnishing an abundant supply of water for irrigation. it fertilised the desert on both sides of its banks, which were soon covered with opulent cities, among which may be mentioned Phagronipolis, Heriopolis, and Serapeuiu, the positions of which are indicated in our charts.

During the Roman dominion in Egypt, this canal was re- newed or repaired by the Emperor Trajan, who added a Branch to it, which communicated with the Nile near old Cairo. This prolongation ofthe canal bore the name ofthe Emperor, as is explicitly stated in the following 'passage from Ptoleuiy———“ Between Heliopolis and Babylon (Old Cairo,) flows the river Trajan.”

Our correspondent does not inform lis whether it is in con- templation to renew the whole of these canals, or what de- viation is contemplated in "consequence of the Pelusiac being now dried up, except that the point of junction with the Nile is to be at Shubra, in order that the city of Cairo may derive benefit from the undertaking.

We may add that, although our correspondent was assu- red on very good authority, that the work is to be commenced immediately, be is rather sceptical as to the means possess- ed by the Pasha ofcarryiug it into immediate execution.— Bombay Times.

Tut; lSTHMUS or PANAMA.-—We sulijoin a copy of the let- ter from Baron Humboldt to M. Solomon, read by M. Gui- zot :-——“August, 1842. Sir—l learn with regret that you are not more advanced in your interesting enterprise than you were when I last had the pleasure of seeing you at Paris. It is twenty-five years since a project for a communication between the two oceans, either by the Isthmus of Panama, by the Lake Nicaragua, or by the Isthmus of Cnpica, has been proposed and topograpliically discussed, and yet no- thing has been yet commenced. 1 had believed that the British embassy would have found the means of inspiring confidence, by sending an engineer to survey the valley which separates the two seas, and across which a canal might be cut. Be assured that the parties who have made use of uiy name in saying that the two hé'as have not the Santa level, have done so for the purpose of an. excuse for not entering on the undertaking.” We. likewise subjoiii the extract from the document addressed to the Academy of Sciences on the subject, by an American gentleman, Mr. Warden :——“The cutting necessary to unite the two seas by means ofthe three rivers, Viuolinto, Beruardino, and Far— reii, is only 12$ miles in length. The canal in all would be

howl ofpilat‘; or precisely as French soldiers partake of their meals, mangeanl a lagomelle.—Mrs. Romer.

INTERESTING Fun—There is at present in possession of an individual in this place a male canary “about 15 year. ofage, that i unable to feed itself, and to whose musical powers ill-natured time has put a complete stop. On the same floor, but in a separate apartment, is another male c.- nar , a son ofthe aged bird. Thisyoung 0"" bemg allowed to leave his cage early in the. mot-mpg, and by about atple‘. sure, is in the practice of visiting his old friend, and kindly feeding him as birds feed their young; and this he does so- veral times in the course ofthe day. H? also Perch? 0“ the cage of his progenitor and sings With great spirit, no doubt to cheer up his old relative in his declining days. rho old bird has arparticular way of calling on this prop of his old age when he requires his serVices, which are always given and received with mutual satisfaction. When the young bird is in any way obstructed from attending to the call ofthe other, he appears to be very angry, and exprefifies his displeasure in a certain noisy and screaming manner, which is well understood by the inmates ofthe house.— fiberdcen Herald.