ODE TO BURN S.

Now, hurrah! for old Scotland,
The land of oaten-cakes-
Of mountains and moorlands-

Of rivers and lakes!

I've roamed o'er thy battlefields,
And stood by each grave-
My soul has turned in glory
To thy gifted and brave!

But who among thy children
A wider homage earns,
Than the Poet of the people

The loved and loving Burns!

O! dearer now to Scotland
The songs of her Bard,

Than the fame of Bruce or Wallace
In the days when they warred.

The Highlands they are bonnyThe Lowlands they are green

Ah! but show us a lassie

Like Robert's May-queen!

Like the bluebells of Scotland
So lowly and meek-

Like the heath on the mountains
The bloom on her cheek!

"Tis the soul in thy musings,
And the heart in thy song,
That are worth all the rhymesters
That rhyme the day long!

Then a blessing on thee-Robert-
Wherever we may be

Who thinks of bonny Scotland

Will proudly think of Thee.

PERCIVAL; OR, THE NEW COMER.

"O for a world in principle as chaste
As this is gross and selfish! over which
Custom and prejudice shall bear no sway,
That govern all things here, should'ring aside
The meek and modest Truth, and forcing her
To seek a refuge from the tongue of Strife
In nooks obscure, far from the ways of men;
Where Violence shall never lift the sword,
Nor Cunning justify the proud man's wrong;
Leaving the poor no remedy but tears."

COWPER'S "TASK."

Considerable sensation was excited a few years ago, in a small market town in the north of England, in consequence of the public announcement, that the sale by auction of certain estates, belonging to a Baronet, lately deceased, was about to take place. On the day appointed, a motley group of real and pretended buyers. was collected together. In one of the largest rooms of the principal inn waiters were busily employed handing glasses of wine to these gentlemen. The auctioneer opened the proceedings of the day by a speech, in which he expended more than his usual amount of eloquence, interspersed with various rather doubtful phrases, one of which—" undiluting" (instead of undulating) addressed to the nature of the soil, raised a laugh, at his expense, among the more educated portion of his audience.

The bidding was now commenced by a few pretended buyers (previously acquainted with the reserved bid of

the deceased Baronet's executors,) who run up the value of the estate, indoors, to an ace of what it had been computed at, by the most sanguine valuer, out of doors.

At this moment, a person, previously unobserved, made an advanced bid, which the auctioneer eagerly caught up. The bidders who had preceded him appeared greatly relieved, instead of disappointed, and every eye was fixed on the stranger. The auctioneer now looked round the company in vain. The price was already higher than that of a mere investment; it was, in fact, almost a fancy price.

The waiters plied the assembly with more wine-but to no purpose. The auctioneer declared that there was now no "reserved bid"-that the estate was actually in the market-and that he should immediately knock it down to the highest bidder! He waited a little longer, however, and then said he should count three ! "One"— "Two "(going, gentlemen-going-going)—"Three !" -"Gone!" It was, in fact, knocked down to the stranger, who paid the deposit-money, and almost immediately afterwards left the room. Thus ended the sale, as most country sales end, there being but one sweeping buyer present. The neighbouring landowners would have taken adjoining fields-buyers from a distance would have taken separate lots, or thirds, or halves; but there was only one bona fide purchaser of the whole estate; and it was well for the sellers that such an individual was found to take the property off their hands entire, at so handsome a price.

But there was some mystery about this stranger. He gave in his name "Percival;" but nobody knew anything about him. "Was he a Lord? Was he a Londoner? What was he?" No one could tell. The tenants (who always come to sales to see who their new landlord is to be), were equally puzzled. They only caught a glimpse of him as he left the room. He seemed " a decent-like gentleman," as far as they could tell, and that was all. The country gentry promised to make enquiry in quarters most likely to afford information, before the newcomer should arrive on his estate, in order that his quality and pedigree might be fully ascertained.

We must now pass over six months to the period when Percival took possession of his property; the title being clear-the conveyance executed-and the money handed over in due form. This took place immediately after the mid-summer rents had been paid to his predecessors, in the delightful month of July. The estate comprised a whole village, with some four thousand acres, containing good, indifferent, and bad land, in pretty equal proportions-some excellent preserves, abounding with gamea considerable sheet of water, stocked with fish—a capital family mansion-all within no great distance of a small market-town, sending a member to Parliament -the surrounding country being particularly picturesque, and abounding in similar independent properties. Such was the investment which Percival had made. As he was a new-comer, all eyes were upon him. His politics, religion, habits, and character, being the subject of

enquiry to say nothing of his personal appearance, to which the ladies were by no means indifferent. "He has given some hundred and fifty thousand pounds for the property; and cannot be, a Nobody," said one. "He does not look like a Nobody," said another.

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He looks like

'They say he's a

a Gentleman, all over," said a third. bachelor," said a fourth. In fact, nothing transpired, and people were, for once, left to judge of a man by his real actions, and not by prejudiced reports. The first person who ventured to call upon the new-comer, was the Clergyman of the parish, who observed Percival at church on the preceding Sunday. On this occasion, they had a good deal of conversation, from which the worthy pastor gathered thus much;-that the new squire was as charitably disposed as the old one. He enquired about clothing, benevolent and sick clubs-about Sunday and and week-day schools, and expressed his desire to subscribe to all of them-begged the good minister would acquaint him with cases of distress in the parish, that he might endeavour to relieve them; and told him that his house was always open to his visits, and that he should value his spiritual advice for himself as well as for his poorer neighbours. The Clergyman went away much gratified; and, from this time, Percival appeared to have gained, at least, a character in his new home. This good name was speedily increased among the tenantry, by a new adjustment of their rents, which was founded upon the valuation made by Percival's agent, previous to his purchase of the estate; and upon which, leases were