Where these rich palaces and stately piles
  Now rear their marble fronts, in sculptur’d pride,
  Stood once a few rude scatter’d huts, beside
  The desert shores of some poor clust’ring isles. 
  Yet here a hardy band, from vices free,
  In fragile barks, rode fearless o’er the sea: 
  Not seeking over provinces to stride,
  But here to dwell, afar from slavery. 
  They knew not fierce ambition’s lust of power,
  And while their hearts were free from thirst of gold,
  Rather than falsehood—­death they would behold. 
  If heaven hath granted thee a mightier dower,
  I honour not the fruits that spring from thee
  With thy new riches:—­Death and Tyranny.

E.L.J.

* * * * *

THE HOUSE OF UNDER.

(For the Mirror.)

There are few families more ancient, more generally known, or more widely diffused throughout the known world, than that of Under:  indeed, in every nation, though bearing different names, some branch of this family is extant; and there is no doubt that the Dessous of France, the Unters of Germany, and the Onders of the Land-under-water, belong to the same ancient and venerable house.  The founders of the house, however, were of low origin, and generally down in the world. Undergo was the job of the family, as patient as a lamb:  he encouraged the blessed martyrs in times of yore, and is still in existence, though his patience has somewhat diminished. Underhand is a far different character to the preceding, a double-dealing rascal, and as sly as a fox; he greets you with a smiling countenance, and while one hand is employed in shaking yours, he is disembarrassing you of the contents of your pocket with the other. Underline is a gentleman of some literary attainments, though not entirely divested of quackery; he is particularly noted for the emphasis he gives to certain points in his discourse, and though in some cases, perhaps, he is a little too prodigal of this kind of effect, yet we could not well do without him. Undermine is a greater rascal than Underhand, and had it not been for the counter-acting influence of Underproof, our house had fallen to the ground; to the ground it might have fallen, but had it gone farther, it would have been only to be revived in the person of Underground, a gentleman well known in the kitchens and pantries of the metropolis, the pantries in particular, he being a constant companion to the Under-butler. Understand is the pride of the house, and by his shining qualities, has raised himself to an eminence never reached by any other member of the family.  He is a conspicuous exception to the downcast looks of so many of his relations. Undertake is an enterprising fellow, but he is often deceived and fails in his schemes;