Was the golden ducat _all_ that poor despairing slave owed to the good Englishman? No; that was the smallest part of the debt; for to the moral influence of his conversation, and the books and papers he scattered in the neighbourhood, might mainly be attributed the changing public sentiment, which rendered the crowd silent at that mournful scene, and thus enabled the auctioneer to exclaim, “The whole lot going for a ducat! Going! _gone_! to Jan Van der Veen! Hurra!” TO THE NASTURTIUM; WHICH LINNÆUS DESCRIBES AS EMITTING PHOSPHORESENCE IN THE DARK. Glorious flower! so gorgeously bright! As if thou wert formed of orient light! In topaz, and gold, and velvet array, Like an Eastern Queen on her bridal day! Rich jewels the Sun to the Earth dropped down, And the Earth gave him back thy floral crown. Thy tints, glowing warm as a summer noon, Seem painted tones from some amorous tune; And surely thy varying flushes came From Italian music’s radiant flame; Or, when Apollo touched his golden lyre, Earth answered the sounds with thy brilliant fire. Thy ardent blossoms were at first unfurled, A love-letter written to all the world; And not by day only, but even by night, The writing shines through with phosphoric light. That letter of love the Tropics sent forth, Sealed full of sunshine, a gift to the North. Bright Summer is proud thy garland to wear; It shines like rich gems in Autumn’s pale hair; And it warms our homes with a sunny glow, When earth has assumed her mantle of snow. Wealth of bright beauty hast thou for thy dower, Resplendent, warm-hearted, tropical flower! THE ANCIENT CLAIRVOYANT. Thou, while listening with thy inward ear, The ocean of eternity didst hear, Along its coming waves; and thou didst see Its spiritual waters, as they rolled through thee; Nor toiled, in hard abstractions of the brain, Some guess of immortality to gain; For far-sought truths within thy soul did rise, Informing visions to thine inward eyes. R. H. DANA. Many centuries ago, a child named Hermotimus was born in the genial climate of Ionia. From infancy, his hold on material life seemed exceedingly slight. He was a delicate, frail blossom; “By living rays refined, A trembler of the wind; A spiritual flower Sentient of breeze and shower.”