When all a woman’s eye is fire, And ev’ry look the passions move, The voice as sweet as Nature’s lyre— What can a poor man do but love? When all his light is in _one_ eye, And all his heaven within _one_ breast— Oh! blame him not, if he doth sigh For light like this to make him blest! Then blame him not—oh! blame him not, For madness only is his crime,— Oh! never will you be forgot, While all your image is on time. A heart like thine—an eye so bright, Will ever all the passions move— When gazing on those eyes of light, What can a poor man do but love? J. T. * * * * * A CHAPTER ON AUTOGRAPHY. BY [Illustration: signature of Edgar A. Poe] [In this, our second “Chapter on Autography,” we conclude the article and the year together. When we say that so complete a collection has never been published before, we assert only that which is obvious; and we are pleased to see that our exertions upon this head have been well received. As we claim only the sorry merit of the compiler, we shall be permitted to say that no Magazine paper has ever excited greater interest than the one now concluded. To all readers it has seemed to be welcome—but especially so to those who themselves dabble in the waters of Helicon:—to those and their innumerable friends. The diligence required in getting together these autographs has been a matter of no little moment, and the expense of the whole undertaking will be at once comprehended; but we intend the article merely as an earnest of what we shall do next year. Our aim shall be to furnish our friends with variety, originality, and _piquancy_, without any regard to labor or to cost.] [Illustration: signature of F W Thomas] F. W. Thomas, who began his literary career, at the early age of seventeen, by a poetical lampoon upon certain Baltimore fops, has since more particularly distinguished himself as a novelist. His “Clinton Bradshawe” is perhaps better known than any of his later fictions. It is remarkable for a frank, unscrupulous portraiture of men and things, in high life and low, and by unusual discrimination and observation in respect to character. Since its publication he has produced “East and West” and “Howard Pinckney,” neither of which seem to have been so popular as his first essay; although both have merit. “East and West,” published in 1836, was an attempt to portray the every-day events occurring to a fallen family emigrating from the East to the West. In it, as in “Clinton Bradshawe,” most of the characters are drawn from life. “Howard Pinckney” was published in 1840.