The prize proved to be laden with a valuable cargo, and, as this was the first capture of any moment we had made, it raised the spirits of the men in a commensurate degree. The skipper of the merchantman could never comprehend the justice of his capture. Like the generals whom Napoleon has been beating at a later day, he protested that he had been taken against all the rules of war. After keeping company with us for a few days, the prize hauled up for the coast with the intention of going into Newport. We subsequently learned that she accomplished her aim, but not until she had run the gauntlet of an English fleet. As for ourselves, we stood towards the south on the look out for a new prize. * * * * * A LADY HEARD A MINSTREL SING. BALLAD. THE POETRY BY T. HAYNES BAYLY, ESQ. THE MUSIC BY J. P. KNIGHT. _Philadelphia_: John F. Nunns, _184 Chesnut Street_. [Illustration: musical score] [Illustration: musical score] A Lady heard a Minstrel sing, One night beneath her bower, In wrath she cried, “oh! what can bring A stranger at this hour?” She clos’d the casement,— veil’d the lamp, The Minstrel paus’d in sorrow, Yet said, “tho’ now I must decamp, I’ll try again to-morrow.” The minstrel came again next night, The lady was not sleeping! She slily (tho’ she veil’d the light) Was thro’ her casement peeping. She heard him fondly breathe her name, Then saw him go with sorrow; And cried, “I wonder whence he came? Perhaps he’ll come to-morrow.” Again she heard the sweet guitar,— But soon the song was broken: Tho’ songs are sweet, oh! sweeter far Are words in kindness spoken: She loves him for himself alone, Disguise no more he’ll borrow, The minstrel’s rank at length is known,— She’ll grace a court to-morrow. * * * * * REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. _Charles O’Malley, The Irish Dragoon. By Harry Lorrequer. With Forty Illustrations by Phiz. Complete in One Volume. Carey & Hart: Philadelphia._