INCONSTANCY. E. M. 295 CROSSING THE TIDE. MISS PHŒBE CAREY. 297 THE IRIS. PROEM. BY SARAH ROBERTS. They have christened me Iris; and why? oh, why? Because, like the rainbow so bright, I bring my own welcome, and tell my own tale, And am hailed by all hearts with delight: And this, this is why I am named for the beautiful bow in the sky. The rainbow, it cometh 'mid sunlight and tears,-- The tears it soon chaseth away; I banish all sighs for the year that is passed, And the future in sunlight array: And this, this is why I am named for the beautiful bow in the sky. The rainbow, it telleth of promise and love, Of hope, with its gay, golden wing; It whispers of peacefulness, purity, heaven,-- Of these lofty themes do I sing: And this, this is why I am named for the beautiful bow in the sky. The rainbow is painted in colours most fair, By the hand of the Father of love; So the genius and talent my pages bespeak, Are inspired by the Great Mind above: And this, this is why I am named for the beautiful bow in the sky. THE LANDING OF WILLIAM PENN. BY THE EDITOR. (See the Frontispiece.) The first landing of William Penn at Newcastle, in 1682, is one of those striking historical events that are peculiarly suited for pictorial illustration. The late Mr. Duponceau, in one of his discourses, first suggested the idea of making it the subject of an historical painting. This idea is seized with avidity by Mr. Dixon, the most recent biographer of the great Quaker, and the circumstances of the landing are given accordingly, with much minuteness. The artist who designed the picture that forms the frontispiece to the present volume has had this description in view. I cannot do better, therefore, than to quote the words of Mr. Dixon as the best possible commentary upon the picture.