But yesterday I passed the spot, in thought Enwrapped--unlike the fancies which played round My heart in life's sweet morning, bright and brief: And as I stood and gazed upon the change, Methought a voice low whispered in my ear: "Thy destiny is linked with that low spring; Its course is changed, and so for aye shall be The tenor of thy life; and anxious cares, And fruitless wishes, springing without hope, Shall rankle round thy heart, like those foul weeds Which now grow thick where flow'rets bloomed anew:-- Like to that spring, thy fount of joy is dry!" * * * * * LINES _From the Italian of Scipione Maffei_[1] BY E.B. IMPEY. Quivi qual foste gia, non qual sarete. Con diletto mirando, in onta agli anni Vostre belle sembianze ancor vedrete. Scorn not, dear maid, this fond but faithful lay, That pictures, on no perishable page, Thy beauties, rescued from the spoils of age, To live and blossom with thy poet's bay: For when remorseless Time brings on decay, When the loath'd mirror shall no more engage Thy smiles, distorted into grief and rage, Alas! to think that youth must pass away-- Then in these lines contented shall thou trace, As in a lovelier glass, thy lasting charms, Not as they shall be, but as now they grace, Fresh in the bud of youth, these circling arms. [1] The Marchese Scipione Maffei was a native of Verona, contemporary with Gio. Baptista Felice Zappi, Vincenzio di Filicaja, and other Italian poets, who associated themselves together in an academy, which they entitled Arcadia. The pastoral name conferred upon the Marquess was Orilto Barentatico. _Vide Rime degli Arcadi, Venice_, MDCCLXXIX. * * * * * LAWS RELATING TO BACHELORS. (_To the Editor._) At page 53 of the present volume, your Correspondent "E.J.H." in his remarks on "Laws relating to Bachelors," states at the conclusion thereof as follows:-- "In England, bachelors are not left to go forgotten to their solitary graves. There was a tax laid on them by the 7th William III., after the 25th year of their age, which was 12_l._ 10_s._ for a duke, and 1_s._ for a commoner. At present they are taxed by an extra duty upon their servants--for a male, 1_l._ 5_s._, for a female, 2_s._ 6_d._ above the usual duties leviable upon servants." Your Correspondent certainly must be in error upon these points, as the additional duty to which bachelors in England are liable under the present Tax Acts, for a male Servant, is only 1_l._ (the usual duty leviable for such servant being 1_l._ 4 _s._); and there is not, that I am aware of, any law in existence in England taxing any person in respect of female servants. R.J. _Alton, Hants._ * * * * * THE NATURALIST. DEER OF NORTH-AMERICA, AND THE MODE OF HUNTING THEM. (_From Featherstonehaugh's Journal._)