The _supper_ was _superabundant_--in fine, No _gourmand_ complained of a scanty provision Of flesh, fish, or fowl--or of excellent wine, Which _Bacchus's_ tribe thought a charming addition; But the _nymphs_ and the _graces_ impatiently flew To the ball room again, the _dance_ to renew; And thoughtless of sleep or repose, in their glee, Kept it up, it is said, till full _two_ or _three_. Of the cake, fruit, and wine, there yet was such store, Laid in and prepared for the festive occasion, That the Managers thought of _a hop or two_ more, As a matter of justice and easy persuasion; So, on several nights, the beauty and grace Of the young and the old that distinguish the place, With music and dancing enlivened the hall, Till the close of the week, gave repose to us all. All needed it much; for a deep fall of snow, Fatigued as we were, to _sleighing_ invited-- And who could refuse, pray, a gallant young _beau_, _Alcibiades_ like, with _driving_ delighted?-- Thro' the streets, and _around and around_ on the _square_, For the _belles_ and the _bells_, were all gathered _there_, What racing--what contests _Olympic_ were seen, On the snow-white expanse of the _cidevant_ green! We have not half finished the _sleighing_ affair, With some other topics of social diversion, But here we must stop--as we now must prepare For a trip to old _York_, on a pleasure excursion-- We _wish_ you were with us. Your eloquent pen Might _there_ find a scene to amuse us again, With lively description of things "old and new"-- But the carriage is waiting; so, dear girl, _adieu!_ UNREASONABLE WISHES. The subjoined _morceau_ is worthy notice. Many grave essays have been written upon the vanity and unreasonableness of human wishes; but it would seem, without much effect. The rhapsodies of lovers in the olden time were thought sufficiently extravagant, and their wishes have been quoted as the very essence of inordinate imaginations: in fact, Shakspeare has classed the lover and the madman together: "The lunatic, the lover and the poet, Are of imagination all compact: One sees more devils than vast hell can hold-- That's the madman--the other all as frantic Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt," &c. Yet the old fashioned lovers kept some rule in their imaginary desires, when compared with the vast conception of our correspondent. "Ye Gods! annihilate both time and space, And make two lovers happy"-- and the passionate exclamation of Romeo, "Oh that I were a glove upon that hand! That I might kiss that cheek!" were thought wild enough for those more stoical times. But it seems that the march of improvement is onward in love-making, as well as in road-making, as we will trust our correspondent's effusion to show. * * * * * For the Southern Literary Messenger. TO MISS S---- S----