hath Fancy, in her fitful dream,
Seated within a far sequestered dell,
What time upon the noiseless waters fell,
Mingled with length'ning leafy shade, a gleam
Of the departing sun's environ'd beam;
While all was hush'd, save that the lone death-bell
Would seem to beat, and pensive smite mine ear
Like spirit's wail, now distant far, now near:
Then the night-breeze would seem to chill my cheek,
And viewless beings flitting round, to _speak!_
And then, a throng of mournful thoughts would press
On this, my wild-ideal loneliness.

Me, oft hath Fancy too, in musing hour
Seated (what time the blithesome summer-day
Was burning 'neath the fierce meridian ray)
Within that self-same lonely woodland bow'r
So sultry and still; but _then_, the tower,
The hamlet tow'r, sent forth a roundelay;
I seem'd to hear, till feelings o'er me stole
Faintly and sweet, enwrapping all my soul,
Joy, grief, were strangely blended in the sound.
The light, warm sigh of summer, was around,
But ne'er may speech, _such_ thoughts, _such_ visions tell,
Then, perfect most, when _indescribable!_

M.L.B.

* * * * *

FINE ARTS

* * * * *

THE PROGRESS OF PAINTING IN FRANCE.

(_For the Mirror_.)

Whether the French were first indebted to the Roman school for their
knowledge of the art of painting is a matter of some doubt; indeed, several
celebrated French writers affirm, that they first had recourse to the
Florentine and Lombard schools; while others very strenuously declare, on
the other hand, that the Venetian artists were alone resorted to, on
account of the remarkable splendour of their colouring. A late author,
however, observes, that the French do not appear to have imitated any
school whatever, but to have adopted a style peculiar to themselves, which
though perhaps not a noble one, is nevertheless pleasing. Though it is
acknowledged that the French have a particular style, (i.e. a style of
their own,) yet their progress in the arts has been exceedingly fluctuating
and uncertain, so that it is actually impossible to ascertain who was the
first reputable artist amongst them. Cousin was a painter on glass, and
certainly obtained a good reputation amongst his countrymen. But he in fact
possessed very little merit, and his name would not doubtless have been
known to posterity had he not lived in a barbarous age, when the peopl