foreman, or major-domo, who resides on the
spot. Under him is a capataz, or overseer,
for each department. These are almost
always foreigners of good family. Indeed, the
foreigners abound in all situations: foreigners,
especially Basques and Irish, increase daily.
The native workmen have been much
improved in manners and intelligence by the
intruders, and all work in harmony in the
Saladero; though the general character of the
native population is turbulent in the extreme.
Nearly all the fine territories in that part of
the world are periodically plunged in fierce
and ruinous war, which retards civilisation,
and renders commerce uncertain and hazardous.
It is to be hoped, however, that with increasing
intercourse with Europe, the people of South
America will be convinced of the benefits of
commerce, which ever brings in its train those
industrious habits and moral advantages,
which war has hitherto banished from the
best districts.

THE CHURCH POOR-BOX.

I AM a Poor-Box!—here I stick,
Nailed to a wall of whitewashed brick,
Teeming with "fancies coming thick,"
That sometimes mingle
With solid pence from those who kneel;
While, now and then, oh joy! I feel
A sixpence tingle!

The robin on me oft doth hop;
I am the woodlouse's working shop;
And friendly spiders sometimes drop
A line to me;
While e'en the sun will often stop
To shine on me.

I am of sterling, close, hard grain
As any box on land or main;
But age, my friends, who can sustain,
In solitude?
Neglect might make a Saint complain,
Whate'er his wood.

Heaven hath, no doubt, a large design:
Some hearts are harder grain'd than mine;
Some men too fat, and some too fine,
And some can't spare it;—
I do not mean to warp and pine,
But humbly bear it.

This is a cold and draughty place,
And folks pass by with quickened pace,
Praying, perchance, a dinner-grace;
But ever then,
I feel the comfort of His face,
Who pities men.

I saw, last week, in portly style,
A usurer coming down the aisle;
His chin a screw, his nose a file,
With gimlet eye:
He turned his head, to cough and smile—
And sidled by.

I saw the same rich man, this morn,
With sickly cheek and gait forlorn—
As feeble, almost, as when born;
He dropt some pelf,
Pitying the Poor—the weak and worn—
Meaning "himself."

I saw, last year, a courtly dame,
With splendid bust, and jewels flame,
And all the airs of feathered game—
A high-bred star-thing:
All saw the gold — but close she came,
And dropt—a farthing.

Two days ago, she passed this way,
Heart-broken—prematurely grey—
Her beauty like jts mother—clay:
She gave me gold;
"I am like thee"—I heard her say—
"Hollow and cold."

The farmer gives when crops are good,
Because the markets warm his blood:
The traveller, 'scaped from field and flood,
Endows the Poor;
The dying miser sends his mud,
To make Heaven sure.

A lover with his hoped-for bride
(Her parents being close beside)
Drew forth his purse with sleek-faced pride,
Rattling my wood:
All day I felt a pain in the side,
He was "so good."

The Captain fresh from sacking towns,
My humble claim to pity owns;
The Justice on his shilling frowns;
But, worst of all,
Arch-hypocrites display their crowns
Beside my wall.

There came a little child, one day,
Just old enough to know its way,
And, clambering up, it seemed to say
"Poor lonely Box!"
Gave me a kiss—and went away
With drooping locks.

I have to play a thankless part;
With all men's charities I smart,
But those who give with a child's heart,
From pure fount sprung:—
The rest I take, as on the mart;
Wise head — still tongue.

A BIOGRAPHY OF A BAD SHILLING.

I BELIEVE I may state with confidence that
my parents were respectable, notwithstanding
that one belonged to the law—being the zinc
door-plate of a solicitor. The other, was a
pewter flagon residing at a very excellent
hotel, and moving in distinguished society;
for it assisted almost daily at convivial
parties in the Temple. It fell a victim at
last to a person belonging to the lower orders,
who seized it, one fine morning, while hanging
upon some railings to dry, and conveyed it to
a Jew, who—I blush to record the insult
offered to a respected member of my family—
melted it down. My first mentioned parent
—the zinc plate—was not enabled to move
much in society, owing to its very close
connexion with the street door. It occupied,
however, a very conspicuous position in a
leading thoroughfare, and was the means of
diffusing more useful instruction, perhaps,
than many a quarto, for it informed the
running as well as the reading public, that