Hark! 'tis the song of the sailor shell, Sweet on the breezes swelling: Rearing its arms to the breathing gale, Over the billows sailing. Calm is the eve, The wavelets heave Their crests to the setting sun, Glitter awhile In his golden smile, And their brilliant course is run. Hasten, my brothers, our boat along, Off to our sea side dwelling: Haste; while the Nautilus' evening song Sweet on the breeze is swelling. Up with the sail! for the earliest boat Lies 'neath the world of waters Ceased is the wild harmonious note That melody's soul first taught us.2 Over the sea The wind blows free, The spray in the air is hurl'd: Clouds in the wave Their bosoms lave; Then quick be our sail unfurl'd, Haste ye, my brothers, ere night comes on, Over the world of waters: Sing to high heaven, the mellow song The Nautilus' note first taught us.

W. PEARCE.

PARAPHRASE ON BISHOP HEBER'S PICTURE OF HUMAN LIFE

(For the Mirror.)

Life, like a mighty river, bears us on A rapid tide, we ne'er can rest upon, Adown the narrow stream, at first, we glide Thro' fruits and flowers that fringe the grassy side. The playful murmurings of its windings seem Soft, as the far-off music of a dream, Over our heads the trees their blossoms shed, Flowers on the brink their mingled odours shed. Beauty around, above us, Hope within; Eager we grasp each dazzling charm to win. But hurried on and on, we ne'er can stay Our little bark to anchor or delay. For now, how full, how deep, how vast the river On which we glide, that stays its journey never! As rolling years bring with them joy and woe, Dark, and more various, seems our voyage to grow. Buoyant we ride on waves of hope and joy, Down, down, we sink, when earthly cares annoy! Futile and vain, alike each hope or fear On, on, we glide, there is no resting here. For far behind is left each joy and woe, The mighty river ne'er will cease to flow! And, rough and smooth, it hastens to its home, Glides by each futile hope and pleasure gone. Until within our ears the ocean roars, And the bleak billows break upon the shores; Beneath our keel the bounding waves arise, And the land lessens from our aching eyes. The floods of "Time's wide ocean" round us swell, Earth take of us thy long and last farewell! For witness of our future voyage there's none But He, the Infinite, Eternal One!

Kirton Lindsey. ANNIE R.

ON VEILS

(To the Editor of the Mirror.)

In No. 385, of the MIRROR, one of your Correspondents gives an account of the "Origin of wearing the veil," in which he attributes it to Penelope, the beautiful wife of Ulysses. Now, for my own part, I feel inclined to query this statement of C.K.W. first by his own account of the origin, and second by Scripture.

Your Correspondent, speaking of the decision which the wife of Ulysses was to give, says, "the beautiful Penelope finding herself in this dilemma, blushed, and without making the least reply, drew her veil over her face," &c. By this I think it is clearly understood that veils were common in Greece when this occurrence took place; or why say "her veil," which readily implies, that it was customary to wear them, and also that it was near her at the time; although, perhaps, she might have been the first to use it upon such an occasion, namely, to hide her blushes from the observation of her father when she decided upon accompanying her husband in preference to staying with her parent. 2nd. In Scripture we find the veil used in Moses' time, and even by Moses himself,3 1491 years before Christ; but the earliest mention of it which I can find in the Old Testament is in Genesis, xxiv. 65, (before Christ 1857 years,) where it says "Rebekah took a veil when she saw Isaac coming towards her, and covered herself;" it being customary even in those early times to wear them, especially with brides. Now, by referring to the History of Greece, it appears that Sparta, near which this scene of Penelope's is said to have taken place, was not founded or instituted till about A.M. 2650, or before Christ 1354, which alone makes a difference of 500 years, setting aside the time from the foundation of Sparta to the period in which Ulysses lived.

I therefore come to the conclusion that your Correspondent is mistaken with regard to the origin of wearing the veil; for it is allowed by all that the Bible is the most ancient work extant, therefore to that we must go for such information as cannot be derived from any other source. I beg leave to conclude this paper with a few observations, and some extracts from different writers, on the veils worn in the East, which may not, perhaps, be uninteresting to your numerous readers.

By perusing the various accounts given us by travellers in the East, it appears that great importance is attached to the veil. The strictness with which the ladies keep their faces covered and hidden from the sight of men, is common in the East, for they are generally of the most exquisite beauty; and would take it as the greatest insolence which could be offered to them, should their veils at any time be drawn aside.

"Veil answers to the Hebrew word tzaiph, translated by a veil, a scarf, or mantle, with which the eastern women covered their head and face. The Hebrew has also haradidim, or veils to sit at table in. The veil was a kind of crape, so that they could see through it, or at least a passage was left for the light to come to their eyes." Calmet, vol. ii. art. Veil.

Veils are usually worn both in the house and when abroad, and are of four kinds; one of which is a kind of handkerchief, which the Eastern ladies wear over the face and the temples. This handkerchief or veil has a net work at the place of the eyes, like point or thread lace, in order that it may be seen through.

Chardin, in his Voyage en Perse, tom. ii. p. 50, says, "The Armenian women, contrary to the Mahometan women, have, even when in the house, the lower part of the face veiled, even including the nose, if they are married. This is in order that their nearest relations and their priests, who have the liberty of visiting them, may see only a part of their face; but the girls wear this veil only to the mouth, for the contrary reason, in order that they may be seen enough to judge of their beauty, and to talk of it.... Girls are not shut up in Persia till they attain the age of six or seven years; before that age they go out of the seraglio, sometimes with their father, so that they may then be seen. I have seen some wonderfully pretty. They show the neck and bosom, and more beautiful cannot be seen."

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The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 390, September 19, 1829

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THE NAUTILUS. WRITTEN FOR MUSIC

(For the Mirror.)

PARAPHRASE ON BISHOP HEBER'S PICTURE OF HUMAN LIFE

(For the Mirror.)

ON VEILS

(To the Editor of the Mirror.)

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