Poetry.

Returning to the little moss-grown mound , Devoid of art , and monumental pile ; She plac'd the empty basket on the ground , And fix'd it steady with an earthen tile . Then , shedding o ' er the listless earth a tear , The aged woman raised her simple pray ' r'Twas all she had to give , but 'twas sincere ,

More worth than all the wide world's treasures are Oh ! may the pow'r of Him who sees from high , Grant to her youth my true and ardent prayer ; AVho knows my truth with bis all-seeing eye , And take her to his mercy and his care . So flow'rs have I to strewor crown to

wear—, Take then the meed , an empty gift , thy due ; May nature fill the basket that I leave , And may she grant' what art refuses you . The care-worn matron left the mournful spot , Full certain that her single pray ' r was heard ; Bending her steps to Athens , heeded not The blast that blew the lost and widoiv'd bird .

Now jocund Spring usurp'd the fallen crown , For soon the ivind had pip'd itself to rest ; The north-east monarch flung his sceptre down , Yielding his pow ' r to the milder AVest . For we behold support the royal pile , The portico , the Greek , or Roman doom—Tbe chapel's sacred porch , or column'd aisle , Taught by kind feeling from a virgin ' s tomb .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COTJET . —Her Majesty , with tbe younger vaembevs of the family , is still at Osborne , prior to her departure for Germany next week . The Prince and Princess of AVales are on a visit to her Majesty . Prince Alfred is stated to have left on a tour .

IJTPEEIAL PAELLUIENT . —In tbe House of Lords , on Thursday , July 16 , the bill for the re-arrangement of the circuits , and several other measures , were advanced a stage . —The Duke of Somerset ' s eldest son took tbe oaths and his seat as Baron Seymour . On Friday , about 20 bills were advanced a stage , but no discussion of public interest took place . On

Monday , tbe bill for facilitating tbe distribution of naval prize money was read a second time . —In reply to some remarks from Lord Lyveden , Lord Granville said he regretted to have to state that the Canadians had taken no step whatever to provide for their own defence . It was impossible , added the noble earl , that the mother country could efficiently protect the colony ,

if the colonists themselves refused to lend a helping hand . —A long discussion took place in Committee on tbe Irish Fisheries Bill , Lord Chelmsford contending , clause by clause , for the " vested interests" of the owners of stake and bag nets . By a majority of 42 to 38 , a provision was inserted preserving the " legal rights" of these persons . The noble and learned lord

was , however , less suceessful in his attempt to authorise all stake nets existing up to the time of passing the Act , as well as those existing up to 1862 . This proposal , which was supported by the Lord Chancellor and opposed by his two colleagues , Lord Granville and Lord Stanley of Alderley , was rejected by 44 to 28 . After some further discussion , the

hill passed through committee ; and several other measures were advanced a stage . On Tuesday , Lord Donougbmore ¦ called attention to a statement in a Stockton newspaper imputiug to him corrupt motives in the course he had taken as chairman of the Committee on the AA est Hartlepool Railway Bill . Lord Granville suggested that the printer should be summoned to

the bar of the House ; but Lord Donoughmore said be did not desire to press the matter further . — -Several measures were advanced a stage , including the . Union Relief Bill , and a bil making a false assumption of Exhibition medals and certificates of " honourable mention" a misdemeanour . These bills weve read a second time . —The royal assent was given by commission to the A olunteers Bill , the Royal Naval Reserve Bill , and several

other measures . In the HOUSE OF COMMONS on Thursday , 16 th inst ., in a reply to a question from Mr . B . Ferrand , the Undersecretary for the Home Department , said that during the recess the Government would consider whether or not it was advisable to place children employed in potteries and paper tubes works under the protection of fhe Factory Act . Mr .

Layard stated , in answer to a question from Mr . Hennessy , that the Syndic of Hamburg had been selected as arbitrator in the case of Captain AVhite against the government of Peru , but he was not aware whether the Syndic had agreed to act in the . matter . Mr . Marsh gave timely Avavning to tbe Government , that he intended next session , to move that the Civil Service

Estimates had become extravagantly heavy , and ought to be reduced . Our dispute ivith Brazil formed tbe subject of another debate , Mr . Seymour Fitzgerald opening the discussion with an attack on the conduct of the Government , which was Avell responded to , aud led to no result . On Friday Lord C . Paget , in replying to a question from Mr . H . Seymour , stated that it

had been deemed necessary to send despatches intended for official personages in Vancouver's Island , round by Cape Horn , as despatches to and from the senior naval officer on the station had never reached their destination . —Mr . B . Ferrand gave notice of a bill for next session , to render tbe owners of steam boilers responsible for any deaths or injuries caused by explosions on their premises , just as railway companies may be sued

for damages for personal injury or loss of life . —Mr . M'Mahon also announced his intention of bringing in next year a bill providing for the abolition of the office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland . —Mr . C . Fortescue stated , in answer to a question from Mr . Mills , that intelligence had been received at the Colonial Office , confirming the published accounts of an unexpected native

outbreak in New Zealand . —Mr . Hennessy moved an address of tbe Crown in favour of open competition for the junior appointments in the Civil Service . The motion was opposed by the Government , and on a division , Mr . Hennessy Avas beaten by 81 . On Monday , Mr . Horsman moved a resolution to the effect that any attempt to settle the affairs of Poland on the basis of the Treaty

of Vienna would be unsatisfactory . He had read the despatches of Earl Russell with very great interest , but if no further action was to betaken in the matter they had better never have been written , for they only deceived the Poles . Poland , indeed , had been done to death by diplomacy . He went into a lengthened vevieAV of the history of Poland , and contended that

England was bound to do something more than merely write despatches to secure the people of that unhappy country their rights . The Chancellor of the Exchequer opposed the resolution . He defended the Government and its policy in respect to Poland , and contended that no other course than that Avhich had been taken was possible , unless it had been resolved to

plunge at once into war . Mr . Hennessy , Mr . Peacocke , Sir F . Goldsmid , Lord Palmerston , and others continued the debate , Avhich resulted in the motion being withdrawn . On Tuesday , the Approbation Bill ivas read a second time , and the Augmentation of Benefices Bill passed through Committee . —In reply to a question from Lord John Manners , Lord Palmerston said the

lonians were still entitled to British protection , and he could not account for the report that such protection had been denied to lonians during the recent disturbances at Athens . —Mr