THE DEMON-YAGER. FROM THE GERMAN OF BÜRGER. Uprose the sun the church-dome shone The Sabbath-bell for matins tolled. His horn the Wild-and Rhinegrave sounded"What ho! To horse! to horse away!" His fiery steed beneath him bounded; Forth sprang the hounds with yell and bay, And, loosed from leash, they dash pell-mell Through corn and thorn, down dell and fell. In curve and zig-zag speeds their flight, And" Ho! Halloo!" how rings the air! When towards the Knight came left and right A horseman here, a horseman there! A snow-white steed the one bestrode ; Like lurid fire the other's glowed. Who were the yagers left and right? And lovely as a Summer's day; "All hail, Sir Count! We come in time To chase the stag with horse and hound : Can lordlier sport or more sublime Than this on Earth, in Heaven be found?" So spake the left-hand stranger there, And tossed his bonnet high in air. Ill sounds to-day thy boisterous horn," And bids thee flee the unholy scorner." "Spur on, spur on, Sir Count with me!" "Ha! ha! Well said, my left-hand feere Who shuns this day to drive the deer It is somewhat remarkable that public attention has been so little turned to the consideration of the probable result of the labours of the "Commission of Irish Poor Inquiry." It is a subject upon which, of late, even the press has been silent. This may proceed either from a prudent determination to form or express no opinions until the result of the inquiry shall be made public, or from an apathy and indifference as to the measures which may be founded upon it. It is tolerably evident that the latter is the true cause; for people are generally but too ready to form opinions where their interests are directly concerned, without waiting for solid data to form them upon; yet this is surely a subject upon which no Irishman should be indifferent. The commissioners have now sat for above a year; the government has pressed them to report; they cannot long delay doing so. Their report will contain not only a detail of the misery consequent upon the present system, or rather want of system, but suggestions as to remedial measures calculated to remove it. It is probable that the next session of parliament will pass a bill in consequence. Even in the present session there has been an impatient desire exhibited of legislating before the report is brought up. Legislation we shall undoubtedly have; and how will this affect the interests of all who have any thing to lose? This is a very serious question, and ought to be considered carefully by every one, in order that when the time of discussion arrives, the public voice may be the expression of opinions founded upon argument, and not of the fear of imaginary dangers, or of the sickly whinings of morbid sensibility. The question is one which a few years ago was seldom |