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ON BRITISH COIN.

In Thirteen, Twenty, by historians told,
EDWARD THE THIRD had money made of GOLD,
FLORENCES call'd, being coin'd by FLORENTINES:
Next the ROSE NOBLE in rich splendour shines;
And, shortly afterwards, amongst the great,
Lo!-HALF and Quarter NOBLES circulate!
SEVENTH HARRY to his coiners gave command,
And BRITISH SHILLINGS passed from hand to
hand.

HALF SOVEREIgns, SovereigNS, CROWNS, and
HALF CROWNs too,

The mint sent forth in Fifteen, Fifty-two.

No legal COPPER COIN Britannia gain'd

Till JAMES THE FIRST, that "sapient monarch," reign'd.

When SECOND CHARLES, restor❜d, the sceptre sway'd,

Of gold from GUINEA, GUINEAS first were made. And of succeeding Kings and Queens, behold! Our well-known coins of Copper, Silver, Gold.

THE

PLAGUE AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

Look up to Heaven, and there the sultry clouds,
Still threat'ning thunder, lower with grim delight,
As if the Spirit of the Plague dwelt there,
Dark'ning the city with the shades of death.

WILSON.

On the smallest symptom being manifested, on the slightest complaint, every one flees the object of the attack. He falls-his heart receives a deadly blow from the cruelly insulated state in which

he finds himself before the delirium of the fever makes him insensible to the horror of his position. His parched lips are tremblingly glued to the jug of water, which affrighted pity has placed at a distance from him; but the thirst which consumes him is not to be quenched.

It often happens that the convulsive dreams of the individual attacked by the plague are realized; the quarter he inhabits is consumed by fire. The destructive scourge reaches the house which the other inmates have deserted. The flames spread to the bed of sickness; and the poor helpless wretch finds an end to his terrible agonies in a gulf of fire.

TRAVELS IN GREECE.

BYZANTIUM.

A. c. 658.-A. D. 328.

BYZANTIUM, years Six Hundred, Fifty-eight
Before the Christian Era spread its light,
Was founded, as in ancient lore we trace,
By BYZAS, son of Neptune, King of Thrace.
When years Three Hundred, Twenty-eight had
flown,

Since first at Bethlehem our LORD was known,
Then Rome, exulting in her palmy state,
Beheld her Emp'ror CONSTANTINE THE GREAT
BYZANTIUM for the seat of empire claim,—
Thence, call'd CONSTANTINOPLE, from his name.

CAPTURE BY THE TURKS.

A thousand horrid prodigies foretold it;
A feeble government, eluded laws,
A factious populace, luxurious nobles,
And all the maladies of sinking states.
IRENE, ACT I.

Oh! STAMBOUL!

turbans now pollute Sophia's shrine, And Greece her very altars eyes in vain!

BYRON.

MAY 29, A. D. 1453,

Constantinople was taken by Mahomet II. Emperor of the Turks; and thus, after an existence of ten centuries from its commencement

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