have drawn the incidents of his tragedy, viz. the "Annals of Denmark,"
written by Saxo Grammaticus in the twelfth century. The work is in
Latin, and in our next number we intend inserting a short abstract of
Hamlet's story. It will be curious to compare the dialogues of the
original with their counterpart in the play.


* * * * *


ON THE APPEARANCE OF AN AURORA BOREALIS, ON THE NIGHT OF THE 25TH OF
SEPTEMBER.

BY A LADY IN HER THIRTEENTH YEAR.

(_For the Mirror_.)


What may this mean? this ruddy blaze of light,
Breaking effulgent through the stilly night;
Darting its blood-red form along the sky,
Glowing with heaven's glorious majesty.
How with its phalaxy of rays unfurl'd,
It comes: its radiance circling all our mother world.
The pharos of the night; where gods might dance.
Heedless of mortals dull, unmeaning trance;
Where spirits in their mysteries might find,
A sail to float upon the yielding wind;
But see, it flies, its shadow; form outspread,
In fainting radiance o'er earth's startled bed,