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POETRY. .i.SK OF ME. Ask ye for pleasure ? 'tis a flower That blossoms but to fade, A light that beams one little hdur To gild a darker shade. Ask ye for shadows to caress, That glitter far away But end in airy nothingne^fc ? Says Folly, auk of me. Ask ye for visionary joys That sting to hire again ? For days worn out in senseless noi?e To preface years of pain ? Seek ye those charms of fancied birih, That unenjoy'd decay, Nor leave jjnwreck'd ideal mirth ? Says vice, enquire of me. Poes your more ardent soul aspire To real, lasting good ? 1 Does reason prompt the strong desire To taste th* eternal food ? -J *A*k ye for happiness to shine Aeiros a boundless sea, A cheering ray of light divine ? Says Wisdom, ntsk of me. ' ft k ye for bliss? it is a flower; That blooms unlading, bri'ght, A sun, whose softly soothing pow'r Illumines Sorrow's night. Scok ye those comforts pure and cahn ---? ? That shine so smilingly, ? t-4 An<l breathe a Heav'nly atingless charm ?_ " Say. C Miscellaneous. French Population in Canada . -*From Slliiman'a Tour between Hartford and Quebec. Colonel Bouchette states the po pulation of lower Canada at three hundred and thirty-five thousand; and of tlria number, two hundred and seventy-five thousand areFrench. It is therefore, still a French country, and it is surprising, that in more tlian half a centum so little impres sion lias been made on their peculiar characteristics. Iii the lower province, where they ' *fe almost exclusively found, the i6il is generally luxuriant; they in habit, for the most part, the rich al luvial soil by - which the St. Law rfcnce, the Scjrel, and other princi _? pal waters, are so extensively bord Their subsistence is easily obtained? there are scarcely atiy marks of extreme poverty among ~ them, and a medicant we never saw ?wliiW^tt the country. They are, however, generally without enter-? jirise* and are satisfied to go on with out change, from generation to gen-' Aration. There is much reason to belieVp, that they give a very just e^ibition of the French people in the rowlncas from which they emU grated, as they were two hundred years ago. i speak of the cepimon Jeople. They 1 are more like an turopean peasantry, thru anything in this country ; I mean in North Amerfca; 1 They ftfe frutya peasant try, exCWrt (hat they,are vastly su perior to European peasantry in com forts ami in privileges. It is nn^tionabtoj whether any conquered country fras ever better treated by its conquerors. They were left *in' complete possession of their religion, and of the revenue* to aup|)<tri it; of tlielr property, laws; customs, and manners; and evjM) the very ]$ove*uing and defend' fhg of the country is almost without expense to them. They arc said to pay no taxes to government, and none of any description, except a trilling sum of a few shillings a year to their seigneurs, as an acknowledg ment for the, tenure of their lands, and a twenty-sixth part of their grain to the clergy, and with certain liabi I lilies to Contribute to the repair of clfmrhcs, and various other public ... 'object*. ... ? ... %\ itli the affairs of JgovernmeAl they ^ive themselves Utile concern; and it is a conrious fact, if correctly stated to us by various intelligent men in Canada, that this country, so far fi urn being a source of revenue, is an actual charge upon the treasury >f tbe Empire. 14 wotiltl swti as tf the trouble tnd expense of government were iaken off llieir hands, ami as if the} were left to enjo\ their ow n domestu comforts, without a dvawback. ? Such is certainly the appearance of the population, and it is doubtful whether even our $wn favored com munities are politically more happy. It >is evident that the Canadians are abundantly more so, than the mass of the English population at home. They are not exposed, in a similar manner, to poverty and the daugei of starvation, which so often invade the English manufacturing district, and which formidable evils, aided by their demagogues, goad them on to every tiling but open rebellion. Such is the richness of the soil in Ljiwer Canada, that the farmers are said even to be afraid of raising too produce, lest the price should fall. ?They ha\fe so little occasion to man ure their grounds, that stable manure, as we were assured, is, in the win ter; even now, and it was much more the fact formerly ; carried on to the river, and left in heaps on the icej that they tnafy get rid Sf it as a nuisance ; -and, in general, it canfioj be given away: people will not re move it without paid for their labour. Such negligence Mid bad farming are much to be regretted z for even the Island ofJUuntreaV beautiful as it is, would certainly be 4*etter 4W the manure which is annually thrown away, and 1 trusHheir new agricul turair society will soon teach die peo ple a better lesson on this subject, ^nd^irevent thvir Wasting so rich a treasure. In the costume of the French gen try in Canada, there is nothing pe culiar. Tbe peasantry frequently [wear a blue or red woollen cap, fall ing back in a pendant cone, and ? many of them wear a red or partly (Colored woollen snsb around their waists. Tbey are very fond of to bacco, and are frequently observed smoking with a short pipe, while tbey are walking or driving their <iarts. W e were sufficiently amused, at seeing a Common Frenchman -driv ing a cart of dry straw in the streets of Montreal,, while be was sitting immediately before it, smoking hh pipe quite uncuucerned, although a strong wind was blowing tbe sparks directly towards the straw, ii thty or two after we met another, also smoking, and with the utmost sang froid sitting in the midst of his load of straw. I We visited a number of villages, and weut into several houses of tbe I peasantry, besides looking into man} others particularly around Quebec, tbe delightful weather causing them to throw their windows wide open.* AJost of the cottages are constructed with logs, nicely squared, anil laid up, the angles are framed or halved together, the Reams are made tight with^laister,good windows and dooi> are fitted in, the roofs are generally of shingles, tbe w hole is tight agains; the weather, and neatly white- wash ed, roof and all, at least, this i^ co&monly the fa?t 011 (he St. Law rence. The better sort of cottage* are built of stone, sonre limes covered v\ itli cement and sometimes not. In side, tbe hou?e* appear very com fortable : tbey are plaisted or wain scoated, and each mansion is furnish ed will* an ample stove, usually .standing in the middle of large room, or in die partitiou of two, or in the common angle of several. There ate large out-hoM*es, barns, &c. built iti much the same manner a6 the houses. We had occasion several times to call at the houses of Die peasantry tor milk, or something elite that we wanted. The milk was very rich, and for a t rifle* was bountifully fur nished. The maunersof the French in Canada, ate extremely courteous and kind j tlio.ne of the grnlry are of course polinhed, hut the common people, aUo, have a wining gentle* ne*s and suavity, and a zealous for wardnes* to serve you, which, par ticularly in the villages, delighted us very much. The women, of course, cxui iLe! men, in nil tliat isi bland in m:uinri ami obliging io conduct; there ? ?/ >lso a lady-like "self- possesion abou them ; they do uot appear at all cm bar raised, by the question of n %tattger, t>u t answer them w llti the ease and politeness of higher life, without relinquishing the simplicity of manners appropriate to tl^elr oton condition. It would seem from the citations which 1 have made from Charlevoix, that there have be?i, in these respects, no serious chaoses in a century. After our visit to the Chasdiere, being late India liastr. we asked for some milk at ^ peasant'* without meaning to go 4n y the milk was instantly produced, hot we musi not drink it at tlie "door; u entrez Monsieur, entrez Monsieur," was kindly repeated by the wotnan of the house, and we went in $ she seated iih around a table arid furnished us with abolwofUne milk ami tum blers to drink h out of. , Like the people of the parcnl country, they continue very fond o1 music; we frequently heard the vio lin -in the streets of the tow ns and villages. At Be a u port, we sav* them dancing merrily at a wedding, which had just 4>een celebrated at noon day, and the bride and bride- ' groom were wafting home, neatly dressed, hand in hand, and with a cheerful air. ? Thcrq are, May poles in most ot their vi\jges; ^some of them are very highfrhd splendid ty painted ; they voluntarily erect (hem as a mark of respect before the door of th; nurii in the village whom they wish ?o honor tliwr bedt -citizen, and gaily dance aro&nd them on tAe first of May. Lower Otfnact* is a fineCottnlry. and will hereafter become popniou* and powerful, especially as the Bri tish and Anglo-American population shall flow in more extensively, an (V impart more vigor aud activity to the community. .* < %r .? The climate, notwithstanding its severity, is a good one and very; healthy, and favorable to tile fresh ness and beauty of the humam Com plexion. All the most important comfortsof life are easily and irimn dantly obtained, although the ex penses of living are high, consider ing the fertility of the country. A more correct knowledge of C5a?n the American states, since the inter course is become so easy; and 1 believe few Americans from *be states now visit this country, without returning more favorably impressed' respecting it than they expepted to j be. it will he happy if friendly; sentiments and the inteichange mutual courtesies shall do away the unfounded impressions and prejudices, of both communities. I FROM THE BOSTON PATHteTv Productions of Missouri. Extracted from the letter of * gentleman in Franklin, Mississippi, b\$t formerly resident in ihis vicinity. _ MISSOURI RIVER. The Missouri haft been proved by experiment , to l>e navigable for steaiu*boals of ?00 tons to the Coun cil iflwTs, a distance of 580 miles gfbovo Franklin? keel boats of 60 tons, in the service of ilie Missouri Fur Company, goto thfe Mandan Villages, nearly 1)00 miles further.? t <? > * - Rusi Tl.7-< u i sourfllas a peculiar advantage over the Ohio, Mississippi nod Kentucky rivers : while the latter are not na\i? guide several months in the year, on account of the lowness oftheit waters/ the Missouri is alicuija navigable. Salt. ? Snlt spring aye found In, every section of the country, but es-3 pecially in the Boon'rf Lick district, and on the waters of Bait River, al branch of the Mississippi. Missouri would lie able to supply an ciYipitf with salt pf ^luperior quality; but hitherto she lit* purchased much oi that article from the Illinois ?imI Ken liawn, from Liverpool, St, Hies am! ! ruiks lstauU! The governmetfi ..i*nn{n4v was oneeauseof tliis; but n I lie bill for the admission of Mis souri, twelve springs, to be chosen by (he Legislature, Willi six sections tf land aiound each, ate to be given [to the State ; the remainder will pro bably be sold out and become private properly. Experience has fully pro ved, that the finest hemp of Ameri ca, can be raised within this State ; the quantity obtained from an acre is prodigious, and by experiments made at >?ew -Orleans, under the auspices of the former Governor Generel, Baron de Carondelet, ii was pronounced to be superior in strength and fineness of fibre to the boasted hemp of Russia. There is but one hemp J\tanufactor?j of any kind at present within the Stale, and i ha t at St. Genevieve, on the Missis sippi, 60 miles below St. l^ouis. Jsad. ? Missouri is justly fan;ous in Europe and America, for the ex fent and value of her lead mines; she is able to supply half the world with that article, and no country possesses greater facilities for its* uianufac^ire and transportation ; the banks of the Mississippi at Hevcu laneum, and other places in the vi cinity of the mineral dis^fct, exhibit natural rock-towers of several hun dred feet in height, from the summit of which the molten lead may de scend in showers, Ik1, received in wa ter, at the river's edge, taken lip in shot, and shipped in the boats which lay ready to receive it: After this, will you not be surprised to hear thai this manufacture is in n decaying State? It is not the less true; ill languishes under the torpid influence of a governmental monopoly, w4iich with the system of short leases, rents, and want of protection by ^n impost duty on foreign lead, are the causes of this decay ; in the mean time; America has been paying to Eng land nearly 8500.000 per annum for 'lead! ? Th^ difference of the policy pursued b^ the two nations, is the cause of this state of things. In England* foreign lead pays a duty of 28 pounds 13 Id sterling, on every fOO pounds worth imported, a*wl the miues are private pw>i>erty. In America foreign lead pays but little duty, and the mines are mono polished by government; the Eng lish, with &few mines, are selling lead to both Europe and America 1 The Americans, with mine etiough to furnish half tlie globe, are pur chasing lead from the English ! Jrow.? Of iron , Mossnuri posses uses immense beds of ore, exceeding rich, and well situated to be worked and conveniently trans|K>rted to a market. The Merrimack and Gas conade rivers aye the chief seats of thi%ore, though it is found in many other parts of the State, and in such amazing quantities, that it maybe considered forever inexhaustible, ? Missouri could furnish, not only her self ami immediate neighbors, but the whole valley of the Mississippi, Witl. iron, and its manufactures ! yet she is purchasing these articles from England, Sweden, and Kussia Thomas ll. Benton, Esquire, a gentleman chosen to represent Mis souri in the Senate of the United States, thus speaks of this fertile COtmtry : " Grand beyond the power #f hu man comprehension, is the future destiny of Missouri. Frpm the foot of the Shining Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico, four thousand miles in length, without a tall, a rapid, or a shoal to interrupt its napkationl Flowing under a mild and jfknquil sky, through a region vieing in ter tility with the Delta of the Nile, des tined to lie the channel of that com merce which has carried wealth and empire wherever it has flowed ; what mind Can tell the countless millions which shall cover its borders ; the splendid rows of cities, towns and villages M hich shall adorn its banks !" FKCM THE DKTKOIT GAZETTE. The 44 Pictured Hock*" 011 the southern shore of Lake Superior, are described hy thoae who have hud (he pleasure to see them, as furnishing one of the most astonishing and nm?. nificent ilttUiitd cunhiities ibat can hi found in oi:r ccunlrv. An inicllijient gentleman, w ho accompanied (iov. ernor Cass in his tour last summer, describes them as surjmssinj; in ?i ail ? deur, the far- famed Cataract of Ni agara. They form a perpt*niliciiLir wall of about three hundred feet in height, and extend alon? the shore about ten miles ; the projections and indentation* nre numerous, aud tho imagination of the observer throws them into various forms ? sometimes the fronts of buildings ? now a tower, and anon castles and columns appear in varied succcssion. In many pla ces vast caverns are worn into the rocks by the waves, the entrances which are sometimes cragged and ir regular, and sometimes regular hem. ispherical arches, supported by mighty pillars. The smallest wave, rushing iuto these caverns, causes a loud, jarring, and awful sound, which, to the ear of the passenger, is dashed along by echo, to be mingled with and to increase the noises which rush from more distant caverns. The Indians never pass these rocks but it) a calm time, and when there art are indications of a storm, it is said that they believe the cav erns to be the abode of bad spirit#, and> owing to their superstition* or t<? the a we which the scenery inspires, they generally observe a profound si lence when passing them. ' ?* <? * A as the church his faith with itfcx?He is bin dances himself Hp all num ithias to Ilia ye* (bat From ? volume qf Character ? by Butler, _?MA PROUD MAN Is afoot in a fermentation, that swells and boils over like a por ridgepoU He sets one his feathers like an ow 1/ to swell an<l see!n biger than he is* He is troubled with a tumour and inflammation of self-con ceit, that renders every part of hint stiff and uneasy. He has given him self sympathetic love powders, that work upon him to dotage, and have transformed him into nis own mis tress. He is hiaown gallant, and makes moat passionate addresses to his own dear perfections. He conv mits idolatry to himself,, and wor ships his own image, though there is no soul srlf; yet hei believes, and the obstinacy of own favourite, not only above hi kind; is botliDai his own dear self, cromy aliove his place to no man hat with very great distal whom he esteems ptoach him. He be] ever lie has, receive} ing his ; as a horse stable will bear a in a common market.* that he is hard to be himseff, as with otto very apt to forget wl knows himself only su| therefore he treats bimseli a stranger, with cerem< plitirent but admits no prf strives to V5ok bigger than as well as others, and is no than his own parasite and A little floo$ will make a torrent swell above its ban! rage, and foam, and y'^eld a noise ; while a deep, silent stream,** glides quietly on. So a vain gloi> * ous, insolent, proud man, swells will* ? a Utile frail prosperity, ?grows bij loud, and overflows bia bounds] when he sinks, leaves mud behind him. The slights solid his materials are, the they take up, and make him bigger ; as feathers and cott stuff cushions better than thl more solid parts. ? J- * An advertisement lately n r^ in n West India paper, offering * high premium for a substitute hanged, in the room of a gen ordered for execution. ? ? ?? i,,<V & >'? A fVmale clasher, . of gammling: notoriety, lately a?ked a country clergy man; whether he thought J<itro> criminal ; the worthy rector anaWfth* p(l ? " Vest 1 Vharvu h tiftd all hff ha]*." ? *