CASTLES IN THE AIR.

Otago Witness, Issue 402, 13 August 1859, Page 3

CASTLES IN THE AIR.

The bonnie, bonnie bairn sits pokiug in the a'se, Looking in the fire wi' his wee round face, Glownng at the puffin' low. — What sees he there? Ha ! the young dreamer's biggin' castles in the air. Wi' his wee chubby face and his tousy curly pow, He's laughin' and noddin' tae the dancin' low; He'll brown his rosy cheeks, and he'll singe his sunny hair, Laughin' at the imps wi' their castles in the air. He sees muckle castles tow'rin' tae tht moon, And he sees little sodgers pu'in' them a' doon ; W oi Ids whutnlin' up and doon, bleezin' wi' a flare ; See how he loups as they glimmer in the air ! For a' sac sage he looks, what can the laddie ken 1 He's thinking up.on naething, like mony mighty men. A wee thing makes us blink, an' a wee thing makes us stare ; There's mair folk than him 'biggin' castles in the

air. Sic a nicht in winter may weel mak 1 him cauld, His chin upon his tuffy hand will soon make him

auld ; His brow is brent sac braid. — Oh ! pray that Daddy Care May let the wean alane wi' his cr.stles in the air. He'll glowr at the fire and keek at the licht, But mony sp-irkling stars are swallowed up by nicht. Aulder een than his are glamoured ivi' a glare : Hearts are broken, heads arc turned, wi' castles in

the air. — James Ballantyne, Edinburgh.

Geological Changes in Scotland. — The only general geological change which has taken place in Scotland since it has been inhabited by man is an elevation of the whole country to a height of from fifteen to thirty feet above its previous level. Traces of this upheaval occur all round Scotland and its islands. From the present coastline stretches inland in many places a strip of land representing the old seabeach, terminated by the ancient coast-line, now a grassy bank, but retaining the general outlines impressed upon it by the action of the waves. This was only the last stage of a long course of upheaval by which Scotland was gradually raised from the icy sea which nearly covered it during the pleistocene period; a time whose records are written chiefly in the characteristic Scottish scaws, or precipices of clay, enclosing boulders or masses of rock of all the earlier formations. — Literary Gazette.

Religion in Wales. — On the 14th a monster revival meeting was held at Bryucrug, near Oswestry. The religious excitement has got to such a pitch that it is almost unbearable ; nothing will do but chapel, and that all day on Sunday, from seven a.m. to nine p.m., and every night in the week, besides meetings like the above. The feeling at present seems irrepressible. Business is neglected ; iv fact, your tailor and shoemaker have no time, /We believe that the excitement is chiefly confined to the counties of Cardigan, Merioneth, and Montgomery. — Oswestnj Advertiser,. Irish Provisions. — We had long been cognisant of the almost unprecedented activity of the French Government in preparing for war ; and we have obtained, within the last few hours, at our own doors, fr«su evidence of this activity. They had long since secured every pound of provisions that offered in their own markets— for French management is such that it always bestows its patronage at home before spending any of it abroad — and we now learn the significant fact that not only have they secured provisions very extensively in England, but in Ireland also, where large quantities' have been secured on their account at what we believe are good terms for the curers. The French Government have made purchases of screw steamers in Liverpool, which have been sent off to Brest ; and they are looking for further supplies of provisions in the English and Irish markets. — Dublin Evening Post.