Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][ocr errors]

They clanked on helm, and mail, and chain:
In blood, in hate, in death, were twined

Savage and Greek, mad, - bleeding, -blind, --
And still, on flank, and front, and rear,
Raged, Constantine, thy thirsting spear!

Brassy and pale, a type of doom,—
Labored the moon through deepening gloom.
Down plunged her orb 't was pitchy night'

Now, Turkman, turn thy reins for flight!
On rushed their thousands in the dark!
But in their camp a ruddy spark

Like an uncertain meteor reeled,

Thy hand, brave king, that fire-brand wheeled!

Wild burst the burning element

O'er man and courser, flood and tent!
And through the blaze the Greeks outsprang,
Like tigers, bloody, foot and fang!-
With dagger-stab, and falchion-sweep,
Delving the stunned and staggering heap,
Till lay the slave by chief and khan,
And all was gone that once was man!

There's wailing on the Euxine shore
Her chivalry shall ride no more!
There's wailing on thy hills, Altai,
For chiefs the Grecian vulture's prey!
But, Bosphorus, thy silver wave
Hears shouts for the returning brave;
For, kingliest of a kingly line,
Lo! there comes glorious Constantine!

42. THE CURSE OF CAIN. - Knox.

O, THE wrath of the Lord is a terrible thing!
Like the tempest that withers the blossoms of spring,
Like the thunder that bursts on the summer's domain,
It fell on the head of the homicide Cain.

[ocr errors]

And, lo! like a deer in the fright of the chase,
With a fire in his heart, and a brand on his face,
He speeds him afar to the desert of Nod,
A vagabond, smote by the vengeance of God!
All nature, to him, has been blasted and banned,
And the blood of a brother yet reeks on his hand;
And no vintage has grown, and no fountain has sprung,
For cheering his heart, or for cooling his tongue.

The groans of a father his slumber shall start,
And the tears of a mother shall pierce to his heart,
And the kiss of his children shall scorch him like flame,
When he thinks of the curse that hangs over his name.
And the wife of his bosom the faithful and fair —
Can mix no sweet drop in his cup of despair;
For her tender caress, and her innocent breath,
But stir in his soul the hot embers of death.

And his offering may blaze unregarded by Heaven.
And his spirit may pray, yet remain unforgiven;
And his grave may be closed, yet no rest to him bring ; ·
O, the wrath of the Lord is a terrible thing!

43. AMERICA, 1750.- Bishop Berkeley. Born, 1684; died, 1753.
THE Muse, disgusted at an age and clime
Barren of every glorious theme,

In distant lands now waits a better time,
Producing subjects worthy fame.

In happy climes, where from the genial sun,
And virgin earth, such scenes ensue,
The force of art by nature seems outdone,
And fancied beauties by the true :

In happy climes, the seat of innocence,
Where Nature guides, and Virtue rules,
Where men shall not impose, for truth and sense
The pedantry of courts and schools:
There shall be sung another golden age,
The rise of empire and of arts,
The good and great inspiring epic rage,
The wisest heads and noblest hearts.

Not such as Europe breeds in her decay,

Such as she bred when fresh and young,
When heavenly flame did animate her clay,-
By future poets shall be sung.

Westward the course of empire takes its way
The four first acts already past,

A fifth shall close the drama with the day;
Time's noblest offspring is the last.

44. THE WORLD FOR SALE. — Rev. Ralph Hoyt.

THE world for sale! Hang out the sign;
Call every traveller here to me;
Who 'll buy this brave estate of mine,
And set this weary spirit free?

"T is going! yes, I mean to fling The bauble from my soul away; I'll sell it, whatsoe'er it bring:

The world at auction here, to-day! It is a glorious sight to see,

But, ah! it has deceived me sore;
It is not what it seems to be.

For sale! it shall be mine no more.
Come, turn it o'er and view it well;
I would not have you purchase dear.
'Tis going! going! I must sell!

Who bids? who 'll buy the splendid tear?
Here's wealth, in glittering heaps of gold;
Who bids? But let me tell you fair,
A baser lot was never sold!

Who 'll buy the heavy heaps of care? And, here, spread out in broad domain, A goodly landscape all may trace, Hall, cottage, tree, field, hill and plain ; Who 'll buy himself a burial place? Here's Love, the dreamy potent spell

That Beauty flings around the heart;
I know its power, alas! too well;

'T is going! Love and I must part!
Must part? What can I more with Love?
All over 's the enchanter's reign.
Who 'll buy the plumeless, dying dove, -
A breath of bliss, a storm of pain?

And, Friendship, rarest gem of earth;
Who e'er hath found the jewel his ?
Frail, fickle, false and little worth,
Who bids for Friendship as it is?
Tis going going! hear the call;
Once, twice and thrice, 't is very low'
T was once my hope, my stay, my all,
But now the broken staff must go!
Fame! hold the brilliant meteor high;
How dazzling every gilded name!
Ye millions! now 's the time to buy.

How much for Fame? how much for Fame ?
Hear how it thunders! Would you stand
On high Olympus, far renowned,

Now purchase, and a world command!
And be with a world's curses crowned.

Sweet star of Hope! with ray to shine
In every sad foreboding breast,

Save this desponding one of mine, -
Who bids for man's last friend, and best?
Ah, were not mine a bankrupt life,

This treasure should my soul sustain!
But Hope and Care are now at strife,
Nor ever may unite again.

Ambition, fashion, show and pride,
I part from all forever now;
Grief, in an overwhelming tide,
Has taught my haughty heart to bow.
By Death, stern sheriff! all bereft,
I weep, yet humbly kiss the rod;
The best of all I still have left,

My Faith, my Bible, and my God!

45

ON THE DEATH OF GENERAL TAYLOR.-Robert T. Conrad.

WEEP not for him! The Thracians wisely gave
Tears to the birth-couch, triumph to the grave.
Weep not for him! Go, mark his high career;
It knew no shame, no folly, and no fear.
Nurtured to peril, lo! the peril came,

To lead him on, from field to field, to fame.
Weep not for him whose lustrous life has known
No field of fame he has not made his own!

In many a fainting clime, in many a war,
Still bright-browed Victory drew the patriot's car.
Whether he met the dusk and prowling foe
By oceanic Mississippi's flow;

Or where the Southern swamps, with steamy breath,
Smite the worn warrior with no warrior's death!
Or where, like surges on the rolling main,
Squadron on squadron sweep the prairie plain,
Dawn and the field the haughty foe o'erspread;
Sunset and Rio Grandé's waves ran red!

Or where, from rock-ribbed safety, Monterey
Frowns death, and dares him to the unequal fray;
Till crashing walls and slippery streets bespeak
How frail the fortress where the heart is weak ·
How vainly numbers menace, rocks defy,
Men sternly knit, and firm to do or die; -
Or where on thousands thousands crowding rush
(Rome knew not such a day) his ranks to crush,
The long day paused on Buena Vista's height,
Above the cloud with flashing volleys bright,
Till angry Freedom, hovering o'er the fray
Swooped down, and made a new Thermopyla;-

In every scene of peril and of pain,

[ocr errors]

His were the toils, his country's was the gain.
From field to field and all were nobly won
He bore, with eagle flight, her standard on;
New stars rose there - but never star grew dim
While in his patriot grasp. Weep not for him
His was a spirit simple, grand and pure;
Great to conceive, to do, and to endure;
Yet the rough warrior was, in heart, a child,
Rich in love's affluence, merciful and mild.
His sterner traits, majestic and antique,
Rivalled the stoic Roman or the Greek;
Excelling both, he adds the Christian name,
And Christian virtues make it more than fame.
To country, youth, age, love, life- all were given!
In death, she lingered between him and Heaven;
Thus spake the patriot, in his latest sigh,
"MY DUTY DONE - -I DO NOT FEAR TO DIE!"

46. THE PASSAGE.- Uhland. Translated by Miss Austen.

MANY a year

is in its

grave

Since I crossed this restless wave,
And the evening, fair as ever,
Shines on ruin, rock and river.

Then, in this same boat, beside,
Sat two comrades, old and tried ;
One with all a father's truth,
One with all the fire of youth.

One on earth in science wrought,
And his grave in silence sought;
But the younger, brighter form,
Passed in battle and in storm.

So, whene'er I turn mine eye
Back upon the days gone by,

Saddening thoughts of friends come o'er me,
Friends who closed their course before me.

Yet what binds us, friend to friend,
But that soul with soul can blend?
Soul-like were those hours of yore-
Let us walk in soul once more!

Take, O boatman, twice thy fee!
Take, I give it willingly-

For, invisibly to thee,

[ocr errors]

Spirits twain have crossed with me.

« PreviousContinue »