been going to raise himself in bed, and opened his eyes, which looked bright and peaceful. He then closed them, and lay down again, as if he had been going to sleep-remaining at ease in the same position till one o'clock, when he breathed his last. Thus, in the early morning of Tuesday the 18th September 1827, died Robert Pollok, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. He was buried, with the rites of the Church of England, in the neighbouring churchyard of Millbrook, near the sea-shore; where a granite obelisk, erected by the admirers of his genius, marks his grave. But, as the inscription thereon saith, "His immortal Poem is his monument." Since the death of its author, the Course of Time has taken a high and permanent place in the literature of his country. It has gone through many editions, inspiring and elevating with its noble religious feelings the hearts of millions. Criticism and panegyric are alike unneeded: the world has pronounced upon it a judgment of unanimous admiration. ARGUMENT. Invocation to the Eternal Spirit.-The subject of the Poem announced.— A period long after the Last Judgment described.-Two youthful Sons of Paradise, waiting on the battlements of Heaven, observant of the return of holy messengers, or the arrival from distant worlds of spirits made perfect, discover one directing his flight towards Heaven.-The hills of Paradise.-The Mount of God.-Welcome of the faithful servant. -The hill of the Throne of God pointed out to him.—The Sons of Paradise offer to guide him into the presence of the Most High.-The Newarrived, bewildered by the strange sights beheld in his flight, begs for knowledge, and the solution of the mysteries he has seen.-Describes his flight through Chaos, and arrival at the place of Everlasting Punishment-Wall of fiery adamant-The Worm that never dies-Eternal Death-Hell-The dreadful sights beheld there.-The youthful Sons of Heaven refer the New-arrived to an ancient Bard of Adam's race.They fly towards his dwelling.-Flight through the fields of Heaven.— The Bard of Earth described-His bower in Paradise.-He is entreated to clear up the wondering doubt of the New-arrived, who tells what he has seen and conjectured.-The Bard informs him the gracious form he beheld in Hell is Virtue-Agrees to relate the history of the human race. THE COURSE OF TIME. BOOK I. TERNAL SPIRIT! God of truth! to whom ETERNAL All things seem as they are-Thou who of old The prophet's eye unscaled, that nightly saw, While heavy sleep fell down on other men, In holy vision tranced, the future pass Before him, and to Judah's harp attuned Burdens that made the Pagan mountains shake, And Zion's cedars bow-inspire my song; My eye unscale; me what is substance teach, And shadow what, while I of things to come, As past, rehearsing, sing the course of Time, The second birth, and final doom of man. The muse that soft and sickly woos the ear The essential truth-Time gone, the righteous saved, The wicked damned, and Providence approved. Hold my right hand, Almighty! and me teach That fools may hear and tremble, and the wise, Long was the day, so long expected, past The sun, earth's sun, and moon, and stars, had ceased Or righteousness, once talked of much as things |