Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

behold the minion ride, with either India's glittering spoils oppressed: so moves the sumpter-mule, in harnessed pride, that bears the treasure which he cannot taste. For him let venal bards disgrace Indignation. the bay, and hireling minstrels wake the tinkling string; her sensual snares let faithless Pleasure lay, and all her jingling bells fantastic Folly ring;disquiet, doubt, and dread shall intervene; and Warning. Nature, still to all her feelings just, in vengeance hang a damp on every scene, shook from the baneful pinions of Disgust.

Nature I'll court in her sequestered haunts, by admiration mountain, meadow, streamlet, grove, or cell; where the poised lark his evening ditty chants, and health, and peace, and contemplation dwell. There Delight Study shall with Solitude recline, and Friendship pledge me to his fellow-swains; and Toil and Temperance sedately twine the slender cord that fluttering life sustains; and fearless Poverty shall guard the door; and Taste unspoiled the frugal table spread; and Industry supply the humble store; and Sleep, unbribed, his dews refreshing shed: whitemantled Innocence, ethereal sprite, shall chase far off the goblins of the night; and Independence o'er Defiance. the day preside:-propitious power! my patron and Joy. my pride.

XIV.-PLEASURES OF MEMORY.-Rogers.

MEDITATIVE MANNER-LOW VOICE-SLOW TIME.

SWEET Memory! wafted by thy gentle gale, oft up Delight. the stream of time I turn my sail to view the fairy haunts of long-lost hours, blessed with far greener Regret. shades, far fresher bowers.

When joy's bright sun has shed his evening ray, Sorrow. and hope's delusive meteors cease to play, when clouds on clouds the smiling prospect close, still through the gloom thy star serenely glows: like Delight. yon fair orb she gilds the brow of night with the mild magic of reflected light.

And who can tell the triumphs of the mind by Exultation. truth illumined and by taste refined? When age Tenderness. has quenched the eye and closed the ear, still nerved for action in her native sphere oft will she Energy.

Joy.

Delight.

Instruction.

rise; with searching glance pursue some long-loved image vanished from her view; dart through the deep recesses of the past, o'er dusky forms in chains of slumber cast; with giant grasp fling back the folds of night, and snatch the faithless fugitive to light.

Hail, Memory, hail! in thy exhaustless mine, from age to age unnumbered glories shine. Thought and her shadowy brood thy call obey, and place and time are subject to thy sway. Thy pleasures most we feel when most alone, the only pleasures we can call our own. Lighter than air, hope's summer visions fly, if but a fleeting cloud obscure the sky: if but a beam of sober reason play, lo! faucy's fairy frost-work melts away: but can the wiles of art, the grasp of power, snatch the rich relics of a well-spent hour? These, when the trembling spirit Calm admira- wings her flight, pour round her path a stream of living light; and gild those pure and perfect realms of rest, where Virtue triumphs and her sons are blest.

Delight.

tion.

Dislike.

Weariness.

1 Delight. 2 Dislike.

Pleasure.

Gentleness.

XV.-BEAUTY AND EXPRESSION.-Thomas Moore.

THERE'S a beauty for ever unchangingly bright, like the long, sunny lapse of a summer-day's light, shining on, shining on, by no shadow made tender: 'that was not her beauty-that sameness of splendour; but the loveliness ever in motion, which plays like the light upon autumn's soft shadowy days; now here and now there giving warmth, as it flies from the lips to the cheek, from the cheek to the eyes. When pensive, it seemed as if that very grace, that charm of all others, was born with her 3 Force-4 arch- face; and when angry,—for e'en in the tranquillest climes light breezes will ruffle the flowers someExplanation. times-the short, passing anger but seemed to awaken new beauty, like flowers that are sweetest when shaken. If tenderness touched her, the dark of her eye at once took a darker, a heavenlier dye; from the depth of whose shadow, like holy revealings from innermost shrines, came the light of her feelings. Then her mirth-oh! 'twas sportive as ever took wing from the heart with a burst, like the

ness.

Gentleness.

Delight.

[ocr errors]

wild-bird in spring; while her laugh, full of life, Gayety.
without any control but the sweet one of graceful-
ness, rung from her soul: and where it most sparkled

no glance could discover, in lip, cheek, or eyes; for Rapture.

she brightened all over, like any fair lake that the breeze is upon, when it breaks into dimples and laughs in the sun.

XVI. THE SLAVE'S REMONSTRANCE.-Knowles.

with agony.

remonstrance.

reflection.

THAT I were dead! O, what is death compared to Deprecation slavery! Brutes may bear bondage-they were made for it, when Heaven set man above them! but Indignant no mark, definite and indelible, it put upon one man to mark him from another, that he should live his slave. O heavy curse! To have thought, reason, Anguish. judgment, feelings, tastes, passions, and conscience, like another man, and not have equal liberty to use them, but call his mood their master! Why was Painful I born with passion to be free-with faculties to use enlargement with desires that cleave to high achievements and with sympathies attracting me to objects fair and noble, and yet with power over Humiliation. myself as little as any beast of burden? Why should I live? There are of brutes themselves that Proudly. will not tame, so high in them is nature; whom the spur and lash, instead of curing, only chafe into a prouder mettle;-that will let you kill them, ere Energy. they will suffer you to master them. I am a man, Self-reproach. and live!

XVII.-ALEXANDER'S FEAST.-Dryden.

Pompous

narrative.

'Twas at the royal feast, for Persia won by Philip's warlike son:-aloft, in awful state, the god-like Dignity. hero sat on his imperial throne. His valiant peers Loftiness. were placed around, their brows with roses and with myrtles bound: so should desert in arms be crowned. The lovely Thais, by his side, sat, like a blooming Admiration. Eastern bride, in flower of youth and beauty's pride. Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave, Rapture. none but the brave, none but the brave-deserves the fair.

Narrative.

Delight.

Loftiness.

Solemnity.
Surprise.

Haughtiness.

1 Playfulness.

Jovially.
Delight.

Rapture.

Timotheus-placed on high amid the tuneful choir-with flying fingers touched the lyre; the trembling notes ascend the sky, and heavenly joys inspire.

The song began from Jove, who left his blissful seat above-such is the power of mighty Love!— A dragon's fiery form belied the god: sublime on radiant spheres he rode.- -The listening crowd admire the lofty sound: "A present deity!" they shout around; A present deity!" the vaulted roofs rebound!-With ravished ears, the monarch hears, assumes the god, affects to nod, 'and seems to shake the spheres.

The praise of Bacchus, then, the sweet Musician sung; of Bacchus, ever fair and ever young!" The jolly god in triumph comes! sound the trumpets! beat the drums! Flushed with a purple grace he shows his honest face! Now, give the hautboys breath!-he comes! he comes! Bacchus, ever fair and young, drinking joys did first ordain; Bacchus blessings are a treasure; drinking is the soldier's pleasure: rich the treasure; sweet the pleasure; sweet is pleasure, after pain !"—Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain-fought all his battles o'er again—and thrice he routed all his foes, 1 Playfulness. and thrice he slew-'the slain !

Increasing energy.

Watching.

Sympathy.
Pathos.

Reproachful

sorrow.

Reflectiongrief.

Satisfaction.

Delight.

Dislike.

The Master saw the madness rise, his glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; and, while he heaven and earth defied changed his hand, and checked his pride. He chose a mournful muse, soft pity to infuse he sang-"Darius, great, and good! by too severe a fate, fallen! fallen! fallen! fallen! fallen from his high estate-and weltering in his blood! Deserted, at his utmost need, by those his former bounty fed, on the bare earth, exposed, he lies, with not a friend to close his eyes!"- With downcast look the joyless Victor sat, revolving, in his altered soul, the various turns of fate below; and, now and then, a sigh he stole, and tears began to flow!

The mighty Master smiled, to see that Love was in the next degree: 'twas but a kindred sound to move; for Pity melts the mind to Love. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, soon he soothed his soul to pleasures. "War," he sung, "is toil and trouble:

honour, but an empty bubble; never ending, still beginning, fighting still, and still destroying. If the world be worth thy winning, think, oh! think it worth enjoying! Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Rapture. take the good the gods provide thee !" -The many Approbation. rend the skies with loud applause. So Love was

crowned; but Music won the cause.

[ocr errors]

amazement.

"Now, strike the golden lyre again! a louder strong whisper. yet, and yet a louder strain! break his bands of sleep asunder, and 'rouse him, like a rattling peal 1 Startling. of thunder!" Hark! hark!-The horrid sound Energyhas raised up his head, as awaked from the dead; and, amazed, he stares around! 'Revenge! re- Fury. venge!" Timotheus cries::- "See the furies arise! see the snakes that they rear, how they hiss in their hair, and the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghastly band, each a torch in his Horror. hand! these are Grecian ghosts that in battle were slain, and, unburied, remain inglorious on the plain ! Give the vengeance, due to the valiant wild transport. crew! behold! how they toss their torches on high, how they point to the Persian abodes, and glittering temples of their hostile gods!"- -The Eagerness. princes applaud, with a furious joy; and the King seized a flambeau, with zeal to destroy; Thais led the way to light him to his prey; and, like another Delight. Helen,-fired another Troy!

XVIII. THE BARD.-Gray.

Vehement

imprecation.

Contempt.

threatening.

"RUIN seize thee, ruthless King! Confusion on thy banners wait; though, fanned by Conquest's crimson wing, they mock the air with idle state! Helm, nor hauberk's twisted mail, nor even thy virtuestyrant!-shall avail, to save thy secret soul from Prophetic nightly fears; from Cambria's curse-from Cambria's tears." Such were the sounds that, o'er the crested pride of the first Edward, scattered wild dismay, Fear. as, down the steep of Snowdon's shaggy side, he wound, with toilsome march, his long array. Stout Gloucester 'stood aghast in speechless trance! "" To 2Courage. arms!" cried Mortimer, and couched his quivering lance.

On a rock, whose haughty brow frowns o'er old

1 Terror.

Solemn

narration.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »