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EZRA, ch. iii. v. 11-13. Recovery of the land from Aztlan.

"E NON nos devemos espantar porque ellos son muchos, ea mas puede un Leon que

"To the temple tasks devote."— Virgini- diez ovejas, e matarien treynta lobes a treyndos, c. 5. st. 34. ta mil corderos."-Speech of FERNAN GONÇALEZ. Coronica de Espana, del Rey D. Alonso.

Extinguishing all the fires to relight them from the sacred flame seems to have been an universal superstition. The Druids. The Magi. Custom in Monomotapa.

After Lautaro had cut off Valdivia. "Por el las fiestas fieron alargadas,

exercitando siempre nuevos juegos de saltos, luchas, pruebas nunca usadas, danzas de noche entorno de los fuegos." Araucana, 3.

"Con flautas, cuernos, roncos instrumentos alto estruendo, alaridos desdeñosos, salen los fieros barbaros sangrientos contra los Españoles valerosos."

The Araucan Army.

"Alli las limpias armas relucian

Ibid. 4.

mas que el claro cristal del Sol tocado, cubiertas de altas plumas las celadus, verdes, azules, blancas, encarnadas."

Ibid. 9. "Quando el Sol en el medio cielo estaba no declinando a parte un solo punto, y la aguda chicharra se entonaba

con un desapacible contrapunto."

Ibid. Throwing the lance was one of the Araucan games.-Canto 10.

The Araucan learnt much from the Spaniards.-P. 6, vol. 1.

Horsemen of Lautaro.-P. 228.

BEES seem to have been destroyed by water formerly. Lord Sterline in his Doomsday, Winged alchymists that quintessence the flowers,

66

As oft-times drown'd before, now burn'd shall be." Third Houre,1 st. 40.

1 "This Poem of Doomes-day,' is written in the octave stanza, and divided into four books, called Hours."-Bib. Angl. Poetic. p. 309. J. W. W.

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ON the coast of Campeche the priests wore long cotton garments, white, and their hair in great quantities, completely clotted and matted with blood.-Bernal Diaz. 3.

Snake idols at Campeche.-Ibid. 3. 7. At Tenayuca. 125.

Some Indians whom Grijalva saw had shields of tortoise shell, and they shone so in the sun that many of the Spaniards insisted they were of gold. For "all seemed yellow to the jaundiced eye!"-Ibid. 8.

"Many Indians came on, and each had a white streamer on his lance, which he waved, wherefore we called the place the Rio de Venderas."—Ibid. 8.

Montezuma's men also.-Ibid. 9.

They spread mats under the trees and invited us to sit, and then incensed us.Ibid.

When Aguilar first rejoined his countrymen "el Español mal mascado y peor pronunciado, dixo, Dios y Santa Maria, y Sevilla!" and ran to embrace them.-Ibid. p

12.

.p.

The houses at Campoala were so dazzlingly white, that one of the Spaniards galloped

2 HUNE de navire. C'est le panier ou la cage qui est au haut du mat, qui sert à porter un matelot, pour découvrir la terre, et les Corsaires." MENAGE in v.-J. W. W.

back to Cortes to tell him the walls were of silver. Ibid. p. 30.

The prisoners designed for sacrifice were fatted in wooden cages.-Ibid. passim.

The Tlascalan embassadors made three reverences, and burnt copal, and touched the ground with their hands, and kissed the earth.-Ibid. p. 52.

Kill all you can, said the Tlascalans to Cortes, the young that they may not bear arms, the old that they may not give counsel.—Ibid. p. 56.

The sprinkled maize-so ashes in Bel and the Dragon.

"Unos como paveses, que son de arte, que los pueden arrollar arriba quando no pelean, porque no les estorve, y al tiempo del pelear quando son menester los dexan caer, è quedan cubiertas sus cuerpos de arriba abaxo."-Ibid. p. 67.

Beasts were kept by the temples, and snakes.

The walls of Mexitlis' temple, and the ground, were black, and flaked with blood, and stenching.—Ibid. p. 71.

Tezcalipoca's eyes of the same substance as their mirrors.-Ibid.

Narvaez thought the number of glowworms were the matches of Cortes' soldiers. ---Ibid. p. 99.

They gave command by whistling.-Ibid. pp. 144, 165. "Resuena y retumba la voz por un buen rato."

The first thing an Indian does when wounded with a lance, is to seize it. The orders always were to drive at their heads, and trust to their horses.—Ibid. p. 172.

"THE sky and the sea were in appearance so blended and confounded, that it was only close to the ship that we could distinguish what was really sea."-STAVORinus.

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Joan of Arc.

MYSTIC meaning of the Fleurs de Lys.— RICHEOSME, Plainte Apologetique, p. 343.

ENGLAND should be the scene of an Englishman's poem. No foreign scene can be sufficiently familiar to him. Books and prints may give the outlines, as description will give you the size and colour of a man's eyes and the shape of his nose, but the character that individualizes must be seen to be understood.

Is there an historic point on which to build? Alfred-the thrice murdered Alfred!—a glorious tale, but that is forbidden ground.

Brutus has been knocked on the head by Ogilvie. The name too is unfavourable; such nobler thoughts will cling to it. A decent story might be made by supposing the original race oppressed by Sarmatic invaders and uniting Bardic wisdom with Trojan arms.

The Roman period, Cassibelan, Bonduca, the war of savages against civilization; such it must be, though you call it the struggle of liberty against oppression.

Arthur-but what is great is fable: he must be elsewhere considered.

Egbert-it is a confused action: little means making a great end,-as the little kingdoms made a great one.

From the Norman conquest downwards, but one event occurs whose after effects were equal to its immediate splendour; the Armada defeat, and our escape from the double tyranny it was to have established. Yet we should, like Holland, have defeated the Spaniards, had they even obtained a temporary dominion.

Of Charles I. nothing can be said-because of Charles II.

Robin Hood.

A PASTORAL epic, with rhyme and without rhyme,-long lines and short line, now

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narrative, now dramatic,-lawless as the good old outlaw himself.

Maid Marian, a Neif.

Aveline, the ward of a bad guardian, her foster brother a villain. The funeral of her father should be the opening.

Robert, Earl of Huntingdon, a minor. The next heir wants to persuade him to go crusading. This he will not do because he loves Marian the daughter of his father's old servant, and because of Mothanna, an Arab, whom his father had brought from the Holy Land, who for the boy's sake has forgiven the father, and taught young Robert to like Moslem, and long for the liberties of a Bedouin.

Reginald wants to make Robert marry his daughter Annabel. He consoles himself by taking the value of the marriage. But he hopes more than this. Richard Lion-heart is abroad. Reginald is the favourite of John. He wants to get Robert outlawed, that he may have a grant of the estate. He provokes him to some violence, and the young vassals follow him to the forest.

A church scene. The mass for his mother's soul. Robin shall rob K. Richard.

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"ORAVIT pro Aly, ut Deus immunem redderet eum a calore, et frigore; et Deus exaudivit eum. Fortasse hoc evenit, postquam Aly mortuus est; tunc enim non amplius calorem aut frigus corpus ejus sensit."

"CONFRACTUS fuerat ensis cujusdam militis Mahumetani in prælio Bedrensi. Dedit illi Mahumetus baculum ligneum, præci

piens ut agitaret eum; quod cum ille fecis

set, baculus conversus est in gladium."

D'OнSSON says from an Arabian author, that when Mohammed prayed over the tomb of his mother, she rose from the dead, ac

knowledged her belief in his mission, and then returned into the grave.

"HABEBAT autem Omar sororem et nepotem, qui Mahumetum sequebantur. Hos cum Omar invenisset legentes in quodam codice Suram vigesimam Alcorani, cui titu

lus est Tah, voluit per vim codicem a sorore arripere, tandemque minis et verberibus illum obtinuit, sed non sine promissione restituendi. Cum autem cœpisset codicem legere, lectionis pulchritudine allectus, ad Mahumetum se contulit, atque in illius verba juravit."-MARACCI.

entered. Fatima and Ali bring them food and tidings.

3. Journey through the desert. The pursuers overtake them, and Mohammed is at the mercy of an Arab. They find an exposed infant.

4. They halt at an islanded convent. Mary the Egyptian is among the nuns. Her love and devotional passion transferred to the prophet.

WHEN the decree for prohibiting all commerce with the Hashemites was suspended in the temple, Abu-laheb of that family and 5. Arrival at Medina. Intrigues to expel Ommogemila his wife went over to the Ko-him-chiefly among the Jews. This danger reish. "Ommogemila autem virgas spino- averted by a son accusing his father. sas in viâ, per quem transiturus erat Mahumetus, ponebat, ut in eas pedibus impingens, sauciaretur."

AT the war of the ditch, after thirty days it was agreed that a single combat should decide it between Amru, son of Abdud, and Ali. Ali killed him. Whilst they fought the storm arose which tore up the tents of the besiegers.

WHEN Mahomet attacked his enemies in the valley of Houein, "inter captivos fuit Scebama, filia Halimæ, soror collactanea Mahumeti, quæ cognovit eum, seque illi cognoscendam dedit, ex vestigio morsûs, quem ipse puer dentibus impresserat dorso ejus (agnosce Mahumeti adhuc ab incunabulis lasciviam.) Concessit igitur illi M. libertatem, cum aliis fœminis quas illa postulavit, cum parte præde suæ et cæterorum Moslemorum."-MARACCI.

Who but a monk would have found lewdness in this story?

[Sketch of the Poem.]

P. 1. THE death-bed of Abu Taleb. Elevation of Abu Sophian. Tumult of the Koreish. Danger of Mohammed, and his escape by the heroism of Ali. He looks back upon the crescent moon.

2. The Koreish pursue; they reach the cavern; at whose entrance the pigeon has laid her eggs and the spider drawn his web; and turn away, satisfied that no one can have

6. Battle of Beder. Attempt to assassinate him afterwards when sleeping. What hinders me from killing thee? This was Daathur, leader of the foes.

7. Defeat at Mount Ohud. Death of Kamza. Conversion of Caled in the very heat of victory.

8. Siege of Medina by the nations. The winds and the rain and the hail compel them to retire.

9. The Nadhirites defeated, and the Jews of Kainoka, Koraidha, and Chaibar.

10. The prophet lays siege to Mecca. Truce on permission to visit the Caaba. Amron lays in wait for him there, and is overawed and converted. He tells them that the worm has eaten the words of their treaty, leaving only the name of God. Astonished by this, terrified by the irresistible number of his swelling army, the Koreish yield the city. He burns the idols, and Henda clings to her God, and is consumed with him.

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Mary must be captured after the victory at Beder.

On Mount Ohud Mary saves him.

Caled must not be in the fight of Beder. The contest with the Jews must be connected with the intrigues of the Koreish, and take place during the siege of Medina. 2. Ali on the Prophet's bed. The Koreish waiting his forthcoming. Their pursuit. When they leave the cavern, the poem remains there. Death of Cadijah related to him.

Mohammed visits his mother's sepulchre. Sale, v. 1, p. 263.

The famous miracle of the mountain.

The people before one of the battles demand of him angelic aid; then he calls the mountain, and applies the fact by showing that the miracle is not wanted-" Are ye

not men and valiant ?

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Okail, the brother of Ali, deserted him in his latter difficulties.

Ziad, the brother of Moawiyah, from his bastard birth called Ben Abihi-Son of the Unknown, continued attached to Ali's cause, even after his death. Obeidallah, [Hosein was his son] the destroyer of Abdarrahman, son of Caled, and inheritor of his zeal and courage, was poisoned by command of Moawiyah.

The Beder Books. Mohammed in the valley awaiting his scouts. Thus the thread is unbroken, and the boasts of Abu Sophian explain the Koreish transactions. The mountain miracle. Al-Abbas leading the pursuit when the Moslem gives way, is first struck by the action of his nephew, half doubtful before. Pursuit of the caravan. Sebana and Miriam, of Egypt, among the captives. Miriam must feel respect and admiration for the enthusiast; but it is after the defeat and danger of Ohud, that his fearless yet wise fanaticism infects her, and makes her at once believe and love.

The death of Otaiba may be connected with the ambush and conversion of Amru.

The bodies of the noblest slain conveyed to Mecca-for the dirge of Ommia to be introduced.

The factions at Medina reconciled on his flight there.

Subjects for Poemlings.

A SENTIMENTAL sonnet to eggs and bacon; thinking what the bacon was, and what the eggs might have been; or there is enough should feel-alas! that men who feel should for an elegy. Alas! that men who eat eat. Why not have an air-diet infused! Pig-his happiness. The stye, his home, and its domestic joys. The cock, his plumage, dledoo." Ghosts. Rise neither in my conand-" sweet at early morn, his cockadooscience, O bacon, nor in my stomach.

The emigrant. Description of a priest walking alone, a good and pious man. The rabble of ex-nobles. Charity of England; in the day of her visitation may that be remembered.

Meditations on an empty purse.
Iroquois. Their complaint in captivity.
Their address to the dead.1
The praise of a savage life.

Ballad of the man at Stroud who was almost killed by his ass.

Euthymus and the demon Lybas. Winter. How we will welcome him. Consecration of our new house. Winter walk. Companion to the Midsummer meditations.

To an old pair of shoes, showing the possible inconvenience but absolute necessity of having a new pair.

To health.

The defeat of Attila.

The spider, a metaphysician. The silkworm feeds first and spins afterwards. The cold in my head. French blacksmith. Ode.

1 Some of these the reader will find worked up in his Poems, e. g." The Pig," p. 162. " Huron's Address to the Dead," p. 132. Ed in one volume.-J. W. W.

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