Then Nature said, "A lovelier flower On earth was never sown ; She shall be mine, and I will make "Myself will, to my darling, be Both law and impulse: and with me In earth and heaven, in glade and bower, To kindle or restrain. "She shall be sportive as the fawn, And hers shall be the breathing balm, "The floating clouds their state shall lend Nor shall she fail to see, Even in the motions of the storm, Grace that shall mould the maiden's form By silent sympathy. "The stars of midnight shall be dear To her; and she shall lean her ear, In many a secret place, Where rivulets dance their wayward round; And beauty, born of murmuring sound, Shall pass into her face. “And vital feelings of delight Shall rear her form to stately height, Her virgin bosom swell; Such thoughts, to Lucy I will give, While she and I together live, Here in this happy dell." Thus Nature spake-The work was done. She died, and left to me This heath, this calm, and quiet scene ; And never more will be. BYRON. LORD BYRON was born in 1788, and died in 1824. He wrote largely during his short life-his works being chiefly lyrical, dramatic, and lyrico-epic. He possesses great passion, pathos, and power of language; but the moral character of many of his works is generally unworthy of a mind otherwise so great. TO HESPERUS.(Don Juan, Canto III.) O HESPERUS! thou bringest all good things- The welcome stall to the o'er-laboured steer; Whate'er our household gods protect of dear, Soft hour! which wakes the wish and melts the heart When they from their sweet friends are torn apart; Is this a fancy which our reason scorns? THE SEA.-(Childe Harold.) ROLL on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean-roll Man marks the earth with ruin-his control When, for a moment, like a drop of rain, He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groanWithout a grave, unknell'd, uncoffin'd, and unknown. Thou glorious mirror, where the Almighty's form Calm or convulsed-in breeze, or gale, or storm, Dark-heaving; boundless, endless, and sublime- Of the Invisible; even from out thy slime THE SHIPWRECK.—(Don Juan.) THEN rose from sea to sky the wild farewell— And the sea yawn'd around her like a hell, And down she suck'd with her the whirling wave, Like one who grapples with his enemy, And strives to strangle him before he die. And first one universal shriek there rush'd, Louder than the loud ocean, like a crash Of echoing thunder; and then all was hush'd, Save the wild wind and the remorseless dash Of billows; but at intervals there gush'd, Accompanied with a convulsive splash, A solitary shriek, the bubbling cry Of some strong swimmer in his agony. THE NIGHT BEFORE WATERLOO.-(Childe Harold.) THERE was a sound of revelry by night, Her beauty and her chivalry; and bright The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men: Music arose, with its voluptuous swell, Soft eyes look'd love to eyes which spake again, But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell ! Arm! arm!-It is, it is the cannon's opening roar. Within a window'd niche of that high hall And there was mounting in hot haste; the steed, And the deep thunder, peal on peal, afar, While throng'd the citizens, with terror dumb, Or whispering with white lips, "The foe! they come! they come!" And wild and high the "Cameron's Gathering” rose, The war-note of Lochiel, which Albyn's hills And Evan's, Donald's fame rings in each clansman's ears! Ere evening to be trodden like the grass Which now beneath them, but above shall grow Of living valour rolling on the foe, And burning with high hope shall moulder cold and low ! Last eve in beauty's circle proudly gay; The midnight brought the signal sound of strife, The thunder-clouds close o'er it, which, when rent, Which her own clay shall cover-heap'd and pent, THUNDER-STORM AMONG THE ALPS.-(Childe Harold.) |