图书图片
PDF
ePub

have come into life with a pen behind his ear, | employment by any studies of his, pushed far and with an instinctive faculty for the calcula- into the night, for he grew very weary, and tion of interest, simple and compound. But was soon seen hovering round the old shop, there is no such wide difference as this among until at last he went in, and begged as a partimen. Noble words and the history of noble cular favour that they would let him know deeds cause all men to thrill and glow, and their melting days, and he would come and every man sympathizes with his fellow-men in help them. Thus, fitted by no preparation for the progress of knowledge, and in the discove- the retirement which he had been looking forries of science. In every soul of us there is a ward to for years, he was forced to fly for hunger to know, which is feeble only when it relief to the most disgusting part of his old is neglected. For the sake of this precious business. When we hear men promising thempart of us, knowledge is to be sought, be our selves a refined literary leisure hereafter, occupations what they may. The mind has while the common cares of life are twisting wants far more vital than those of the body. their roots in with the whole texture of their The reader has read in his childhood of the minds, and binding every faculty round and Prince in the Eastern story, who, by some round, we are reminded of the old lady who magical charm, was turned, one half of him was observed to attend daily upon the drawing into marble, so that while one side was living of a lottery. One of the clerks, noting her flesh, the other was cold immovable stone. constant attendance, asked her for the number How much more deplorable the condition of of her ticket: " My dear child," she exclaimed, him, whose mind, which is infinitely more to "I have not got any ticket. But, if it please him than his body, is sunk in the stone-like Heaven that I should draw a prize, I can draw stupor of ignorance, and who has it to remem- a prize whether I have a ticket or not." Is the ber that it is so by his own will. When will absurdity in this case one whit greater than that blessed day dawn, when the higher nature that of him who thinks to enjoy the delights of of man, with its boundless aspirations, its im- knowledge without that intellectual preparation mortal hunger, will be duly reverenced and essential in the very nature of things? Is not he, too, looking for a prize for which he has purchased no ticket?

cared for?

But there is no man, no young man certainly, who, having the opportunity of mental culture, has come to the deliberate determination to relinquish entirely all hope of intellectual culture. Multitudes please themselves with the idea of retiring by and by, and exchanging the irksome shop or counting-room for a quiet library and literary recreations. What grown up man can be beguiled by such a delusion? Have we not seen the folly of it over and over again in real life? Dr. Johnson mentions the case of a tallow-chandler, who, having amassed a considerable fortune, retired, making over his business to his foreman, with the delightful prospect of literary ease. It does not appear that he was a niggardly man, and had any objection, generated by his old trade, to the consumption of the midnight taper. But certain it is that he gave no encouragement to his old

[ocr errors]

It is necessary to the efficacy of all labour that it be spontaneous. No work is well done, whether in the workshop, the school, or the study, that is not done, as the sailors say, "with a will." And yet, we know not how it is, the very best way of inducing hearty and victorious exertion is to put oneself under the iron necessity of exertion. This is the way to awaken the energy of a slumbering will. Let him, therefore, who is resolved to vindicate the claims, and feed the appetite, of his mind, bind himself irrevocably to the task. A task it may be for a long while, but the time will come when it will be his privilege and pleasure, and he will be ready to declare with Fénélon that if the riches of the Indies were poured at his feet, he would not exchange for them his love of reading.

DESPEDIDA.

Nor for me does Spring unfold her wing
O'er the land I loved so well;

BY EUGENE LIES.
LIES.

Not for me her showers will rouse the flowers
That are sleeping in the dell;

Ere the Catskill's snow to the Hudson flow,
I shall be far o'er the sea;

So, my native isle, will thy summer smile
Be for others, not for me.

Fare thee well, dear shore; I am travel-sore,
I am weary of the sky;

If my mould could rest within thy breast,
I would gladly, gladly die.

But I'll sleep afar, 'neath a chilly star,
In a strange land o'er the sea.
So, my native soil, will this mortal coil
Be for others, not for thee.

[blocks in formation]

their days in prayer and fasting; while the faithful sought them in secret, to receive consolation from them, and join in their prayers for the delivery of the people. They were at length heard; and the persecution, which had lasted about twelve years, was terminated by an event as sudden as it was singular, and one for which no parallel is to be found in history.

|

In the mean time, Melachlin had the whole country searched for fifteen young men without beards, of acknowledged honour and bravery, whom he caused to be dressed in female attire, with each a poniard concealed under his robe, and gave them the instructions necessary to execute his project, which would put an end to tyranny. He also inspired them with sentiments of religion and patriotism, and commanded them to defend the honour of the Princess at the peril of their lives, and to have the doors opened for him, in order that he might come to their succour with a body of troops, whom he should hold in readiness at a short distance; and, lastly, to seize the tyrant and chain him, without depriving him of life.

Turgesius did not fail to repair on the day appointed, to receive the Princess Melcha and her fifteen young la dies; he even invited fifteen of the principal officers of his army to share in the festival. After spending the day in feasting, each of the officers was shown to the apartment intended for him, and orders given for the guards and other domestics to retire. Turgesius himself remained alone in his apartment, where he impatiently awaited the arrival of the Princess Melcha. The porter, who was the only one of the domestics intrusted with the secret, soon entered, accompanied by the Princess, with her little troop of Amazons, who came like a second Judith to deliver her people. The tyrant, who was heated with wine, was about to insult the Princess, when the young men immediately threw off their robes, and drawing their weapons, seized him and tied him with cords to the pillars of his bed.

Turgesius had a castle built for himself in the vicinity of Melachlin, prince or Ard Righ, "high king," of Meath, and went frequently to visit his neighbour. Melachlin was a man of considerable talents, an able politician and brave warrior, and possessed all the qualities requisite to govern a kingdom. He one day asked the tyrant what he should do to get rid of a certain kind of very destructive birds that had lately arrived in the country? The tyrant, not mistrusting the statement, answered, that their nests should be destroyed. Melachlin, who, by the birds, meant the Normans, readily felt the force of this answer, and occupied himself solely with devising means to act upon it; an opportunity for which was soon afforded him by the tyrant. Some days afterwards, he, Turgesius, being on a visit with the Prince of Meath, saw his daughter, Melcha, who was young and formed to please, particularly in the eyes of a man so depraved in character. His passion for her became violent, and wishing to make her his concubine, he demanded her of her father. Nothing was farther from the thoughts of Melachlin, than the idea of dishonouring his daughter. It was, however, a delicate affair, and stratagem was necessary, in the absence of strength, to extricate himself from the dilemma. Having weighed every circumstance, he on one side saw the danger of refusing the barbarian, who was absolute master in the country, and whose conduct was ruled solely by passion: on the other, should his project succeed, he conceived a faint hope of delivering his country from slavery. Having formed his plan, he turned his thoughts towards carrying it into effect. He told the tyrant that his proposal was hard, but that as he could refuse him nothing, he would send him his daughter on an appointed day, together with fifteen young ladies of her own age to keep her company, and render her those services her rankings of his countrymen, and then caused him to be thrown, required; at the same time requesting that the whole affair might be kept secret, so as to screen his daughter's

honour.

They then opened the gates of the castle to permit Melachlin and his troops to enter; fell on the garrison, beginning with the officers, and put all, except Turgesius, to the sword.

When Melachlin had given the place up to pillage, in which they found immense booty, he repaired to the spot where the tyrant was bound and reproached him bitterly with his tyranny, cruelty, and other vices; and having loaded him with chains, had him carried in triumph before him. He allowed him to live a few days, in order that he should be a witness before his death of the suffer

chained as he was, into Loch Ainnin, in Westmeath, where he perished.-[See M'Geoghegan's History, pages 218, 219, passim; also Giraldus Cambrensis, for a different account.]

[blocks in formation]
[graphic][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Up amid the winds and sunshine Austria's blazoned ban- | But as thick as stands at harvest golden grain along the ners danced

Rhine,

With a mighty clash of armour Austria's haughty hosts Stood the spears of the invaders, gleaming down the advanced; threat'ning line; Calling on the God of freedom, with a shout for Switzer- And as pressed the hardy Switzers close upon their leader's track, land, Down against the mailed thousands rushed the little Everywhere that wall of lances met their way, and hurled them back; patriot band!

With their short swords and their halberds, and their Till the blood of brave Confederates stained the hillside simple shields of wood;

and the plain,

With their archers, and their slingers, and their pikemen Drenching all the trampled greensward like a storm of

mountain rain;

[blocks in formation]

Till the boldest brow was darkened, and the firmest lip Till a thousand mountain echoes rendered back the was paled; mighty cries,

Till the peasant's heart grew fearful, and the shepherd's With the sound of earth's contention making tumult in stout arm failed.

Then from out the Swiss ranks stepping, high above the tumult called,

He, the Knight de Winkelried, Arnold, pride of Underwald:

"Yield not, dear and faithful allies!-stay, for I your way will make!

Care you for the wife and children, for your old companion's sake;

Follow now, and strike for freedom, God, and Switzerland!" he cried;

Full against the close ranks rushing, with his arms extended wide,

Caught, and to his bosom gathered, the sharp lances of the foe!

Then, as roll the avalanches down from wilds of Alpine snow,

Through the breach on rolled the Switzers, overthrew the mail-clad ranks,

Smote, as smote their shepherd fathers, on Algeri's marshy banks!

the skies.

But amid the rush of battle, or the victor's proud array, Came the saviour of Helvetia? came the hero of the day? Prone along the wet turf lay he, with the lances he had grasped,

All his valour's deadly trophies still against his brave heart clasped!

Feeling not the tempest-surging, hearing not the war of strife

With the red rents in his bosom, and his young eye closed on life.

And when thus his comrades found him, there was triumph in their tears

He had gathered glory's harvest in that bloody sheaf of spears.

Lo, it is an ancient story, and as through the shades of night,

We are gazing through dim ages, on that fierce, unequal fight;

But the darkness is illumined by one grand, heroic deed, Everywhere the Austrian nobles, serfs, and hirelings And we hear the shout of Arnold, and we see his great

turned in flight

Soon was seen the royal standard wavering, falling in the fight;

"Twas the Duke himself upraised it, and its bloody folds outspread,

Waved it, till his guard of barons all went down among the dead;

Then amid the battle plunging, bravely bore the warrior's part,

Till the long pike of a Switzer cleft in twain his tyrant

heart!

With their souls athirst for vengeance, through dark gorge and rocky glen,

heart bleed!

[blocks in formation]

God for all his heroes careth, and they cannot fall in vain! And of heaven for ever blessed shall the soul heroic be On the footsteps of the flying, hot pursued the mountain Who, oppression's close ranks breaking, makes a pathway for the free;

men,

Smiting down the bold invaders, till the ground for many Though his faithful breast receiveth the sharp lances of a rood, the foe, Round about that town beleaguered, was afloat with Aus- God, the God of freedom, counteth all the life-drops as they trian blood.

Then arose their shouts of triumph up amid the shadowy

even

flow!

He shall have the tears of millions, and the homage of the brave

Loud rejoicings, fierce exultings storming at the gates of He shall have immortal crownings, and the world shall heaven,

keep his grave.

[blocks in formation]
« 上一页继续 »