The buoy of the Inchcape Eell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walked his deck,
And he fixed his eye on the darker speck.

He felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him sing;
His heart was mirthful to excess,
But the Rover's mirth was wickedness.

His eye was on the Inchcape float;
Quoth he, "My men, put out the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,
And I'll plague the priest, of Aberbrothok."

The boat is lowered, the boatmen row,
And to the Inchcape Rock they go;
Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,
And he cut the bell from the Inchcape float.

Down sank the bell with a gurgling sound;

The bubbles rose and burst around;

Quoth Sir Ralph, "The next who comes to the rock
Won't bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok."

Sir Ralph the Rover sailed away,

He scoured' the seas for many a day;

And now, grown rich with plundered store,
He steers his course for Scotland's shore.

So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high;
The wind hath blown a gale3 all day,
At evening it hath died away.

On the deck the Rover takes his stand,
So dark it is they see no land;

'Scoured, sailed to and fro on the sea as a pirate.

mist.

2 Haze,

3 Gale, a wind not tempestuous, yet stronger than a breeze.

Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon,
For there is the dawn1 of the rising moon."
"Canst hear," said one, "the breakers 2
For yonder, methinks, should be the shore;
Now where we are I cannot tell,

roar?

But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell."
They hear no sound, the swell is strong,
Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along,
Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock:
Cried they," It is the Inchcape Rock!"

Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair,
He beat himself in his despair;
The waves rush in on every side,

And the vessel sinks beneath the tide.

REPORT ON AN ADJUDGED CASE.-Cowper.

5

arose

BETWEEN Nose and Eyes a strange contest
The spectacles set them, unhappily, wrong;
The point in dispute was, as all the world knows,
To which the said spectacles ought to belong.
So Tongue was the lawyer, and argued the cause
With a great deal of skill, and a wig full of learning;
While Chief Baron Ear sat to balance the laws,
So famed for his talent in nicely discerning.8
"In behalf of the Nose it will quickly appear,
And your lordship," he said, " will undoubtedly find,

1 Dawn, the light given by the moon before she is seen above the horizon. 2 Breakers, waves, breaking into spray and foam, from dashing against the rock. 8 Drift, driven onward by the force of the waves or tide. 4 Adjudged case, a case in which sentence has been given. 5 Contest, quarrel, dispute. 6 Argued, reasoned. 7 Chief Baron, head judge. Discerning, judging, distinguishing. 'Behalf, in favour of.

That the Nose has had spectacles always in wear (Which amounts to possession), time out of mind." Then holding the spectacles up to the court

"Your lordship observes they are made with a straddle As wide as the ridge of the nose is; in short,

2

Designed to sit close to it just like a saddle.

"Again: would your lordship a moment suppose 3 ("Tis a case that has happened, and may be again), That the visage or countenance had not a nose: Pray who would, or who could, wear spectacles then? "On the whole it appears, and my argument shows, With a reasoning the court will never condemn, That the spectacles plainly were made for the Nose,

And the Nose was as plainly intended for them." Then shifting his side (as a lawyer knows how), He pleaded 5 again in behalf of the Eyes; But what were his arguments 6 few people know, For the court did not think they were equally wise. So his lordship decreed, with a grave,8 solemn tone, Decisive and clear, without one if or but, That, whenever the Nose put his spectacles on, By daylight or candle-light-Eyes should be shut.

9 CASABIANCA.—Mrs. Hemans. THE boy stood on the burning deck, Whence all but he had fled;

1 Court, a hall of justice. 2 Designed, intended for. 8 Suppose, think. 5 4 Shifting, changing. Pleaded, spoke for. 6 Arguments, reasons. 7 Decreed, gave sentence. 8 Grave, serious. 9 Casabianca, a boy so named, about thirteen years old, son to the captain of the Orient, remained at his post, in the battle of the Nile, after the ship had taken fire, and all the guns had been abandoned. He perished in the explosion of the vessel when the flames had reached the powder.

The flame that lit the battle's wreck
Shone round him o'er the dead.

Yet beautiful and bright he stood,
As born to rule the storm; 1
A creature of heroic blood, 2
A proud though childlike form.

The flames rolled on-he would not go
Without his father's word;
That father, faint in death below,
His voice no longer heard.

He called aloud :-"Say, father! say,
If yet my task is done?"
He knew not that the chieftain lay
Unconscious of his son.

"Speak, father!" once again he cried,
"If I may yet be gone;
And"-but the booming shots replied,
And fast the flames rolled on.

Upon his brow he felt their breath,3
And in his waving hair,

And looked from that lone post of death,

In still yet brave despair.

And shouted but once more aloud,

"My father! must I stay ?"

While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud,*

The wreathing fires made way.

They wrapped the ship in splendour wild,

They caught the flag on high,

And streamed above the gallant child
Like banners in the sky.

To rule the storm, to conduct his ship safely through the

storm.
caused by the swift passage of a shot.

2 Heroic blood, bold spirit.

3 Breath, the current of air

Shroud, see page 20.

There came a burst of thunder sound,

The boy,-oh! where was he?
'Ask of the winds that far around
With fragments strewed the sea.

With mast, and helm, and pennon1 fair,
That well had borne their part,-
But the noblest thing which perished there,
Was that young and faithful heart!

LORD ULLIN'S DAUGHTER.-Campbell.

A CHIEFTAIN, to the Highlands 3 bound,
Cries, "Boatman, do not tarry!
And I'll give to thee a silver pound,

To row us o'er the ferry."

4

"Now, who be would cross Loch Gyle,
ye
This dark and stormy water ?”-
"Oh, I'm the chief of Ulva's Isle,
And this, Lord Ullin's daughter.

"And fast before her father's men,
Three days we've fled together;
For should he find us in the glen,5
My blood would stain the heather.6

"His horsemen hard behind us ride;
Should they our steps discover,
Then who will cheer my bonny 7 bride,
When they have slain her lover?"

1 Pennon, a small flag or banner.

Chieftain, head of a clan.

3 Highlands, the northern part of Scotland. 4 Loch, a lake. 5 Glen, a valley. Heather, (pronounced heth'er) the heath, a shrub. 7 Bonny, good, fair beautiful