網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

35 And sought it in the likeliest mode
Within her master's snug abode.

A drawer it chanced, at bottom lineď
With linen of the softest kind',

With such as merchants introduce'
40 From India, for the ladies' use^ ;-
A drawer impending o'er the rest',
Half open in the topmost chest',

Of depth enough', and none to spare^,
Invited her to slumber there.

45 Puss, with delight beyond expression',
Surveyed the scene', and took possession.
Recumbent at her ease ere long',

50

And lulled by her own hum-drum song',
She left the cares of life behind',

And slept as she would sleep her last';
When in' came', housewifely inclined',
The chambermaid', and shut it fast,-
By no malignity impelled',

But all unconscious whom it held.
55 Awakened by the shock', cried Puss',
"Was ever cat attended thus'!

The open drawer was left, I see',
Merely to prove a nest for me;
For soon as I was well composed',

60 Then came the maid', and it was closed;
How smooth these kerchiefs', and how sweet'⚫
Oh what a delicate retreat!

I will myself resign to rest',

Till Sol, declining in the west',

65 Shall call to supper'; when', no doubt,
Susan will come and let me out."

The evening camè, the sun descended',
And Puss remained' still unattended.
The night rolled tardily away`;

70 (With her, indeed, 'twas never day^;)
The sprightly morn her course renewed',
The evening gray again ensued',
And Puss came into mind no more'
Than if entombed the day before.

75 With hunger pinched, and pinched for room', She now presaged approaching doom,

Nor slept a single wink', or purred',
Conscious of jeopardy incurred.

That night, by chance', the Poet, watching,

80 Heard an inexplicable scratching'; His noble heart went pit-a-pat`,

And to himself he said, "What''s that?" He drew the curtain at his sidé, And forth he peeped', but nothing spied'; 85 Yet, by his ear directed', guessed' Something imprisoned in the chest', And doubtful what, with prudent care', Resolved it should contînue there. At length a voice', which well he knew, 90 A long and mēlāncholy mēw', Saluting his poetic ears',

Consoled him', and dispelled his fears`·
He left his bed', he trod the floor',
He 'gan in haste the drawers explore'
95 The lowest first, and without stop',
The rest in order to the top'.

For 'tis a truth well known to most
That whatsoever thing is lost',
We seek it', ere it come to lighť,
100 In every cranny but the right'.

Forth skipped the Cat'; not now repleté
As erst with airy self-conceit',

Nor in her own fond apprehension'
A theme for all the world's attention,
105 But modest`, sober`, cured of all^
Her notions hyperbolical`,

And wishing for her place of resť
Any thing' rather than a chest`.
Then stept the Poet into bed',
110 With this reflection in his head-

MORAL.

Beware of too sublime a sensé Of your own worth and consequencè ! The man who dreams himself so great, And his importance of such weight', 115 That all around', in all that's doné, Must move and act for him alone', Will learn in school of tribulation' The folly of his expectation.

LESSON LXXIX.

RODERICK DHU AND MALCOLM.

Iambic. Four feet.

TWICE through the hall the chieftain strode;
The wavings of his tartans broad',

And darkened brow', where wounded pride
With ire and disappointment vied',

5. Seemed', by the torch's gloomy light',
Like the ill demon of the night',
Stooping his pinions' shadowy sway'
Upon the nighted pilgrim's way':
But, unrequited lové, thy dart'

10. Plunged deepest its envenomed smart',
And Roderick, with thine anguish stung',
At length the hand of Douglas wrung;
While eyes that mocked at tears beforé,
With bitter drops were running o'er'.
15. The death-pangs of long-cherished hopé,
Scarce in that ample breast had scopè,
But', struggling with his spirit proud',
Convulsive heaved its checkered shroud',
While every sob'—so mute were all'-
20. Was heard distinctly through the hall`;
The son's despair, the mother's look',
Ill might the gentle Ellen brook';

She rose, and to her side there camé,
To aid her parting steps', the Graemè.*
25. Then Roderick from the Douglas brokè ;-
As flashes flame through sable smoké,
Kindling its wreaths long', dark`, and low',
To one broad blaze of ruddy glow',
So the deep anguish of despair

30. Burst, in fierce jealousy, to air

With stalwart grasp his hand he laid'
On Malcolm's breast, and belted plaid`;
"Back, beardless boy'!" he sternly said,
"Back', minion'! hold'st thou thus at naught

35. The lesson I so lately taught'?

This roof, the Douglas' and that maid',
Thank thou for punishment delayed'.”

* Pronounced Grame; a as in late.

Eager as grey-hound on his gamé, Fiercly with Roderick grappled Graemè; 40. "Perish my namé, if aught afford'

Its chieftain safety', save his sword`!"
Thus as they strové, their desperate hand'
Griped to the dagger or the brand';

And death had been-But Douglas rosé,
45. And thrust between the struggling foes'
His giant strength`: . . . . "Chieftains, foregò!
I hold the first who strikes', mỹ foè.
Madmen', forbear your frantic jar!
What! is the Douglas fallen so far,
50. His daughter's hand is deemed the spoil'
Of such dishonorable broil'?"
Sullen and slowly they unclasp',

As struck with shamé, their desperate grasp;
And each upon his rival glared',

55. With foot advanced', and blade half bared`.
Ere yet the brands aloft were flung',
Margaret on Roderick's mantle hung;
And Malcolm heard his Ellen's scream',
As faltered through terrific dream`.

60. Then Roderick plunged in sheath his sword',
And veiled his wrath in scornful word.
"Rest safe till morning; pity 'tweré
Such cheeks should feel the midnight air' !
Then' may'st thou to James Stuart tell',
65. Roderick will keep the lake and fell',
Nor lackey', with his free-born clan',
The pageant pomp of earthly man.
More, would he of Clan-Alpine know',
Thou canst our strength and passes show
Malisè, what', hò!" his henchman camè;
70. "Give our safe conduct to the Graemè."
Young Malcolm answered', calm and bold,
"Fear nothing for thy favorite hold'.
The spot an angel deigned to grace,
Is blessed, though robbers haunt the place:
75. Thy churlish courtesy for thosé
Reservè, who feel to be thy foes.
As safe to me the mountain way'
At midnight', as in blaze of day,
Though', with his boldest at his back',
80. Even Roderick Dhu beset the track.

1.

2.

3.

LESSON LXXX.

THE OCEAN.

Iambic. Five feet.

ROLL on, thou deep and dark-blue ocean'-roll' !
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain`;
Man marks the earth with ruin'-his control'
Stops with the shorè;-upon the watery plain'
The wrecks are all thy' deed, nor doth remain'
A shadow of man's ravagé, save his own^,
When, for a moment', like a drop of rain',
He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined', and unknown.
His steps are not upon thy paths',—thy fields'
Are not a spoil for him,-thou dost arise^

And shake him from theè; the vile strength he wields'
For earth's destruction thou dost all despisé,
Spurning him from thy bosom to the skies',
And send'st him shivering', in thy playful spray',
And howling, to his gods, where haply lies'
His petty hope in some near port or bay^,

And dashest him again to earth`:—there lēt him lāy.*

The armaments which thunder-strike the walls'

Of rock-built cities', bidding nations quaké,

And monarchs tremble in their capitals',-
The oak leviathans', whose huge ribs maké
Their clay creator the vain title také
Of lord of theé, and arbiter of war^ ;-
These are thy toys, and', as the snowy flaké,
They melt into thy yeast of waves, which mar
Alike the Armada's pride', or spoils of Trafalgar'.
4. Thy shores are empires', changed in all save theè.
Assyrià, Greecè, Romè, Carthagé, what are they?
Thy waters wasted them', while they were free^,
And many a tyrant' sincè; their shores obey'
The stranger', slavé, or savage; their decay'
Has dried up realms' to deserts:—not so thoû,
Unchangeablé, save to thy wild waves' play'-
Time writes no wrinkle on thinè azure brow'-
Such as creation's dawn' beheld', thou rollest now'.

* Should be lie.

« 上一頁繼續 »