His hand still strain'd the broken brand; 4. Young Blount his armor did unlace, Said, "By Saint George, he's gone! "Unnurtur'd Blount! thy brawling cease; 5. When, doff'd his casque, he felt free air, Around 'gan Marmion wildly stare: "Where's Harry Blount? Fitz-Eustace where? Linger ye here, ye hearts of hare? Redeem my pennon! charge again! Vain! Cry, Marmion to the rescue!' 6. "Fitz-Eustace, to Lord Surrey hie; Let Stanley charge with spur of fire, Must I bid twice? HENCE, varlets! FLY! 7. They parted, and alone he lay; Of all my halls have nurst, Forgot were hatred, wrongs, and fears; 8. She fill'd the helm, and back she hied, A monk supporting Marmion's head; To shrive the dying, bless the dead. A light on Marmion's visage spread With dying hand above his head, And shouted, "VICTORY! Charge, Chester, CHARGE! On! Stanley, ON!" Were the last words of Marmion. LESSON VIII. GRATTAN'S REPLY TO MR. CORRY. HENRY GRATTAN, an eminent Irish orator and statesman, was born at Dublin in 1750, and died at London in 1820. 1. HAS the gentleman done? Has he completely done? He was unparliamentary from the beginning to the end of his speech. There was scarce a word that he uttered that was not a violation of the privileges of the House; but I did not call him to order. Why? Because the limited talents of some men render it impossible for them to be severe without being unparliamentary; but, before I sit down, I shall show him how to be severe and parliamentary at the same time. 2. On any other occasion I should think myself justifiable in treating with silent contempt any thing which might fall from that honorable member; but there are times when the insignificance of the accuser is lost in the magnitude of the accusation. I know the difficulty the honorable gentleman labored under when he attacked me; conscious that, on a comparative view of our characters, public and private, there is nothing he could say which would injure me. The public would not believe the charge. I despise the falsehood. If such a charge were made by an honest man, I would answer it in the manner I shall do before I sit down. But I shall first reply to it, when not made by an honest man. 3. The right honorable gentleman has called me an "unimpeached traitor." I ask, why not traitor unqualified by any epithet? I will tell him: it was because he dare not. It was the act of a coward who raises his arm to strike, but has not the courage to give the blow. I will not call him villain, because it would be unparliamentary, and he is a privy counselor. I will not call him fool, because he happens to be Chancellor of the Exchequer; but I say he is one who has abused the privilege of Parliament and freedom of debate, to the uttering of language which, if spoken out of the House, I should answer only with a blow. 4. I care not how high his situation, how low his character, how contemptible his speech; whether a privy counselor or a parasite, my answer would be a BLOW. He has charged me with being connected with the rebels. The charge is utterly, TOTALLY, and MEANLY false. Does the honorable gentleman rely on the report of the House of Lords for the foundation of his assertion? If he does, I can prove to the committee there was a physical impossibility of that report being true. But I scorn to answer any man for my conduct, whether he be a political coxcomb, or whether he brought himself into power by a false glare of courage or not. 5. I have returned, not, as the right honorable member has said, to raise another storm; I have returned to discharge an honorable debt of gratitude to my country, that conferred a great reward for past services, which, I am proud to say, was not greater than my desert. I have returned to protect that constitution of which I was the parent and the founder, the assassination of such men as the honorable gentleman' ciates. They are corrupt; they are very moment, are in a conspiracy against from and his unworthy assoand they, at this sediti Lous; their country. 6. I have returned to refute a libel, as false as it is malicious, given to the public under the appellation of a report of the committee of the Lords. Here I stand, ready for impeachment or trial. I dare accusation. I defy the honorable gentleman; I defy the GOVERNMENT; I defy the WHOLE PHALANX: LET I tell the ministers I will neither give them I am here to lay the shattered remains of my constitution on the floor of this house, in defence of the liberties of my country. THEM COME FORTH. quarter nor take it. LESSON IX. CATILINE'S REPLY BY REV. GEORGE CROLY. 1. CONSCRIPT Fathers! I do not rise to waste the night in words: 2. But this I will avow,-that I have scorn'd, Vipers, that creep where man disdains to climb, Hang hissing at the nobler man below! 3. Come, consecrated lictors, from your thrones! [To the Senate.] Fling down your scepters; take the rod and axe, And make the murder as you make the law! 4. Banish'd from Rome! What's banish'd but set free But now my sword's my own. Smile on, my lords! But here I stand and scoff you! here I fling Your consul's merciful. For this all thanks! 5. "Traitor!" I go; but Í return. This trial! Here I devote your senate! I've had wrongs Or make the infant's sinews strong as steel. This day's the birth of sorrow! This hour's work Will breed proscriptions! Look to your hearths, my lords, Naked rebellion, with the torch and axe, 6. I go; but not to leap the gulf alone. |