The whole or portion offer'd then. Than courtiers at a banquet would. ,,Though firm of heart and strong of hand, ,,All Scythia's fame to thine should yield ,,The school wherein I learn'd to ride!" до 100 Quoth Charles-,, Old Hetman, wherefore so, ,,Since thou hast learn'd the art so well?" Mazeppa said, "Twere long to tell; 110 ,,And we have many a league to go ,,With every now and then a blow, ,,And ten to one at least the foe, ,,Before our steeds may graze at ease ,,Beyond the swift Borysthenes: ,,And, sire, your limbs have need of rest, ,,Of this your troop.",,But I request," ,,Well, sire, with such a hope, I'll track ,,My seventy years of memory back: ,,I think 'twas in my twentieth spring, ,,Ay, 'twas, when Casimir was king ,,John Casimir, I was his page ,,Six summers in my earlier age; ,,A learned monarch, faith! was he, ,,And most unlike your majesty: 120 130 ,,He made no wars, and did not gain ,,But soon his wrath being o'er, he took ,,All Warsaw gather'd round his gates ,,To gaze upon his splendid court, ,,And dames, and chiefs, of princely port: ,,He was the Polish Solomon, ,,So sung his poets, all but one, ,,Who, being unpersion'd, made a satire, 140 150 ,,There was a certain Palatine, ,,A count of far and high descent, ,,Rich as a salt or silver mine; * ,,And he was proud, ye may divine, ,,As if from heaven he had been sent: ,,He had such wealth in blood and ore 160 ,,As few could match beneath the throne; ,,And he would gaze upon his store, ,,And o'er his pedigree would pore, ,,Until by some confusion led, ,,Which almost look'd like want of head, ,,He thought their merits were his own. ,,His wife was not of his opinion ,,His junior she by thirty years ,,Grew daily tired of his dominion; „And, after wishes, hopes, and fears, ,,To virtue a few farewell tears, 170 A restless dream or two, some glances ,,At Warsaw's youth, some songs, and dances, *This comparison of a,,salt mine" may perhaps be permitted to a Pole, as the wealth of the country consists greatly in the salt mines. ,,Awaited but the usual chances, ,,To deck her Count with titles given, V. ,,I was a goodly stripling then; ,,At seventy years I so may say, ,,That there were few, or boys or men, ,,But smooth, as all is rugged now; 180 ,,For time, and care, and war, have plough'd 190 ,,My very soul from out my brow; ,,And thus I should be disavow'd ,,By all my kind and kin, could they |