Like chaff before the wind of heaven, For life! for life! their flight they ply- Before that tide of flight and chase, "Down, down," cried Mar, "your lances down! Like reeds before the tempest's frown, And closely shouldering side to side, They come as fleet as forest deer, Bearing before them, in their course, I heard the lance's shivering crash, But Moray wheeled his rearward rank "I see," he cried, "their column shakeNow, gallants! for your ladies' sake, Upon them with the lance!" The horsemen dashed ainong the rout, As Brocklinn's chasm, so black and steep, As the dark caverns of the deep Ex. CIII.-THE DEVIL'S WALK ON EARTH. gone, ROBERT SOUTHEY. FROM his brimstone bed at break of day, Over the hill and over the dale, And backward and forward he swished his tail, How then was the devil dressed? Oh, he was in his Sunday's best, His coat was red, and his breeches were blue, And there was a hole where his tail came through. He met a lord of high degree, No matter what was his name; Whose face with his own when he came to compare The expression, the look, and the air, And the character, too, as it seemed to a hair- That it made the devil start and stare, For he thought there was surely a looking-glass there, He saw a lawyer killing a viper, An apothecary on a white horse And the devil thought of his old friend He passed a cottage with a double coach-house, And he owned with a grin That his favorite sin, Is pride that apes humility. He walked into London leisurely, He entered a thriving bookseller's shop; As he passed through Cold-Bath Flds he looked And he was well pleased, for it gave him a hint He saw a turnkey tie a thief's hands Nimbly, quoth he, a man's fingers move He saw the same turnkey unfettering a man With little expedition n; And he chuckled to think of his dear slave-trade, And the long debates and delays that were made Concerning its abolition. At this good news, so great The devil's pleasure grew, That with a joyful swish he rent The hole where his tail came through. His countenance fell for a moment Great news! bloody news! cried a newsman; So he bought the newspaper, and no news Lying varlet, thought he, thus to take in old Nick! To know thou art paid beforehand for the trick, He went to a coffee-house to dine, They are much to my palate, thought he, But the soles in the bill were ten shillings; But mark ye, said he to the waiter, Now soles are exceedingly cheap, Now the morning air was cold for him For he had some morning calls to make So thought he, I'll step into a gaming house, But just before he could get to the door, For all on a sudden, in a dark place, He came upon General — -'s burning face; And it struck him with such consternation, CIV. THE SEVEN HEADS. LOCKHART. "WHO bears such heart of baseness, a king I'll never call,"- "In courteous guise, Almanzor, your messenger was sent, And courteous was the answer with which from me he went; For why?-I thought the word he brought of a knight and of a king; But false Moor henceforth never me to his feast shall bring. "Ye bade me to your banquet, and I at your bidding canie; Accursed be the villainy, eternal be the shame, For ye have brought an old man forth, that he your sport might be: Thank God, I cheat you of your joy,-thank God, no tear you see. "My gallant boys," quoth Lara, "it is a heavy sight These dogs have brought your father to look upon this night; Seven gentler boys, nor braver, were never nursed in Spain, And blood of Moors, God rest your souls, ye shed on her like rain. |