XXII. - THE CORAL GROVE. J. G. PERCIVAL. [James Gates Percival was born in Connecticut, in September, 1795, and died in May, 1856. He was a brilliant and imaginative poet, and also distinguished as a man of science.] 1. DEEP in the wave is a coral' grove, Where the purple mullet and goldfish rove, 2. The floor is of sand, like the mountain's drift', Their boughs where the tides and billows flow. For the winds and waves are absent there; There, with its waving blade of green, The sea-flag streams through the silent water, To blush like a banner bathed in slaughter. 3. There, with a light and easy motion, The fan-coral sweeps through the clear, deep sea; Is sporting amid those bowers of stone, 4. And when the ship from his fury flies, 6 Where the myriad voices of ocean roar; The purple mullet and goldfish rove, Through the bending twigs of the coral grove. 1 CŎR'AL. A hard substance found in the ocean, supposed to be the remains of very small sea animals. 2 DRIFT. Any matter driven together by wind or water; earthy or rocky matter, carried by water from one place to another. siderable quantities on the coast of Scotland. It adheres to the rocks, in strips of ten or twelve inches long and about half an inch broad. 4 LEA. Grass or sward land. 5 MYR'I-AD. Too numerous to be counted; immensely numerous. 3 DULSE. A species of seaweed, of a reddish brown color, found in con- 6 MÜR'KY. Dark; gloomy; cloudy. XXIII.-SONG OF REBECCA, THE JEWESS. SIR WALTER SCOTT. [Sir Walter Scott, one of the most eminent names in English literature, was born in Edinburgh, August 15, 1771, and died September 21, 1832. He is the author of a great many works, comprising poems, novels, and miscellanies. This poem is from his novel called "Ivanhoe."] 1. WHEN Israel,* of the Lord beloved, Returned the fiery column's glow. * ISRAEL. Israel and Judah are terms used to designate the Jewish people. 2. There rose the choral' hymn of praise, And trump and timbrel answered keen; With Priest's and Warrior's voice between. 4 Forsaken Israel wanders lone! Our fathers would not know THY ways, 3. But present still, though now unseen 5 And, O! where stoops on Judah's path 6 4. Our harps we left by Babel's streams,* And mute are timbrel, trump, and horn. 1 CHO'RAL. Sung by a choir, or by | 4 POR-TENTS'. Omens of coming ill. many persons together. 5 TEM'PER. Soften or moderate. 2 TIM'BREL. An ancient Hebrew 6 GEN'TİLE. 8 drum, consisting of a brass hoop, The name applied by Jews to foreign nations. over which a piece of skin was 7 CEN'SER. A vessel in which incense stretched. is burned. ZÏ'ON. A hill in Jerusalem; a figu- 8 CŎN'TRITE. Repentant; oppressed rative term for Jerusalem. by a sense of sin; penitent. * BABEL'S STREAM. The River Euphrates, on which Babylon was situated. XXIV. — THE SOLDIER'S DREAM. CAMPBELL. [Thomas Campbell was born in Glasgow, July 27, 1777, and died in Boulogne (bô-lōn'), France, June 15, 1844. His first poem, "The Pleasures of Hope," was published in 1799, and was universally read and admired. His " Gertrude of Wyoming" was published in 1809, and was received with equal favor. It contains passages of great descriptive beauty, and the concluding portions are full of pathos; but the story moves languidly, and there is a want of truth in the costume, and of probability in the incidents. His genius is seen to greater advantage in his shorter poems, such as "O'Connor's Child," "Lochiel's Warning," ," "Hohenlinden," "The Battle of the Baltic," and " Ye Mariners of England." These are matchless poems, - with a ring and power that stir the blood, and at the same time a magic of expression which fastens the words forever to the memory.] 1. OUR bugles' sang truce'; for the night cloud had lowered3, And the sentinel' stars set their watch in the sky, And thousands had sunk on the ground overpowered, The weary to sleep, and the wounded to die. 2. When reposing that night on my pallet of straw, By the wolf-scaring fagot that guarded the slain, At the dead of the night a sweet vision I saw, And thrice, ere the morning, I dreamt it again. 3. Methought from the battle-field's dreadful array, Far, far I had roamed on a desolate track; 'Twas autumn, and sunshine arose on the way To the home of my fathers that welcomed me back. 4. I flew to the pleasant fields traversed so oft In life's morning march, when my bosom was young; I heard my own mountain-goats bleating aloft, And knew the sweet strain that the corn reapers sung. 5. Then pledged we the wine cup, and fondly I swore From my home and my weeping friends never to part. My little ones kissed me a thousand times o'er, And my wife sobbed aloud in her fulness of heart, 6. "Stay, stay with us - rest! thou art weary 6 and worn; And fain was their war-broken soldier to stay; But sorrow returned with the dawning of morn, And the voice in my dreaming ear melted away. 1 BU'GLE. A military wind instru-4 SEN'TI-NĚL. A soldier on watch or ment of music. guard, and thus figuratively applied to the stars. 2 TRUCE. A temporary suspension of hostilities. 5 PĂL'LET. A small or rude bed. • LÖŴ'ERED. Appeared dark; gloomy. 6 FAIN. Willing; glad; desirous. XXV. - WASHINGTON. HENRY LEE. [Henry Lee was born in Westmoreland county, Virginia, January 29, 1756, and died March 25, 1816. He served with great distinction as a cavalry officer dur ing the revolutionary war, and was afterwards member of Congress and gov, ernor of Virginia. He was the author of "Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department of the United States." He was a member of Congress at the time of the death of Washington, and was selected by the House of Representatives to pronounce a eulogy upon the departed hero and statesman, from which the following is an extract.] 1. FIRST in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in the humble and endearing scenes of private life. Pious, just, humane, temperate, and sincere; uniform, dignified, and commanding, his example was as edifying' to all around him as were the effects of that example lasting. 2 2. To his equals he was condescending; to his inferiors. kind; and to the dear object of his affections exemplarily tender. Correct throughout, vice shuddered in his presence, and virtue always felt his fostering hand; the purity of his private character gave effulgence to his public virtues. 3. His last scene comported3 with the whole tenor of his life although in extreme pain, not a sigh, not a groan escaped him; and with undisturbed serenity he closed his well-spent life. Such was the man America has lost! Such was the man for whom our nation mourns! |