THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE.' Collins. (1) Montgomery has said, perhaps with some degree of pardonable exaggeration, that these stanzas "are almost unrivalled in the association of poetry with picture, pathos with fancy, grandeur with simplicity, and romance with reality." See "Lectures on Poetry," p. 200. (2) How sleep, &c.-"Not," says Montgomery, "how sweetly, soundly, happily; for all these are included in the simple apostrophe,' How sleep the brave!"" (3) Sweeter sod--Why sweeter? Because of the moral interest associated with it, as the grave of those who died for their country. (4) Fairy hands, forms unseen -These expressions, as well as the personifications of Honour and Freedom, refer to the influence which the memory of brave patriots diffuses over both the present and the future. The "fairy hands" and "forms unseen," are the feelings of gratitude, admiration, and pity, which affect the heart as mournful music does the ear. (5) A pilgrim grey-A "pilgrim," because Honour comes from far-from other countries to visit the shrine; "grey," because in distant years to come their memory shall still survive. (6) Freedom, &c.-Freedom repairs thither-to weep alone (" a weeping hermit") because they are his children; "awhile" only, because he has other children still alive, and because time heals sorrow. (7) Hohenlinden-A village of Germany, about twenty miles from Munich, where General Moreau completely defeated the combined army of Austrians and Bavarians, on the 3rd of December, 1800. (8) Iser, or Isar-a tributary of the Danube. But Linden saw another sight, By torch and trumpet fast array'd, Then shook the hills with thunder riven, But redder yet that light shall glow 'Tis morn, but scarce yon level sun Shall be a soldier's sepulchre. YE MARINERS OF ENGLAND;2 A NAVAL ODE. YE Mariners of England! That guard our native seas; Whose flag has braved, a thousand years, The battle and the breeze! (1) Hun-the Austrian force. Campbell. (2) This spirited lyric well deserves to take rank with "Rule Britannia" (see p. 190). The main blemish in both is the want of a specific recognition of Almighty power as the only source of our own. Your glorious standard launch again And sweep through the deep, While the stormy winds do blow; While the battle rages loud and long, And the stormy winds do blow. The spirits of your fathers Shall start from every wave!- Britannia needs no bulwarks, When the stormy winds do blow; The meteor flag of England Till danger's troubled night depart, When the storm has ceased to blow; Campbell. THE MOTHER'S SACRIFICE. "WHAT shall I render Thee, Father Supreme, "Thou hast a little bud Wrapt in thy breast, and fed with dews of love : "Thou hast a little harp How sweetly would it swell the angel's hymn: Was cleft in twain. Morn came. A blight had struck The crimson velvet of the unfolding bud; The harp-strings rang a thrilling strain and broke- Again the voice That stirred her vision:- "He who asked of thee Mrs. Sigourney. (1) This beautiful metaphor is also found in Coleridge's "Epitaph on an Infant:" "Ere sin could blight or sorrow fade, Death came with friendly care, SONG FOR THE WANDERING JEW.1 THOUGH the torrents from their fountains Clouds that love through air to hasten What, if through the frozen centre And the sea-horse, though the ocean If on windy days the raven The fleet ostrich till day closes Day and night my toils redouble, Night and day I feel the trouble my soul. Wordsworth. (1) The legend of the wandering Jew is of great, but unknown, antiquity. He was, the fable informs us, Pilate's porter, and when the soldiers were dragging the Saviour out of the judgment-hall, struck him on the back, saying, “Go faster, Jesus, go faster; why dost thou linger?" upon which Christ said to him, "I indeed am going, but thou shalt tarry till I come." He was soon after converted, but the doom rested upon him, and even so lately as 1228, an Armenian bishop, visiting England, professed with all sincerity to have dined recently with the man. See Percy's "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry," vol. iii. p. 133. |