Alfred: An Epic Poem

Front Cover
Suttaby Evance & Fox, 1815 - English poetry - 159 pages

From inside the book

Selected pages

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 41 - ... be imagined that the laureat would not fail to introduce an eulogy on the reigning monarch. ' And see, best glory of that patriot race, Her monarch, Briton-born, Britannia grace ; Loved, honour'd, and revered by all, save those Who, foes to Freedom, to her friends are foes. But foes in vain — for Anarchy's wild roar Shall never shake this heaven^defended shore, While Freedom's sons gird Freedom's sacred throne. With loyal Faith's impenetrable zone. O'er laurels Rome's sweet poet cull'd to grace...
Page 22 - While, as the swain his sylvan toil pursued, Sad o'er the hearth the pensive hero hung, Fix'd his unweening eye, and mute his tongue, Deeply intent on scenes of present woe, Or planning future vengeance on the foe, The objects round him, like the viewless air, Pass o'er his mind...
Page 125 - Pantalogia; comprehending a complete Series of Essays, Treatises, and Systems, alphabetically arranged; with a general Dictionary of Arts, Scien«es, and Words ; and presenting a distinct Survey of Human Genius, Learning, and Industry.
Page 12 - Each voice for War's avenging thunder calls, And shouts of battle echo round the walls.' We must object, however, to the word « lift' in the second line: this heavy action is ill attributed to Zephyr : skimt, or stirs, would have been preferable.
Page 44 - Wafting, thro' many a league of Albion's reign, The golden produce of her happy plain, Or, bearing on his refluent tide, the fail Of Commerce, fwell'd by fortune's favouring gale. To pile her marts contending nations meet, The world's productions offering at her feer.
Page 33 - The radiant fillets that his temples bind, Burft :— loofer float his trèfles to the wind ; His form expands, he moves with firmer tread. And lambent glories play around his head: With rapid hand he (hikes the facred lyre, To ftrains of raprure wakes the thrilling wire, And, to the found refponfive pours along The fervid energy of myític long.
Page 23 - High majesty and higher worth possess 'd, Or that her voice presumptuous dared to chide Alfred, her country's sovereign and its pride. From this it appears that the King made a habit of burning cakes, and didn't merely err on an isolated occasion. Cottle, as befits a poet having twenty-four books to his poem, takes time to turn round and tells the same story in much greater detail, with dialogue, too : (Acca, a neatherd's wife, has...

Bibliographic information