The towers of Syracuse gleam'd afar,

And the steward who had of his household the care,

Philostratus, came to meet him,

And with hasty words entreat him.

16.

"Back! back! to rescue thy friend too lateBe now for thyself providing!

His fate he's this instant abiding-
For hour after hour he fondly did wait
Thy promis'd reprieve, nor one jot would abate
His faith in thy good word plighted,
Though the tyrant with mockery slighted."

17.

"And is it too late? Am I doom'd to return,
Untrue to the word I have spoken ?

Yet in death may our bond be unbroken.
And let not the Tyrant exult in his scorn,
That Friend to Friend was ever forsworn.
Let him slaughter his victims two,
And believe in the Loving and True.”

18.

And the sun goes down-he stands at the gate, And sees the Cross uplifted,

And about it the multitude drifted.

Already the rope twines its Victim around,

When he bursts thro' the press with one terrible

bound:

"Not for HIM was the Cross intended-

Let ME-let ME be suspended."

19.

The Crowd stand transfix'd in bewilder'd amaze,
Rush the friends to each other's embraces-
Joy and sorrow bedewing both faces.

No eye without tears on their meeting could gaze.
The strange tale to the King a By-stander conveys;
When emotions unwonted came o'er him,
And he order'd to bring them before him.

20.

He look'd at them long with astonishment great,
At last said, "Your cause has succeeded,
My heart has the victory ceded;

And Truth, I confess, is no empty deceit.
Yet grant one request-'tis my turn to entreat-
Let ME-here I offer my hand-

Be the Third in your brotherhood's band.”

Der Kampf mit dem Drachen.

THIS Poem, like the former, was a production of the summer of 1798, and owes its origin to the same source as that which dictated the design, which the Poet did not live to complete, of the Drama of the Maltheser-viz. Vertot's History of the Knights of that Order. The story on which it is founded is related to have taken place under the government of Helion de Villeneuve, who was Grand Master from 1323 to 1346, and the name of the Hero was Dieudonné de Gozon, of a noble family in Provence, who succeeded

as Grand Master on the death of Villeneuve, and died himself in 1358, and on whose tombstone were inscribed, after his name, the words "Draconis exstinctor,"-a legend in itself of course sufficient to authenticate the whole surprising narrative. But, though the existence and exploits of the Dragon and the successful valour of its destroyer may thus be rendered unquestionable, notwithstanding their suspicious affinity to so many other equally accredited tales of romance, from Jason to St. George, and thence to More of More Hall and the Dragon of Wantley, the rebuke of the Grand Master seems to be too closely copied after a wellknown classical story to be found in the pages of Plutarch, not to afford great room for doubt as to the monkish nature of its concoction.

The Poem itself is a great favourite with the German critics, and its excessive and (to an English reader) wearisome prolixity may be a recommendation in the eyes of our Teutonic brethren. Whatever popularity it may enjoy among ourselves must probably be ascribed to the excellence of Retzch's spirited outlines; though it is not to be denied that there is also much force and picturesqueness in many parts of the narrative, and that great dramatic effect is given to it by making the youthful Hero the Historian of his own adventure. There is no less of moral beauty in the picture of Christian meekness and submission here exhibited; and all the details afford another remarkable instance of the high degree in which the imagination of the Poet was at this period influenced by the spirit of mediæval piety.

On the other hand, the incident of the paste-board Dragon, so much extolled as a proof of Schiller's inventive and descriptive talent by some of his admirers, I cannot but regard as exceedingly puerile; nor can I fail to believe that the generality of Readers will easily pardon the omission of three stanzas containing a minute description of its machinery and of the process used by the knight in enuring his horse and dogs to the mock-encounter.

1.

WHY runs the mob? why rolls the throng,
Crashing the city streets along?
Sinks Rhodes beneath devouring fire?
Still, still the hubbub rises higher.
But see! a knight on charger proud
Rises above the vulgar crowd:
Behind him they a monster bring,
Encas'd in glittering scale and ring,
With dragon's head, and dragon's folds,
And wide jaw grisly fangs displaying:
The city all agaze behold,

Dragon and knight in turn surveying.

2.

And then a thousand voices spake :
"Come, see the deadly monster-snake;
He that our sheep and shepherds slew;
And see the knight that made him rue.
Ere this have many sallied forth
The mighty monster to unearth;
But none before surviv'd the fight:
All-hail to the victorious knight!"
Straight to the Baptist's Convent-gate

Moves through the streets the long procession,

Where, in the minster aisle, sedate,

The knights are met in solemn session.

3.

The youth before the Master leant,
With modest air and posture bent;
The crowd behind impatient presses;
Soon every step and stair possesses:
Then spake the youth who won the fight;
"I've done the duty of a knight.
The dragon which laid waste the land
Lies dead and conquer'd by my hand:
The traveller now may rove secure,
The herdsman drive to field or fountain,
The pilgrim march with step demure
To shrine of grace on rocky mountain."

4.

But sternly did the Chief reply:

66

Bold was thy deed, and prowess high: 'Tis courage that the knight beseemeth; The sacred flame in thee bright beameth; But say what duty first we owe,

We who for Christ to battle go,

We who the Cross emblazon'd wear?"

Pale wax'd the crowd assembled there.
But he with gesture self-possess'd,

Deep-blushing bow'd, and thus hath spoken"Obedience is their first behest

Whoe'er embrace that holy token."