Gesta Romanorum, or, Entertaining moral stories tr. with preliminary observations and notes, by C. Swan, Volume 1

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1824

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Page 380 - That generous actions meet a base reward. " While thus they pass, the sun his glory shrouds, The changing skies hang out their sable clouds j A sound in air presag'd approaching rain, And beasts to covert scud across the plain. Warn'd by the signs, the wand'ring pair retreat, To seek for shelter at a neighb'ring seat.
Page 375 - Here we discover those features of chivalry, so admirably ridiculed by Cervantes. But, in times of oppression, when every one followed " the simple plan, That he may take who has the power, And he may keep who can...
Page 356 - The quality of mercy is not strained, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes...
Page 383 - Celestial odours breathe through purpled air ; And wings, whose colours glitter'd on the day, Wide at his back their gradual plumes display. The form ethereal bursts upon his sight, And moves in all the majesty of light.
Page 382 - Without a vain, without a grudging heart, To him who gives us all, I yield a part ; From him you come, for him accept it here, A frank and sober, more than costly cheer.
Page 147 - Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more ; Or close the wall up with our English dead ! In peace, there's nothing so becomes a man As modest stillness and humility : But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the tiger...
Page 385 - Heaven can bless, if mortals will be kind. Conscious of wanting worth, he views the bowl, And feels compassion touch his grateful soul. Thus artists melt the sullen ore of lead, With heaping coals of fire upon its head; In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow, And, loose from dross, the silver runs below.
Page 71 - Come unto me all ye that labour, and I will give you rest.
Page 379 - As one who spies a serpent in his way, Glistening and basking in the summer ray, Disorder'd stops to shun the danger near, Then walks with...
Page 381 - Twas there a vice, and seem'da madness here : Detesting that, and pitying this, he goes, Lost and confounded with the various shows. Now night's dim shades again involve the sky, Again the wanderers want a place to lie, Again they search, and find a lodging nigh : The soil improv'd around, the mansion neat, And neither poorly low, nor idly great : It seem'd to speak its master's turn of mind, Content, and not for praise, but virtue kind.

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