The Works of the British Poets: With Lives of the Authors, Volume 33

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Ezekiel Sanford, Robert Walsh
Mitchell, Ames, and White, 1822 - English poetry

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Page 279 - While, lightly poised, the scaly brood In myriads cleave thy crystal flood ; The springing trout in speckled pride ; The salmon, monarch of the tide ; The ruthless pike, intent on war, The silver eel, and mottled par. Devolving from thy parent lake, A charming maze thy waters make, By bowers of birch and groves of pine. And hedges flower'd with eglantine.
Page 275 - Nor would th' enamour'd Muse neglect to pay To Stanhope's worth5 the tributary lay; The soul unstain'd, the sense sublime to paint, A people's patron, pride and ornament! Did not his virtues eterniz'd remain The boasted theme of Pope's immortal strain. Not ev'n the pleasing task is left, to raise A grateful monument to Barnard's praise; Else should the venerable patriot stand Th' unshaken pillar of a sinking land.
Page 287 - Spaniards' late defeat: And his crews, with shouts victorious, Drank success to England's fleet. On a sudden shrilly sounding, Hideous yells and shrieks were heard; Then each heart with fear confounding, A sad troop of ghosts appear'd.
Page 26 - Sublimest virtue and desire of fame, Where justice gives the laurel; in his eye The inextinguishable spark, which fires The souls of patriots; while his brow supports Undaunted valour and contempt of death.
Page 34 - Unsated, their enraptur'd sight Pursues his graceful stature, and their tongues Extol and hail him as their guardian god. Firm in his nervous hand he gripes the spear. Low as the ankles, from his shoulders hangs The massy shield, and o'er his burnish'd helm The purple plumage nods. Harmonious youths, Around whose brows entwining laurels play, In lofty-sounding strains his praise record ; While snowy-finger'd virgins all the way Bestrew with od'rous garlands.
Page 276 - And taste unspoil'd the frugal table spread; And industry supply the humble store; And sleep' unbribed his dews refreshing shed; White-mantled innocence, ethereal sprite, Shall chase far off the goblins of the night; And Independence o'er the day preside, Propitious power ! my patron and my pride.
Page 92 - Th' immeasurable ranks his sight was lost, A momentary gloom o'ercast his mind, While this reflection fill'd his eyes with tears; That, soon as time a hundred years had told, Not one among those millions should survive. Whence to obscure thy pride arose that cloud? Was it that once humanity could touch A tyrant's breast? Or rather did thy soul Repine, O Xerxes, at the bitter thought That all thy pow'r was mortal...
Page 276 - PARENT of joy! heart-easing Mirth! Whether of Venus or Aurora born, Yet goddess sure of heavenly birth, Visit benign a son of grief forlorn, Thy glittering colours gay, Around him, Mirth, display: And o'er his raptur'd sense Diffuse thy living influence : So shall each hill, in purer green array...
Page 290 - Which o'er his shoulder turn'd the glancing steel ; For one last effort then his scatter'd strength Collecting, levell'd with resistless force The massive orb, and dash'd its brazen verge Full on the Persian's forehead. Down he sunk, Without a groan expiring, as o'erwhelm'd Beneath a marble fragment, from its seat Heav'd by a whirlwind, sweeping o'er the ridge Of some aspiring mansion. Gen'rous prince! What could his valour more ? His single might He match'd with great Leonidas, and fell Before his...
Page 225 - ... time, Awak'da manly tenderness alone, Unmix'd with pity, or with vain regret. A stream of duty, gratitude, and love, Flow'd from the heart of Harmatides...

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