115 Judges in very formidable ermine Were there, with brows that did not much invite The accused to think their lordships would determine His cause by leaning much from might to right: Bishops, who had not left a single sermon: Attorneys-general, awful to the sight, As hinting more (unless our judgments warp us) Of the 'Star Chamber' than of 'Habeas Corpus.' 120 Generals, some all in armour, of the old And iron time, ere lead had ta'en the lead: Others in wigs of Marlborough's martial fold, Huger than twelve of our degenerate breed: Lordlings with staves of white or keys of gold: 125 Nimrods, whose canvass scarce contain'd the steed; And here and there some stern high patriot stood, Who could not get the place for which he sued. But ever and anon, to soothe your vision Fatigued with these hereditary glories, 130 There rose a Carlo Dolce, or a Titian, Or wilder group of savage Salvatore's: Here danced Albano's boys, and here the sea shone In Vernet's ocean lights; and there the stories Of martyrs awed, as Spagnoletto tainted 135 His brush with all the blood of all the sainted. Here sweetly spread a landscape of Lorraine; There Rembrandt made his darkness equal light, Or gloomy Caravaggio's gloomier stain Bronzed o'er some lean and stoic anchorite:140 But, lo! a Teniers woos, and not in vain, Your eyes to revel in a livelier sight: His bell-mouth'd goblet makes me fell quite Danish Or Dutch with thirst-What, ho! a flask of Rhenish. Little he said, and now and then he smiled, 40 And o'er him bent his sire, and never raised II. If that high world, which lies beyond His eyes from off his face, but wiped the To soar from earth, and find all fears foam . From his pale lips, and ever on him It must be so: 'tis not for self gazed: And when the wished - for shower at That we so tremble on the brink; 10 To hold each heart the heart that shares, And soul in soul grow deathless theirs! 10 And of this, oh, my Father! be sure- VI. My soul is dark.-Oh! quickly string The harp I yet can brook to hear; And let thy gentle fingers fling Its melting murmurs o'er mine ear. If in this heart a hope be dear, 15 20 That sound shall charm it forth again; If in these eyes there lurk a tear, "Twill flow, and cease to burn my brain. But bid the strain be wild and deep, Nor let thy notes of joy be first: I tell thee, Minstrel, I must weep, Or else this heavy heart will burst; For it hath been by sorrow nurst, 10 And ached in sleepless silence long; And now 'tis doom'd to know the worst, 15 And break at once-or yield to song. VII. I saw thee weep-the big bright tear The generous blood that flow'd from thee Disdain'd to sink beneath: Within our veins its currents be, Thy spirit on our breath! Thy name, our charging hosts along, Thy fall, the theme of choral song IX. Saul. 5 5 10 15 Thou, whose spell can raise the dead, Bid the prophet's form appear. 'Samuel, raise thy buried head! King, behold the phantom-seer!' 5 Earth yawn'd; he stood the centre of a cloud: 5 Is it thou, o King? Behold, 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 While sadly we gazed on the river On the willow that harp is suspended, And ne'er shall its soft tones be blended 25 30 Still thine own its life retaineth- 35 Think of him thy love had bless'd! 40 Should her lineaments resemble PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY. PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY, born in Essex in 1792, was educated at Eton, where he suffered the tyranny to which a scholar in an English public school is exposed, and this treatment made a great impression on the sensitive mind of this poet. At Oxford, where his religious opinions developed themselves, he became an adherent of Atheism, and was in consequence ex (1) Assyria. pelled from the university. An early marriage, against the wishes of his family, proved unhappy: he therefore lived separated from his wife, and travelled on the Continent. The latter committed suicide, a short time after, and Shelley married a second time, again went abroad with his wife, after publishing in England, The Revolt of Islam,' and passed the remainder of his life in Switzerland and Italy, during which time he produced the greater number of his works. He was accidentally drowned in the gulf of Spezzia |