Its seat is deeper in the savage breast But all its energy has vanished, all Its maddening and commanding spirit gone, Well I remember, in my boyish days, How deep the feeling, when my eye looked forth How my heart gladdened, as the light of spring And, O, I stood, in breathless longing fixed, White as the snow of Zemla, or the foam Woven of bright Apollo's golden hair. And felt to madness; but my full heart gave Words were too weak; they were unknown; but still Ex. CXVIII.-THE MYSTERIOUS VISITOR. THERE WAS a sound of hurrying feet, A tramp on echoing stairs, There was a rush along the aisles, And on, like ocean's midnight wave, He was a dark and swarthy man, A faded coat of bottle-green Was buttoned round his breast. There was not one among them all All silent as the sheeted dead, O. W. HOLMES. There was a look of horror flashed A murmur broke along the crowd, Through sounding aisle, o'er grated stair, That fearful stranger! down he sat He took his hat and hung it up, He stripped his coat from off his back, Then from his nearest neighbor's side How fled the sugar from the bowl! They vanished like the shapes that float A long, long draught,—an out-stretched hand,— And crackers, toast, and tea, They faded from the stranger's touch, Like dew upon the sea. Then clouds were dark on many a brow, Fear sat upon their souls, And, in a bitter agony, They clasped their buttered rolls. A whisper trembled through the crowd,- And some were silent, for they thought What, if the creature should arise,— All suddenly the stranger rose; Four freshmen fainted on the seat, There is full many a starving man, Yet often at the sunset hour, Ex. CXIX.-DEATH OF AGUILAR. FERNANDO, King of Aragon, before Granada lies, LOCKHART With dukes and barons many a one, and champions of em prise; With all the captains of Castile that serve his lady's crown, He drives Boabdil from his gates, and plucks the crescent down. The cross is reared upon the towers, for our Redeemer's sake: The king assembles all his powers, his triumph to partake; Yet at the royal banquet, there's trouble in his eye:"Now speak thy wish, it shall be done, great king!" the lordlings cry. Then spake Fernando:-"Hear, grandees! which of ye all will go, And give my banner in the breeze of Alpuxar to blow? Those heights along, the Moors are strong; now who, by dawn of day, Will plant the cross their cliffs among, and drive the dogs away ?" Then champion on champion high, and count on count doth look; And faltering is the tongue of lord, and pale the cheek of duke; Till starts up brave Alonzo, the knight of Aguilar, The lowmost at the royal board, but foremost still in war. And thus he speaks:: "I pray, my lord, that none but I may go; For I made promise to the queen, your consort, long ago, That ere the war should have an end, I, for her royal charms, And for my duty to her grace, would show some feat of arms!" Much joyed the king these words to hear,-he bids Alonzo speed; And long before their revel 's o'er the knight is on his steed; Alonzo's on his milk-white steed, with horsemen in his train, A thousand horse, a chosen band, ere dawn the hills to gain. They ride along the darkling ways, they gallop all the night; They reach Nevada ere the cock hath harbingered the light; But ere they've climbed that steep ravine, the east is glowing red, And the Moors their lances bright have seen, and Christian banners spread. Beyond the sands, between the rocks, where the oid cork-trees grow, The path is rough, and mounted men must singly march and slow; There, o'er the path, the heathen range their ambuscado's line, High up they wait for Aguilar, as the day begins to shine. |