There naught avails the eagle eye the guardian of Castile, The eye of wisdom, nor the heart that fear might never feel, The arm of strength that wielded well the strong mace in the fray, Nor the broad plate from whence the edge of falchion glanced away. Not knightly valor there avails, nor skill of horse and spear; For rock on rock comes rumbling down from cliff and cavern drear; Down, down like driving hail they come, and horse and horsemen die Like cattle whose despair is dumb when the fierce lightnings fly. Alonzo, with a handful more, escapes into the field, There, like a lion, stands at bay, in vain besought to yield; A thousand foes around are seen, but none draws near to fight: Afar, with bolt and javelin, they pierce the steadfast knight. Ex. CXX.-SONG OF THE VERMONTERS. The following spirited verses are taken from the life of that brave man and true patriot, Ethan Allen, and allude to the contest going on in 1780, between Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire, with reference to the separate existence of Vermont as an independent state. The contest was kept up to the close of the Revolution. Congress being unable to settle it, General Washington took it in hand, and his candor and good sense effected, through Gov. Chittenden, what Congress could not have done. J. G. WHITTIER. Ho! all to the borders! Vermonters, come down, Come down with your rifles!-let gray wolf and fox On our south come the Dutchmen, enveloped in grease; Ho!-all to the rescue! For Satan shall work Let Clinton and Ten Broeck, with bribes in their hands, We've coats for our traitors, whoever they are; The warp is of FEATHERS- -the filling of TAR! Does the "Old Bay State" threaten ?-does Congress complain ? Swarms Hampshire in arms on our borders again? Bark the war-dogs of Britain aloud on the lake? Let them come !—what they CAN, they are welcome to take. What seek they among us?-The pride of our wealth Yet we owe no allegiance; we bow to no throne; Our wives are all true, and our daughters are fair, We've sheep on the hill-sides; we've cows on the plain, And there 's fish in our streamlets and rivers, which take Like a sunbeam the pickerel glides through his pool, At the beaver's quick plunge or the angler's pursuit. And ours are the mountains which awfully rise And though savage and wild be this climate of ours, Hurrah for VERMONT! for the land which we till Far, far from Michiscoui's valley, to where Come York, or come Hampshire—come traitors and knaves! In the name of Vermont, we defy all the world. Ex. CXXI.-HALLOWED GROUND. WHAT'S hallowed ground!-Has earth a clod By man, the image of his God, Erect and free, Unscourged by Superstition's rod To bow the knee? CAMPBELL. That's hallowed ground-where, mourned and missed, But where's their memory's mansion? Is 't Yon church-yard's bowers? No; in ourselves their souls exist, What hallows ground where heroes sleep? Or genii twine beneath the deep But strew his ashes to the wind Whose sword or voice has served mankindAnd is he dead, whose glorious mind Lifts thine on high? To live in hearts we leave behind Is 't death to fall for freedom's right? What can alone ennoble fight? Give that! and welcome war to brace The colors painted face to face, The charging cheer, Though death's pale horse led on the chase, And place our trophies where men kneel O God above! Transfer it from the sword's appea! Peace, love! the cherubim, that join Their spread wings o'er devotion's shrine ;Prayers sound in vain, and temples shine Where they are not ;— The heart alone can make divine Religion's spot. To incantations dost thou trust, That man can bless one pile of dust Fair stars! are not your beings pure? Ye must be Heaven's that make us sure And in your harmony sublime I read the doom of distant time; And reason on his mortal clime Immortal dawn. What's hallowed ground? 'Tis what gives birth And your high-priesthood shall make earth Ex. CXXII.-DARKNESS. I HAD a dream, which was not all a dream.— The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars Did wander darkling in the eternal space, Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air; BYRON. Morn came, and went, and came, and brought no day: And men forgot their passions, in the dread Of this their desolation; and all hearts Were chilled into a selfish prayer for light: And they did live by watch-fires; and the thrones, The palaces of crownéd kings, the huts, The habitations of all things which dwell, |