"SHE WAS A FORM OF LIFE AND LIGHT, THAT, SEEN, BECAME A PART OF SIGHT; "ALAS! THE BREAST THAT INLY BLEEDS (LORD BYRON) Thus at length, outbreathed and worn, Charge of the Moslem multitude. In firmness they stood, and in masses they fell, Nothing there, save death, was mute: Mingle there with the volleying thunder, If with them, or for their foes. From the point of encountering blades to the hilt, Sabres and swords with blood were gilt ; But the rampart is won, and the spoil begun, That splash in the blood of the slippery street! [From "The Siege of Corinth," stanzas xxii. to xxv. We venture to think the foregoing one of the finest battle-pieces in English poetry. The tumult and agitation of the scene lend a quick, hurried, impetuous movement to the rhythm, and the verse echoes with trump, and drum, and rapid feet, and clashing swords. There is nothing in Scott so fine as this, despite some crudities of expression; it has all the fire and straightforwardness of old Homer.] HATH NOUGHT TO DREAD FROM OUTWARD BLOW."-BYRON. AND ROSE, WHERE'ER I TURNED MINE EYE, THE MORNING STAR OF MEMORY!"-BYRON. "YES, LOVE INDEED IS LIGHT FROM HEAVEN; A SPARK OF THAT IMMORTAL FIRE-(BYRON) 90 66 THE EVENING BEAMS THAT SMILES THE CLOUD AWAY, GEORGE GORDON, LORD BYRON. THE DEATH OF HUGO. [The Marquis of Este has discovered a sinful love between his beautiful wife, Parisina, and his natural son, Hugo. The latter is ordered for execution.-See Gibbon's "Miscellaneous Works," iii. 470.] HE convent bells are ringing, But mournfully and slow; Or the living who shortly shall be so! The death-hymn peals and the hollow bells knoll: He is near his mortal goal; Sad to hear, and piteous to see- While the crowd in a speechless circle To see the son fall by the doom of the It is a lovely hour as yet Before the summer sun shall set Full on Hugo's fated head! AND TINTS TO-MORROW WITH PROPHETIC RAY!"-BYRON. WITH ANGELS SHARED, BY ALLAH GIVEN, TO LIFT FROM EARTH OUR LOW DESIRE."-BYRON. "AND O'ER THE FAIR BROAD BROW WERE WROUGHT THE INTERSECTING LINES OF THOUGHT: "THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE IS NOT THAT OF LIFE."-BYRON. As his last confession pouring He bends to hear his accents bless With absolution such as may Wipe our mortal stains away, That high sun on his head did glisten And the rings of chestnut hair Curled half down his neck so bare; Upon the axe which near him shone Dark the crime, and just the law- The parting prayers are said and over In deep disdain were half renewed, THE MIND, THE SPIRIT, THE PROMETHEAN SPARK."-BYRON. THESE FURROWS WHICH THE BURNING SHARE OF SORROW PLOUGHS UNTIMELY THERE."-BYRON. "THE DEEPEST ICE WHICH EVER FROZE CAN ONLY O'ER THE SURFACE CLOSE-(LORD BYRON) [From "Parisina," stanzas xv. to xvii. "The grand part of this poem is that which describes the execution of the rival son, and in which, though there is no pomp, either of language or sentiment, and everything, on the contrary, is conceived and expressed with studied simplicity and directness, there is a spirit of pathos and poetry to which it would not be easy to find many parallels."-Lord Jeffrey.] THE LIVING STREAM LIES QUICK BELOW, AND FLOWS, AND CANNOT CEASE TO FLOW."-BYRON. TWILIGHT IN ITALY. T is the hour when from the boughs Each flower the dews have lightly wet; HOW GLORIOUS IN ITS ACTION AND ITSELF!"-BYRON. "WE ARE THE FOOLS OF TIME AND TERROR-DAYS STEAL ON US AND STEAL FROM US; "THE MIND WHICH IS IMMORTAL MAKES ITSELF (BYRON) YET WE LIVE, LOATHING OUR LIFE, AND DREADING STILL TO DIE."-LORD BYRON. A BROTHER'S DEATH. [In the dungeon of the Castle of Chillon, on the Lake of Geneva, were imprisoned three brothers, cach chained to a separate pillar, until, after long years of agony, the two youngest were released by the merciful hand of death. The eldest was at length liberated by his persecutor, and in his joyless freedom tells the tale of his sufferings. The death of the youngest is thus described:-] REQUITAL FOR ITS GOOD OR EVIL THOUGHTS."-BYRON. 93 |