Russet lawns, and fallows gray, Of herbs, and other country messes 1 Cynosure, the Pole Star. 2 Corydon, Thyrsis, Phyllis, and the old Idylls.' 3 Rebecks, fiddles. Thestylis, are 'shepherd names from Tells how the drudging Goblin1 sweat When in one night, ere glimpse of morn, Thus done the tales, to bed they creep, Where throngs of knights and barons bold, And ever, against eating cares, 1 Drudging Goblin, Robin Goodfellow. 2 Saffron robe. Saffron was the traditional colour of the robes of the God of Marriage. "The Roman marriage veil was yellow or flame-coloured.' 3 Sock. Soccus, the slipper worn by a comedian. + Lydian airs. 'A light and festive style of ancient music.' Married to immortal verse; Such as the meeting soul may pierce That Orpheus' self may heave his head Of heaped Elysian flowers, and hear His half-regained Eurydice. These delights if thou canst give, Mirth,* with thee I mean to live. J. Milton. CXL. CORONACH.+ E is gone on the mountain, Like a summer-dried fountain, When our need was the sorest. The font, reappearing, From the raindrops shall borrow, But to us comes no cheering, To Duncan no morrow! The hand of the reaper Takes the ears that are hoary, But the voice of the weeper * Mirth or Gaiety is the Child of Nature. The autumn winds rushing, Fleet foot on the correi,1 Sage counsel in cumber,2 How sound is thy slumber! Like the bubble on the fountain, Thou art gone, and for ever! W. Scott. CXLI. THE EVE OF WATERLOO.1 HERE was a sound of revelry by night, Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again, But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell! 1 Or corri, 'the hollow side of the hill where game usually lies:' this word gives name to many places in Scotland. 2 Cumber, trouble. Foray (forage), 'a Highland plundering expedition; on the Borders, where horses were used, the word was Raid (ride).' On the evening of the 15th (June 1815), Wellington, having received intelligence of the advance of the French, and ordered the concentration of troops on Quatre Bras, 'dressed and went to a ball at the Duchess of Richmond's, where his manner was so undisturbed, that no one discovered that any intelligence of importance had arrived; many brave men were there assembled, amidst the scenes of festivity, and surrounded by the smiles of beauty, who were, ere long, locked in the arms of death.'-Alison, ch. xciii. Ed. 1848. Did ye not hear it?-no; 'twas but the wind, No sleep till morn, when youth and pleasure meet And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before! Arm! arm! it is—it is—the cannon's opening roar ! Within a windowed niche of that high hall And caught its tone with death's prophetic ear; And roused the vengeance blood alone could quell : He rushed into the field, and foremost, fighting, fell. Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro, And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress, And cheeks all pale, which, but an hour ago, Blushed at the praise of their own loveliness; And there were sudden partings; such as press The life from out young hearts, and choking sighs Which ne'er might be repeated; who could guess If ever more should meet those mutual eyes, Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could rise? And there was mounting in hot haste: the steed, * 'The son of the Duke of Brunswick, the leader of the allied armies in the invasion of France in 1792, who died of his wounds, and of grief, after the battle of Jena. The young duke was slain at Quatre Bras, June 16.' |