Shall give, to call life's crew together, The word to pipe all hands. Thus Death, who kings and tars despatches, Robert Nicoll. Born 1814. Died 1837. WILD FLOWERS. BEAUTIFUL children of the woods and fields! That bloom by mountain streamlets 'mid the heather, Or where by hoary rocks you make your bields, Beautiful flowers! to me ye fresher seem And I can image you, as in a dream, Fair, modest maidens, nursed in hamlets small :— I love ye all! Beautiful gems! that on the brow of earth Though lowly ye, and most without a name, buds come forth, As light erewhile into the world came,— I love ye all! Beautiful things ye are, where'er ye grow! And thousands more, of blessed forms and dyes,— all! I love ye Beautiful nurslings of the early dew! Fanned in your loveliness, by every breeze, I often wish that I were one of you, Dwelling afar upon the grassy leas,— Beautiful watchers! day and night ye wake! Within the arms of night its rest doth take; But ye are watchful wheresoe'er we stray,— Beautiful objects of the wild-bee's love! The wild-bird joys your opening bloom to see, And in your native woods and wilds to be. All hearts, to nature true, ye strangely move; Ye are so passing fair-so passing free,— Beautiful children of the glen and dell— The dingle deep-the moorland stretching wide, Ye o'er my heart have thrown a lovesome spell; Matthew Gregory Lewis.* Born 1773. Died 1818. ALONZO THE BRAVE AND THE FAIR IMOGENE. A WARRIOR SO bold and a virgin so bright, They gazed on each other with tender delight: Generally known as " Monk" Lewis from his well-known romance called "The Monk." "And oh !" said the youth, "since to-morrow I go, To fight in a far distant land, Your tears for my absence soon ceasing to flow, "Oh! hush these suspicions," Fair Imogene said, "Offensive to love and to me; For, if you be living, or if you be dead, I swear by the Virgin that none in your stead "If e'er, by caprice or by wealth led aside, God grant that, to punish my falsehood and pride, To Palestine hastened the hero so bold, His love she lamented him sore; But scarce had a twelvemonth elapsed, when, behold! His treasures, his presents, his spacious domain, He dazzled her eyes, he bewildered her brain; And now had the marriage been blest by the priest ; The revelry now was begun; The tables they groaned with the weight of the feast, Nor yet had the laughter and merriment ceased, When the bell at the castle tolled-one. Then first with amazement Fair Imogene found His air was terrific; he uttered no sound— He spake not, he moved not, he looked not around— But earnestly gazed on the bride. His vizor was closed, and gigantic his height, His armour was sable to view; All pleasure and laughter were hushed at his sight; His presence all bosoms appeared to dismay; "I pray, Sir knight, that your helmet aside you would lay, The lady is silent-the stranger complies His vizor he slowly unclosed; Oh, God! what a sight met Fair Imogene's eyes! |