*

Stretching in pensive* quietness between ;
40 The venerable woods-rivers that move
In majesty, and the complaining * brooks
That make the meadows green; and, poured
round all,

Old ocean's grey and melancholy waste—
Are but the solemn decorations * all

Decorations, ornaments.

Planets, the bodies which move round the sun, so called

about

or moving
among the other stars

45 Of the great tomb of man. The golden sun, The planets,* all the infinite host of heaven, Are shining on the sad abodes of death, Through the still lapse of ages. All that tread from their wandering The globe are but a handful to the tribes 50 That slumber in its bosom.-Take the wings Of morning, and the Barcan desert* pierce, Or lose thyself in the continuous woods Where rolls the Oregon,* and hears no sound Save his own dashings-yet the dead are there;

55

And millions in these solitudes, since first
The flight of years began, have laid them
down

In their last sleep-the dead there reign alone.
So shalt thou rest-and what if thou with-

draw

*

Unheeded by the living-and no friend

60 Take note of thy departure? All that breathe

Barcan desert, a barren and desert country, near Tripolis, in the north of Africa.

Oregon, a river in the State of Oregon (U.S.), bordering the Pacific Ocean.

on

Unheeded, unnoticed.

Will share thy destiny.* The gay will laugh Destiny, fate, end.
When thou art gone, the solemn brood of care

Plod on, and each one, as before, will chase

65 His favourite phantom; * yet all these shall Phantom, idea.

leave

Their mirth and their employments, and shall

come

And make their bed* with thee. As the long Bed, grave.

train

Of ages glide away, the sons of men,

The youth in life's green spring, and he who

goes

70 In the full strength of years, matron,* and maid,

And the sweet babe, and the grey-headed

man

Shall one by one be gathered to thy side,
By those who, in their turn, shall follow them.
So live, that, when thy summons comes to
join

*

75 The innumerable caravan,* that moves

Matron, a mother, an elderly woman.

Summons, a call to
appear.
Caravan, a travelling
company.

Mysterious, secret, incomprehensible.

Scourge, to punish

with a whip made of leather thongs.

Unfaltering, fearless.

Drapery, curtains,

hangings.

To that mysterious

take

realm, where each shall

His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave, at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and
soothed

*

*

By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, 80
Like one that draws the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

DAVID'S

LAMENT FOR ABSALOM.-N. P. Willis.

NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS (1817-1867) was born at Portland, Maine, U. S. He was a poet and essayist: best known works are, Pencillings by the Way, an account of his travels in Europe, and Inklings of Adventure. His poems are graceful and pleasing, and replete with happy fancies couched in wellchosen language.

Sackcloth, a coarse

THE pall* was settled. He who slept beneath
Was straightened for the grave; and, as the

folds

Sank to the still proportions, they betrayed
The matchless symmetry* of Absalom.*
His helm was at his feet: his banner, soiled
With trailing through Jerusalem, was laid
Reversed, beside him and the jewelled hilt,
Whose diamonds lit the passage of his blade,
Rested, like mockery, on his covered brow.
The soldiers of the king trod to and fro,
Clad in the garb of battle; and their chief,
The mighty Joab, stood beside the bier,
And gazed upon the dark pall steadfastly,
As if he feared the slumberer might stir.

*

*

5

ΙΟ

A slow step startled him. He grasped his 15 blade,

As if a trumpet rang; but the bent form

Of David entered, and he gave command,
In a low tone, to his few followers,

And left him with his dead. The king stood

still

cloth garment, worn Till the last echo died; then, throwing off The sackcloth* from his brow, and laying back

by the Israelites in time of mourning.

20

David, the son of Isai, was a young shepherd boy, who slew with a sling and a stone the great Philistine giant Goliath. He was afterwards anointed king by Samuel, and became very great. He wrote the Book of Psalms, &c.

25

30

35

40

45

50

The pall from the still features of his child,
He bowed his head upon him, and broke forth
In the resistless eloquence of woe :

"Alas! my noble boy! that thou shouldst die !
Thou, who wert made so beautifully fair!
That Death should settle in thy glorious eye,
And leave his stillness in this clustering
hair! *

How could he mark thee for the silent tomb,
My proud boy, Absalom!

"Cold is thy brow, my son! and I am chill,
As to my bosom I have tried to press thee!
How was I wont to feel my pulses thrill,
Like a rich harp-string, yearning to caress
thee,

And hear thy sweet 'My father!' from those
dumb

And cold lips, Absalom !

"The grave hath won thee! I shall hear the
gush

Of music, and the voices of the young;
And life will pass me in the mantling blush,
And the dark tresses to the soft winds
flung ;-

But thou no more with thy sweet voice shalt

come

To meet me, Absalom!

"And oh! when I am stricken,* and my heart,
Like a bruised reed,* is waiting to be broken,
How will its love for thee, as I depart,
Yearn for thine ear to drink its last deep

*

"And now, farewell! 'Tis hard to give thee up,
With death so like a gentle slumber on
thee !-

Eloquence of woe, utterance of sorrow in beautiful language.

Clustering hair. Absalom had very long, beautiful hair, of which he was very vain. He was punished for his vanity, how

ever, for we are told

that when flying from before his father in

battle, he was caught

by his hair in the branches of an oak.

tree, and hung there till Joab came up and killed him.

Stricken, struck.
Reed, a piece of grass
with a jointed stem.
Fearn, to long for.

It were, it would be.

Death's gathering gloom, the mist that comes over the eyes of the dying.

And thy dark sin! *-oh! I could drink the Thy dark sin. Ab

сир,

If from this woe its bitterness had won thee. May God have called thee, like a wanderer, home,

My lost boy, Absalom!"

salom's rebellion against his father.

Convulsively, with violent trembling or agitation.

Composed the pall, arranged the covering

of the dead body.

He covered up his face, and bowed himself
A moment on his child; then, giving him
A look of melting tenderness, he clasped
His hands convulsively,* as if in prayer.
And, as if strength were given him of God,
He rose up calmly, and composed the pall
Firmly and decently,-and left him there,
As if his rest had been a breathing sleep.

*

55

60

THE SAXON AND THE GAEL.*-Scott.

The Chief, Roderick
Dhu.

Three mighty lakes, Katrine, Achray, and Vennachar; from the last of which the stream in question flows.

Target, a shield
usually made of
strong leather, and
studded with brass or
iron.

Lowland, the part of
Scotland south of
the Grampian hills.
Vich-Alpine, the des-
cendant of Alpine,
the family name of
Roderick Dhu.
Clan, a Scottish
family or tribe.
Watch and ward,
soldiers on guard.
Vantageless, without
advantage.
Brand, a sword.
Coilantogle ford, on
the river at the
eastern extremity of
Loch Vennachar.
Life preserved, Ro-
derick had had a
chance of taking
Fitz-James's life.
Meed, reward.

Feud, quarrel.

Flagging, to grow spiritless.

*

THE Chief in silence strode before,
And reached that torrent's sounding shore,
Which, daughter of three mighty lakes,*
From Vennachar in silver breaks,
And here his course the chieftain stayed,
Threw down his target * and his plaid,
And to the Lowland* warrior said:
"Bold Saxon! to his promise just,
Vich-Alpine* has discharged his trust.
This murderous Chief, this ruthless man,
This head of a rebellious clan,*

Hath led thee safe through watch and ward,*
Far past Clan-Alpine's outmost guard.
Now, man to man, and steel to steel,
A Chieftain's vengeance thou shalt feel!
See here, all vantageless* I stand,
Armed, like thyself, with single brand:
For this is Coilantogle ford,"

*

And thou must keep thee with thy sword."

5

The Saxon paused:-"I ne'er delayed,
When foeman bade me draw my blade ;.
Nay, more, brave Chief, I vowed thy death;
Yet sure thy fair and generous faith,
And my deep debt for life preserved,*
A better meed* have well deserved:
Can nought but blood our feud * atone?
Are there no means ?"- "No, Stranger,

none !

And hear,-to fire thy flagging * zeal,-
The Saxon cause rests on thy steel;

10

15

20

25

*The Saxon and the Gael, James V., King of Scotland (Fitz-James), and Roderick Dhu, a Highland chief, who was a robber and murderer.

30 For thus spoke Fate,* by prophet * bred
Between the living and the dead :
'Who spills the foremost foeman's life,
His party conquers in the strife.””-
“Then, by my word,” the Saxon said,
35 "The riddle is already read.

Seek yonder brake * beneath the cliff,—
There lies Red Murdoch,* stark and stiff.
Thus Fate hath solved her prophecy;
Then yield to Fate, and not to me.
40 To James, at Stirling, let us go;
When, if thou wilt be still his foe,
Or if the King shall not agree
To grant thee grace and favour free,
I plight * mine honour, oath, and word,
45 That, to thy native strengths restored,
With each advantage shalt thou stand
That aids thee now to guard thy land.”—
Dark lightning flashed from Roderick's eye-
"Soars thy presumption,* then, so high,
50 Because a wretched kern * ye slew,

Homage to name to Roderick Dhu?
He yields not, he, to man nor Fate !
Thou add'st but fuel to my hate :-
My clansman's blood demands revenge.-
55 Not yet prepared! Nay, then, I change
My thought, and hold thy valour light
As that of some vain carpet knight,*
Who ill deserved my courteous care,
And whose best boast is but to wear
60 A braid of his fair lady's hair."-

"I thank thee, Roderick, for the word!
It nerves my heart, it steels my sword;
For I have sworn this braid* to stain
In the best blood that warms thy vein.
65 Now, truce farewell! and ruth begone!—
Yet think not that by thee alone,
Proud Chief! can courtesy be shown;
Though not from copse, or heath,* or cairn,'
Start at my whistle clansmen stern,

70 Of this small horn one feeble blast
Would fearful odds against thee cast.

*

But fear not-doubt not-which thou wilt-
We try this quarrel hilt to hilt."

Then each at once his falchion* drew;
75 Each on the ground his scabbard * threw ;

Fate, destiny. Prophet, one who foretells future events.

Brake, a place overgrown with ferns or briars, a thicket.

Red Murdoch, one of
the chief's clansmen,
who was slain by
Fitz-James for at-
tempting to take his
life.

Stirling, a very an-
cient town, on the
south bank of the
Forth, the favourite
residence of the later
Scottish kings.
Plight, to pledge.

Presumption, pride.

Kern, a Highland foot
soldier armed with a
sword and shield.
The word is generally
usel as
a term of
contempt.

Carpet knight, one who professes to be a soldier, but who shuns going to battle.

This braid, the lock of hair belonging to Blanche of Devon, a half- crazed young widow, who was killed by Murdoch, with an arrow intended for Fitz-James.

Heath, a place over-
grown with short
bushes.

Cairn, a heap of
stones.

Falchion, a sword. Scabbard, sheath,. sword-case.