Music arose with its voluptuous swell, Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again, But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell ! Did ye not hear it ?-No; 'twas but the wind, 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 Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro, And there was mounting in hot haste; the steed, (1) The Duke of Brunswick's father received his death-wound at the battle of Jena. While thronged the citizens with terror dumb, Or whispering with white lips-"The foe! They come! they come!" And wild and high the "Camerons' gathering" rose, And Evan's, Donald's3 fame, rings in each clansman's ears. Over the unreturning brave-alas! Ere evening to be trodden like the grass, Which now beneath them, but above shall grow Of living valour, rolling on the foe And burning with high hope, shall moulder cold and low. Last noon beheld them full of lusty life, Last eve in beauty's circle proudly gay, The midnight brought the signal sound of strife, The thunder-clouds close o'er it, which, when rent, Byron. (1) Albyn-an ancient name of the Scottish Highlands. (2) Pibroch--the bagpipe-sometimes the music played upon it. (3) Sir Evan Cameron and his descendant Donald, who were conspicuous in the rebellion of the year 1745. (4) Ardennes-put here for the wood of Soignies, which was thought to have anciently formed part of the Sylva Arduenna, afterwards called the Forest of Ardennes. (5) "Childe Harold, though he shuns to celebrate the victory of Waterloo, gives us here a most beautiful description of the evening which preceded the battle of Quatre Bras, the alarm which called out the troops, and the hurry and confusion which preceded their march. I am not sure that any verses in our language surpass, in vigour and in feeling, this most beautiful description."-Sir Walter Scott. CHRISTMAS. HEAP on more wood!-the wind is chill; We'll keep our Christmas merry still. While round, in brutal jest, were thrown While Scalds yelled out the joys of fight. And well our Christian sires of old Loved when the year its course had rolled, Domestic and religious rite Gave honour to the holy night: On Christmas-eve the bells were rung; On Christmas-eve the mass was sung: (1) Iol, or Jul-hence our Yule, the old word for Christmas. It is a Scandinavian word, and means time of festivity, and specially of the festivities in honour of the god Frey, or the sun. (2) Scalds-bards, poets. (3) Odin-the Jupiter of the North, called Woden by the Anglo-Saxons. We have traces of the name in Wednesday, Wednesbury, Wanborough, &c. See Dr. Leo's treatise "On Anglo-Saxon Names," p. 4. That only night in all the year, The vulgar game of "post and pair.”5 The fire, with well-dried logs supplied, Then the grim boar's head frowned on high, Well can the green-garbed ranger tell, How, when, and where, the monster fell; What dogs before his death he tore, And all the baiting of the boar. (1) Donned her kirtle sheen-put on her gay holiday gown. Kirtle, from the Anglo-Saxon cyrtel, is connected with gird, and denotes a flowing garment for man or woman, requiring to be restrained by a belt or girdle. (2) Vassal-tenant—serf—A vassal is a dependent upon a superior lord, and owes service; a tenant holds land or houses of another, and owes rent; a serf is a slave, and owes himself and all he has. (3) Roses in his shoes-The roses were decorations made of ribbon, like what are now called rosettes. (4) Underogating-without derogating from, or lessening, his dignity (5) Post and pair—a game at cards, common in early times. The wassail1 round, in good brown bowls, 6 It was a hearty note, and strong. The poor man's heart through half the year. Walter Scott. THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD. THOU art, O God! the life and light Are but reflections caught from thee: And all things fair and bright are thine. (1) Wassail-according to Webster, from the Anglo-Saxon was hæl, healthliquor a beverage formerly much used at feasts. (2) Trowls-or trolls-moves about, goes round. (3) Mumming-from the German mumme, a mask-masking, or performing in masks. (4) Ancient mystery-A mystery was a sort of dramatic performance, on some religious subject, common in the middle ages. (5) Visor-from the Latin visus, through the French visière-a mask to protect the face, forming part of the helmet: also the upper part of the same, which was perforated to see through-hence the name. (6) Dight-from the Anglo-Saxon gediht, set in order-dressed, decked. |