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* 71 *

HOHENLINDEN.1

ON Linden, when the sun was low,
All bloodless lay the untrodden snow;
And dark as winter was the flow
Of Iser,2 rolling rapidly.

But Linden saw another sight,
When the drum beat at dead of night
Commanding fires of death to light
The darkness of her scenery.

By torch and trumpet fast arrayed,3
Each horseman drew his battle-blade,
And furious every charger neighed,
To join the dreadful revelry.5

Then shook the hills with thunder riven;
Then rushed the steed, to battle driven;
And louder than the bolts of Heaven "

Far flashed the red artillery.

1 This battle, which was witnessed by the poet, was fought December 2, 1800, between the Austrians under Archduke John, and the French under Moreau, in a forest near Munich. Hohenlinden means Iligh Limetrees.

2 Iser (pronounced e'zer), a river on which Munich is situated.

3 arrayed, drawn up in order, ready for battle.

4 charger, war-horse.

5 revelry, the noise and tumult of battle; commonly, loose and noisy festivity.

6 than the thunder.

artillery, cannon.

But redder yet that light shall glow
On Linden's hills of stainéd snow,
And bloodier yet the torrent flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.

but scarce yon

level sun

'Tis morn;
Can pierce the war-clouds, rolling dun,1
Where furious Frank and fiery Hun 2
Shout in their sulphurous canopy.3

The combat deepens. On, ye Brave
Who rush to glory, or the grave!
Wave, Munich!4 all thy banners wave,
And charge with all thy chivalry! 5

Few, few shall part where many meet!
The snow shall be their winding-sheet;
And every turf beneath their feet

Shall be a soldier's sepulchre."

1 dun, black, gloomy.

2 Frank, Frenchman; Hun, Austrian.

T. CAMPBELL.

8 sulphurous canopy, overhanging smoke from guns.

4 Munich (pronounced mu'nik).

5 chivalry, cavalry or horsemen.

6 sepulchre, grave.

* 72 *

A TRAGIC STORY.

THERE lived a sage in days of yore,
And he a handsome pigtail wore,
But wondered much, and sorrowed more,
Because it hung behind him.

He mused upon this curious case,
And vowed he'd change the pigtail's place,
And have it hanging at his face,

Not dangling there behind him.

Says he, "The mystery I've found!

I'll turn me round." He turned him round;

But still it hung behind him.

Then round and round, and out and in,
All day the puzzled sage did spin:
In vain! it mattered not a pin!

The pigtail hung behind him.

And right and left, and round about,
And up and down, and in and out
He turned; but still the pigtail stout
Hung steadily behind him.

And though his efforts never slack,
And though he twist, and twirl, and tack,
Alas! still faithful to his back,

The pigtail hangs behind him.

W. M. THACKERAY

(From the German of CHAMISSO).

* 73 *

THE CAMEL'S NOSE.

ONCE in his shop a workman wrought, With languid head and listless thought, When, through the open window's space, Behold, a camel thrust his face!

66

66

'My nose is cold," he meekly cried;

Oh, let me warm it by thy side!"

Since no denial word was said,

In came the nose, in came the head:
As sure as sermon follows text,
The long and scraggy neck came next;
And then, as falls the threatening storm,
In leaped the whole ungainly form.

Aghast the owner gazed around,
And on the rude invader frowned,
Convinced, as closer still he pressed,
There was no room for such a guest;
Yet more astonished, heard him say,
"If thou art troubled, go away,
For in this place I choose to stay."

O youthful hearts to gladness born,
Treat not this Arab lore with scorn!
To evil habits' earliest wile

Lend neither ear, nor glance, nor smile;
Choke the dark fountain ere it flows,
Nor e'en admit the camel's nose!

MRS. L. H. SIGOURNEY.

* 77

THE HEAVENS DECLARE GOD'S GLORY.

THE spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal1 sky,

And spangled heavens, a shining frame,

Their great Original proclaim.

The unwearied sun, from day to day,
Doth his Creator's power display,
And publishes to every land

The work of an Almighty hand.

Soon as the evening shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;

While all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets, in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,

And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What though, in solemn silence, all
Move round this great terrestrial 2 ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amid their radiant orbs be found?

1 ethereal, heavenly.

2 terrestrial, earthly.

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