Plunging he falls, and rifing lifts his head,
Then flashing turns, and finks among the dead.
The next two lines and a half, with a burst of rage.
Wild, fparkling rage inflames the father's eyes,
He burfts the bands of fear, and madly cries,
"Detefted wretched!" (here alter your voice to CALM
ASTONISHMENT.)
but fcarce his fpeech began,
When the strange partner feem'd no longer man:
His youthful face grew more ferenely sweet;
His robe turn'd white, and flow'd upon his feet;
Fair rounds of radiant points invest his hair;
Celestial odours breathe thro' purpled air;
Glow in your expreffion as you proceed in this beautiful defcription of a celeftial being.
And wings, whofe colours glitter'd on the day,
Wide at his back their gradual plumes display.
The form ethereal burfts upon his fight,
And moves in all the majefty of light.
Let there be a certain majefty in your delivery when you repeat the last line.
Tho' loud at firft the pilgrim's paffion grew,
Sudden he gaz'd, and wift not what to do:
Surprise in secret chains his words suspends,
And in a calm his fettling temper ends.
But filence here the beauteous angel broke,
The voice of mufic ravish'd as he spoke)
Throughout the following let there be a dignity in your tone blended with as much harmony of utterance as you are mafter of.
Thy pray'r, thy praife, thy life to vice unknown,
In fweet memorial rife before the throne:
These charms fuccefs in our bright region find,
And force an angel down to calm thy mind:
For this, commiffion'd, I forfook the sky;
Nay, cease to kneel-thy fellow fervant I.
Then know the truth of government divine,
And let thefe fcruples be no longer thine.
The Maker juftly claims that world he made,
In this the right of Providence is laid;
Its facred majesty thro' all depends
On using second means to work his ends.
'Tis thus, withdrawn in ftate from human eye,
The Pow'r exerts his attributes on high,
Your actions uses, nor controuls your will,
And bids the doubting fons of men be still.
What strange events can strike with more surprise,
Than those which lately ftruck thy wond'ring eyes?
Yet taught by these, confess th' Almighty just,
And where you can't unriddle, learn to trust!
The great, vain man, who far'd on coftly food,
Whofe life was too luxurious to be good;
Who made his iv'ry stands with goblets shine,
And forc'd his guests to morning draughts of wine,
Has, with the cup, the graceless custom loft,
And still he welcomes, but with less of coft.
The mean fufpicious wretch, whose bolted door
Ne'er mov'd in duty to the wand'ring poor;
With him I left the cup, to teach his mind
That Heav'n can blefs, if mortals will be kind.
Conscious of wanting worth, he views the bowl,
And feels compaffion touch his fordid foul.
Thus artifts melt the fullen ore of lead,
With heaping coals of fire upon its head;
In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow,
And loose, from drofs, the filver runs below.
If you pause a little after the word "Thus," in the beginning of the fourth line from this remark, it will introduce the fimile with more effect.
Long had our pious friend in virtue trod,
But now the Child half wean'd his heart from God;
(Child of his age) for him he liv'd in pain,
And measur'd back his steps to earth again.
To what exceffes had his dotage run?
But God, to fave the father, took the fon.
To all but thee, in fits he feem'd to go,
And 'twas my miniftry to deal the blow.
The
poor fond parent, humbled in the dust,
Now owns in tears the punishment was just.
But how had all his fortunes felt a wrack,
Had that falfe fervant sped in fafety back?
This night his treafur'd heaps he meant to steal,
And what a fund of charity would fail!
Thus Heav'n inftructs thy mind: this trial o'er,
Depart in peace, refign, and fin no more.
On founding pinions here the youth withdrew, The fage flood wond'ring as the seraph flew.
Speak the two laft lines as if you were in the act of obferving the angel afcending into heaven.
Thus look'd Elifha, when to mount on high,
His master took the chariot of the sky,
The fiery pomp afcending left the view,
The prophet gaz'd, and wifh'd to follow too.
The bending hermit here a prayer begun,
Lord! as in heav'n, on earth thy will be done.
Speak this line with peculiar folemnity.
Then gladly turning, fought his ancient place,
And pafs'd a life of piety and peace.
Stop a little after "Then."
This poem is allowed by Dr. Johnson, and most critics of eminence, to be the best poetical production of Parnel's mufe, and it must also be admitted by all judges of reading, that it abounds in fituations where a reader of taste may exercise his powers to the great amusement of his hearers. He must, however, take efpecial care that he does not let any part of it hang heavy and tedious on the ear, as is frequently the cafe with common readers, when they perufe poems of this length.
DRYDEN's ALEXANDER's FEAST,
As read by Mr. SHERIDAN.
'TWAS at the royal feaft, for Perfia won
By Philip's warlike fon;
The three following lines with more dignity of expreffion.
On his Imperial throne:
His valiant peers were plac'd around;
Their brows with roles and with myrtle bound;
So fhould defert in arms be crown'd.
The next three lines express peculiarly foft and tender.
The lovely Thais by his fide—
Sate, like a blooming eaftern bride, ||
In flow'r of youth and beauty's pride.
Pronounce the following four short lines in a manner expreffive of the utmost content.
Happy, happy, happy pair;!
None but the brave,
None but the brave,
None but the brave deferve the fair.
Speak the two first happys rather quick, and then make a fhort paufe; then go on to the next words "happy pair,”
|