Heaven that o'er my helpless head,
Many a wrathful vial shed-

Heaven gave this Lyre !—and thus decreed,

Be thou a bruised, but not a broken reed.

MONTGOMERY.

THE CHARGE.*

The principal Rhetorical Figure is the Epizeuxis.

On, on! ye brave and gallant ones,
Remember those who bore ye,
Of Liberty the stoutest sons,
Be worthy sires before ye.

I see the fire flash in your eyes
Each beam with valour in it;
On! on! amid the mingling cries-
In battle die, or win it.

There is not one in rear or van
So trembling base to perish;
Before he prove himself a man,
His country's pride may cherish.
Bethink you on the noble cause
Ye stain your swords- -'tis FREEDOM
That freely now the weapon draws,
'Gainst tyrants' breasts to bleed 'em.
Let each his corslet brace him well,
And plume his crested feather;
And grasp his spear and thickly fell
The booted foes together.

List thrilling now the war-peal sounds
Loud o'er the distant water;

And shaking echo deep rebounds

A summons tuned to slaughter.

* This piece requires great Vehemence of manner, with a firm and loud

tone of voice.

Haste! fight like men of battled worth,
Whom tyrants dare not sever

From rights which blossomed at their birth
To flourish green for ever.

On! on! ye brave and gallant ones,
Remember those who bore ye—
Of liberty the stoutest sons,
Be worthy sires before ye.

LORD BYRON.

THE RED KING'S WARNING.*

Historians relate that the death of William Rufus, in the New Forest, was preceded by several predictions clearly announcing his fate.

The statement in the second line of this piece, that the hunt commenced at noon, is in accordance with the fact.

(SOLEMN DESCRIPTION.)

The principal Rhetorical Figures are the Hyperbole, the Alliteration, the Metonymy, the Polysyndeton, the Anaphora, and the Synecdoche.

a With hound and horn the wide New Forest rung,
When the Red William at the bright noon-day,
Girt by his glittering train, to saddle sprung,

And to the chase spurr'd forth his gallant grey :
O'er hill, o'er dale, the hunters held their track;
But that grey courser fleeter than the wind,
Was foremost still-and as the King look'd back,
Save Tyrrell, all were far and far behind.
Slow through a distant pass the train defiled;
Alone the King rode on— —when in mid course

b Lo! rush'd across his path a figure wild,

And on his bridle-rein with giant force

*The Red King's Warning was written when the recollection of Dr. Aikin's Macbeth's Warning, by which it was suggested, was still so fresh in the writer's mind, that the imitation will be found to bear, in some few lines, almost too close a resemblance to its prototype.

a This should be delivered in an easy manner, with a degree of Gaiety. b The delivery becomes more emphatic, and the manner more serious, with a feeling of Alarm.

Seized

then swift pointing to a blighted oak,

Thus to th' astonish'd King in words of thunder spoke.

d Curb thy race of headlong speed,
Backward, backward turn thy steed!
Death is on thy onward track,
Turn, oh turn thy courser back!
"See'st thou, King! yon aged tree;
Blighted now, alas ! like me :
Once it bloom'd in strength and pride,
And my cottage stood beside.
""Till on Hastings' fatal field,
England's baleful doom was seal'd ;
'Till the Saxon stoop'd to own
Norman lord on English throne.
"Where the forest holds domain,
Then were fields of golden grain,
Hamlets then and churches stood
Where we see the wide waste wood.
"But the Norman King must here
Have his wood to hunt his deer,

What were we- fhe waved his hand,
And we vanish'd from the land.

"Fiercely burn'd my rising ire
When I saw our cots on fire!
When ourselves were forced to fly,
Or to beg, or rob, or die!

"Then on William's head abhorr'd

Then my deepest curse I poured-
Turning to this aged oak

Thus in madness wild I spoke.

i "Powers of Hell, or Earth, or Air,

Grant an injured Saxon's prayer

The right hand should be here thrust forward as in the act of grasping the bridle, while the other hand should be extended, pointing to the supposed object.-There should be a suspensive pause at "Seized."

This warning requires throughout a solemn, but generally a loud tone

of voice.

e This should be uttered with a Sneer.

f Strong expression of Indignation.

Deep internal emotion rising into h Vehemence.

Great Solemnity and Earnestness with extended hands.

Ne'er may one of William's race
Pass alive this fatal place!

"Powers of Hell, or Earth, or Air,
Give a sign ye grant my prayer;
k Give! oh give!- while yet I spoke,
Lightning struck the witness oak!

m "Shun, O King! thy certain lot-
Fly with speed the fatal spot-
Here to death thy uncle pass'd-
Here thy nephew breathed his last!
Yes, my curse has work'd too well!
Sorrow seized me when they fell,
Would, oh would I might revoke
What in madness wild I spoke !

n 66

"Monarch! to my words give heed,
Backward,-backward turn thy steed!
Danger, death, beset thee round
Chase not on the fated ground!"

Away," fierce William cried, "ill boding seer!
Think'st thou to strike thy sovereign's heart with fear?—
Think'st thou with idle threats to bar my way?-
-I scorn thy warning-4 On! my gallant grey!"
He plunged his spurs deep in his courser's side
When from the blighted oak, as he advanced,
Right to the monarch's heart an arrow glanced :
The blood gush'd forth in streams,-
-he FELL!—he

S

GROAN'D!-he DIED!

T. W.

k Give, oh! give!" should be particularly lengthened and emphatic.

The tone of voice becomes lower, with an expression of Solemnity, approaching to Horror.

m Most earnest and energetic manner.

n This verse requires a feeling of the deepest Regret.

• Greatest Solemnity and Earnestness, with a deep tone of voice.

P Haughty and contemptuous manner.

a Daring.

r Narrative manner.

A strong expression of Horror; the latter part of the last verse requiring a particularly emphatic and lengthened utterance.

JOAN OF ARC'S ADDRESS TO THE KING
OF FRANCE.

(SOLEMN AND IMPRESSIVE MANNER.)

The principal Rhetorical Figures are the Synecdoche, and the Metonymy.

a 66

King of France !

At Chinon, when my gifted eye

Knew thee disguised, what inwardly the Spirit
Prompted, I spake, arm'd with the sword of God,
To drive from Orleans far the English Wolves,
And crown thee in the rescued walls of Rheims.
All is accomplish'd. I have here this day
Fulfill'd my mission, and anointed thee
Chief Servant of the People. Of this charge,
Or well perform'd or wickedly, high Heaven
Shall take account. If that thine heart be good,
I know no limit to the happiness

Thou may'st create. d I do beseech thee, King,"
The maid exclaim'd, and fell upon the ground,
And clasped his knees, e “I do beseech thee, King,
By all the millions that depend on thee

For weal or woe,

-consider what thou art,

And know thy duty. If thou dost oppress

Thy people, if to aggrandize thyself

Thou tear'st them from their homes and sendest them

To slaughter, prodigal of misery;

If when the widow and the orphan groan

In want and wretchedness, thou turnest thee

To hear the music of the flatterer's tongue;

a This address requires throughout a slow, impressive delivery, with a degree of Solemnity nearly allied to Awe.

b Considerable Emphasis.

4 Pathetic and earnest entreaty.

c Most Solemn and impressive manner.

e The Speaker should here, for the purpose of effect, drop gracefully on one knee, and extend his hands.

Most awful Warning, requiring a lengthened tone, with the greatest Solemnity of manner.