I Izaak Walton. THE ANGLER'S WISH. IN these flowery meads would be: These crystal streams should solace me; To whose harmonious bubbling noise I, with my angle, would rejoice, Sit here, and see the turtle-dove Or, on that bank, feel the west wind Or a laverock build her nest: Here, give my weary spirits rest, And raise my low-pitched thoughts above Thus, free from lawsuits, and the noise Or, with my Bryan and a book, And angle on; and beg to have John Dryden. ALEXANDER'S FEAST. WAS at the royal feast for Persia won "TWAS By Philip's warlike son— Aloft in awful state The godlike hero sate On his imperial throne; His valiant peers were placed around, Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound (So should desert in arms be crown'd); The lovely Thais by his side Sate like a blooming Eastern bride In flower of youth and beauty's pride: Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave None but the brave None but the brave deserves the fair! Timotheus placed on high Amid the tuneful quire With flying fingers touch'd the lyre: The trembling notes ascend the sky The song began from Jove Who left his blissful seats above- And while he sought her snowy breast; Then round her slender waist he curl'd, And stamp'd an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. -The listening crowd admire the lofty sound! A present deity! they shout around: A present deity! the vaulted roofs rebound! The monarch hears, Assumes the god; Affects to nod And seems to shake the spheres. The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician Of Bacchus ever fair and ever young: The jolly god in triumph comes! Sound the trumpets, beat the drums! He shows his honest face: sung: Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes! Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain; Bacchus' blessings are a treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain; Fought all his battles o'er again, And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain ! The master saw the madness rise, His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; And while he Heaven and Earth defied Soft pity to infuse: He sung Darius great and good, By too severe a fate Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, Fallen from his high estate, -With downcast looks the joyless victor sate, Revolving in his alter'd soul The various turns of Chance below; And now and then a sigh he stole, The mighty master smiled to see Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Take the good the gods provide thee! -The many rend the skies with loud applause; So Love was crown'd, but Music won the cause. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gazed on the fair Who caused his care, And sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, At length with love and wine at once'opprest Now strike the golden lyre again : And rouse him like a rattling peal of thunder. Has raised up his head: As awaked from the dead And amazed he stares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the Furies arise! See the snakes that they rear How they hiss in their hair, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghastly band Each a torch in his hand! Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain And unburied remain Inglorious on the plain : Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew! |