14 INCIDENT OF A And now a gallant tomb they raise, Here never could the spearman pass, Here oft the tear-besprinkled grass And here he hung his horn and spear; In fancy's piercing sounds would hear SPENCER. INCIDENT CHARACTERISTIC OF A FAVOURITE DOG. On his morning rounds the master Goes to learn how all things fare; Four dogs, each pair of different breed, Distinguished two for scent, and two for speed. See, a hare before them started : FAVOURITE DOG. And the hare whom they pursue Her hope is near: no turn she makes; 15 Deep the river was, and crusted Better fate have Prince and Swallow- Music hath no heart to follow, A loving creature she and brave, And fondly strives her struggling friend to save. From the brink her paws she stretches, Very hands as you would say! As she breaks the ice away. Him alone she sees and hears,— Makes efforts and complainings, nor gives o'er Until her fellow sank and re-appeared no more. WORDSWORTH. TO THE BRAMBLE-FLOWER. THY fruit full well the schoolboy knows, Wild bramble of the brake! So put thou forth thy small white rose,— Though woodbines flaunt and roses glow For dull the eye, the heart is dull, Amid all beauty beautiful, Thy tender blossoms are. How delicate thy gauzy frill! How rich thy branchy stem! How soft thy voice, when woods are still, While silent showers are falling slow, The primrose to the grave is gone; THE ARMADA. But thou, wild bramble! back dost bring, The fresh green days of life's fair spring Scorn'd bramble of the brake! once more To gad with thee the woodlands o'er ELLIOT. 17 THE ARMADA. ATTEND, all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise; I tell of the thrice-famous deeds she wrought in ancient days, When that great fleet invincible against her bore, in vain, The richest spoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts of Spain. It was about the lovely close of a warm summer day, There came a gallant merchant-ship full sail to Plymouth Bay; Her crew hath seen Castille's black fleet, beyond Aurigny's isle, At earliest twilight, on the waves lie heaving many a mile. 18 THE ARMADA. At sunrise she escaped their van, by God's espe cial grace; And the tall Pinta, till the noon, had held her close in chase. Forthwith a guard at every gun was placed along the wall; The beacon blazed upon the roof of Edgecumbe's lofty hall; Many a light fishing-bark put out to pry along the coast; And with loose rein and bloody spur rode inland many a post. With his white hair unbonneted, the stout old sheriff comes; Behind him march the halberdiers, before him sound the drums; His yeomen, round the market-cross, make clear an ample space, For there behoves him to set up the standard of her Grace. And haughtily the trumpets peal, and gaily dance the bells, As slow upon the labouring wind the royal blazon swells. Look how the lion of the sea lifts up his ancient crown, And underneath his deadly paw treads the gay lilies down. So stalked he when he turned to flight, on that famed Picard field, Bohemia's plume, and Genoa's bow, and Cæsar's eagle-shield. |