Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro, And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress, And cheeks all pale, which, but an hour ago, 30 Blush'd at the praise of their own loveliness; And there were sudden partings, such as press The life from out young hearts, and choking sighs Which ne'er might be repeated: who could guess If ever more should meet those mutual eyes, 35 Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could rise!

40

And there was mounting in hot haste: the steed, The mustering squadron, and the clattering car, Went pouring forward with impetuous speed, And swiftly forming in the ranks of war: And the deep thunder peal on peal afar; And near, the beat of the alarming drum, Roused up the soldier ere the morning star: While thronged the citizens with terror dumb, Or whispering, with white lips-"The foe! they come! they come!"

And wild and high the "Cameron's gathering"

rose!

The war-note of Lochiel,2 which Albyn's hills Have heard, and heard, too, have her Saxon

foes:

45

How, in the noon of night that pibroch thrills, Savage and shrill! But with the breath which fills Their mountain-pipe, so fill the mountaineers 51 With the fierce native daring, which instils The stirring memory of a thousand years: And Evan's, Donald's' fame, rings in each clansman's ears!

1 The air played on the bagpipes, calling together the Cameron Highlanders (79th Regiment).

2 The title of the chief of the clan Cameron.

8 An old name for Scotland.

4 Sir Evan Cameron and his grandson Donald, noted Highland chiefs.

And Ardennes1 waves above them her green

leaves,

Dewy with nature's tear-drops as they pass,
Grieving, if aught inanimate e'er grieves
Over the unreturning brave,-alas!

Ere evening to be trodden like the grass—

55

Which now beneath them, but above shall grow In its next verdure, when this fiery mass

Of living valour, rolling on the foe

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And burning with high hope, shall moulder cold and low!

Last noon beheld them full of lusty life;
Last eve in Beauty's circle proudly gay;

65

The midnight brought the signal-sound of strife,The morn the marshalling in arms,—the day Battle's magnificently stern array!

70

The thunder-clouds close o'er it: which when rent, The earth is cover'd thick with other clay, Which her own clay shall cover, heap'd and pent; Rider and horse,-friend, foe,-in one red burial blent!

LORD BYRON.

FROM "THE FIELD OF WATERLOO.”

THE LAST CHARGE OF THE FRENCH.

"On! on!" was still his 2 stern exclaim;
"Confront the battery's jaws of flame !
Rush on the levell❜d gun!

My steel-clad cuirassiers, advance !
Each Hulan forward with his lance,

3

My Guard-my Chosen-Charge for France,

France and Napoleon!"

5

1 The wood of Soignies : formerly the great forest of Ardennes, of which Soignies is a remnant, extended to this place.

2 Napoleon Buonaparte's.

3 Lancer.

Loud answer'd their acclaiming shout,
Greeting the mandate which sent out
Their bravest and their best to dare
The fate their leader shunn'd to share.
But He,1 his country's sword and shield,
Still in the battle-front reveal'd,
Where danger fiercest swept the field,

Came like a beam of light.

In action prompt, in sentence brief—
"Soldiers, stand firm !" exclaim'd the Chief,
England shall tell the fight!"

On came the whirlwind-like the last
But fiercest sweep of tempest-blast—
On came the whirlwind-steel-gleams broke
Like lightning through the rolling smoke;
The war was waked anew,

Three hundred cannon-mouths roar'd loud,
And from their throats, with flash and cloud,
Their showers of iron threw.

ΙΟ

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20

25

That, from the shroud of smoke and flame,

Peal'd wildly the imperial name.

35

But on the British heart were lost
The terrors of the charging host;
For not an eye the storm that view'd
Changed its proud glance of fortitude,
Nor was one forward footstep staid,
As dropp'd the dying and the dead.
Fast as their ranks the thunders tear,
Fast they renew'd each serried square;
1 The Duke of Wellington.

40

And on the wounded and the slain

Closed their diminish'd files again,

45

Till from their line scarce spears' lengths three,

Then down went helm and lance, Down were the eagle banners sent,

55

Down reeling steeds and riders went,

Corslets were pierced, and pennons rent;
And, to augment the fray,

Wheel'd full against their staggering flanks,
The English horsemen's foaming ranks

Forced their resistless way.

60

Horsemen and foot,

Raged the fierce rider's bloody brand,
Recoil'd in common rout and fear,
Lancer and guard and cuirassier,
‚—a mingled host,

Their leader's fall'n, their standard's lost.

SIR W. SCOTT.

DELAY.

TO-MORROW, morrow, not to-day!

'Tis thus the idle ever say.
To-morrow I will strive anew,
To-morrow I will seek instruction,
To-morrow I will shun seduction,

To-morrow this and that will do.

5

And wherefore not to-day? to-morrow
For thee will also be too narrow

To every day its task allot!
Whate'er is done, is done for ever,
Thus much I know; but what so ever
May hap to-morrow know I not.

On! on! or thou wilt be retreating,
For all our moments, quickly fleeting,
Advance, nor backwards more decline,
What we possess alone is ours,
The use we make of present hours;
For can I call the future mine?

And every day, thus vainly fleeing,
Is in the volume of my being
A page unwritten, blank, and void.
Then write on its unsullied pages
Deeds to be read by coming ages!
Be every day alike employed!

TRANSLATED FROM WEISSE.

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A COMPARISON.

THE lapse of time and rivers is the same,
Both speed their journey with a restless stream,
The silent pace with which they steal away,

No wealth can bribe, no prayers persuade to stay,
Alike irrevocable both when past,

And a wide ocean swallows both at last.

Though each resemble each in every part,

5

A difference strikes at length the musing heart; Streams never flow in vain ; where streams abound, How laughs the land with various plenty crown'd! 10 But time that should enrich the nobler mind,

Neglected, leaves a dreary waste behind.

COWPER.