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MOUNT ETNA.

Thousands of boundless branches, which put forth
Their fiery foliage in the sky, and shower'd
Their fruit, the red-hot levin (1) of the earth,
In terrible profusion. Some fell back

Into the hell from whence they sprang, and some,
Gaining an impulse from the winds that raged
Unceasingly around, sped (2) o'er the main (5),
And, hissing, dived to an eternal home,

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Beneath its yawning billows (4). The black smoke,
Blotting the snows that shroud chill Cuma's height,
Roll'd down the mountain's sides, girding (5) its base
With artificial (6) darkness, for the sea,
Catania's palaces and towers, and even
The far off shores of Syracuse, revealed

In the deep glare that deluged heaven and earth,
Flash'd forth in fearful light upon the eye.
And there was seen a lake of liquid fire
Streaming and streaming slowly on its course,
And widening as it flow'd, like the dread jaws
Of some huge monster ere its prey be fang'd (7).
At its approach the loftiest pines bent down,
And strew'd (8) its surface with their trunks;—the earth

(1) Levin ou leaven, qui sort du four (levain, au propre).

(2) Sped, passé de to speed, passer rapidement.

(3) The main, la mer, l'Océan.

(4) Its yawning billows, le gouffre de ses flots.

(5) To gird, ceindre.

(6) Artificial, pas naturel.

(7) To be fanged, être saisi par les griffes, ou par les dents de quelque bête féroce.

(8) To strew, joncher.

Shook at its coming; towns and villages,
Deserted of their habitants, were whelm'd (1)
Amid the flood, and lent it ampler force.
The noble palace, and the peasant's cot,
Alike but served to swell its fiery tide.
Shrieks of wild anguish rush'd upon the gale;
And universal nature seemed to wrestle (2)
With the giant forms of Darkness and Despair.
ALARIC WATTS.

A CHARACTER THAT IS BUT TOO COMMON.

Not altogether wicked-but so weak
That greater villains made of him their tool;
Not void of talent-yet so much a fool
As honour by dishonest means to seek;
Proud to the humble-to the haughty meek;
In flattery servile-insolent in rule (3);
Keen for his own-for others' interest cool;
Hate in his heart-and smiles upon his cheek.
This man, with abject meanness join'd to pride,
Was yet a pleasant fellow in his day;

For all unseemly (4) traits he well could hide,
Whene'er he mingled with the great and gay:

(1) Whelmed, accablé.

(2) To wrestle, lutter, se débattre.

(3) In rule, en pouvoir, par principe, selon les règles.

(4) Unseemly, malséant, inconvenable.

THE POET'S LEGACY.

But he is buried now-and, when he died,
No one seem'd sorry that he was away.

ANONYMOUS.

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THE POET'S LEGACY.

Kings leave their heirs the means they have of bliss;
The griping miser leaves his son his treasure;
The poet something nobler far than this,
Bequeaths the world eternal founts of pleasure,
Founts as inebriating (1) as beauty's kiss,
Founts that pour forth their waters without measure,
And all he asks for this-and all he gains-

Is that you would be pleased with his remains.

For this content he hives (2) the sweets of thought,
And draws forth (3) beauty from the cloud, the wave,
And storms and thunder; and, with lightning fraught,
Flashes forth brightness from the gloomy grave,
As oft as in his page delight is sought :

For though the noiseless waves of Lethe lave
His coffin and his clay, his soul remains
Spread o'er the leaf that tells his joys and pains.

BION.

(1) Inebriating, enivrant. Il se trouve dans ce vers une syllabe de trop.

(2) To hive, conserver comme font les abeilles de leur miel dans les ruches,

(3) To draw forth, tirer, retirer.

GREECE.

Land of Greece! the hours are bearing
Life or worse than death along (1);
Liberty her banner rearing,

As in days renown'd in song.

When her voice, her warriors leading,
Spoke in thunder from the skies,

Land of Greece! the hours are speeding;
Sons of Greece! awake! arise!

Greeks! the trumpet's call hath spoken,
And the spirit of your land
Rising points to every token
Of her ancient high command.

Let each stern heroic leader
Cast his griefs and fears aside;

Think of those of old (2) who freed her,
When the Spartan fought and died.

H. W. J.

ON SHAKSPEARE.

The great ones quit the earth and pass away
As things remember'd not; but thou hast rear'd (3)

(1) Along, le long du chemin; cet adverbe se rapporte au verbe to bear à la fin du premier vers. To bear along, amener, apporter, conduire.

(2) Of old, d'ancien temps, jadis, autrefois.

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ENTHUSIASM.

A temple for thyself, where, loved and fear'd,
Shall live thy name beyond thy mouldering clay.
Hast thou not compass'd (1) with a nameless power
The inmost soul of man?-hath he not stood
Unveil'd before thee, while the evil brood
Of passions that assail (2) weak virtue's tower
Rose at thy bidding in their nakedness!
Hast thou not shown wherein consists his worth,
And in her foul deformity dragg'd forth
Insidious (3), lurking (4) vice? All times confess
Another such they vainly seek to find,

Thou mighty master of the human mind!

L.

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ENTHUSIASM.

And so the cold world calls thee madness (5) !
By the unwasting (6) lamp of truth,

I would not change thy wildest sadness
For all the highest joys of youth!

If thou art madness, let me be
Ne'er free from such insanity!

(1) To compass, approfondir, pénétrer, en découvrir toutes

les qualités.

(2) To assail, attaquer.

(5) Insidious, sinistre.

(4) Lurking, caché, qui se cache.

(5) Madness, folie.

(6) Unwasting, perpétuel, qui ne diminue pas.

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