The circle, the whirl

pool, a place where the water whirls round very quickly. Elements,

among the

ancients,

earth, fire, water were

air, and

so called.

"Quick brightening like lightning, the ocean rushed

o'er me,

Wild floating, borne down fathom-deep from the day;
Till a torrent rushed out on the torrents that bore me,
And doubled the tempest that whirled me away.
Vain, vain was my struggle-the circle* had won me,
Round and round in its dance the mad element* spun me.

"From the deep, then I called upon God, and He heard

me;

In the dread of my need, he vouchsafed to mine eye
A rock jutting out from the grave that interred me;

I sprung there, I clung there, and death passed me by.
And lo! where the goblet gleamed through the abyss,
By a coral reef saved from the far Fathomless.

"Below, at the foot of that precipice drear,

Spread the gloomy, and purple, and pathless Obscure!
A silence of horror that slept on the ear,

That the eye more appalled might the horror endure!
Salamander, Salamander,* snake, dragon *—vast reptiles that dwell
a very large In the deep-coiled about the grim jaws of their hell.
"Dark crawled, glided dark the unspeakable swarms,
Clumped together in masses, misshapen and vast;
Here clung and here bristled the fashionless forms;

reptile, in shape something like a frog.

Dragon, a fabulous winged serpent. Hammer

Here the dark moving hulk of the hammer-fish * passed; And with teeth grinning white, and a menacing motion, fish, a shark Went the terrible shark-the hyena of ocean.

with a ham

mer-shaped "There I hung, and the awe gathered icily o'er me,
So far from the earth, where man's help there was
none !

head.

spirits.

Goblins, evil The one human thing, with the goblins* before me-
Alone-in a loneness so ghastly-ALONE!
Deep under the reach of the sweet living breath,
Begirt, sur And begirt* with the broods of the desert of Death.

rounded,

"Methought, as I gazed through the darkness, that now
IT saw a dread hundred-limbed creature-its prey!
And darted, devouring; I sprang from the bough
Of the coral, and swept on my horrible way;
And the whirl of the mighty wave seized me once more,
It seized me to save me, and dash to the shore."

Marvelled, On the youth gazed the monarch, and marvelled:*

wondered,

astonished.

quoth he,

120

125

130

"Bold diver, the goblet I promised is thine;
And this ring I will give, a fresh guerdon to thee-
Never jewels more precious shone up from the mine-

135

140

If thou❜lt bring me fresh tidings, and venture again,
To say what lies hid in the innermost main!" *

Then out spake the daughter in tender emotion

"Ah! father, my father, what more can there rest? Enough of this sport with the pitiless ocean

Innermost

main, the lowest depths of the

sea.

Emotion, feeling.

Slake,

He has served thee as none would, thyself hast confest.
If nothing can slake* thy wild thirst of desire,
Let thy knights put to shame the exploit* of the squire !" quench,

145 The king seized the goblet, he swung it on high,

And whirling, it fell in the roar of the tide! "But bring back that goblet again to my eye,

And I'll hold thee the dearest that rides by my side; And thine arms shall embrace as thy bride, I decree,* 150 The maiden whose pity now pleadeth for thee."

And heaven, as he listened, spoke out from the space,
And the hope that makes heroes shot flame from his
eyes;

He gazed on the blush in that beautiful face

It pales-at the feet of her father she lies!

155 How priceless the guerdon ! a moment—a breath— And headlong he plunges to life and to death!

160

They hear the loud surges sweep back in their swell,
Their coming the thunder-sound heralds * along!
Fond eyes yet are tracking the spot where he fell.
They come, the wild waters, in tumult and throng,
Roaring up to the cliff-roaring back as before,
But no wave ever brings the lost youth to the shore!

satisfy. Exploit, a heroic act.

Decree, to decide, to order

Heralds, proclaims.

GINEVRA.-Rogers.

SAMUEL ROGERS (1762-1855) was a London banker, as his father had been. In his later years he retired from business, and led a life of affluence and ease, in the society of the celebrated men and women of his time. He wrote several elaborately finished poems, the chief of which are The Pleasures of Memory, The Voyage of Columbus, Human Life, and Italy.

IF thou should'st ever come to Modena,*
Stop at a palace near the Reggio Gate,
Dwelt in of old by one of the Orsini.*
Its noble gardens, terrace* above terrace,
5 And rich in fountains, statues, cypresses,"
Will long detain * thee; but, before thou go,

*

Modena, a city in the north of Italy.

Orsini, a noble Roman family during

Middle Ages.

Terrace, platform.

the

Cypresses, dark ever

green trees.
Detain, keep back.

Imprinted, indented,

Enter the house-prithee,* forget it not,
And look awhile upon a picture there.
"Tis of a lady in her earliest youth;
She sits inclining * forward, as to speak,
Her lips half open, and her finger up,
As though she said "Beware!"-her

*

vest of

gold,
Broidered with flowers, and clasped from
head to foot,

*

*

An emerald stone in every golden clasp;
And on her brow, fairer than alabaster,*
A coronet* of pearls. But then her face,
So lovely, yet so arch,* so full of mirth,
The overflowings of an innocent * heart,
It haunts me still, though many a year has fled,
Like some wild melody! Alone it hangs
Over a mouldering* heirloom,* its companion
An oaken chest, half-eaten by the worm.

She was an only child; from infancy
The joy, the pride of an indulgent * sire,*
Her mother dying of the gift she
gave-
The precious gift, what else remained to him?
The young Ginevra was his all in life.

Still, as she grew, for ever in his sight,

She was all gentleness,* all gaiety,

*

10

15

20

25

Her pranks the favourite theme of every 30

tongue.

But now the day was come, the day, the hour;
And in the lustre * of her youth, she gave
Her hand, with her heart in it, to Francesco.

Great was the joy; but at the bridal * feast,
When all sat down, the bride was wanting 35
there-

Nor was she to be found! Her father cried,
""Tis but to make a trial of our love!"
And filled his glass to all; but his hand shook,
And soon from guest to guest the panic*

spread;

'Twas but that instant she had left Francesco,
Laughing and looking back, and flying still,
Her ivory tooth imprinted * on his finger.
But now, alas! she was not to be found,
Nor from that hour could anything be guessed,
But that she was not! Weary * of his life,
Venice, a city on the Francesco flew to Venice,* and forthwith

Weary, tired.

north east coast of

40

45

Italy.

Flung it away in battle with the Turk.*
Orsini lived; and long might'st thou have seen
An old man wandering as in quest* of some-,
thing,

50 Something he could not find-he knew not
what.

Turk, an inhabitant in the south-east of of Turkey, a country Europe.

Quest, search.

Tenantless, without

When he was gone, the house remained awhile
Silent and tenantless*—then went to strangers. inhabitants.

Full fifty years were passed and all forgot,
When on an idle day, a day of search

55 'Mid the old lumber in the gallery,

60

65

70

That mouldering* chest was noticed; and 'twas Mouldering,
said

*

bling into dust.

ing-place.

crum

Nuptial, marriage.

By one as young, as thoughtless as Ginevra,
"Why not remove it from its lurking-place?" Lurking-place, hid-
"Twas done as soon as said; but on the way
It burst-it fell; and, lo! a skeleton;
With here and there a pearl, an emerald stone,
A golden clasp, clasping a shred of gold;
All else had perished-save a nuptial * ring
And a small seal, her mother's legacy,*
Engraven with a name, the name of both-
"Ginevra."-There then had she found a grave!
Within that chest had she concealed herself,
Fluttering* with joy, the happiest of the happy;
When a spring lock, that lay in ambush* there,
Fastened her down for ever!

Legacy, what is left by will, a bequest.

Concealed, hidden. Fluttering, thrilling. ment, a hiding place.

Ambush, conceal

WATERLOO.*-Byron.

THERE was a sound of revelry * by night,
And Belgium's capital* had gathered then
Her beauty and her chivalry;* and bright
The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave

men.

5 A thousand hearts beat happily; and when
Music arose with its voluptuous * swell,
Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,
And all went merry as a marriage-bell.
But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising

knell.

Revelry, merry-mak. ing. A ball was given by the Duchess of Richmond, whose husband was then British ambassador at Brussels, at which Wellington and his staff were present. Belgium's capital Brussels.

Chivalry, leading men

and bravest warriors. Voluptuous, inspiring pleasure, luxurious, delightful.

* Waterloo was fought on the 18th of June 1815, between the French, under Napoleon I., and the British, &c., under Wellington. The French were totally defeated.

H

Unconfined, without limits or bounds.

Echo, the repetition of a sound from some object.

Mutual eyes, eyes exchanging looks of love and sympathy.

Squadron, a body of horse soldiers, about

200.

Impetuous, fierce, headlong, rapid.

"Cameron's Gathering," a particular air

played by the Came

Did ye not hear it? No; 'twas but the wind, 10
Or the car rattling o'er the stony street:
On with the dance! let joy be unconfined;
No sleep till morn, when youth and pleasure

meet

*

To chase the glowing hours with flying feet.
But hark!—that heavy sound breaks in once 15

more,

As if the clouds its echo * would repeat ;
And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before-
Arm! arm! itia-it is-the cannon's opening roar.

Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro,
And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress, 20
And cheeks all pale, which but an hour ago
Blushed 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 25
guess

If ever more should meet those mutual eyes, Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could

rise?

And there was mounting in hot haste: the steed,
The mustering squadron,* and the clattering car,
Went pouring forward with impetuous * speed, 30
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, 35

ron Highlanders (79th Or whispering, with white lips,-" The foe! they

regiment).

Lochiel, a Highland

chieftain.

Albyn, an ancient name for Scotland. Pibroch, a piece of music performed upon the bagpipes. Evan, Sir Evan Cameron of Lochiel, who was remarkable for his valour.

Donald, the grandson of Evan, was wounded

&t Culloden (1746)

and afterwards es

come, they come ! "

And wild and high the "Cameron's gathering"

rose;

The war-note of Lochiel,* which Albyn's * hills
Have heard, and heard too have her Saxon foes:
How in the noon of night that pibroch* thrills 40
Savage and shrill! But with the breath which
fills

Their mountain-pipe, so fill the mountaineers
With the fierce native daring which instils
The stirring memory of a thousand years;

caped to France with And Evan's, Donald's* fame rings in each 45