Of pipe, and lyre, and trumpet, wild and dread, These are no mortal sounds-their thrilling strain Hath more mysterious power, and birth more high; And the deep horror chilling every vein Owns them of stern terrific augury. NOTES. Note 1, page 136, col. 2. Dread knowledge of the pangs that ransom from the chain. Cleopatra made a collection of poisonous drugs, and being desirous to know which was least painful in the operation, she tried them on the capital convicts. Such poisons as were quick in their operation, she found to be attended with violent pain and convulsions; such as were mildest were slow in their effect: she therefore applied herself to the examination of venomous creatures; at length she found that the bite of the asp was the most eligible kind of death, for it brought on a gradua kind of lethargy.-See Plutarch. Note 2, page 137, col. 1. Despair and die! "To-morrow in the battle think on me, And fall thy edgeless sword; despair and die!" ALARIC IN ITALY. Richard III. pedition which he already meditated against the continent of Africa. The straits of Rhegium and Messina are twelve miles in length, and, in the narrowest passage, about one mile and a half broad; and the fabulous monsters of the deep, the rocks of Scylla, and the whirlpool of Charybdis, could terrify none but the most timid and unskilful mariners: yet, as soon as the first division of the Goths had embarked, a sudden tempest arose, which sunk or scattered many of the transports: their courage was daunted by the terrors of a new element; and the whole design was defeated by the premature death of Alaric, which fixed, after a short illness, the fatal term of his conquests The ferocious character of the barbarians was displayed in the funeral of a hero, whose valor and fortune they celebrated with mournful applause. By the labour of a captive multitude they forcibly diverted the course of the Busentinus, a small river that washes the walls of Consentia. The royal sepulchre, adorned with the splendid spoils and trophies of Rome, was constructed in the vacant bed; the waters were then restored to their natural channel, and the secret spot, where the remains of Alaric had been deposited, was for ever concealed by the inhuman massacre of the prisoners who had been employed to execute the work." -See The Decline and Fall of the Roman Em pire, vol. v. p. 329. HEARD ye the Gothic trumpet's blast? The march of hosts, as Alaric passed? His steps have tracked that glorious clime, The birth-place of heroic time; But he, in northern deserts bred, Spared not the living for the dead,(1) Nor heard the voice, whose pleading cries From temple and from tomb arise. He passed-the light of burning fanes Hath been his torch o'er Grecian plains; And woke they not-the brave, the free, To guard their own Thermopyla? And left they not their silent dwelling, When Scythia's note of war was swelling? No! where the bold Three Hundred slept, After describing the conquest of Greece and Sad freedom battled not-but wept! Italy by the German and Scythian hordes, united For nerveless then the Spartan's hand, under the command of Alaric, the historian of And Thebes could rouse no Sacred Band, "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," Nor one high soul from slumber broke, thus proceeds:—" Whether fame, or conquest, or When Athens owned the northern yoke. nches, were the object of Alaric, he pursued that But was there none for thee to dare object with an indefatigable ardor, which could The conflict, scorning to despair? neither be quelled by adversity, nor satiated by O city of the seven proud hills! success. No sooner had he reached the extreme Whose name e'en yet the spirit thrills, land of Italy than he was attracted by the neigh-As doth a clarion's battle-call, bouring prospect of a fair and peaceful island. Didst thou too, ancient empress, fall? Yet even the possession of Sicily he considered Did not Camillus from the chain only as an intermediate step to the important ex-Ransom thy Capitol again? Oh! who shall tell the days to be, From fane and palace, dome and tower, Weep, Italy! alas! that e'er For them the southern heaven is glowing, Oh! not for them hath Genius given And rude his hand which dares deface Arouse ye from your soft delights! Is then that daring spirit fled? Thou, where no step may e'er intrude, Till, bursting on thy sleep profound, Then the freed current's rushing wave Time hath past on since then-and swept The viewless home of Alaric's rest; NOTES. Note 1, page 137, col. 2. Spared not the living for the dead. silently opened, and the inhabitants were awakened by the tremendous sound of the Gothic trumpet. Eleven hundred and sixty-three years after the foundation of Rome, the imperial city, which had subdued and civilized so considerable a portion of mankind, was delivered to the licentious fury of the tribes of Germany and Scythia."-Decline and Full of the Roman Empire, vol. v. p. 311. Note 3, page 138, col. 1. With rich libations duly shed. The plane-tree was much cultivated among the Romans, on account of its extraordinary shade; and they used to nourish it with wine instead of water, believing (as Sir W. Temple observes) that "this tree loved that liquor as well as those who used to drink under its shade."- See the notes to Melmoth's Pliny. Note 4, page 138, col. 2. Soon shall the isle of Ceres weep. Sicily was anciently considered as the favoured and peculiar dominion of Ceres. THE WIFE OF ASDRUBAL. "This governor, who had braved death when it was at a distance, and protested that the sun should never see him survive Carthage, this fierce Asdrubal, was so mean-spirited, as to come alone, and privately throw himself at the conqueror's feet. The general, pleased to see his proud rival humbled, granted his life, and kept him to grace his triumph. The Carthaginians in the citadel no sooner understood that their coinmander had abandoned the place, than they threw open the gates, and put the After the taking of Athens by Sylla, "though proconsul in possession of Byrsa. The Romans such numbers were put to the sword, there were had now no enemy to contend with but the nine as many who laid violent hand upon themselves in hundred deserters, who, being reduced to despair, grief for their sinking country. What reduced the retired into the temple of Esculapius, which was a best men among them to this despair of finding second citadel within the first: there the proconsul any mercy or moderate terms for Athens, was the attacked them; and these unhappy wretches, findwell-known cruelty of Sylla; yet partly by the in- ing there was no way to escape, set fire to the temtercession of Midias and Calliphon, and the exiles ple. As the flames spread, they retreated from one who threw themselves at his feet, partly by the part to another, till they got to the roof of the entreaties of the senators who attended him in that building: there Asdrubal's wife appeared in her expedition, and being himself satiated with blood best apparel, as if the day of her death had been a besides, he was at last prevailed upon to stop his hand, and in compliment to the ancient Athenians, he said, 'he forgave the many for the sake of the few, the living for the dead."-Plutarch. day of triumph; and after having uttered the most bitter imprecations against her husband, whom she saw standing below with Emilianus,-' Base cow. ard!' said she, 'the mean things thou hast done to save thy life shall not avail thee; thou shalt die this instant, at least in thy two children.' Having thus spoken, she drew out a dagger, stabbed thein "At the hour of midnight, the Salarian gate was both, and while they were yet struggling for life. Note 2, page 138, col. 1. That fearful sound, at midnight deep. threw them from the top of the temple, and leaped down after them into the flames."-Ancient Universal History. THE sun sets brightly-but a ruddier glow As when the desert's red Simoom is nigh: And sternly beauteous in terrific ire? She might be deemed a Pythia in the hour Are those her infants, that with suppliant cry Cling round her, shrinking as the flame draws nigh, Clasp with their feeble hands her gorgeous vest, Fixed is her eye on Asdrubal, who stands, "Live, traitor, live!" she cries, " since dear to thee, With tenfold anguish to avenge my pain! Still may the manès of thy children rise 'Tis mine with these to suffer and to die. With frantic laugh she clasps them to the breast HELIODORUS IN THE TEMPLE. From Maccabees, book 2, chapter iii. 21. "Then of the multitude of all sorts, and the fear of the it would have pitied a man to see the falling down high priest, being in such an agony.-22. They then called upon the Almighty Lord to keep the things committed of trust safe and sure, for those that had committed them.-23. Nevertheless Heliodorus executed that which was decreed.24. Now as he was there present himself with his the Prince of all Power, caused a great apparition, guard about the treasury, the Lord of Spirits, and so that all that presumed to come in with him were astonished at the power of God, and fainted, and were sore afraid.-25. For there appeared unto them a horse with a terrible rider upon him, and adorned with a very fair covering, and he ran fiercely, and smote at Heliodorus with his forefeet, and it seemed that he that sat upon the horse had complete harness of gold.-26. Moreover, two other young men appeared before him, notable in strength, excellent in beauty, and comely in apparel, who stood by him on either side, and scourged him continually, and gave him many sore stripes. -27. And Heliodorus fell suddenly to the ground, that were with him took him up and put him and was compassed with great darkness; but they into a litter.-28. Thus him that lately came with great train, and with all his guard into the said treasury, they carried out, being unable to help himself with his weapons, and manifestly they acknowledged the power of God.-29. For he by * It was a Roman custom to adorn the tents of victors with the hand of God was cast down, and lay speech less, without all hope of life." A SOUND of wo in Salem!-mournful cries Tears flowing fast from dim and aged eyes, And voices mingling in tumultuous wail; The regal splendour of their fair array, may; While knelt thy priests before his awful shrine, But on the spoiler moves-the temple's gate, The bright, the beautiful, his guards unfold, Its courts and pillars, rich with sculptured gold; Fearless of thee, the plunderer, undismayed, Hastes on, the sacred chambers to explore The orphan's portion, and the widow's store; A vision bright in terrible array! "Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed ais neck with thunder "-Job, xxxix. 19. Is a meteor-ardent with disdain His glance-his gesture, fierce in majesty! Instinct with light he seems, and formed to bear Some dread archangel through the fields of air. But who is he, in panoply of gold, Throned on that burning charger ?—bright his form, Yet in its brightness awful to behold, And girt with all the terrors of the storm! Lightning is on his helmet's crest-and fear Shrinks from the splendour of his brow severe. And by his side two radiant warriors stand All armed, and kingly in commanding grace- Bursts on their leader in terrific might; Mists, as of death, suspend their shadowy veil; The light returns-the warriors of the sky Then wakes the timbrel, swells the song on high NIGHT-SCENE IN GENOA. FROM SISMONDI'S REPUBLIQUES ITALIENNES." "En même temps que les Génois poursuivoient avec ardeur la guerre contre Pise, ils étoient déchires euxmêmes par une discorde civile. Les consuls de l'année 1169, pour établir la paix dans leur patrie, au milieu des factions sourdes à leur voix et plus puissantes qu' eux, furent obligés d'ourdir en quelque sorte une conspiration. Ils commencèrent par s'assurer secrétement des dispositions pacifiques de plusieurs des citoyens, qui cependant étoient entraînés dans les émeutes par leur parenté avec les chefs de faction; puis, se concertant avec le vénérable vieillard, Hugues, iear archevêque, ils firent, long-temps avant le lever du |