Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

He swam to where her sinking form,
Swept by a wave, was seen;

He seized the collar of her dress
His good strong teeth between.

He bore her up he brought her through
The salt waves to our side;

We took her in

"The darling 's safe!

Brave dog!" my father cried.

No wonder that we love to play

With such a dog as Nero ;
Better a medal he deserves,

Than many a fighting hero.

OSBORNE.

In the word Newfoundland put the accent on the last syllable. Give the oa in boat and coat the full sound of long o, as in go. Do not pronounce medal as if it were meddle: the a has a slightly obscured sound of short a. Sound the h in humble, exhibit, &c. Sound the ir in first and the ur in burst like er in her.

UNRIGHTEOUS MEASURES AGAINST AMERICA.

MY LORDS, who is the man that, in addition to the disgraces and mischiefs of our armies, has dared to associate with our arms the tomahawk and scalping-knife of the savage? to call into civilized alliance the wild and inhuman savage of the woods; to delegate to the merciless Indian the defense of disputed rights; and to wage the horrors of his barbarous war against our brethren? These enormities cry aloud for redress and punishment; and, unless thoroughly done away, they will be an indelible stain on the national character.

It is not the least of our misfortunes that the strength and

character of our army are thus impaired. Familiarized to horrid scenes of savage cruelty, it can no longer boast the generous principles which dignify a soldier; no longer feel "the pride, pomp, circumstance of glorious war, that make ambition virtue." What makes ambition virtue? The sense of honor! But is the sense of honor consistent with a spirit of plunder, or the practice of murder?

My lords, you can not conciliate America by your present measures; you can not subdue her by your present, or by any measures. In a just and necessary war, to maintain the rights or honor of my country, I would strip the shirt from my back to support it. But in such a war as this, unjust in its principle, impracticable in its means, and ruinous in its consequences, I would not contribute a single effort, nor a single shilling.

EARL OF CHATHAM.

BRUCE TO HIS TROOPS.

Scors! who have with Wallace bled,
Scots! whom Bruce has often led,
Welcome to your gory bed,

Or to victory.

Now's the day, and now's the hour,

See the front of battle lower !

See approach proud Edward's power-
Chains and slavery!

Who will be a traitor knave?

Who can fill a coward's grave?

Who so base as be a slave?

Let him turn and flee!

Who for Scotland's king and law
Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand, or freeman fall,
Let him follow me!

By oppression's woes and pains,
By your sons in servile chains,
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free!

Lay the proud usurpers low!

Tyrants fall in every foe!

Liberty 's in every blow!

Let us do or die!

BURNS.

WATER, BRIGHT WATER FOR ME ! O! WATER for me! bright water for me, And wine for the tremulous debauchee! It cooleth the brow, it cooleth the brain, It maketh the faint one strong again ;

It comes o'er the sense like a breeze from the sea,
All freshness, like infant purity;

O! water, bright water, for me, for me!
Give wine, give wine to the debauchee !

Fill to the brim! Fill, fill to the brim!
For water strengtheneth life and limb;
To the days of the aged it addeth length;
To the might of the strong it addeth strength;
It freshens the heart, it brightens the sight,
'Tis quaffing a goblet of morning light.
So, water, I will drink naught but thee,
Thou parent of health and energy!

E. JOHNSON.

OLD GRIMES.

OLD Grimes is dead! that good old man

We never shall see more;

He used to wear a long black coat,

All buttoned down before.

His heart was open as the day,
His feelings all were true;
His hair was some inclined to gray ·
He wore it in a queue.

Whene'er he heard the voice of pain,
His breast with pity burned;
The large round head upon his can
From ivory was turned.

Kind words he ever had for all;
He knew no base design;

His eyes were dark and rather small,
His nose was aquiline.

He lived at peace with all mankind ;
In friendship he was true;
His coat had pocket-holes behind;

His pantaloons were blue.

Unharmed, the sin which earth pollutes

He passed securely o'er;
And never wore a pair of boots

For thirty years or more.

But good old Grimes is now at rest,
Nor fears Misfortune's frown;
He wore a double-breasted vest.
The stripes ran up and down.

He modest merit sought to find,
And pay it its desert ;

He had no malice in his mind,
No ruffles on his shirt.

His neighbors he did not abuse
Was sociable and gay;

He wore large buckles on his shoes,
And changed them every day.

His knowledge, hid from public gaze,
He did not bring to view;

Nor make a noise, town-meeting days,
As many people do.

His worldly goods he never threw
In trust to fortune's chances;
But lived (as all his brothers do)
In easy circumstances.

Thus undisturbed by anxious cares
His peaceful moments ran;
And everybody said he was

A fine old gentleman.

ALBERT G. GREENE.

SPEECH OF MIN-NE-VAH, AN INDIAN CHIEF.

WHITE men, we give way before you, like the driving mist before the gale. The next new moon shall not find one of our tribe on these forsaken hunting-grounds. You have conquered. We confess that we are the weaker party. We can not stay here, if we would.

But do not think, my white brethren, that it is your courage which has brought us low. Your swords are sharp, and

« AnteriorContinuar »