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And ne'er held marble in its trust

Of two such wondrous men the dust.

With more than mortal powers endowed,
How high they soared above the crowd!
Their's was no common party race,
Jostling by dark intrigue for place;
Like fabled Gods, their mighty war
Shook realms and nations in its jar;
Beneath each banner proud to stand,
Looked up the noblest of the land,
Till through the British world were known
The names of Pitt and Fox alone.
Spells of such force no wizard grave
E'er framed in dark Thessalian cave,
Though he could drain the ocean dry,
And force the planets from the sky.
These spells are spent, and spent with these,
The wine of life is on the lees.

Genius, and taste, and talent gone,
For ever tombed beneath the stone,

Where-taming thought to human pride!—
The mighty chiefs sleep side by side.
Drop upon Fox's grave the tear
'Twill trickle to his rival's bier ;

O'er Pitt's the mournful requiem sound
And Fox's shall the notes rebound.
The solemn echo seems to cry,-
'Here let their discord with them die;
Speak not for those a separate doom
Whom Fate made brothers in the tomb,
But search the land of living men,
Where will you find their like agen?'

From Marmion.

MARMION'S DEFIANCE OF THE DOUGLAS.

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TOT far advanced was morning day,
When Marmion did his troop array
To Surrey's camp to ride;

He had safe conduct for his band,
Beneath the royal seal and hand,
And Douglas gave a guide:
The ancient Earl, with stately grace,
Would Clara on her palfrey place,
And whispered, in an undertone,
'Let the hawk stoop, his prey is flown.'
The train from out the castle drew;
But Marmion stopped to bid adieu :
'Though something I might plain' he said,
'Of cold respect to stranger guest,
Sent hither by your king's behest,
While in Tantallon's towers I stayed;
Part we in friendship from your land,
And, noble Earl, receive my hand.'
But Douglas round him drew his cloak,
Folded his arms, and thus he spoke :—
'My manors, halls, and bowers, shall still
Be open to my sovereign's will,
To each one whom he lists, howe'er
Unmeet to be the owner's peer.
My castles are my kings alone,
From turret to foundation-stone-
The hand of Douglas is his own;
And never shall in friendly grasp
The hand of such as Marmion clasp.'

Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek like fire,
And shook his very frame for ire,

And-This to me!' he said,

'An 'twere not for thy hoary beard,

Such hand as Marmion's had not spared

To cleave the Douglas' head!

And, first I tell thee, haughty Peer,
He, who does England's message erc,
Although the meanest in her state,
May well, proud Angus, be thy mate:
And, Douglas, more I tell thee here,
Even in thy pitch of pride,
Here in thy hold, thy vassals near,
(Nay, never look upon your lord,
And lay your hands upon your sword,)
I tell thee, thou'rt defied!

And if thou said'st, I am not peer
To any lord in Scotland here,
Lowland or Highland, far or near,

Lord Angus, thou hast lied!'

On the Earl's cheek the flush of rage

O'ercame the ashen hue of age:

Fierce he broke forth-'And darest thou then To beard the lion in his den,

The Douglas in his hall?

And hopest thou hence unscathed to go?
No, by Saint Bryde of Bothwell, no!—
Up drawbridge, grooms-what Warder, ho!
Let the portcullis fall.'

Lord Marmion turned,-well was his need,
And dashed the rowels in his steed,
Like arrow through the archway sprung,
The ponderous gate behind him rung:
To pass there was such scanty room,
The bars, descending, razed his plume.

The steed along the drawbridge flies,
Just as it trembled on the rise;
Not lighter does the swallow skim
Along the smooth lake's level brim:

And when Lord Marmion reached his band,

He halts, and turns with clenched hand,

And shout of loud defiance pours,

And shook his gauntlet at the towers.

'Horse! horse!' the Douglas cried, and chase!' But soon he reined his fury's pace: 'A royal messenger he came, Though most unworthy of the name. A letter forged! Saint Jude to speed! Did ever knight so foul a deed!

At first in heart it liked me ill,

When the king praised his clerkly skill.
Thanks to Saint Bothan, son of mine,
Save Gawain, ne'er could pen a line:
So swore I, and I swear it still,
Let my boy-bishop fret his fill.
Saint Mary mend my fiery mood!
Old age ne'er cools the Douglas blood,
I thought to slay him where he stood.-
'Tis pity of him too,' he cried;
'Bold can he speak, and fairly ride,
I warrant him a warrior tried.'
With this his mandate he recalls,
And slowly seeks his castle halls.

From Marmion.

THE CHASE.

1.

THE stag at eve had drunk his fill,

Where danced the moon on Monan's rill,
And deep his midnight lair had made
In lone Glenartney's hazel shade;

But when the sun his beacon red
Had kindled on Benvoirlich's head,

The deep-mouthed bloodhound's heavy bay
Resounded up the rocky way,

And faint, from farther distance borne,

Were heard the clanging hoof and horn.

II.

As chief who hears his warder call,
'To arms! the foemen storm the wall,'
The antlered monarch of the waste
Sprung from his heathery couch in haste.
But, ere his fleet career he took,

The dew-drops from his flanks he shook;
Like crested leader proud and high,
Tossed his beamed frontlet to the sky;
A moment gazed adown the dale,

A moment snuffed the tainted gale,

A moment listened to the cry,

That thickened as the chase drew nigh;
Then, as the headmost foes appeared,

With one brave bound the copse he cleared,
And stretching forward free and far,
Sought the wild heaths of Uam-Var.

III.

Yelled on the view the opening pack,
Rock, glen, and cavern paid them back;
To many a mingled sound at once
The awakened mountain gave response.
A hundred dogs bayed deep and strong,
Clattered a hundred steeds along,
Their peal the merry horns rang out,
A hundred voices joined the shout;
With hark and whoop and wild halloo,
No rest Benvoirlich's echoes knew.
Far from the tumult fled the roe,
Close in her covert cowered the doe,
The falcon from her cairn on high,
Cast on the rout a wondering eye,
Till far beyond her piercing ken
The hurricane had swept the glen.
Faint, and more faint, its failing din
Returned from cavern, cliff and linn,

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