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THE LIGHTHOUSE. (LONGFELLOW.)

THE rocky ledge runs far into the sea,
And on its outer point, some miles away,
The lighthouse lifts its massive masonry-

A pillar of fire by night,' of cloud by day.

1 Lighthouse, compared to the pillar of cloud by day, and pillar of fire by night, which guided the children of Israel in their wanderings.

Even at this distance I can see the tides,

Upheaving, break unheard along its base; A speechless wrath, that rises and subsides In the white lip and tremor of the face.

And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright,
Through the deep purple of the twilight air,
Beams forth the sudden radiance of its light,

With strange, unearthly splendour in its glare.

And the great ships sail outward and return, Bending and bowing, o'er the billowy swells; And ever joyful, as they see it burn,

They wave their silent welcomes and farewells.

They come forth from the darkness, and their sails Gleam for a moment only in the blaze;

And eager faces, as the light unveils,

Gaze at the tower, and vanish while they gaze.

The mariner remembers when a child,

On his first voyage, he saw it fade and sink; And, when returning from adventures wild, He saw it rise again o'er ocean's brink.

Steadfast, serene, immovable, the same

Year after year, through all the silent night, Burns on for evermore that quenchless flame, Shines on that inextinguishable light!

It sees the ocean to its bosom clasp

The rocks and sea-sand with the kiss of

peace:

It sees the wild winds lift it in their grasp,
And hold it up, and shake it like a fleece.

The startled waves leap over it; the storm
Smites it with all the scourges of the rain;
And steadily against its solid form

Press the great shoulders of the hurricane.

The sea-bird wheeling round it,' with the din
Of wings and winds and solitary cries,
Blinded and maddened by the light within,
Dashes himself against the glare, and dies.

'Sail on,' it says, 'sail on, ye stately ships:

And with your floating bridge the ocean span;
Be mine to guard this light from all eclipse-
Be yours to bring man nearer unto man!'

1 The sea-bird wheeling round it. Sea-birds often dash themselves against the lighthouse lantern, being attracted thither by the light.

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THE GLOVE AND THE LIONS. (LEIGH HUNT.)

Leigh Hunt-a poet and well-known writer-was born in Middlesex in 1784. From the age of sixteen he wrote verses. In 1805 he started a newspaper called The Examiner,' and for an article against the king's eldest son which appeared in that publication he was fined 5007. and imprisoned for two years. During this period he was visited by Moore, Byron, Coleridge, and Shelley, who were his intimate friends. Afterwards he lived for four years in Italy. Rimini' is his longest and perhaps his best poem. He died in 1859, after having enjoyed a pension of 200l. per annum from the Government for twelve years. KING FRANCIS was a hearty king, and loved a royal sport; And one day as the lions fought, sat looking on the Court;

The nobles filled the benches round, the ladies by their

side,

And 'mongst them sate the Count de Lorge with one for whom he sighed;

And truly 'twas a gallant thing to see that crowning show

Valour and love, and a king above, and the royal beasts below.

Ramped and roared the lions with horrid laughing jaws; They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams-a wind went with their paws:

With wallowing might and stifled roar, they rolled on one another,

Till all the pit, with sand and mane, was in a thunderous

smother;

The bloody foam above the bars came whizzing through

the air:

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Said Francis then, Faith! gentlemen, we're better here than there!'

De Lorge's love o'erheard the king-a beauteous lively

dame,

With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes, which always seemed the same;

She thought, 'The Count my lover is, brave as brave can be

He surely would do wondrous things to show his love of

me:

King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine! I'll drop my glove, to prove his love; great glory will be

mine !'

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