xiy. "Tis the twink of an eye, 'tis the draught of a breath, From the blossom of health to the paleness of death, From the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud O why should the spirit of mortal be proud ?
Кпог.
DECISIVE CHARGE AT WATERLOO.
On came the whirlwind like the last
But fiercest sweep of tempest blast
On came the whirlwind-steel-gleams broke
Like lightning through the rolling smoke;
The war was waked anew;
Three hundred cannon-mouths roared loud,
And from their throats, with flash and cloud,
Their showers of iron threw.
Beneath their fire in full career,
Rushed on the ponderous cuirassier
The lancer couched his ruthless spear,
And hurrying as to havoc néar,
The cohorts? eagles flew.
In one dark torrent broad and strong,
The advancing onset rolled along,
Forth harbingered by fierce acclaim,
That from the shroud of smoke and flame,
Pealed wildly the imperial name.
But on the British heart were lost
The terrors of the charging host;
For not an eye the storm that viewed
Changed its proud glance of fortitude ;
Nor was one forward footstep staid,
As dropped the dying and the dead.
Fast as their ranks the thunders tear,
Fast they renewed each serried square;
And on the wounded and the slain
Closed their diminished files again ;
Till from their line scarce spears' lengths three,
Emerging from the smoke they see
Helmet and plume, and panoply-
Then waked their fire at once !
Each musketeer's revolving knell
As fast, as regularly fell,
As when they practise to display
Their discipline on festal day.
Then down went helm and lance,
Down were the eagle-banners sent,
Down reeling steeds and riders went,
Corslets were pierced, and pennons rent ;
And to augment the fray,
Wheeled full against their staggering flanks,
The English horsemen's foaming ranks
Forced their resistless
way ::
Then to the musket-knell succeeds
The clash of swords--the neigh of steeds :
As plies the smith his clanging trade,
Against the cuirass rang the blade ;
And while amid their close array
The well-served cannon rent their way,
And while amid their scattered band,
Raged the fierce rider's bloody brand,
Recoiled in common rout and fear
Lancer, and guard, and cuirassier,
Horsemen and foot; -a mingled host,
Their leaders fallen, their standards last.
Sir W, Scott
Sleep, little baby, sleep!
Not in thy cradle bed,
Not on thy mother's breast,
Henceforth shall be thy rest,
But with the quiet dead.
Peace! Peace! the little bosom
Labours with shortening breath ; Peace ! Peace! that tremulous sigh, Speaks his departure nigh ;
Those are the damps of death.
I've seen thee in thy beauty,
A thing all health and glee,
But never then wert thou
So beautiful as now,
Baby, thou seem'st to me.
Thine upturned eyes glazed over,
Like harebells wet with dew, !
Thou weepest, childless mother!
Aye weep,-'twill ease thine heart!
He was thy first born son,
Thy first, thy only one,
'Tis hard from him to part !
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