"CAN VOWS, CAN SACRIFICE ALLAY-VIRGIL) THE LAST DAYS OF TROY. 139 in spite of prudent counsel, hastened to seize it as a memorial of victory, and conveyed it within the city. At night, its armed occupants broke forth, surprised the Trojan guards, and threw open the gates to the Greek army.] “A MORTAL MAY NOT LEAN ON HEAVEN WHEN IT AVERTS ITS MIEN." CONINGTON'S VIRGIL. B UT ghastlier portents lay behind, Our unprophetic souls to blind. First round his two young sons they wreathe, And twine in giant folds; twice round Sends up his agonizing cries: A wounded bull such moaning makes A FRANTIC LOVER'S SMART?"-CONINGTON'S VIRGIL. "THOSE STRANGE SHAPES THAT OCEAN HIDES BENEATH THE SMOOTHNESS OF HIS TIDES."-IBID. "MANY A LENGTH OF AGES PAST, THE INHERENT TAINT IS CLEANSED AT LAST,-CONINGTON'S VIRGIL) 66 CURST LOVE! WHAT LENGTHS OF TYRANT SCORN-(CONINGTON'S VIRGIL) 140 PROFESSOR CONINGTON. When from his neck the axe he shakes, Ill-aimed, and from the altar breaks. There by the goddess' feet concealed Who dared to harm with impious stroke they cry: "To soothe the offended deity." Each in the labour claims his share; So climbs our wall that shape of doom, WREAK'ST THOU ON THOSE OF WOMEN BORN!"-CONINGTON'S VIRGIL. MIDNIGHT REMAINS BUT ETHER BRIGHT, AND THE QUINTESSENCE OF HEAVENLY LIGHT."-CONINGTON'S VIRGIL. AND PALE DISEASES CLUSTER THERE, AND PLEASURELESS DECAY, FOUL PENURY, AND FEARS THAT KILL, AND HUNGER, COUNSELLOR OF ILL, A GHASTLY PRESENCE THEY."-PROFESSOR CONINGTON'S VIRGIL [From the "Aeneid," book ii. For the sake of comparison we quote a few lines from Dryden's translation of the above passage: 66 When, dreadful to behold, from sea we spyed WILD SORROW AND AVENGING CARE; HERE SEES HE THE ILLUSTRIOUS DEAD We fled amazed; their destined way they take, And first around the tender boys they wind, Then with their sharpened fangs their limbs and bodies grind. PRIESTS, WHO WHILE EARTHLY LIFE REMAINED, PRESERVED THAT LIFE UNSOILED, UNSTAINED;-(CONINGTON'S VIRGIL) BLEST BARDS, TRANSPARENT SOULS AND CLEAR, WHOSE SONG WAS WORTHY PHOEBUS' EAR."-CONINGTON'S VIRGIL. ["Laocoon's torture dignifying pain."] The legend of Laocoon is the subject of one of the finest specimens of ancient sculpture extant, discovered at Rome in 1506, and now preserved in the gallery of the Vatican palace. It is thus described by Byron : "Go see Laocoon's torture dignifying pain A father's love and mortal's agony With an immortal's patience blending. Vain WHO, FIGHTING FOR THEIR COUNTRY, BLED; BUT LIVELY GALES AND GENTLY CLOUDED SKIES DISPERSE THE SAD REFLECTIONS, THUS IN THE CALMS OF LIFE WE ONLY SEE GEORGE CRABBE. And gripe, and deepening of the dragon's grasp, 143 AND BUSY THOUGHTS AND LITTLE CARES AVAIL TO EASE THE MIND."-GEORGE CRABBE. George Crabbe. [CRABBE, says Lord Jeffrey, is the greatest mannerist of all our modern English poets; and it is rather unfortunate that the most prominent features of his mannerism are not the most pleasing. The homely, quaint, and prosaic style-the flat and often broken and jingling versification-the eternal full-lengths of low and worthless characters, with their accustomed garnishings of sly jokes and familiar moralizing,—are all on the surface of his writings, and are almost unavoidably the things by which we are first reminded of him when we take up any of his new productions. These would seem to be grave defects, but, in the critic's opinion, they are more than counterbalanced by unusual excellences, not less peculiar or less strongly marked than the blemishes with which they are contrasted. Namely, an unrivalled and almost magical power of observation, resulting in descriptions so true to nature as to strike us rather as transcripts than imitations; an anatomy of character and feeling not less exquisite and searching; an occasional touch of matchless tenderness; and a deep and dreadful pathos, interspersed by fits, and strangely interwoven with the most minute and humble of his details. Add to all this the sure and profound sagacity of the remarks with which he every now and then startles us in the midst of very unambitious discussions; and the weight and terseness of the maxims which he drops, like oracular responses, on occasions that give no promise of such a revelation; and last, though not least, that sweet and seldom sounded chord of lyrical inspiration, the lightest touch of which instantly charms away all harshness from his numbers, and lowness from his themes. He was born at Aldborough, in Suffolk, December 24, 1754, of which parish he afterwards became curate, and remained there until he found a patron in the Duke of Rutland. In 1814 the duke gave him the living of Trowbridge, in Wiltshire, where, after a long and happy career, he died on the 3rd of February 1832. His life has been written by his son. poems appeared in the following order: "The Library," 1781; "The Village," 1783; "The Parish Register," 1807; "The Borough," 1810; "Tales," 1812; and "Tales of the Hall," 1819. "Truth sometimes will lend her noblest fires, And decorate the verse herself inspires: His LORD BYRON.] A STEADIER IMAGE OF OUR MISERY;-(CRABBE) |