III.

And wherefore this exordium ?-Why, just now.
In taking up this paltry sheet of paper,
My bosom underwent a glorious glow,
And my internal spirit cut a caper:
And though so much inferior, as I know,

To those who, by the dint of glass and vapor,
Discover stars, and sail in the wind's eye,
I wish to do as much by poesy.

IV.

In the wind's eye I have sail'd, and sail; but for
The stars, I own my telescope is dim;
But at the least I've shunn'd the common shore,
And, leaving land far out of sight, would skim
The ocean of eternity: the roar

Of breakers has not daunted my slight, trim, But still sea-worthy skiff; and she may float Where ships have founder'd, as doth many a boat. V.

We left our hero, Juan, in the oloom

Of favoritism, but not yet in the blush;
And far be it from my Muses to presume
(For I have more than one Muse at a push)
To follow him beyond the drawing-room:
It enough that fortune found him flush
Of youth and vigor, beauty, and those things
Which for an instant clip enjoyment's wings

But Juan was not meant to die so soon.
We left him in the focus of such glory
As may be won by favor of the moon,

Or ladies' fancies-rather transitory
Perhaps but who would scorn the month of June
Because December, with his breath so hoary,
Must come? Much rather should he court the ray.
To hoard up warmth against a wintry day

As "Auld Lang Syne" brings Scotland one and all Scotch plaid, Scotch snoods, the blue hills, and clear streams,

The Dee, the Don, Balgounie's Brig's black wall'
All my boy feelings, all my gentler dreams
Of what I then dreamt, clothed in their own pall,
Like Banquo's offspring-floating past me seems
My childhood in this childishness of mine:

I care not-'tis a glimpse of "Auld Lang Syne.'
XIX.

And though, as you remember, in a fit

Of wrath and rhyme, when juvenile and curly. I rail'd at Scots to show my wrath and wit, Which must be own'd was sensitive and surly, Yet 'tis in vain such sallies to permit

They cannot quench young feelings fresh and early I "scotch'd, not kill'd," the Scotchman in my blood, And love the land of "mountain and of flood."

XX.

Don Juan, who was real or ideal,

For both are much the same, since what men think Exists when the once thinkers are less real,

Than what they thought, for mind can never sink. And 'gainst the body makes a strong appeal; And yet 'tis very puzzling on the brink Of what is call'd eternity, to stare,

And know no more of what is here than there:

XXI.

Don Juan grew a very polish'd Russian

How we won't mention, why we need not say Few youthful minds can stand the strong concussion Of any slight temptation in their way; But his just now were spread as is a cushion

Smooth'd for a monarch's seat of honor: gay
Damsels, and dances, revels, ready money,
Made ice seem paradise, and winter sunny.
XXII.

The favor of the empress was agreeable;
And though the duty wax'd a little hard,
Young people at his time of life should be able
To come off handsomely in that regard.
He was now growing up like a green tree, able
For love, war, or ambition, which reward
Their luckier votaries, till old age's tedium
Make some prefer the circulating medium.

XXIII.

About this time, as might have been anticipated,
Seduced by youth and dangerous examples,
Don Juan grew, I fear, a little dissipated;
Which is a sad thing, and not only tramples
On our fresh feelings, but-as being participated
With all kinds of incorrigible samples
Of frail humanity-must make us selfish,
And shut our souls up in us like a shell-fish.

Which Britons deem their "uti possidetis."

XLVI.

So Catherine, who had a handsome way
Of fitting out her favorites, conferr'd
This secret charge on Juan, to display

At once her royal splendor, and reward
His services. He kiss'd hands the next day,
Received instructions how to play his card,
Was laden with all kinds of gifts and honors,
Which show'd what great discernment was the
donor's.

XLVII.

But she was lucky, and luck's all. Your queen
Are generally prosperous in reigning;
Which puzzles us to know what fortune means.
But to continue: though her years were waning
Her climacteric teased her like her teens;

And though her dignity brook'd no complaining,
So much did Juan's setting off distress her,
She could not find at first a fit successor.

XLVIII.

But time, the comforter, will come at last;
And four-and-twenty hours, and twice that number
Of candidates requesting to be placed,

Made Catherine taste next night a quiet slumber Not that she meant to fix again in haste,

Nor did she find the quantity encumber, But, always choosing with deliberation, Kept the place open for their emulation.

XLIX.

While this high post of honor's in abeyance,
For one or two days, reader, we request
You'll mount with our young hero the conveyance
Which wafted him from Petersburgh; the best
Barouche, which had the glory to display once
The fair Czarina's autocratic crest,
(When, a new Iphigene, she went to Tauris,)
Was given to her favorite," and now bore his.

L.

A bull-dog, and a bull-finch, and an ermine,
All private favorites of Don Juan; for
(Let deeper sages the true cause determine)
He had a kind of inclination, or

Weakness, for what most people deem mere vermin—
Live animals:-an old maid of threescore
For cats and birds more penchant ne'er display'd,
Although he was not old, nor even a maid.

LI.

The animals aforesaid occupied

Their station: there were valets, secretaries, In other vehicles; but at his side

Sat little Leila, who survived the parries He made 'gainst Cossack sabres, in the wide Slaughter of Ismail. Though my wild Muse varies Her note, she don't forget the infant girl Whom he preserved, a pure and living pearl

With this o'erwhelming world, where all must err: But she was yet but ten years old, and therefore Was tranquil, though she knew not why or wherefore. LIII.

Don Juan loved her, and she loved him, as
Nor brother, father, sister, daughter love.
I cannot tell exactly what it was;

He was not yet quite old enough to prove
Parental feelings, and the other class,

Call'd brotherly affection, could not move His bosom-for he never had a sister:

Ah! if he had, how much he would have miss'd her! LIV.

and still less was it sensual; for besides

That he was not an ancient debauchee, (Who like sour fruit to stir their veins' salt tides, As acids rouse a dormant alkali,) Although ('twill happen as our planet guides) His youth was not the chastest that might be, There was the purest Platonism at bottom Of all his feelings-only he forgot 'em.

LV.

Just now there was no peril of temptation;
He loved the infant orphan he had saved,
As patriots (now and then) may love a nation;
His pride too felt that she was not enslaved,
Owing to him;-as also her salvation,

[paved. Through his means and the church's, might be But one thing's odd, which here must be insertedThe little Turk refused to be converted.

LVI.

'Twas strange enough she should retain the impression [slaughter; Through such a scene of change, and dread, and But, though three bishops told her the transgression, She show'd a great dislike to holy water: She also had no passion for confession;

Perhaps she had nothing to confess;-no matter Whate'er the cause, the church made little of itShe still held out that Mahomet was a prophet. LVII.

In fact, the only Christian she could bear

Was Juan, whom she seem'd to have selected In place of what her home and friends once were. He naturally loved what he protected;

And thus they form'd a rather curious pair:
A guardian green in years, a ward connected
In neither clime, time, blood, with her defender;
And yet this want of ties made theirs more tender.

Let not this seem an anti-climax :-"Oh! [layMy guard! my old guard!" exclaim'd that god of Think of the Thunderer's falling down below Carotid-artery-cutting Castlereagh !

Alas that glory should be chill'd by snow!

Bu should we wish to warm us on our way Through Poland, there is Kosciusko's name Might scatter fire through ice, like Hecla's flame. LX.

From Poland they came on through Prussia proper.
And Konigsberg the capital, whose vaunt,
Besides some veins of iron, lead, or copper,
Has lately been the great Professor Kant.
Juan, who cared not a tobacco-stopper
About philosophy, pursued his jaunt
To Germany, whose somewhat tardy millions
Have princes who spur more than their postillions.

LXI.

And thence through Berlin, Dresden, and the like
Until he reached the castellated Rhine:-
Ye glorious Gothic scenes! how much ye strike
All phantasies, not even excepting mine:

A gray wall, a green ruin, rusty pike,

Make my soul pass the equinoctial line Between the present and past worlds, and hover Upon their airy confine, half-seas-over.

LXII.

But Juan posted on through Manheim, Bonn, Which Drachenfels frowns over like a spectre Of the god feudal times for ever gone,

On which I have not time just now to lecture. From thence he was drawn onwards to Cologne A city which presents to the inspector Eleven thousand maidenheads of bone, The greatest number flesh hath ever known.s

LXIII.

From thence to Holland's Hague and Helvoetsluys. That water land of Dutchmen and of ditches, Where Juniper expresses its best juice

The poor man's sparkling substitute for riches. Senates and sages have condemn'd its use

But to deny the mob a cordial which is Too often all the clothing, meat, or fuel, Good government has left them, seems but cruel.

LXIV.

Here he embark'd, and, with a flowing sail,
Went bounding for the island of the free,
Towards which the impatient wind blew half a gɛle
High dash'd the spray, the bows dipp'd in the sea
And sea-sick passengers turn'd somewhat pale:
But Juan, season'd, as he well might be
By former voyages, stood to watch the skiffs
Which pass'd, or catch the first glimpse of the cliff's
LXV.

At length they rose, like a white wall along
The blue sea's border; and Don Juan felt-
What even young strangers feel a little strong
At the first sight of Albion's chalky belt-

Those haughty shopkeepers, who sternly dealt Their goods and edicts out from pole to pole, And made the very billows pay them to'l