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Clear as a mirror; and, with deadly scents,
Annoys the rower; who, heart-fainting, eyes
The sails hang idly, noiseless, from the mast.
Thrice hapless he, whom thus the hand of fate
Compels to risk the unsufferable beam!

A fiend, the worst the angry skies ordain
To punish sinful man, shall fatal seize
His wretched life, and to the tomb consign.

When such the ravage of the burning calm,

On the stout, sunny children of the hill;

What must thy cane-lands feel? Thy late green sprouts
Nor bunch, nor joint; but, sapless, arid, pine:
Those, who have manhood reach'd, of yellow hue,
(Symptom of health and strength) soon ruddy show;
While the rich juice that circled in their veins,
Acescent, watery, poor, unwholesome tastes.

Nor only, planter, are, thy cane-groves burnt;
Thy life is threatened. Muse, the manner sing.
Then earthquakes, nature's agonizing pangs,
Oft shake the astonied isles. The solfaterre *)
Or sends forth thick, blue, suffocating steams;
Or shoots to temporary flame. A din,

Wild through the mountain's quivering rocky caves,
Like the dread crash of tumbling planets, roars.
When tremble thus the pillars of the globe,
Like the tall coco by the fierce north blown;
Can the poor, brittle tenements of man.

Withstand the dread convulsion? Their dear homes,
(Which shaking, tottering, crashing, bursting, fall)
The boldest fly: and, on the open plain
Appal'd, in agony the moment wait,
When, with disrupture vast, the waving earth
Shall whelm them in her sea- disgorging womb.
Nor less affrighted are the bestial kind.
The bold steed quivers in each panting vein,
And staggers, bath'd in deluges of sweat:
Thy lowing herds forsake their grassy food,
And send forth frighted, woeful hollow sounds:

Volcanos are called sulphurs, or solfaterres, in the WestIndies. There are few mountainous islands in that part of the globe without them.

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The dog, thy trusty centinel of night,

Deserts his post assign'd; and, piteous howls.
Wide ocean feels:

The mountain-waves, passing their custom'd bounds,
Make direful, loud incursions on the land,

All-overwhelming: Sudden they retreat,

With their whole troubled waters; but, anon,
Sudden return, with louder, mightier force:

(The black rocks whiten, the vext shores resound;)
And yet, more rapid, distant they retire.
Vast corruscations lighten all the sky,

With volum'd flames; while thunder's awful voice,
From forth his shrine, by night and horror girt,
Astounds the guilty, and appals the good:
For oft the best, smote by the bolt of heaven,
Wrapt in ethereal flame, forget to live;
Else, fair Theana. Muse her fate deplore.

Soon

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3) JUNIO AND THEANA")

as young reason dawn'd in Junio's breast, His father sent him from these genial isles **),

To where old Thames with conscious pride surveys
Green Eton, soft abode of every muse,

Each classic beauty he soon made his own;

And soon fam'd Isis ***) saw him woo the Nine,
On her inspiring banks. Love tun'd his song;
For fair Theana was his only theme,
Acasto's daughter, whom, in early youth,
He oft distinguish'd; and for whom he oft
Had climb'd the bending coco's airy height,
To rob it of its nectar; which the maid,
When he presented, more nectareous deem'd.
The sweetest sappadillas ****) oft he brought;
From him more sweet ripe sappadillas seem'd.
Nor had long absence yet effac'd her form;

*) The Sugar Cane, Book II. v. 428 - 553. **) Nämlich den Antillen. ***) Isis, Flufs bei Oxford. ****) This is a pleasant tasted fruit, somewhat resembling a bergamot in shape and colour. Botanists call it Cainito.

Her charms still triumph'd o'er Britannia's fair.
One morn he met her in Sheen's ) royal walks;
Nor knew, till then, sweet Sheen contaiq'd his all.
His taste mature approv'd his infant choice.
In colour, form, expression, and in grace,
She shone all-perfect; while each pleasing art,
And each soft virtue that the sex adorns,
Adorn'd the woman. My imperfect strain,
Which Percy's happier pencil would demand,
Çan ill describe the transports Junio felt
At this discovery: He declar'd his love;
She own'd his merit, nor refus'd his hand.

And shall not Hymen light his brightest torch,
For this delighted pair? Ah, Junio knew,
His sire detested his Theana's house!
Thus duty, reverence, gratitude, conspir'd
To check their happy union. He resolv'd
(And many a sigh that resolution cost)
To pass the time, till death his sire remov'd,
In visiting old Europe's letter'd climes:

While she (and many a tear that parting drew)
Embark'd reluctant, for her native isle.

Though learned, curious, and though nobly bent,
With each rare talent to adorn his mind,
His native land to serve; no joys he found.
Yet sprightly Gaul; yet Belgium, Saturn's reign;
Yet Greece, of old the seat of every Muse,
Of freedom, courage; yet Ausonia's clime,
His steps explor'd; where painting, music's strains,
Where arts, where laws, (philosophy's best child)
With rival beauties his attention claim'd.
To his just judging, his instructed eye,
The all-perfect Medicean Venus seem'd
A perfect semblance of his Indian fair:

But when she spoke of love, her voice surpass'd
The harmonious warblings of Italian song.

Twice one long year elaps'd, when letters came,
Which briefly told him of his father's death.
Afflicted, filial, yet to Heaven resign'd,

*) Der alte Name für Richmond. sem Englischen Dichter siehe weiter unten.

*) Percy. Von die

Soon he reach'd Albion, and as soon embark'd,
Eager to clasp the object of his love..

Blow, prosperous breezes; swiftly sail, thou Po *):
Swift sail'd the Po, and happy breezes blew.

In Biscay's stormy seas, an armed ship,
Of force superior, from loud Charente's **) wave
Clapt them on board. The frighted flying crew
Their colours strike; when dauntless Junio, fir'd
With noble indignation, kill'd the chief,
Who on the bloody deck dealt slaughter round.
The Gauls retreat; the Britons loud huzza;
And touch'd with shame, with emulation stung,
So plied their cannon, plied their missil fires,
That soon in air the hapless thunderer blew.

Blow, prosperous breezes; swiftly sail thou Po:
May no more dangerous fights retard thy way!

Soon Porto Santo's ***) rocky heights they spy,
Like clouds dim rising in the distant sky.
Glad Eurus whistles; laugh the sportive crew;
Each sail is set to catch the favouring gale,
While on the yard - arm ****) the harpooner sits,
Strikes the boneta *****), or the shark †) ensnares:
The fring'd urtica ††) spreads her purple form
To catch the gale, and dances o'er the waves:
Small winged fishes on the shrouds alight
And beauteous dolphins titt) gently played around.

*) Name des Schiffs.

);

**) Charente, Flufs in Frankreich, der im ehemaligen Poitou entspringt, und sich zwischen Sou bize und Rochefort in das Gaskonische Meer ergiefst. ***) Porto - Santo, Insel im Atlantischen Meerè, nicht weit von Madera. ****) yard, Segelfocke, Raa. Vielleicht ist yard-arm eben das, was sonst main-yard heifst, die grofse Raa, die Querstange, woran das Schönfahrsegel hängt. *****) This fish, which is equal in size to the largest salmon, is only to be found in the warm latitudes.

†) Some naturalists call it Canis Carharias; it is a voracious fisl. tt) This fish the seamen call a Portuguese man of war. It makes a most beautiful appearance on the water. ttt) This extraordinary species of fish is only found in the warm latitudes. Being pursued in water by a fish of prey called Albacares, they betake themselves in shoals to flight, and in the air are often snapt up by the Garayio, a sea-fowl. They sometimes fall on the shrouds or decks of ships. They are well tasted, and commonly sold at Barbadoes. tttt) This is a most beautiful fish

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Though faster than the Tropic bird they flew,
Oft Junio, cried, ah! when shall we see land?

Soon land they made: and now in thought he claspt
His Indian bride, and deem'd his toils o'erpaid.

She, no less amorous, every evening walk'd
On the cool margin of the purple main,
Intent her Junio's vessel to descry.

One eve, (faint calms for many a day had rag`d)
The winged demons of the tempest rose;

Thunder and rain, and lightning's awful power.

:

She fled could innocence, could beauty claim
Exemption from the grave; the ethereal bolt,

That stretch'd her speechless, o'er her lovely head
Had innocently roll'd.

Meanwhile, impatient Junio leapt ashore,
Regardless of the demons of the storm.'

Ah, youth! what woes, too great for man to bear,
Are ready to burst on thee? Urge not so
Thy flying courser. Soon Theana's porch
Receiv'd him; at his sight, the ancient slaves.
Affrighted shriek: and to the chamber point:
Confounded, yet unknowing what they meant,
He entered hasty

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Ah! what a sight for one who lov'd so well! All pale and cold, in every feature death,

Theana lay; and yet a glimpse of joy

Play'd on her face, while with faint, faultering voice,
She thus addrest the youth, whom yet she knew:
,, Welcome, my Junio, to thy native shore!
,,Thy sight repays this summons of my fate:
,, Live, and live happy; sometimes think of me:/
By night, by day, you still engag'd my care;
,,And next to God, you now my thoughts employ:
Accept of this
My little all I give;

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Would it were larger" Nature could, no more; She look'd, embrac'd him, with a groan expir'd.

when first taken out of the sea; but its beauty vanishes almost as soon as it is dead.

* The French call this bird Fregate on account of its swift It is only to be met within the warm latitudes.

flying.

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