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النشر الإلكتروني

XVII.

THE RIVER.

BY PAUL H. HAYNE.'

["Man's life is like a River, which likewise hath its Seasons, or phases of progress: first, its Spring rise, gentle and beautiful; next, its Summer, of eventful maturity, mixed calm and storm, followed by Autumnal decadence and mists of Winter, after which cometh the allembracing Sea, type of that mystery we call Eternity!"]

Up among the dew-lit fallows

Slight but fair it took its rise,

And through rounds of golden shallows
Brightened under broadening skies;
While the delicate wind of morning
Touched the waves to happier grace,
Like a breath of love's forewarning,
Dimpling o'er a virgin face-
Till the tides of that rare river

Merged and mellowed into one,

Flashed the shafts from sundown's quiver,'
Backward to the sun.

Royal breadths of sky-born blushes
Burned athwart its billowy breast-
But beyond those roseate flushes

Shone the snow-white swans at rest;
Round in graceful flights the swallows
Dipped and soared, and soaring sang,
And in bays and reed-bound hollows,

How earth's wild, sweet voices rang!

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Till the strong, swift, glorious river
Seemed with mightier pulse to run,
Thus to roll and rush forever,
Laughing in the sun.

Nay; a something born of shadow
Slowly crept the landscape o'er-
Something weird o'er wave and meadow,
Something cold o'er stream and shore;
While on birds that gleamed or chanted,
Stole gray gloom and silence grim,
And the troubled wave-heart panted,

And the smiling heavens waxed dim
And from far strange spaces seaward,

Out of dreamy cloudlands dun, Came a low gust moaning leaward, Chilling leaf and sun.

Then, from gloom to gloom intenser,
On the laboring streamlet rolled,
Where from cloud-racks' gathered denser
Hark! the ominous thunder knolled!
While like ghosts that flit and shiver,
Down the mists from out the blast,
Spectral pinions crossed the river—
Spectral voices wailing passed!
Till the fierce tides rising starkly,
Blended, towering into one
Nightly wall of blackness, darkly
Quenching sky and sun!

Thence, to softer scenes it wandered,
Scents of flowers and airs of balm,
And methought the streamlet pondered,
Conscious of the blissful calm;

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Slow it wound now, slow and slower
By still beach and ripply bight,*
And the voice of waves sank lower,
Laden, languid with delight;

In and out the cordial river

Strayed in peaceful curves that won Glory from the great Life-giver, Beauty from the sun!

Thence again with quaintest ranges,
On the fateful streamlet rolled
Through unnumbered, nameless changes,
Shade and sunshine, gloom and gold,
Till the tides, grown sad and weary,

Longed to meet the mightier main,
And their low-toned miserere'

Mingled with his grand refrain ; Oh, the languid, lapsing river,

Weak of pulse and soft of tune— Lo! the sun hath set forever,

Lo! the ghostly moon!

But thenceforth through moon and starlight Sudden-swift the streamlet's sweep; Yearning for the mystic far light,

Pining for the solemn deep;

While the old strength gathers o'er it,
While the old voice rings sublime,

And in pallid mist before it

Fade the phantom shows of time— Till, with one last, eddying quiver,

All its checkered journey done, Seaward breaks the ransomed river, Goal and grave are won!

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XVIII.

SPEECH ON A RESOLUTION TO PUT VIRGINIA INTO A STATE OF DEFENCE.

BY PATRICK HENRY.'

But

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MR. PRESIDENT,-No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining, as I do, opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this coun- 10 try. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great re-15 sponsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty towards the Majesty of Heaven, which I20 revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren' till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of 25

wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

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I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging 10 by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British Ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately 15 received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are 20 fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation—the last argu-25 ments to which kings resort. I ask, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumu-30 lation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British Ministry have been so

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