And, could your forms to mortal eye appear, 9. If so, forgive the rude, unhallowed feet Which trod so thoughtless o'er your mighty dead. I would not thus profane their lone retreat, Nor trample where the sleeping warrior's head Age after age, still sunk in slumbers sweet. 10. Farewell! and may you still in peace repose; Still o'er you may the flowers, untrodden, bloom, And softly wave to every breeze that blows, Casting their fragrance on each lonely tomb, In which your tribes sleep in earth's common womb, And mingle with the clay from which they rose. SECTION XV. The Ruins. 1. I've seen, in twilight's pensive hour, That dome, where grateful voices sung, 2. I've seen, 'mid sculptur'd pride, the tomb Those who, with laurel'd honors crown'd, 3. I've seen, in death's dark palace laid, That maiden who, while life remain'd, 4. I've seen, where dungeon damps abide, Flint In morbid fancy rave; 5. Nor dome, nor tower in twilight shade, Can with such pathos touch my breast, SECTION XVI. A Summer Evening Meditation. Osborne. 1. 'Tis past! The sultry tyrant of the south : The dazzled sight, but with mild maiden beams New strung in heaven, lifts high its beamy horns, 2. Fair Venus shines Even in the eye of day; with sweetest beam 3. And dancing lusters, where th' unsteady eye, 4. How deep the silence, yet how loud the praise: But are they silent all? or is there not A tongue in every star, that talks with man Turns inward, and beholds a stranger there Has closed his golden eye, and, wrapt in shades, 5. Seized in thought, 6. But O thou mighty mind! whose powerful word Said, "Thus let all things be," and thus they wereWhere shall I seek thy presence? how, unblamed, Invoke thy dread perfection? Have the broad eye-lids of the morn beheld thee? Support thy throne? Oh! look with pity down 7. But now my soul, unused to stretch her powers Barbauld. 229 PART III. CHAPTER I. AMERICAN HISTORY. The Discovery of America:-Settlement of Virginia by the English. 1. AMERICA was discovered in the year 1492, by Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa-an expedition having been fitted out for that purpose, at his most earnest solicitations, by the Spanish government. The project of seeking for a Continent west of the Atlantic, had long been entertained by Columbus; but notwithstanding the perseverance and fortitude with which he brought it to a successful termination, he was defrauded of the just right of associating his name with this vast portion of the earth. In this he was supplanted by Amerigo Vespucci, a native of Florence, who in 1499 went on a voyage to America, and who published an accoun of his adventures so ingeniously framed, as to make it appear that he had the glory of first discovering the continent. 2. But the English were the second people that discovered the new world, and the first that discovered the continent of America. On the 24th of June, 1497, Giovanni Caboto, (or Cabot,) and his son Sebastian, who were commissioned by Henry VIII. to sail in quest of new countries, discovered a large island, to which they gave the name of Prima Vesta, or first seen; now called Newfoundland. From this, they steered to the north, in search of a passage to India; but finding no appearance of a passage, they tacked about, and ran as far as Florida, the island of Cuba, as he relates, being on his left. 3. On the accession of Elizabeth to the crown of England, a period commenced, highly auspicious to mercantile extension. The coast of Labrador was explored by Martin Frobisher, under her auspices, in the years 1576, 7, 8; and Sir Francis Drake, about this time, accomplished his celebrated voyage around the globe. 4. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh, a favorite at that time of the queen, despatched two small vessels, under the command of Philip Amidas and Arthur Barlow, which reached the coast of North Carolina on the 4th of July, making their passage |