rection. What his mind could supply at call, or gather in one excursion, was all that he sought, and all that he gave. The dilatory caution of Pope enabled him to condense his sentiments, to multiply his images, and to accumulate all that study. might produce or chance might supply. If the flights of Dryden, therefore, are higher, Pope continues longer on the wing. If of Dryden's fire the blaze is brighter, of Pope's the heat is more regular and constant. Dryden often surpasses expectation, and Pope never falls below it. Dryden is read with frequent astonishment, and Pope with perpetual delight. EXERCISE CXLIX. ALEXANDER, usually called ALEXANDER THE GREAT, son of the celebrated Philip of Macedon, was born in the year 356 B.C. He mounted the throne of his father at the age of twenty, and, after bringing the Grecian states into complete submission, set out for the conquest of Asia. His career of conquest, in the East, was one continuous scene of carnage, till his own death, at Babylon, in June, 323 B. C.. hastened on by drunken revelries, put an end to his inhuman course. Adulation, akin to that supposed in the following piece by Dryden, quite turned his head. TIMO THEUS was a famous musician of Thebes in Boeotia. He was one of those honored with an invitation to the wedding of Alexander. His musical performance is said to have animated the monarch so intensely, that he started up in the midst of the company, and seized his arms. In the ode which follows, Dryden reproduces this incident: representing the king as brought into complete captivity to the charms of music. The Timotheus, here introduced, is not to be confounded with another Timotheus, also a great musician, who was a Milesian, but who died some two or three years before the birth of Alexander. JOVE, or JUPITER, was the supreme deity of the Romans, OLYMPIA, or OLYMPIAS, was the wife of Philip of Macedon, and the mother of Alexan der; BACCHUS was the god of wine, and a son of JUPITER. DARIUS, surnamed CODOM'ANUS, was the reigning king of Persia at the time of Alexander's invasion. THA'ÏS was a famous Athenian beauty who accompanied A'exander on his Eastern exhibition. CECILIA is the name of a Saint whose anniversary is celebrated on the 22d of November. She is the chosen patroness of sacred music. She lived in the third century. ALEXANDER'S ROYAL FEAST. I. 'Twas at the royal feast, for Persia won By Philip's warlike son: Aloft in awful state The godlike hero sat On his imperial throne: His valiant peers were placed around, Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound; (So should desert in arms be crowned.) The lovely Thaïs, by his side, Sat like a blooming Eastern bride, In flower of youth and beauty's pride. Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserves the fair. II. DRYDEN. Timotheus, placed on high Amid the tuneful choir, With flying fingers touched the lyre: The trembling notes ascend the sky, And heavenly joys inspire. The song began from Jove, Who left his blissful seats above, When he to fair Olympia pressed, And stamped an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. The listening crowd admire the lofty sound, * See Exercise preceding. A present deity! they shout around: A present deity! the vaulted roofs rebound. With ravished ears The monarch hears, Assumes the god, And seems to shake the spheres. III. The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung,- The jolly god in triumph comes; He shows his honest face: Now give the hautboys* breath. He comes! he comes! Bacchus, ever fair and ever young, Drinking joys did first ordain; Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. IV. Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain; Fought all his battles o'er again; And thrice he routed all his foes; and thrice he slew the slain The master saw the madness rise; His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; And, while he Heaven and Earth defied, Soft pity to infuse : He sung Darius, great and good, By too severe a fate, * Hautboy (hō' boy), a musical wind instrument. Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, And weltering in his blood; The various turns of Chance below; The mighty master smiled to see Softly sweet, in Lydian* measures, Never ending, still beginning, Take the good the gods provide thee. Gazed on the fair Who caused his care, Aud sighed and looked, sighed and looked, * The Lydians, a people of Asia Minor, were the most effeminate and luxurious of all the Asiatics. Lydian music was, accordingly, of the most effeminate character At length, with love and wine at once oppssed, VI. Now strike the golden lyre again; A louder yet, and yet a louder strain. And rouse him like a rattling peal of thunder. Has raised up his head, As awaked from the dead, And, amazed, he stares around. Revenge! revenge! Timotheus cries, See the Furies arise! See the snakes that they rear! How they hiss in their hair, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Each a torch in his hand! These are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, To the valiant crew. Behold how they toss their torches on high! And glittering temples of their hostile gods! And the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy; To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fired another Troy !* * Thaïs, who is said to have instigated Alexander while he was under the influence of wine, to set fire to the splendid palace of Persepolis, is here made true to her character in directing the mad purpose of the king; and the picture is made more vivid by comparing her to Helen whose fatal beauty caused the downfall of ancient Troy. |