The everlasting hills: but who hath dared To dream that heaven's most awful attribute Invested bis mortality, and to boast That through its inmost folds his glance could read One heart, one human heart? Why, then, to love And trust is but to lend a traitor arms Of keenest temper and unerring aim, Wherewith to pierce our souls. But thou, beware! Sebastian lives! Sylv. If it be so, and thou Art of his followers still, then bid him seek Seb. This is to live An age of wisdom in an hour! The man Sylv. Fare thee well! I may not pause to hear thee, for thy words Are full of danger, and of snares, perchance Seb. Ha! ha! The snake Doth pride himself in his distorted cunning, And tremble in the presence of thy lord! Sylv. This is all madness. Seb. Madness! no—I say 'Tis Reason starting from her sleep, to feel, Sylv. What now avail These recollections? Seb. What? I have seen thee shrink, As a murd'rer from the eye of light, before me:' Sylv. It is thy part To tremble for thy life. Seb. They that have look'd Upon a heart like thine, should know too well Would trample should be thus. It is enough Thou may'st depart. Sylv. And thou, if thou dost prize Thy safety, speed thee hence. [Exit SriiVEiRA. Seb. (alone.) And this is he Who was as mine own soul: whose image rose, Shadowing my dreams of glory with the thought That on the sick man's weary couch he lay* CHORUS. The conquer'd billows of the western deep, Or wander where the morn 'Midst the resplendent Indian heavens is born, Waft o'er bright isles, and glorious worlds the fame Of the crown'd Spaniards name: Till in each glowing zone Its might the nations own, And bow to him the vassal knee Whose sceptre shadows realms from sea to sea. Seb. Away—away! this is no place for him Whose name hath thus resounded, but is now A word of desolation. [j ODE ON THE DEFEAT OF KING SEBASTIAN OF PORTUGAL, AND HIS ARMY, IN AFRICA. TRANSLATED FBOM THE SPANISH OF HEBREBA. Ferdinand De Herrera, surnamed the Divine, was a Spanish poet, who lived in the reign of Charles V., and is still considered by the Castilians as one of their classic writers. He aimed at the introduction of a new style into Spanish poetry, and his lyrics are distinguished by the sustained majesty of their language, the frequent recurrence of expressions and images, derived apparently from a fervent study of the prophetic books of Scripture, and the lofty tone of national pride maintained throughout, and justified indeed by the nature of the subjects to which some of these productions are devoted. This last characteristic is blended with a deep and enthusiastic feeling of religion, which rather exalts than tempers the haughty confidence of the poet in the high destinies of his country. Spain is to him what Judea was to the bards who sung beneath the shadow of her palm-trees—the chosen and favoured land, whose people, severed from all others by the purity and devotedness of their faith, are peculiarly called to wreak the vengeance of Heaven upon the infidel. |