The Shipwreck: A Poem

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William Millar, 1811 - Poets, English - 215 pages

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Page 149 - Wilt thou upon the high and giddy mast Seal up the ship-boy's eyes, and rock his brains In cradle of the rude imperious surge ; And in the visitation of the winds, Who take the ruffian billows by the top, Curling their monstrous heads, and hanging them With deafning clamours in the slippery clouds, That, with the hurly, death itself awakes ? Canst thou, O partial sleep!
Page 127 - Down on the vale of death, with dismal cries, The fated victims shuddering roll their eyes In wild despair; while yet another stroke With deep convulsion rends the solid oak; Till like the mine, in whose infernal cell The lurking demons of destruction dwell, At length asunder torn, her frame divides, And crashing spreads in ruin o'er the tides.
Page 168 - Tis now struck twelve ; get thee to bed, Francisco. FRAN. For this relief much thanks : 'tis bitter cold, And I am sick at heart.
Page 149 - With deafning clamours in the slippery clouds, That, with the hurly, death itself awakes ? Canst thou, O partial sleep! give thy repose To the wet sea-boy in an hour so rude ; And, in the calmest and most stillest night, With all appliances and means to boot, Deny it to a king ? Then, happy low, lie down ! Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.
Page 181 - When we have laughed to see the sails conceive And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind. Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait Following (her womb then rich with my young squire), Would imitate, and sail upon the land To fetch me trifles, and return again As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.
Page 213 - The vessel, while the dread event draws nigh, Seems more impatient o'er the waves to fly. Fate spurs her on. Thus, issuing from afar, Advances to the sun some blazing star; And, as it feels th' attraction's kindling force, Springs onward with accelerated course.
Page 55 - What radiant changes strike th' astonished sight! What glowing hues of mingled shade and light! Not equal beauties gild the lucid west, With parting beams all o'er profusely drest; Not lovelier colours paint the vernal dawn, When orient dews impearl th...
Page 61 - Now to the north, from Afric's burning shore, A troop of porpoises their course explore ; In curling wreaths they gambol on the tide, Now bound aloft, now down the billow glide : Their tracks awhile the hoary waves retain, That burn in sparkling trails along the main. These fleetest coursers of the finny race, When threatening clouds the ethereal vault deface, Their route to leeward still sagacious form, To shun the fury of the approaching storm.
Page 121 - But now Athenian mountains they descry, And o'er the surge Colonna frowns on high : Beside the cape's projecting verge are...
Page 53 - Jove's high hill was rising to the view: When on the larboard quarter they descry A liquid Column towering shoot on high; The foaming base the angry Whirlwinds sweep, Where curling billows rouse the fearful Deep : Still round, and round, the fluid vortex flies, Diffusing briny Vapours o'er the skies. This vast Phenomenon, whose lofty head, In Heaven immersed, embracing clouds o'erspread, In spiral motion first, as Seamen deem, Swells, when the raging whirlwind sweeps the stream. The swift volution,...

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