And, with a withering look,

The war-denouncing trumpet took,

And blew a blast so loud and dread,

Were ne'er prophetic sounds so full of woe.
And ever and anon he beat

The doubling drum with furious heat;
And though, sometimes, each dreary pause between,
Dejected Pity, at his side,

Her soul-subduing voice applied,

Yet still he kept his wild, unaltered mien, While each strained ball of sight seemed bursting from his head.

Thy numbers, Jealousy, to naught were fixed—

Sad proof of thy distressful state

;

Of differing themes the veering song was mixed,

And now it courted Love-now, raging, called on Hate.

With eyes upraised, as one inspired,

Pale Melancholy sat retired,

And from her wild, sequestered seat,

In notes by distance made more sweet,

Poured through the mellow horn her pensive soul;

And, dashing soft from rocks around,

Bubbling runnels joined the sound;

Through glades and glooms the mingled measures stole,
Or o'er some haunted streams, with fond delay,

Round a holy calm diffusing,

Love of peace, and holy musing,

In hollow murmurs died away.

But, oh! how altered was its sprightlier tone
When Cheerfulness, a nymph of healthiest hue,
Her bow across her shoulders flung,

Her buskins gemmed with morning dew,

Blew an inspiring air that dale and thicket rung—

The hunter's call to Faun and Dryad known :

The oak-crowned sisters and their chaste-eyed Queen,

Satyrs and sylvan boys, were seen

Peeping from forth their alleys green;

Brown Exercise rejoiced to hear,

And Sport leaped up and seized his beechen spear.

Last came Joy's ecstatic trial:

He, with viny crown advancing,

First to the lively pipe his hand addressed;

But soon he saw the brisk awakening viol,

Whose sweet, entrancing voice he loved the best. They would have thought, who heard the strain, They saw in Tempé vale her native maids, Amidst the festal-sounding shades,

To some unwearied minstrel dancing ;
While, as his flying fingers kissed the strings,
Love framed with mirth a gay, fantastic round;
Loose were her tresses seen, her zone unbound;
And he, amidst his frolic play,

As if he would the charming air repay,
Shook thousand odours from his dewy wings.

O Music! sphere-descended maid,
Friend of Pleasure, Wisdom's aid,
Why, goddess, why, to us denied,
Lay'st thou thy ancient lyre aside ?
As in that loved Athenian bower
You learnt an all-commanding power,
Thy mimic soul, O nymph endeared!
Can well recall what then it heard.
Where is thy native simple heart,
Devote to virtue, fancy, art?
Arise, as in that elder time,
Warm, energetic, chaste, sublime.
Thy wonders in that god-like age,
Fill thy recording sister's page.

"Tis said (and I believe the tale),
Thy humblest reed could more prevail,
Had more of strength, diviner rage,
Than all which charms this laggard age;
Even all at once together found—
Cecilia's mingled world of sound.
O bid our vain endeavours cease!
Revive the just designs of Greece !
Return in all thy simple state!
Confirm the tales her sons relate!

MERCY.

Shakspere.-"Merchant of Venice."

The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings:
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this-
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.

ROLLA'S APPEAL TO THE PERUVIANS.

Sheridan.

My brave associates !—partners of my toil, my feelings, and my fame! Can Rolla's words add vigour to the virtuous energies which inspire your hearts ?—No !--You have judged, as I have, the foulness of the crafty plea by which these bold invaders would delude you. Your generous spirit has compared, as mine has, the motives which, in a war like this, can animate their minds and ours. They, by a strange frenzy driven, fight for power, for plunder, and extended rule ;-we for our country, our altars, and our homes. They follow an adventurer whom they fear, and obey a power which they hate; we serve a monarch whom we love, a God whom we adore. Whene'er they move in anger, desolation tracks their progress. Whene'er they pause in amity, affliction mourns their friendship. They boast they come but to improve our state, enlarge our thoughts, and free us from the yoke of error !—Yes!—they-they will give enlightened freedom to our minds, who are themselves the slaves of passion, avarice, and pride! They offer us their protection-Yes! such protection as vultures give to the lambs-covering and devouring them! They call on us to barter all of good we have inherited and proved, for the desperate chance of something better which they promise. Be our plain answer this: The throne we honour is the people's choice-the laws we reverence are our brave fathers' legacy-the faith we follow teaches us to live in bonds of charity with all mankind, and die with hope of bliss beyond the grave. Tell your invaders this, and tell them, too, we seek no change; and least of all, such change as they would bring us.

THE CAPTURE OF GIBRALTAR BY THE ENGLISH.

The rock of Gibraltar is an immense mountain of stone, rising abruptly from the sea, at the southern extremity of Spain, and of the European continent. It is separated into two distinct parts by a lofty ridge, which, beginning abruptly at the northern extremity, rises still higher, until it has reached an elevation of 1,400 feet, thence declining gradually, and terminating in Europa Point, the southern extremity of Europe. The eastern section, which looks upon the Mediterranean, is either perfectly perpendicular, or else so steep and craggy as to be altogether inaccessible. The western front, though interspersed with dangerous precipices, offers some gradual slopes, which have furnished sites to the town. On this side are the only landing places.

Gibraltar was for a long time a stronghold of the Moors, but subsequently becoming an appendage to the Spanish crown, its fortifications were at different times enlarged and strengthened, until it was esteemed impregnable.

In the year 1704, Great Britain having espoused the cause of Charles III., who had been nominated to the Spanish crown in consequence of the death of Charles II. without issue, and in opposition to the Duke of Anjou, second son of the Dauphin of France—who had, in virtue of his predecessor's will, taken possession of the vacant throne by the title of Philip V.,-Sir George Rooke was despatched with a powerful fleet, and a strong body of troops, to escort his Majesty to his kingdom, and put him in possession of it. The people, however, of Spain, appearing to be nearly unanimous in favour of Philip, and none of them flocking to his standard on his landing at Barcelona, he was compelled on the following day to re-embark. Several schemes were then proposed, particularly an attack on Cadiz, which was soon found to be impracticable, for want of a sufficient number of land forces ; and it was at length determined to make an attempt upon Gib