M'Fingal: A Modern Epic Poem

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S. Andrus and son, 1856 - United States - 183 pages
 

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Page 120 - No man e'er felt the halter draw, With good opinion of the law...
Page 24 - No ancient sybil, famed in rhyme, Saw deeper in the womb of time; No block in old Dodona's grove Could ever more orac'lar prove. Nor only saw he all that could be, But much that never was, nor would be; Whereby all prophets far outwent he, Though former days produced a plenty: For any man with half an eye What stands before him can espy; But optics sharp it needs, I ween, To see what is not to be seen.
Page 124 - His flowing wig, as next the brim, First met and drank the sable stream ; 'Adown his visage stern and grave Roll'd and adhered the viscid wave ; With arms depending as he stood, Each cuff...
Page 145 - Robed in the sable garb of woe, With haggard eyes the Poet stood ; Loose his beard, and hoary hair Stream'd, like a meteor, to the troubled air And, with a Master's hand, and Prophet's fire, Struck the deep sorrows of his lyre.
Page 91 - Tories' anger Could now restrain itself no longer ; Who tried before by many a freak, or Insulting noise, to stop the speaker ; Swung th' un-oil'd hinge of each pew-door. Their feet kept shuffling on the floor ; Made their disapprobation known By many a murmur, hum and groan. That to his speech supplied the place Of counterpart in thorough bass.
Page 100 - Drive judges out, like Aaron's calves, By jurisdiction of white staves, And make the bar and bench and steeple Submit t' our Sovereign Lord, The People; By plunder rise to power and glory, And brand all property, as Tory; Expose all wares to lawful seizures By mobbers or monopolizers; Break heads and windows and the peace, For your own interest and increase...
Page 123 - Then through the town attendant ride him In cart with Constable beside him, And having held him up to shame, Bring to the pole, from whence he came.
Page 117 - And tugg'd to raise it from the ground, The fatal spade discharged a blow Tremendous on his rear below: His bent knee fail'd, and void of strength, Stretch'd on the ground his manly length. Like ancient oak o'erturn'd, he lay, Or tower to tempests fall'na prey, Or mountain sunk with all his pines, Or flow'r the plow to dust consigns, And more things else — but all men know "em, If slightly versed in epic poem.
Page 122 - Where sitting round in awful sort The grand Committee hold their Court , While all the crew, in silent awe, Wait from their lips the lore of law. Few momenta with deliberation They hold the solemn consultation ; When soon in, judgment all agree.
Page 115 - Was given him temper'd so, that neither keen Nor solid might resist that edge: it met The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor stay'd, But with swift wheel reverse, deep entering, shared All his right side.

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