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THE DEATH OF HIPPOLYTUS.

TRANSLATED FROM RACINE.

The Narrative is addressed to his Father, who had banished him on Account of the false Accusations of Phedra.

WE saw his chariot, as we pass'd the gate:
Graceful in woe, the banish'd hero sat;
As silent, and as sad, his guards around
Cast their full weeping eyes upon the ground.
Loose to the wind his reins neglected float;
His steeds forget to neigh their ardent note;
No more with flashing eye they beat the plain,
With high-curv'd neck, and wildly-waving mane,
But each, with sullen sympathy opprest,
Drags his slow feet, and droops his tow'ring crest.
As we beheld this scene of deep despair,

A sudden roar burst on the silent air;
From the green wave it came, a hideous cry;
The earth, in dreadful echo, roar'd reply.
A chilly horror seiz'd our creeping blood,
With mane erect the list'ning coursers stood;
When, lo! a liquid mountain, vast and wide,
Rose with tremendous bubbling on the tide.
Onward it roll'd, and rolling vaster grew,
Till to the beach its foaming bulk it drew;

There sudden burst, and with redoubled roar
Disgorg'd a furious monster on the shore.
Red were his eyes, of hellish form his face;
His frightful body shining scales encase:
Huge horns rise threat'ning from his forehead bold;
Thick-winding wreaths his sturdy tail enfold.
His bellowings loud th' affrighted welkin pierce-
A mighty bull, a dragon wild and fierce.
The savage prodigy scares all around,

Infects the air, and shakes the' stedfast ground;
The wave that bore him quits the fatal plain,
And back retreats in terrorto the main.
All fly resistance were a vain pretence;
A neighbouring temple offers them defence.
Hippolytus alone, thy godlike son,
Disdains the desperate assault to shun:
From his sure hand a javelin swift he threw,
Which to its destin'd mark unerring flew.
The monster leapt with anguish at the wound,
And, groaning deep, roll'd welt'ring on the ground,
Presenting to the horses' wond'ring gaze

His throat thick-fuming with a hideous blaze.
Starting, in awful dread awhile they stood,

Whelm'd in a mingled spray of fire and smoke and blood;

Then fled precipitate along the plain,

Unheard their master's voice, unfelt the rein.
Vain is his toil, with frantic speed they roam,
Dying their useless bits with bloody foam:
Across the rocks they urge their fiery course;
The axle, creaking with the craggy force,
Now breaks -Hippolytus beholds the car
In shatter'd fragments scatter'd wide and far;

And as his foot a safer station gains,
He falls himself, entangled in the reins.
Excuse my tears: Alas! this scene of woe
Shall bid such tears in streams unceasing flow:
I saw the youth, with reeking gore besmear'd,
Dragg'd by the gen'rous steeds his hands had rear'd.
He calls: the voice they never scorn'd before
Is fruitless now, or only frights them more:
Mangled is ev'ry limb; his clotted locks,
Torn from his head, hang clinging to the rocks.
Near where his parent kings in dust repose,
Their fury spent, the dreadful scene they close.
His gen'rous blood appears, a piteous trace,
Sprinkling the way, and guides us to the place.
I spoke he scarcely rais'd his dark'ning eye,
Stretch'd forth his hand, and check'd by many a sigh,
"The Gods," he cried, "my harmless days thus

end:

"Protect my love! Be thou Aricia's friend! "Should my dear father, by my foes abus'd, "Learn how unjustly was his son accus'd, "Be his atonement to my mourning shade "A gen'rous treatment of the captive maid. "Let him restore" A sigh supplied the rest; He falter'd, droop'd, and sunk upon my breast:From life and woe, from hate and Phedra free, A victim to the wrath of heav'n and thee.

J. K.

THE GHOST OF WALTER *.

"ROUSE, Henry! rouse-nor slumber still,
"Thy pen, thy tongue may yet fulfil
"A Patriot's noblest part!
"Arrest, arrest the felon hand,

"That deals dark murders round the land,
"And mangles Erin's heart!"

Such sounds o'er Henry's restless bed
Their melancholy music shed,

As Walter's sainted shade,
Dim seen at first in gloom of night,
Then gradual gleaming on the sight,
Its awful form display'd.

Graceful the manly arm was wav'd,
As erst when Erin's rights he sav'd,
Those rights to Erin dear;

Bent was the brow, but mild the eye;
And deep and loud the frequent sigh
Was borne to Henry's ear.

"And canst thou sleep?" the vision said:
"Ah! whither is the ardour fled

"That fir'd thy gallant mind; "When, lur'd by us, to Erin's shore, "Her banner Independence bore,

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* The late amiable, eloquent, and truly patriotic Walter H. Burgh, in earnest expostulation, addressing his former friend and arliamentary associate, Henry Grattan.

"Our faith we pledg'd in mutual league, "And spurn'd Corruption's close intrigue, "And Faction's lawless bands:

"Proud Erin saw, and smil'd applause; "While freedom, loyalty, and laws Uprose beneath our hands.

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"And Husbandry resum'd her flail, "And Commerce spread her bellying sail "On seas, unplough'd before; "The rapid shuttle echo'd round, "And ev'ry art a mansion found "On Erin's verdant shore.

"Triumphant pæans Concord sings, "While, hush'd beneath her silver wings, "Contending sects repose; "And Independence rears the pile, "That, glitt'ring o'er our western isle, "With short liv'd glories rose.

"The godlike work we pleas'd survey'd; "Nor saw the dark portentous shade, "That chas'd our dawn away; "The lurid cloud, the stormy tide, "The redd'ning meteor glaring wide, "That blurr'd our op'ning day.

"From Gallia's coast a Demon came, "In Freedom's violated name,

"Instinct with Gallia's art; "From livid lips he scatters round "Smooth glozing words of specious sound, "And winds into the heart.

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