Within these folds lie hidden no deceits, PILGRIM. These things are now most clear, thee I embrace: PHINEAS FLETCHER. PHINEAS FLETCHER, a brother of Giles Fletcher, was born in 1584. He was elected from Eton to King's College, and Sir Henry Willoughby gave him the living of Hilgay, in Norfolk, which he held twenty-nine years; when it is supposed he died, 1650. The principal poem of this author is "The Purple Island," in twelve cantos, containing an allegorical description both of the body and soul of man. It has been truly said, that no degree of skill in the poet could render this subject agreeable, as a whole, to the modern reader. It abounds, however, with picturesque passages, and touches of natural and pleasing sentiment. INVOCATION. FROM CANTO XI. OF THE PURPLE ISLAND. THE early morn lets out the peeping day, And strewed his paths with golden marigolds: The moon grows wan, and stars fly all away, Whom Lucifer locks up in wonted folds, Till light is quenched and heaven in seas hath flung The headlong day :-to the hill the shepherds throng, And Thirsil now began to end his task and song. Who now, alas! shall teach my humble vein, And vent her griefs to silent myrtle's shade? Ah, thou dread Spirit! shed thy holy fire, Teach my low muse thy fierce alarms to ring, Such as thou wert within the sacred breast Of that thrice famous poet shepherd-king; Thou flamedst bright with sparkling parted tongues, And brought'st down heaven to earth in those allconquering songs. AN APOSTROPHE TO THE FALLEN EMPIRES OF THE WORLD. FOND man, that looks on earth for happiness, Nor can we pay the fine and rentage due: Why shouldst thou here look for perpetual good, Do but behold where glorious cities stood, There now the hart, fearless of greyhound, feeds, There screeching satyrs fill the people's empty stedes.' Where is the Assyrian lion's golden hide, That all the east once grasped in lordly paw? Where that great Persian bear, whose swelling pride The lion's self tore out with rav'nous jaw? Or he who 'twixt a lion and a pard, Through all the world with nimble pinions fared, And to his greedy whelps his conquered kingdoms shared? Hardly the place of such antiquity, Or note of those great monarchies we find : Only a fading verbal memory, And empty name in writ is left behind: But when this second life and glory fades, And sinks at length in time's obscurer shades, A second fall succeeds, and double death invades. That monstrous beast, which nursed in Tiber's fen, That filled with costly spoil his gaping den, Backed, bridled by a monk, with seven heads yoked stands. And that black vulture, which with dreadful wing Frightened the muses from their native spring, Who then shall look for happiness beneath? Where each new day proclaims, chance, change, and death, And life itself's as fleet as is the air we breathe. 1 Places. THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH. WITH that a thundering noise seemed shake the sky, Or when with boisterous rage the swelling main, Puffed up by mighty winds, does hoarsely roar, And breaking with his waves the trembling shore, His sandy girdle scorns, and breaks earth's rampart door. And straight an angel, full of heavenly might, A silver trumpet oft he loudly blew, Frighting the guilty earth with thundering knell ; And oft proclaimed, as round the world he flew, 'Babel, great Babel, lies as low as hell. Let every angel loud his trumpet sound, Her heaven-exalted towers in dust are drowned; Babel, proud Babel's fallen, and lies as low as ground!" The broken heavens dispart with fearful noise, Well knew the Dragon that all-quelling blast, Yet full of malice and of stubborn pride, Though oft had strove, and had been foiled as oft, Boldly his death and certain fate defied; And, mounted on his flaggy sails aloft, With boundless spite he longed to try again A second loss, and new death;-glad and fain To show his poisonous hate, though ever showed in vain. So So up he arose upon his stretched sails, Fearless expecting his approaching death; up So up he arose, as doth a thunder-cloud, Which all the earth with shadows black doth shroud; So up he arose, and through the weary air he rowed. Now his Almighty foe far off he spies, Whose sun-like arms dazzled the eclipsed day, Like thousand suns in one :-such is their light, Which never can be seen but by immortal sight. hand: His threatening eyes shine like that dreadful flame His armor all was dyed in purple blood, (In purple blood of thousand rebel kings,) In vain their stubborn powers his aim withstood; Their proud necks chained he now in triumph brings, And breaks their spears and cracks their traitor-swords; Was fairly writ, "The King of kings, and Lord of lords.” His snow-white steed was born of heavenly kind, |