SELECTIONS FROM THE POEMS OF DRUMMOND. THESE SELECTIONS CONTAIN THE WHOLE OF DRUMMOND'S POEMS WORTH PRESERVING. TEARS ON THE DEATH OF MELIADES. O HEAVENS! then is it true that thou art gone, A comet blazing terror to the East; And neither that thy spirit so heavenly wise, Nor royal stem, nor thy sweet tender age, Of cruel destinies could quench the rage? Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of James the First. Mæliades is the name which that prince assumed in all his challenges of a martial sort; as the anagram of "Miles a Deo." Vide the Life.-P. C. 261 'Cruel destinies,"-" adamantine fates," in the early editions. O fading hopes! O short-while lasting joy Forc'd by hard fates,' do heavens neglect our cries? Then let them do their worst, since thou art gone, When scarce thou blossom'dst in thy pleasant prime: At half that doth her bashful bosom close; That late did blush when kiss'd by Phoebus' rays.3 The life of all this all so chang'd to be; In gloomy gowns the stars this loss deplore, 4 The sea with murmuring mountains beats the shore; 1 "Hard fates"—"grim destinies." 2 For, "Are stars set only to act tragedies ?"-" Stars seem set only," &c. Vide Pope's Essay on Criticism, Part 2. "Like some fair flower the early spring supplies, That gaily blooms, but e'en in blooming dies." 4 "This loss"-"about." Black darkness reels o'er all, in thousand show'rs If heaven, alas! ordain'd thee young to die, 'Mong sounding trumpets, fiery twinkling gleams3 1 "Why was't not where thou might'st thy valour try;"—"Why was it not where thou thy might didst try.” 2 For "wond'ring"-" hopeful." For " 'Mong sounding trumpets, fiery twinkling gleams""Amongst shrill sounding trumpets, flaming gleams." For "vermilion"-" encrimson'd." • For "on"-"by." • For "'Mongst broken spears," &c. "Amongst crush'd lances, ringing helms, and shields, Dismember'd bodies ravishing the fields." 7 For "thy triumph and thy tomb!"-"thy triumphs, place, and tomb!" |