The tempest, as its sudden swell
In gusty howlings came,

With cold and deathlike feelings seem'd
To thrill his shuddering frame.
Reluctant now, as night came on,
His lonely couch he press'd;
And wearied out, he sunk to sleep,-
To sleep-but not to rest.

Beside that couch his brother's form,
Lord Edmund, seem'd to stand;
Such and so pale, as when in death
He grasp'd his brother's hand.
Such and so pale his face, as when,
With faint and faultering tongue,
To William's care, a dying charge,
He left his orphan son.

"I bade thee with a father's love
My orphan Edmund guard-
Well, William, hast thou kept thy charge!
Now take thy due reward!"

He started up, each limb convulsed

With agonizing fear:

He only heard the storm of night,—

'Twas music to his ear.

When, lo! the voice of loud alarm
His inmost soul appals;
"What, ho! Lord William, rise in haste!
The water saps thy walls!"

He rose in haste, beneath the walls
He saw the flood appear;

It hemm'd him round, 'twas midnight now,
No human aid was near!

He heard the shout of joy, for now
A boat approach'd the wall;
And, eager to the welcome aid,
They crowd for safety all.-

"My boat is small," the boatman cried,

.66

"Twill bear but one away;

Come in, Lord William! and do ye
In God's protection stay."

Strange feeling fill'd them at his voice,
Even at that hour of wo,

That, save their lord, there was not one
Who wish'd with him to go.

But William leapt into the boat,

His terror was so sore;

Thou shalt have half my gold!" he cried,
Haste!-haste to yonder shore!"

The boatman plied the oar, the boat
Went light along the stream→
Sudden Lord William heard a cry,
Like Edmund's drowning scream.

The boatman paused: "Methought I heard
A child's distressful cry!"

"Twas but the howling wind of night,"

Lord William made reply;

Haste!-haste!-ply swift and strong the oar! Haste!-haste across the stream!"

Again Lord William heard a cry,

Like Edmund's drowning scream. "I heard a child's distressful voice," The boatman cried again.

"Nay, hasten on!-the night is darkAnd we should search in vain!"

And, oh! Lord William, dost thou know
How dreadful 'tis to die?

And canst thou, without pitying, hear
A child's expiring cry?

How horrible it is to sink

Beneath the chilly stream,

To stretch the powerless arms in vain,
In vain for help to scream!"

The shriek again was heard: It came
More deep, more piercing loud:
That instant, o'er the flood, the moon
Shone through a broken cloud :

And near them they beheld a child,
Upon a crag he stood,

A little crag, and all around
Was spread the rising flood.

K

The tempest, as its sudden swell
In gusty howlings came,

With cold and deathlike feelings seem'd
To thrill his shuddering frame.

Reluctant now, as night came on,
His lonely couch he press'd;
And wearied out, he sunk to sleep,--
To sleep-but not to rest.

Beside that couch his brother's form,
Lord Edmund, seem'd to stand;
Such and so pale, as when in death
He grasp'd his brother's hand.
Such and so pale his face, as when,
With faint and faultering tongue,
To William's care, a dying charge,
He left his orphan son.

"I bade thee with a father's love
My orphan Edmund guard-
Well, William, hast thou kept thy charge!
Now take thy due reward!"

66

He started up, each limb convulsed

With agonizing fear:

He only heard the storm of night,'Twas music to his ear.

When, lo! the voice of loud alarm

His inmost soul appals;

What, ho! Lord William, rise in haste!

The water saps thy'walls!"

He rose in haste, beneath the walls

He saw the flood appear;

It hemm'd him round, 'twas midnight now,

No human aid was near!

He heard the shout of joy, for now
A boat approach'd the wall;
And, eager to the welcome aid,
They crowd for safety all.-

"My boat is small," the boatman cried,

.66

"Twill bear but one away;

Come in, Lord William! and do ye
In God's protection stay."

66

Strange feeling fill'd them at his voice,
Even at that hour of wo,

That, save their lord, there was not one
Who wish'd with him to go.

But William leapt into the boat,

His terror was so sore;

Thou shalt have half my gold!" he cried,
Haste!-haste to yonder shore!"

The boatman plied the oar, the boat
Went light along the stream→→
Sudden Lord William heard a cry,
Like Edmund's drowning scream.

The boatman paused: "Methought I heard
A child's distressful cry!"

"Twas but the howling wind of night,"

Lord William made reply;

Haste!-haste!-ply swift and strong the oar! Haste!-haste across the stream!'

Again Lord William heard a cry,

Like Edmund's drowning scream. "I heard a child's distressful voice," The boatman cried again. "Nay, hasten on!-the night is darkAnd we should search in vain!"

"And, oh! Lord William, dost thou know
How dreadful 'tis to die?

And canst thou, without pitying, hear
A child's expiring cry?

"How horrible it is to sink

Beneath the chilly stream,

To stretch the powerless arms in vain,
In vain for help to scream!"

The shriek again was heard: It came
More deep, more piercing loud:
That instant, o'er the flood, the moon
Shone through a broken cloud:

And near them they beheld a child,
Upon a crag he stood,

A little crag, and all around
Was spread the rising flood.

K

The boatman plied the oar, the boat
Approach'd his resting-place;
The moon-beam shone upon the child,
And show'd how pale his face.

"Now reach thine hand!" the boatman cried,
Lord William, reach and save!"-

The child stretch'd forth his little hands, the hand he gave―

To

grasp

Then William shriek'd; the hand he touch'd
Was cold, and damp, and dead!
He felt young Edmund in his arms!

A heavier weight than lead!

The boat sunk down, the murderer sunk
Beneath the avenging stream;

He rose, he shriek'd -no human ear
Heard William's drowning scream!

The Mariners of England.

YE Mariners of England!

That guard our native seas!

Whose flag has braved, a thousand years,
The battle and the breeze!

Your glorious standard launch again,

To match another foe!

And sweep through the deep,

While the stormy tempests blow;

While the battle rages loud and long,

And the stormy tempests blow!

The spirits of

your fathers

Shall start from every wave!

For the deck it was their field of fame,
And Ocean was their grave;

Where Blake and mighty Nelson fell,
Your manly hearts shall glow,
As ye sweep through the deep,
While the stormy tempests blow!
While the battle rages loud and long,
And the stormy tempests blow!

Southey.