 | The British Months |  |
The month gloomy, but contemplation of it not unpleasing. Beautiful bright morning. Early frosts transient. A stormy night. Reflexions during the storm. Friends in danger. Act of gallantry and humanity in a young sailor
To bid farewell the parting year,
Yet one stage more! Through gloomy skies,
And miry ways, the journey lies;
Dimm'd are the landscape's features fair,
And mute the musick of the air.
Yet oft you see a beaming smile
December of his gloom beguile:
And still to them, who pierce below
The surface, and desire to know
From objects, that the sense employ,
A more than vulgar transient joy;
'Tis no unpleasing task to trace
The sadder traits of nature's face,
And in her frowns and tears to find
Food for the meditative mind.
Clear was the dawn, and fair to-day
The brightness of the morning ray.
And when the sun, all rosy red,
Lit yon south-eastern mountain's head,
Upon a prospect fair he shone,
Fair as he oft has shin'd upon.
The earth, outspread his beams before,
Was mantled with a vesture frore.
And brightened by his orient beam,
Earth with that vesture frore might seem
With tissued robe of silver dight,
And sown with sparkling gems of light.
While heav'n, which first uncurtain'd spread
Around those beams of rosy red,
Disparted then in fillets sheen
Of orange, pink, and golden green;
The heaven at length with cloudless blue,
Pure as the summer's midday hue,
And, casting back that blue again,
Beneath the interminable main,
Join'd in the vision of delight,
And “laughed to see that glorious sight. ”
The brightness of the morning ray.
And when the sun, all rosy red,
Lit yon south-eastern mountain's head,
Upon a prospect fair he shone,
Fair as he oft has shin'd upon.
The earth, outspread his beams before,
Was mantled with a vesture frore.
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Earth with that vesture frore might seem
With tissued robe of silver dight,
And sown with sparkling gems of light.
While heav'n, which first uncurtain'd spread
Around those beams of rosy red,
Disparted then in fillets sheen
Of orange, pink, and golden green;
The heaven at length with cloudless blue,
Pure as the summer's midday hue,
And, casting back that blue again,
Beneath the interminable main,
Join'd in the vision of delight,
And “laughed to see that glorious sight. ”
The show is past. For like a show,
Emblem of all this world below
Can furnish, beauteous, bright, and gay,
Of short duration, swift decay,
Full oft is early winter's frost!
A pageant vain, a transient boast,
It glitters in the morning ray;
As with a breath, it melts away:
And, oft before that glorious sun
Has his meridian summit won,
O'ershadowing mists obscure his face;
Till that resplendent morn give place
To a dim noontide's sight deform,
An eve of gloom, a night of storm.
Emblem of all this world below
Can furnish, beauteous, bright, and gay,
Of short duration, swift decay,
Full oft is early winter's frost!
A pageant vain, a transient boast,
It glitters in the morning ray;
As with a breath, it melts away:
And, oft before that glorious sun
Has his meridian summit won,
O'ershadowing mists obscure his face;
Till that resplendent morn give place
To a dim noontide's sight deform,
An eve of gloom, a night of storm.
Yes, stormy is the night and drear!
Its rage you see not, but you hear
Fast and more fast the ceaseless rain,
Which clatters on the rattling pane
With side-long drift; with bubbling plash
Bursts sputtering from the creaking sash;
Sweeps round the walls, and beats aloof
Right downward on the slated roof:
Mixt with the gusty blast, that howls
And bellows thro' the chimney cowls,
Thro' passages, and quivering doors;
And nook and crevic'd chink explores
With whistle shrill, and long-drawn sigh,
And rush of pinions hurtling by!
Now like the crash of jangling bells,
It peals amain; and now it yells
Heart-stirring sounds: while fancy dreams
She hears commingled shouts and screams,
The noise of conflict in the air,
And now the wailings of despair,
And now disaster's bitter cry:
And listens, while, as in reply,
Sound from the wood responsive tones,
Ear-piercing shouts, and sullen moans!
Its rage you see not, but you hear
447
Which clatters on the rattling pane
With side-long drift; with bubbling plash
Bursts sputtering from the creaking sash;
Sweeps round the walls, and beats aloof
Right downward on the slated roof:
Mixt with the gusty blast, that howls
And bellows thro' the chimney cowls,
Thro' passages, and quivering doors;
And nook and crevic'd chink explores
With whistle shrill, and long-drawn sigh,
And rush of pinions hurtling by!
Now like the crash of jangling bells,
It peals amain; and now it yells
Heart-stirring sounds: while fancy dreams
She hears commingled shouts and screams,
The noise of conflict in the air,
And now the wailings of despair,
And now disaster's bitter cry:
And listens, while, as in reply,
Sound from the wood responsive tones,
Ear-piercing shouts, and sullen moans!
'Tis pleasant then the mind to keep
Suspended from the midnight sleep:
To gratulate our place of rest,
From ill secured, with comfort blest;
And turn a kindly thought on those,
Whom less indulgent lots expose,
On dismal waste, or ocean tide,
The pelting of the storm to bide.
And well it is the mind to raise
To Him, whose will the tempest sways;
To pray of Him, his shield to spread
O'er the defenceless, houseless head;
For blessings, that our home surround,
To breathe the silent thanks profound;
Then calmly, in his safeguard blest,
To “lay us down and take our rest !”
Suspended from the midnight sleep:
To gratulate our place of rest,
From ill secured, with comfort blest;
And turn a kindly thought on those,
Whom less indulgent lots expose,
On dismal waste, or ocean tide,
The pelting of the storm to bide.
And well it is the mind to raise
To Him, whose will the tempest sways;
448
O'er the defenceless, houseless head;
For blessings, that our home surround,
To breathe the silent thanks profound;
Then calmly, in his safeguard blest,
To “lay us down and take our rest !”
Yet oft may tenderer feelings rise
Of sweet domestick charities,
And prompt a warmer pray'r, if one,
A kinsman, or perchance a son,
By kindness as by blood allied,
Be tossing o'er the waters wide!
Of sweet domestick charities,
And prompt a warmer pray'r, if one,
A kinsman, or perchance a son,
By kindness as by blood allied,
Be tossing o'er the waters wide!
Such pray'r for thee, my gallant Boy,
Whose ways my daily thoughts employ,
But most my visions of the night,
When darkness broods and storms affright;
Such pray'r I tender then for thee!
That the Great Ruler of the sea
O'er the tempestuous ocean-tide
May be thy Keeper and thy Guide,
Preserve and give thee good success!
Mix'd with parental thankfulness,
That still his arm hath o'er thee held
In northern floods his guardian shield,
Nor less from danger's Proteus forms
Which haunt that southern “cape of storms,”
Australian, Magellanick seas,
Columbian isles and Cyclades:—
Chief in that peril, when the deep
Receiv'd thee from thy tow'r-like ship
Down plunging, resolute to save
Death's victim from the wintry wave.
And death had triumph'd, but that He,
Who bade thee to the rescue flee,
The flame he lighted in thy breast
With answering skill and vigour blest,
And from the tyrant's closing maw
Empower'd the sinking prey to draw!
A peril, whence, in days of old,
Rome, had she own'd thee, had inroll'd
Thy name with honour for the deed,
And crown'd thee with befitting meed:
For Rome her generous children knew
To recompense with honour due,
Him crowning with her noblest wreath,
Who sav'd a citizen from death!
Whose ways my daily thoughts employ,
But most my visions of the night,
When darkness broods and storms affright;
Such pray'r I tender then for thee!
That the Great Ruler of the sea
O'er the tempestuous ocean-tide
May be thy Keeper and thy Guide,
Preserve and give thee good success!
Mix'd with parental thankfulness,
That still his arm hath o'er thee held
In northern floods his guardian shield,
Nor less from danger's Proteus forms
Which haunt that southern “cape of storms,”
Australian, Magellanick seas,
Columbian isles and Cyclades:—
Chief in that peril, when the deep
Receiv'd thee from thy tow'r-like ship
449
Death's victim from the wintry wave.
And death had triumph'd, but that He,
Who bade thee to the rescue flee,
The flame he lighted in thy breast
With answering skill and vigour blest,
And from the tyrant's closing maw
Empower'd the sinking prey to draw!
A peril, whence, in days of old,
Rome, had she own'd thee, had inroll'd
Thy name with honour for the deed,
And crown'd thee with befitting meed:
For Rome her generous children knew
To recompense with honour due,
Him crowning with her noblest wreath,
Who sav'd a citizen from death!
But truce to thoughts like these! To God
“Who sits above the water-flood ,”
Be mine to lift the voice of praise!
Be mine the voice of pray'r to raise!
Now when the wind in fury raves,
And loud respond the midnight waves,
Where'er at duty's call, remote
O'er the broad sea 'tis thine to float,
Be mine the humble confidence,
Which in the hour of danger, whence
Alone come help and safety, knows,
The faithful spirit's calm repose !
“Who sits above the water-flood ,”
Be mine to lift the voice of praise!
Be mine the voice of pray'r to raise!
Now when the wind in fury raves,
And loud respond the midnight waves,
Where'er at duty's call, remote
O'er the broad sea 'tis thine to float,
Be mine the humble confidence,
Which in the hour of danger, whence
Alone come help and safety, knows,
The faithful spirit's calm repose !
The author desires to take this occasion of expressing to the Royal Humane Society a thankful acknowledgment for their approbation of the act noticed above, testified by their medal, “Ob civem servatum.” It was the opinion of persons conversant with the naval service, that the act would have led to the professional advancement of the young man, then a year past midshipman: especially as his gallant, humane, and meritorious conduct was duly reported and recommended by the Admiral of the station, and the Captain of the ship, to the proper authorities, by whom it was in words acknowledged. After almost three years, however, he is still in the same situation: having now had the honour of serving his Majesty, with a brief interruption, for near ten years, during which he has acquired a high character from every commanding officer under whom he has served.
| The British Months | |