Alfred An Heroic Poem, in Twenty-Four Books. By Joseph Cottle: 4th ed. |
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| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
 | Alfred |  |
‘I can declare of wisdom, as I ought,
‘It dwelleth not with me; and I have found
‘This heart too fallible to trust its thoughts
‘With more than common confidence, yet hours,
‘And certain seasons sometimes will be found
‘When the full blaze of truth so strikes the soul,
‘And hides all doubt, that minds of modesty
‘Forget their characters, and half assume
‘The prophet's tone and dignity; as such
‘Seem I to speak: for never did I feel
‘A more fix'd certainty in human ways,
‘Than when I say; If thou dost deck thyself
‘In art and stratagem; if thou dost leave
‘This thy retreat, and wander far away,
‘Hoping to hide the countenance, that tells
‘Of unfeign'd majesty, dare venture near
‘That enemy, the Dane, and, fondly trust
‘Good will attend it, 'tis that trust I fear
‘That bodes destruction, for a certain voice,
‘Tells me that thence, thou never shalt return!’—
Unmoved by opposition, thus the king.
‘Oddune, brave chief! thou may'st as well conspire
‘To stay yon sun, or, to the man, call out,
‘Falling from some high precipice, ‘return!’
‘And think that he will heed thee, as attempt
‘To stop my course!’
‘It dwelleth not with me; and I have found
‘This heart too fallible to trust its thoughts
‘With more than common confidence, yet hours,
‘And certain seasons sometimes will be found
‘When the full blaze of truth so strikes the soul,
‘And hides all doubt, that minds of modesty
‘Forget their characters, and half assume
‘The prophet's tone and dignity; as such
‘Seem I to speak: for never did I feel
‘A more fix'd certainty in human ways,
199
‘In art and stratagem; if thou dost leave
‘This thy retreat, and wander far away,
‘Hoping to hide the countenance, that tells
‘Of unfeign'd majesty, dare venture near
‘That enemy, the Dane, and, fondly trust
‘Good will attend it, 'tis that trust I fear
‘That bodes destruction, for a certain voice,
‘Tells me that thence, thou never shalt return!’—
Unmoved by opposition, thus the king.
‘Oddune, brave chief! thou may'st as well conspire
‘To stay yon sun, or, to the man, call out,
‘Falling from some high precipice, ‘return!’
‘And think that he will heed thee, as attempt
‘To stop my course!’
| Alfred | |