Alfred An Heroic Poem, in Twenty-Four Books. By Joseph Cottle: 4th ed. |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
 | Alfred |  |
Eve hastens now.
Down in the west, with gorgeous clouds array'd,
The orb of day, majestic, slow retires,
O'ercanopied by the effulgence wide,—
Burd'ning the concave; cloud high-heap'd on cloud,
Sapphire and gold, still changing momently,
Yet lovelier for the change!—Now heaven resigns
Her fast-retiring splendors. Gathering clouds
Purple and grey, still deep'ning, fill the air,
Till o'er the earth, and all th' ethereal depths,
Darkness, unbroken, spreads her ebon pall.
Down in the west, with gorgeous clouds array'd,
The orb of day, majestic, slow retires,
O'ercanopied by the effulgence wide,—
Burd'ning the concave; cloud high-heap'd on cloud,
Sapphire and gold, still changing momently,
Yet lovelier for the change!—Now heaven resigns
Her fast-retiring splendors. Gathering clouds
Purple and grey, still deep'ning, fill the air,
Till o'er the earth, and all th' ethereal depths,
Darkness, unbroken, spreads her ebon pall.
| Alfred | |