 | Poetical Trifles |  |
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THE DUKE OF BENEVENTO. A TALE.
I hate a prologue to a story
Worse than the tuning of a fiddle,
Squeaking and dinning:
Hang order and connection,
I love to dash into the middle;
Exclusive of the fame and glory,
There is a comfort on reflection
To think you've done with the beginning.
Worse than the tuning of a fiddle,
Squeaking and dinning:
Hang order and connection,
I love to dash into the middle;
Exclusive of the fame and glory,
There is a comfort on reflection
To think you've done with the beginning.
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And so at supper one fine night,
Hearing a cry of Alla, Alla,
The Prince was damnably confounded,
And in a fright,
But more so when he saw himself surrounded
By fifty Turks; and at their head the fierce Abdalla.
Hearing a cry of Alla, Alla,
The Prince was damnably confounded,
And in a fright,
But more so when he saw himself surrounded
By fifty Turks; and at their head the fierce Abdalla.
And then he look'd a little grave
To find himself become a slave,
And thought the Corsair rather in a hurry,
Out of all rules,
To make the Duke of Benevento curry,
And take care of his mules:
But as 'twas vain to make a riot,
Without grimace,
Or a wry face,
He gave a shrug, and rubb'd his mules in quiet.
To find himself become a slave,
And thought the Corsair rather in a hurry,
Out of all rules,
To make the Duke of Benevento curry,
And take care of his mules:
But as 'twas vain to make a riot,
Without grimace,
Or a wry face,
He gave a shrug, and rubb'd his mules in quiet.
It would have been great sport
To all the puppies of the court
To view these changes, and disasters;
But their enjoyments
Were damp'd by certain slovenly employments,
Not more amusing than their master's.
To all the puppies of the court
To view these changes, and disasters;
But their enjoyments
Were damp'd by certain slovenly employments,
Not more amusing than their master's.
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But who can paint his grief,
Who can describe the transports of his sorrow,
When he beheld Almida's charms
Conducted to Abdalla's arms,
And saw no prospect of relief;
But that the blooming maid,
By cruel destiny betray'd,
Must no more triumph in that name to-morrow.
Who can describe the transports of his sorrow,
When he beheld Almida's charms
Conducted to Abdalla's arms,
And saw no prospect of relief;
But that the blooming maid,
By cruel destiny betray'd,
Must no more triumph in that name to-morrow.
Not understanding what he said,
Seeing him caper like an antic,
And tear his hair, and beat his head,
The Eunuch wisely judged him to be frantic.
Seeing him caper like an antic,
And tear his hair, and beat his head,
The Eunuch wisely judged him to be frantic.
But she, the lovely cause of all his care,
Darting a look to his enraptur'd soul,
Might soften e'en the madness of despair;
Bade him his weak, unmanly rage controul,
Each favouring opportunity improve;
And bade him dare to hope, and bade him dare to love.
Darting a look to his enraptur'd soul,
Might soften e'en the madness of despair;
Bade him his weak, unmanly rage controul,
Each favouring opportunity improve;
And bade him dare to hope, and bade him dare to love.
The Corsair in a transport of surprise,
When he beheld Almida's sparkling eyes,
Her faultless figure, her majestic air,
The graceful ringlets of her auburn hair,
That twin'd in many a fold to deck,
Not hide the dazzling whiteness of her neck;
The various charms her flowing robe reveal'd,
While fancy whisper'd to his throbbing heart
Each nameless beauty, that well-judging art,
To fix the roving mind, had carefully conceal'd.
When he beheld Almida's sparkling eyes,
Her faultless figure, her majestic air,
The graceful ringlets of her auburn hair,
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Not hide the dazzling whiteness of her neck;
The various charms her flowing robe reveal'd,
While fancy whisper'd to his throbbing heart
Each nameless beauty, that well-judging art,
To fix the roving mind, had carefully conceal'd.
“O Mahomet! I thank thee,” he exclaim'd,
“That to thy servant thou hast given
“This bright inhabitant of heaven;
“To gild the progress of his life below,
“For him this beauteous Houri fram'd;
“Enjoyment I have known, but never lov'd till now.”
“That to thy servant thou hast given
“This bright inhabitant of heaven;
“To gild the progress of his life below,
“For him this beauteous Houri fram'd;
“Enjoyment I have known, but never lov'd till now.”
Then with a smile
Might ev'n a Stoic's heart beguile,
The fair one with a little flattery
To his charm'd ears address'd her battery.
Might ev'n a Stoic's heart beguile,
The fair one with a little flattery
To his charm'd ears address'd her battery.
“Still may my Lord (said she) approve
“The happy object of his love,
“Then when Almida sues,
“Let not Abdalla's heart her first request refuse:
“Deign to suspend but for three days
“The progress of your amorous flame,
“And to console my heart for these delays,
“Grant me two small requests that I shall name.
“The happy object of his love,
“Then when Almida sues,
“Let not Abdalla's heart her first request refuse:
“Deign to suspend but for three days
“The progress of your amorous flame,
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“Grant me two small requests that I shall name.
“The first is to desire,
“If you incline,
“Five hundred lashes for two friends of mine,
“And just as many for a Fry'r;
“The next a litter, and two mules,
“The heavy hours of absence to amuse,
“Besides a Muleteer that I shall chuse,
“At my disposal, subject to my rules.”
“If you incline,
“Five hundred lashes for two friends of mine,
“And just as many for a Fry'r;
“The next a litter, and two mules,
“The heavy hours of absence to amuse,
“Besides a Muleteer that I shall chuse,
“At my disposal, subject to my rules.”
So said, the culprit knaves appear,
Upon each rascal's pamper'd hide
The stripes are in due form applied,
Which done, she chose
You may suppose
Her lover, for her Muleteer.
Upon each rascal's pamper'd hide
The stripes are in due form applied,
Which done, she chose
You may suppose
Her lover, for her Muleteer.
Then with a voice sweet as an angel's song,
While Tancred with attentive ear
In silent rapture stoop'd to hear,
The Beauteous Maid the silence broke,
Conviction follow'd as she spoke,
And truth, and soft persuasion, dwelt on her enchanting tongue.
While Tancred with attentive ear
In silent rapture stoop'd to hear,
The Beauteous Maid the silence broke,
Conviction follow'd as she spoke,
And truth, and soft persuasion, dwelt on her enchanting tongue.
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“With grief those scenes unwilling I disclose,
“Whence every error, each misfortune rose;
“When pleasures of the lowest, meanest kind,
“Unnerv'd your feeble frame, and check'd the progress of your mind.
“In vain your people's curses, or their tears,
“Your heart assail'd,
“Two flattering knaves had charm'd your ears,
“And Raymond vainly counsel'd, or as vainly rail'd;
“Whence every error, each misfortune rose;
“When pleasures of the lowest, meanest kind,
“Unnerv'd your feeble frame, and check'd the progress of your mind.
“In vain your people's curses, or their tears,
“Your heart assail'd,
“Two flattering knaves had charm'd your ears,
“And Raymond vainly counsel'd, or as vainly rail'd;
“He was your father's friend, wise, honest, brave,
“Him you displac'd,
“And listening to the malice of a slave,
“The Guardian of your Crown was banish'd, and disgrac'd.
“Him you displac'd,
“And listening to the malice of a slave,
“The Guardian of your Crown was banish'd, and disgrac'd.
“Me too you lov'd, and I approv'd the flame
“In hopes my counsels might have weight,
“To prompt you to redress the state,
“And save from infamy your sinking name.
“In hopes my counsels might have weight,
“To prompt you to redress the state,
“And save from infamy your sinking name.
“But soon your Confessor, the crafty Priest,
“Rage, hate, and malice, rankling in his breast,
“With timorous scruples fill'd your wavering mind,
“In vain each finer feeling strove
“To guard your heart, and court it to be kind,
“While haggard superstition triumph'd over love.
“Rage, hate, and malice, rankling in his breast,
“With timorous scruples fill'd your wavering mind,
“In vain each finer feeling strove
“To guard your heart, and court it to be kind,
“While haggard superstition triumph'd over love.
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“But justice still pursues betimes,
“E'en now, for she directs the hour,
“The Priest, and the vile partners of his pow'r,
“Feel vengeance overtake their crimes.
“E'en now, for she directs the hour,
“The Priest, and the vile partners of his pow'r,
“Feel vengeance overtake their crimes.
“The Turks unnotic'd march, last night's surprise,
“The foe unthought-of thundering at the gate,
“At length have clear'd your eyes,
“Their treacherous negligence is found, is felt too late.
“The foe unthought-of thundering at the gate,
“At length have clear'd your eyes,
“Their treacherous negligence is found, is felt too late.
“No more of this unpleasing strain,
“If thinking, acting like a man;
“Reform'd by slavery's painful chain,
“Virtue within your breast resume her reign,
“Inspire your thoughts, and guide your future plan,
“My heart will still be your's: e'en Raymond too
“Still loves his Prince, to him repair,
“Confess your faults, his aid demand,
“The gallant veteran waits but your command,
“To spread his conquering banners to the air,
“To sacrifice his life with you,
“Or rescue and relieve his native land.
“If thinking, acting like a man;
“Reform'd by slavery's painful chain,
“Virtue within your breast resume her reign,
“Inspire your thoughts, and guide your future plan,
“My heart will still be your's: e'en Raymond too
“Still loves his Prince, to him repair,
“Confess your faults, his aid demand,
“The gallant veteran waits but your command,
“To spread his conquering banners to the air,
“To sacrifice his life with you,
“Or rescue and relieve his native land.
“Abdalla claims my promise in three days.
“Think then on me,
“Danger and death attend delays,
“Be virtuous, be daring, and be free.”
“Think then on me,
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“Be virtuous, be daring, and be free.”
The Lady's sermon was a little long,
Not but she talk'd both well and wittily,
And then she look'd so prettily,
Her eyes excus'd the freedoms of her tongue.
Not but she talk'd both well and wittily,
And then she look'd so prettily,
Her eyes excus'd the freedoms of her tongue.
For when a favourite mistress speaks,
We always think her in the right,
E'en though she talk for days, or weeks,
Or in the middle of the night.
We always think her in the right,
E'en though she talk for days, or weeks,
Or in the middle of the night.
To say the truth her speech was rather rough,
But as she promis'd him her heart,
Upon the whole he took it in good part,
And as he lov'd her, lik'd it well enough.
But as she promis'd him her heart,
Upon the whole he took it in good part,
And as he lov'd her, lik'd it well enough.
So thank'd her for the good advice,
And took his leave, and ere he went,
By way of compliment,
Call'd her his guardian angel, his sweet tutor,
And kiss'd her fair hand, once, or twice,
And swore to be a good boy for the future.
And took his leave, and ere he went,
By way of compliment,
Call'd her his guardian angel, his sweet tutor,
And kiss'd her fair hand, once, or twice,
And swore to be a good boy for the future.
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In short it was so settled; the third night,
By good luck too 'twas dark as hell,
Tancred with Raymond and a chosen band
Surprise the guards, who in their fright
Make but a shabby stand,
And enter at the gates pell-mell.
By good luck too 'twas dark as hell,
Tancred with Raymond and a chosen band
Surprise the guards, who in their fright
Make but a shabby stand,
And enter at the gates pell-mell.
Mean time Abdalla, snug in bed,
Finding Almida staid away so long,
Suspecting there was something wrong,
Look'd out; and found his troops were kill'd, or gone,
Himself a prisoner, and alone,
And Tancred reigning in his stead.
Finding Almida staid away so long,
Suspecting there was something wrong,
Look'd out; and found his troops were kill'd, or gone,
Himself a prisoner, and alone,
And Tancred reigning in his stead.
And now the sore-back'd scoundrels in a trice
Came kindly with their counsels, and advice,
Proposing as a pious work
Just to impale
Or stick a hedge-stake through the tail
Of the poor Turk.
Came kindly with their counsels, and advice,
Proposing as a pious work
Just to impale
Or stick a hedge-stake through the tail
Of the poor Turk.
Indignant fury flash'd from Tancred's eye—
“Ye vile corruptors of my youth,
“Ye foes to honour, honesty, and truth,
“Hence from my sight, nor offer a reply:
“If the third day
“Within the limits of this state
“Disclose your stay;
“Not e'en Almida's self shall save you from your fate.
“Ye vile corruptors of my youth,
“Ye foes to honour, honesty, and truth,
“Hence from my sight, nor offer a reply:
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“Within the limits of this state
“Disclose your stay;
“Not e'en Almida's self shall save you from your fate.
“Go, brave Abdalla, to your native shore,
“From sloth, from vice, from infamy,
“Your kind instructions and assistance
“Have haply set me free;
“Thanks for your visit, pray return no more,
“Let us be always friends, but at a distance.
“From sloth, from vice, from infamy,
“Your kind instructions and assistance
“Have haply set me free;
“Thanks for your visit, pray return no more,
“Let us be always friends, but at a distance.
“And now, my better angel, whose kind care
“The mists of error from my sight dispel'd,
“Burst the vile fetters that my reason held,
“Restor'd fair wisdom's gentle sway,
“Guided my steps to her, and pointed out the way;
“Now, while my people's eager voice,
“And Raymond too confirms my choice,
“O come, my heavenly fair!
“Ascend, adorn, and bless my throne;
“Still with that cheering influence preside,
“My life, my future conduct guide,
“Inspire my raptur'd heart, and make it virtuous as your own.”
“The mists of error from my sight dispel'd,
“Burst the vile fetters that my reason held,
“Restor'd fair wisdom's gentle sway,
“Guided my steps to her, and pointed out the way;
“Now, while my people's eager voice,
“And Raymond too confirms my choice,
“O come, my heavenly fair!
“Ascend, adorn, and bless my throne;
“Still with that cheering influence preside,
“My life, my future conduct guide,
“Inspire my raptur'd heart, and make it virtuous as your own.”
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