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The poetical works of James Montgomery

collected by himself
Montgomery, James (1771-1854)

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THE WANDERER OF SWITZERLAND:
 I. 
PART I.
 II. 
PART II.
 III. 
PART III.
 IV. 
PART IV.
 V. 
PART V.
 VI. 
PART VI.
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THE WEST INDIES:
 I. 
PART I.
 II. 
PART II.
 III. 
PART III.
 IV. 
PART IV.
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THE WORLD BEFORE THE FLOOD:
  
TO THE SPIRIT OF A DEPARTED FRIEND.
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THE WORLD BEFORE THE FLOOD.
 1. 
CANTO FIRST.
 2. 
CANTO SECOND.
 3. 
CANTO THIRD.
 4. 
CANTO FOURTH.
 5. 
CANTO FIFTH.
 6. 
CANTO SIXTH.
 7. 
CANTO SEVENTH.
 8. 
CANTO EIGHTH.
 9. 
CANTO NINTH.
 10. 
CANTO TENTH.
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GREENLAND:
 1. 
CANTO FIRST.
 2. 
CANTO SECOND.
 3. 
CANTO THIRD.
 4. 
CANTO FOURTH.
 5. 
CANTO FIFTH.
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THE PELICAN ISLAND:
 1. 
CANTO FIRST.
 2. 
CANTO SECOND.
 3. 
CANTO THIRD.
 4. 
CANTO FOURTH.
 5. 
CANTO FIFTH.
 6. 
CANTO SIXTH.
 7. 
CANTO SEVENTH.
 8. 
CANTO EIGHTH.
 9. 
CANTO NINTH.
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PRISON AMUSEMENTS:
  
VERSES TO A ROBIN RED-BREAST,
  
MOONLIGHT.
  
THE CAPTIVE NIGHTINGALE.
  
ODE TO THE EVENING STAR.
  
SOLILOQUY OF A WATER-WAGTAIL ON THE WALLS OF YORK CASTLE.
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THE PLEASURES OF IMPRISONMENT.
 I. 
Epistle I.
 II. 
Epistle II.
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THE BRAMIN.
 I. 
EXTRACT FROM CANTO I.
 II. 
EXTRACT FROM CANTO II.
  
A TALE TOO TRUE
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THOUGHTS ON WHEELS.
 I. 
No. I. THE COMBAT.
 II. 
No. II. THE CAR OF JUGGERNAUT.
 III. 
No III. THE INQUISITION.
 IV. 
No. IV. THE STATE LOTTERY.
 V. 
No. V. TO BRITAIN.
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THE CLIMBING BOY'S SOLILOQUIES.
  
PROLOGUE.
 I. 
No. I. THE COMPLAINT.
 II. 
No. II. THE DREAM.
 III. 
No. III. EASTER-MONDAY AT SHEFFIELD.
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NARRATIVES.
  
FAREWELL TO WAR:
  
LORD FALKLAND'S DREAM.
  
THE PATRIOT'S PASS-WORD.
  
THE VOYAGE OF THE BLIND.
  
AN EVERY-DAY TALE.
  
A TALE WITHOUT A NAME.
  
A SNAKE IN THE GRASS.
  
THE VIGIL OF ST. MARK.
  
A DEED OF DARKNESS.
  
THE CAST-AWAY SHIP.
  
THE SEQUEL.
  
A NIGHT IN A STAGE-COACH;
  
THE REIGN OF SPRING.
  
THE REIGN OF SUMMER.
  
ABDALLAH AND SABAT.
  
THE STRANGER AND HIS FRIEND.
  
THE ADVENTURE OF A STAR.
  
THE SAND AND THE ROCK.
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THE CHRONICLE OF ANGELS.
 I. 
Part I.
 II. 
Part II.
 III. 
Part III.
  
ELIJAH IN THE WILDERNESS.
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MORNA.
  
THE ARGUMENT.
  
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“PERILS BY THE HEATHEN.”
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SONGS ON THE ABOLITION OF NEGRO SLAVERY IN THE BRITISH COLONIES, August 1. 1834.
 I. 
No. I. THE RAINBOW.
 II. 
No. II. THE NEGRO IS FREE.
 III. 
No. III. SLAVERY THAT WAS.
 IV. 
No. IV. SLAVERY THAT IS NOT.
 V. 
No. V. THE NEGRO'S VIGIL,
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Verses to the Memory OF THE LATE RICHARD REYNOLDS, OF BRISTOL.
 I. 
I. THE DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
 II. 
II. THE MEMORY OF THE JUST.
 III. 
III. A GOOD MAN'S MONUMENT.
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MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
  
THE GRAVE.
  
THE LYRE.
  
REMONSTRANCE TO WINTER.
  
SONG.
  
LINES WRITTEN UNDER A DRAWING OF YARDLEY OAK,
  
SONG
  
RELIGION.
  
“THE JOY OF GRIEF.”
  
THE BATTLE OF ALEXANDRIA.
  
THE PILLOW.
  
VERSES TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE JOSEPH BROWNE, OF LOTHERSDALE,
  
THE THUNDER-STORM.
  
ODE TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF BRITAIN
  
HANNAH.
  
A FIELD FLOWER.
  
THE SNOW-DROP.
  
THE OCEAN.
  
THE COMMON LOT.
  
THE HARP OF SORROW.
  
POPE'S WILLOW.
  
A WALK IN SPRING.
  
THE SWISS COWHERD'S SONG IN A FOREIGN LAND.
  
THE OAK.
  
THE DIAL.
  
THE ROSES.
  
TO AGNES.
  
AN EPITAPH.
  
THE OLD MAN'S SONG.
  
THE GLOW-WORM.
  
BOLEHILL TREES.
  
THE MOLE-HILL.
  
M. S. TO THE MEMORY OF “A FEMALE WHOM SICKNESS HAD RECONCILED TO THE NOTES OF SORROW,”
  
THE PEAK MOUNTAINS. IN TWO PARTS.
  
TO ANN AND JANE.
  
OCCASIONAL ODE.
  
A DAUGHTER (C. M.) TO HER MOTHER.
  
CHATTERTON.
  
THE WILD ROSE.
  
ON FINDING THE FEATHERS OF A LINNET
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
DEPARTED DAYS: A RHAPSODY,
  
HOPE.
  
A MOTHER'S LOVE.
  
THE TIME-PIECE.
  
STANZAS TO THE MEMORY OF THE REV. THOMAS SPENCER, OF LIVERPOOL,
  
HUMAN LIFE.
  
THE VISIBLE CREATION.
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
THE BIBLE.
  
INSTRUCTION.
  
THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER.
  
ON THE ROYAL INFANT,
  
A MIDNIGHT THOUGHT.
  
INCOGNITA.
  
THE LITTLE CLOUD.
  
THE ALPS:
  
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
  
YOUTH RENEWED.
  
THE BRIDAL AND THE BURIAL.
  
FRIENDS.
  
A MOTHER'S LAMENT
  
THE WIDOW AND THE FATHERLESS.
  
THE DAISY IN INDIA.
  
THE DROUGHT.
  
A SEA PIECE.
  
ROBERT BURNS.
  
A THEME FOR A POET.
  
NIGHT.
  
MEET AGAIN!
  
VIA CRUCIS, VIA LUCIS.
  
THE PILGRIM.
  
GERMAN WAR-SONG.
  
REMINISCENCES.
  
THE AGES OF MAN.
  
ASPIRATIONS OF YOUTH.
  
A HERMITAGE.
  
THE FALLING LEAF.
  
ON PLANTING A TULIP-ROOT.
  
INSCRIPTION UNDER THE PICTURE OF AN AGED NEGRO-WOMAN.
  
THOUGHTS AND IMAGES.
  
A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.
  
BIRDS.
  
TIME:
  
TO A FRIEND, WITH A COPY OF THE FOREGOING LUCUBRATION.
  
A LUCID INTERVAL.
  
WORMS AND FLOWERS.
  
THE RECLUSE.
  
THE RETREAT.
  
SPEED THE PROW.
  
THE SKY-LARK.
  
THE FIXED STARS.
  
THE LILY.
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THE GENTIANELLA.
  
IN LEAF.
  
IN FLOWER.
  
THE SUN-FLOWER.
  
WINTER-LIGHTNING.
  
HUMILITY.
  
EVENING TIME.
  
REMINISCENCE.
  
A RECOLLECTION OF MARY F.,
  
THE CHOLERA MOUNT.
  
THE TOMBS OF THE FATHERS.
  
A CRY FROM SOUTH AFRICA.
  
TO MY FRIEND, GEORGE BENNET, ESQ., OF SHEFFIELD
  
STANZAS IN MEMORY OF THE REV. JAMES HARVEY,
  
ONE WARNING MORE.
  
THE VEIL.
  
A RIDDLE.
  
ON A WATCH-POCKET
  
TO CYNTHIA
  
FOR J. S.:
  
TO MARGARET
  
ON THE FIRST LEAF OF MISS J.'s ALBUM.
  
TO MARY.
  
SHORT-HAND.
  
THE BLANK LEAF.
  
THE GNAT.
  
AN INFANT'S ALBUM.
  
A WEDDING WISH.
  
MOTTO TO “A POET'S PORTFOLIO.”
  
THE VALENTINE WREATH.
  
THE WIDOW.
  
IN MEMORY OF E. B.,
  
IN MEMORY OF E. G.
  
GARDEN THOUGHTS.
  
TO MR. AND MRS. T., OF YORK:
  
FAREWELL TO A MISSIONARY.
  
THE LOT OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
  
A BENEDICTION FOR A BABY.
  
“OCCUPY TILL I COME.”
  
A MESSAGE FROM THE MOON.
  
THE PURPLE BEECH.
  
FRANKLIN,
  
THE PRESS.
  
THE GRASSHOPPER.
  
EMBLEMS.
  
CORONATION ODE FOR QUEEN VICTORIA.
  
WESTMINSTER ABBEY,
  
A BRIDAL BENISON.
  
THE BLACKBIRD.
  
THE MYRTLE.
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DALE ABBEY.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
  
THE WILD PINK
  
TRANSMIGRATIONS.
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
SONNET.
  
“A CERTAIN DISCIPLE.”
  
STANZAS ON THE DEATH OF THE LATE REV. THOMAS RAWSON TAYLOR, OF BRADFORD, IN YORKSHIRE
  
STANZAS IN MEMORY OF ROWLAND HODGSON, ESQ., OF SHEFFIELD

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A LUCID INTERVAL.

Oh! light is pleasant to the eye,
And health comes rustling on the gale;
Clouds are careering through the sky,
Whose shadows mock them down the dale;
Nature as fresh and fragrant seems
As I have met her in my dreams.
For I have been a prisoner long
In gloom and loneliness of mind;
Deaf to the melody of song,
To every form of beauty blind;
Nor morning dew, nor evening balm,
Might cool my cheek, my bosom calm.
But now the blood, the blood returns
With rapturous pulses through my veins;
My heart from out its ashes burns;
My limbs break loose, they cast their chains;
New kindled at the sun, my sight
Tracks to a point the eagle's flight.
I long to climb those old grey rocks,
Glide with yon river to the deep,
Range the green hills with herds and flocks,
Free as the roebuck run and leap;
Or mount the lark's victorious wing,
And from the depth of ether sing.
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O earth! in maiden innocence,
Too early fled thy golden time;
O earth! earth! earth! for man's offence,
Doom'd to dishonour in thy prime;
Of how much glory then bereft!
Yet what a world of bliss is left!
The thorn, harsh emblem of the curse,
Puts forth a paradise of flowers;
Labour, man's punishment, is nurse
To home-born joys at sunset hours;
Plague, earthquake, famine, want, disease,
Give birth to holiest charities.
And death himself, with all the woes
That hasten yet prolong his stroke,
Death brings with every pang repose,
With every sigh he solves a yoke;
Yea, his cold sweats and moaning strife
Wring out the bitterness of life.
Life, life with all its burdens dear!
Friendship is sweet, love sweeter still;
Who would forego a smile, a tear,
One generous hope, one chastening ill?
Home, kindred, country,—these are ties
Might keep an angel from the skies.
But these have angels never known;
Unvex'd felicity their lot;
The sea of glass before the throne,
Storm, lightning, shipwreck, visit not;
Our tides, beneath the changing moon,
Are soon appeased, are troubled soon.
Well, I would bear what all have borne,
Live my few years, and fill my place;
O'er old and young affections mourn,
Rent one by one from my embrace,
Till suffering ends, and I have done
With every thing beneath the sun.
Whence came I?—Memory cannot say;
What am I?—Knowledge will not show;
Bound whither?—Ah! away, away,
Far as eternity can go:—
Thy love to win, thy wrath to flee,
O God! thyself my teacher be.
1823.
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