Lectures on American Literature: With Remarks on Some Passages of American History

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Elam Bliss, 1829 - 300 pages
 

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Page 8 - To fair Fidele's grassy tomb Soft maids and village hinds shall bring Each opening sweet of earliest bloom, And rifle all the breathing spring. No wailing ghost shall dare appear To vex with shrieks this quiet grove: But shepherd lads assemble here, And melting virgins own their love. No...
Page 190 - And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth ? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
Page 6 - The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself; * Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, And, like the baseless fabric of a vision, Leave not a wreck behind.
Page 47 - The Muse, disgusted at an age and clime Barren of every glorious theme, In distant lands now waits a better time, Producing subjects worthy fame : In happy climes, where, from the genial sun And virgin earth, such scenes ensue. The force of Art by Nature seems outdone, And fancied beauties by the true : In happy climes, the seat of innocence, Where Nature guides, and Virtue rules, Where men shall not impose, for truth and sense, The pedantry of courts and schools : There shall be sung another golden...
Page 47 - There shall be sung another golden age, The rise of empire and of arts, The good and great inspiring epic rage, The wisest heads and noblest hearts. " Not such as Europe breeds in her decay ; Such as she bred when fresh and young, When heavenly flame did animate her clay, By future poets shall be sung. " Westward the course of empire takes its way ; The four first acts already past, A fifth shall close the drama with the day ; Time's noblest offspring is the last.
Page 6 - To overcome in battle, and subdue Nations, and bring home spoils, with infinite Manslaughter, shall be held the highest pitch Of human glory...
Page 7 - For mild he seemed as in Elysian bowers Wasting in careless ease the joyous hours ; Haughty, as bards have sung, with princely sway Curbing the fierce flame-breathing steeds of day ; Beauteous as vision seen in dreamy sleep By holy maid, on Delphi's haunted steep, Mid the dim twilight of the laurel grove Too fair to worship, too divine to love.
Page 8 - No withered witch shall here be seen, No goblins lead their nightly crew: The female fays shall haunt the green, And dress thy grave with pearly dew; The redbreast oft, at evening hours, Shall kindly lend his little aid, With hoary moss, and gathered flowers, To deck the ground where thou art laid.

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