Desultory Sketches and Tales of Barbados

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H. Washbourne, 1840 - 264 pages

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Page 111 - The night has been unruly : where we lay, Our chimneys were blown down ; and, as they say, Lamentings heard i...
Page 61 - There was a laughing Devil in his sneer, That raised emotions both of rage and fear; And where his frown of hatred darkly fell, Hope withering fled, and Mercy sigh'd farewell!
Page 158 - I plainly saw four dark-coloured resemblances of threads, something like the legs of a spider, rising out of the centre of what I have termed a flower. Their quick spontaneous motion from one side to the other of this circular border of...
Page 244 - ... his name in some immortal verse. To long posterity his praise consign, And pay a life of hardships by a line. While others, — consecrate to higher aims, Whose hallowed bosoms glow with purer flames, Love in their heart, persuasion in their tongue, — With words of peace shall charm the listening throng. Draw the dread veil that wraps the' eternal throne, And launch our souls into the bright unknown.
Page 37 - tis where yon woods are waving, In their dark richness, to the summer air ; Where yon blue stream, a thousand flower-banks laving, Leads down the hills a vein of light, — 'tis there! 'Midst those green wilds how many a fount lies gleaming, Fringed with the violet, colour'd with the skies ! My boyhood's haunt, through days of summer dreaming.
Page 158 - ... out of the centre of the leaves. Their quick spontaneous motion, from one side to the other of this circular border of seeming leaves, which, in reality, were so many arms or feelers, and their closing together like a forceps, as if they had hemmed in their prey, which the yellow border likewise soon surrounded and closed to secure, fully convinced me that it was a living creature. Its body, at a distance, appears to be about as big as a raven's quill, and of a blackish colour ; the one end sticking...
Page 96 - And summer was the tide, and sweet the hour When sire and daughter saw, with fleet descent, An Indian from his bark approach their...
Page 198 - Poor creatures ! theirgood looks were sadly changed. All save the blacks seem'd jaded with vexation, From friends, and home, and freedom far estranged ; The negroes more philosophy display 'd, — Used to it, no doubt, as eels are to be flay'd. (') VIII. Juan was juvenile, and thus was full, As most at his age are, of hope, and health ; Yet I must own, he look'da little dull, And now and then a tear stole down by stealth ; Perhaps his recent loss of blood might pull His spirit down ; and then the...
Page 111 - Lamentings heard i' the air, strange screams of death, xxviii Of dire combustion and confus'd events New hatch'd to the woful time: the obscure bird Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the earth Was feverous and did shake. MACBETH. 'Twas a rough night. LENOX. My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it.
Page 256 - So far this is well ; but the over estimate of himself, which self-importance is apt to engender in his present comparatively unenlightened condition, is attended with many evils...

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