Ship to shine in martial story, And the thunders of her wrath. Foes shall crowd their sails and fly thee, Gallant bark! thy pomp and beauty TO A YOUNG LADY, WHO ASKED ME TO WRITE SOMETHING ORIGINAL FOR HER ALBUM. AN original something, fair maid, you would win me To write-but how shall I begin? For I fear I have nothing original in me- EPISTLE, FROM ALGIERS, TO HORACE SMITH. DEAR HORACE! be melted to tears, With a shaver1 from France who came o'er, Do you ask me the sights and the news Alas! my hotel has its mews, But no muse of the Helicon's spring. 1 On board the vessel from Marseilles to Algiers I met with a fellow passenger whom I supposed to be a physician from his dress and manners, and the attentions which he paid me to alleviate the sufferings of my sea-sickness. He turned out to be a perruquier and barber in Algeria-but his yocation did not lower him in my estimation-for he continued his attentions until he passed my baggage through the customs, and helped me, when half dead with exhaustion, to the best hotel. My windows afford me the sight Here are groups for the painter to take, And the Frenchman disguised in his wine. In his breeches of petticoat size You may say, as the Mussulman goes, That his garb is a fair compromise 'Twixt a kilt and a pair of small-clothes. The Mooresses, shrouded in white, Save two holes for their eyes to give room, Seem like corpses in sport or in spite That have slyly whipp'd out of their tomb. The old Jewish dames make me sick: Such hags should not mount a broom-stick But hipp'd and undined as I am, My hippogriff's course I must rein— For the pain of my thirst is no sham, Though I'm bawling aloud for champagne. 1 A mantle worn by the natives. Dinner's brought; but their wines have no pithThey are flat as the statutes at law; And for all that they bring me, dear Smith! Would a glass of brown stout they could draw! O'er each French trashy dish as I bend, And the round tears, O England! descend Yes, my soul sentimentally craves British beer.-Hail, Britannia, hail! To thy flag on the foam of the waves, And the foam on thy flagons of ale. Yet I own, in this hour of my drought, There are melons too, luscious and great, Horrid pun! you 'll exclaim; but be calm, I will palm no more puns upon you. FRAGMENT OF AN ORATORIO, FROM THE BOOK OF JOB. HAVING met my illustrious friend the Composer Neukomm, at Algiers, several years ago, I commenced this intended Oratorio at his desire, but he left the place before I proceeded farther in the poem; and it has been thus left unfinished. CRUSH'D by misfortune's yoke, Job lamentably spoke 66 My boundless curse be on The day that I was born; Quench'd be the star that shone Upon my natal morn. In the grave I long To shroud my breast; Where the wicked cease to wrong, And the weary are at rest." Then Eliphaz rebuked his wild despair: "What Heaven ordains, 'tis meet that man should bear. Lately, at midnight drear, A vision shook my bones with fear; A spirit pass'd before my face, And yet its form I could not trace; |