ADOSINDA'S REVENGE. Hov'ring and waving; part in fleecy folds, To shape and substance. In the midst there stood Below Loose flow'd her raiment, but her breast was arm'd, That well-known figure, and had well believ'd 6 What, hoa!' she cried, Alcahman! In the name of all who fell At Auria in the massacre, this hour I summon thee before the throne of God, To answer for the innocent blood! This hour! From voice to voice on either side it past Of God! for Spain and Vengeance!' and forthwith The Asturians shouting, in the name of God, Set the whole ruin loose; huge trunks and stones, As when some city by the labouring earth Heav'd from its strong foundations is cast down, From end to end of that long strait, the crash Was heard continuous, and commixt with sounds Of that whole host, in one destruction whelm'd.". 429 p. 298, 299. The Twenty-fourth Book is full of tragical matter, and is perhaps the most interesting of the whole piece. A Moor, on the instigation of Orpas and Abulcacem, pierces Julian with a mortal wound; who thereupon exhorts his captains, already disgusted with the jealous tyranny of the Infidel, to rejoin the standard and the faith of their country; and then requests to be borne into a neighbouring church, where Florinda has been praying for his conversion. They rais'd him from the earth; 430 SOUTHEY'S RODERICK-DEATH OF JULIAN. Gently his men with slow and steady step Their suff'ring burthen bore; and in the Church, Upon Florinda's knees."-p. 307, 308. He then, on the solemn adjuration of Roderick, renounces the bloody faith to which he had so long adhered; and reverently receives at his hand the sacra ment of reconciliation and peace. There is great feeling and energy we think in what follows: Count Julian with amazement saw the Priest 'Roderick!' exclaim'd The spear hung heavy in his side; and pain Back on his daughter's lap. O Death,' cried he,.. Thou tamest the strong limb, and conquerest Him who hath done the wrong!'.. He clos'd his eyes A moment; then with sudden impulse cried, . . Rodrick, thy wife is dead!—the Church hath power To free thee from thy vows! The broken heart Might yet be heal'd, the wrong redress'd, the throne Of that waste life which millions misbestow!..'”—p. 311, 312. Returning weakness then admonishes him, however, of the near approach of death; and he begs the friendly hand of Roderick to cut short his pangs, by drawing forth the weapon which clogs the wound in his side. He then gives him his hand in kindness - blesses and LAST OF HIS BATTLES. 431 kisses his heroic daughter, and expires. The concluding lines are full of force and tenderness. "When from her father's body she arose, Her cheek was flush'd, and in her eyes there beam'd And agony her happy spirit fled!"-p. 313. The Last Book describes the recognition and exploits of Roderick in the last of his battles. After the revolt of Julian's army, Orpas, by whose counsels it had been chiefly occasioned, is sent forward by the Moorish leader, to try to win them back; and advances in front of the line, demanding a parley, mounted on the beautiful Orelio, the famous war horse of Roderick, who, roused at that sight, obtains leave from Pelayo to give the renegade his answer; and after pouring out upon him some words of abuse and scorn, seizes the reins of his trusty steed; and Orelio! old companion,.. my good horse!.. Off with this recreant burthen!'... And with that 'And tell him Roderick sent thee!'"- p. 318, 319. He then vaults upon the noble horse; and fitting Count Julian's sword to his grasp, rushes in the van of the Christian army into the thick array of the Infidel, where, unarmed as he is, and clothed in his penitential robes of waving black, he scatters death and terror around him, and cuts his way clean through the whole host of his opponents. He there descries the army of Pelayo advancing to co-operate; and as he rides up to them with his wonted royal air and gesture, and on his wellknown steed of royalty, both the King and Siverian are instantaneously struck with the apparition; and marvel that the weeds of penitence should so long have concealed their sovereign. Roderick, unconscious of this recognition, briefly informs them of what has befallen, and requests the honourable rights of Christian sepulture for the unfortunate Julian and his daughter. ་ Pelayo answer'd, looking wistfully Upon the Goth, 'thy pleasure shall be done!' His head away in silence. But the old man Laid hold upon his bridle, and look'd up In his master's face weeping and silently! Thereat the Goth with fervent pressure took His hand, and bending down toward him, said, 'My good Siverian, go not thou this day To war! I charge thee keep thyself from harm! Thou art past the age for combats; and with whom If thou wert gone?'" - p. 339. He then borrows the defensive armour of this faithful servant; and taking a touching and affectionate leave of him, vaults again on the back of Orelio; and placing himself without explanation in the van of the army, leads them on to the instant assault. The renegade leaders fall on all sides beneath his resistless blows. "And in the heat of fight Rejoicing and forgetful of all else, Set up his cry, as he was wont in youth, RODRICK THE GOTH!' . . . his war-cry, known so well! Pelayo eagerly took up the word, And shouted out his kinsman's name belov'd, 'Rodrick the Goth! Rod rick and Victory! Rodrick and Vengeance!' Odoar gave it forth ; Urban repeated it; and through his ranks Of his great victory, when Witiza fell, With louder acclamations had that name O'er the field it spread, All hearts and tongues uniting in the cry; THE CONCLUSION. Mountains, and rocks, and vales, re-echo'd round; And he rejoicing in his strength rode on, Laying on the Moors with that good sword; and smote, And trampled down! and still at every blow Exultingly he sent the war-cry forth, Rodrick the Goth! Rod'rick and Victory! - p. 334, 335. 433 The carnage at length is over, and the field is won! but where is he to whose name and example the victory is owing? Of Sella was Orelio found; his legs And flanks incarnadin'd, his poitral smear'd A humble Tomb was found, which bore inscrib'd In ancient characters, King Rod'rick's name!" p, 339, 340. These copious extracts must have settled our readers' opinion of this poem; and though they are certainly taken from the better parts of it, we have no wish to disturb the forcible impression which they must have been the means of producing. Its chief fault undoubtedly is the monotony of its tragic and solemn tonethe perpetual gloom with which all its scenes are overcast and the tediousness with which some of them are developed. There are many dull passages, in short, and a considerable quantity of heavy reading some silliness, and a good deal of affectation. But the beauties, upon the whole, preponderate; and these, we hope, |