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The boat has left the stormy land,
A stormy sea before her

When, oh! too strong for human hand
The tempest gathered o'er her.

And still they row'd amidst the roar
Of waters fast prevailing:

Lord Ullin reach'd that fatal shore;
His wrath was changed to wailing.

For, sore dismay'd, through storm and shade,
His child he did discover:

One lovely hand was stretch'd for aid,
And one was round her lover.

"Come back! come back!" he cried in grief,

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"Across this stormy water:

And I'll forgive your Highland chief, "My daughter! oh, my daughter!"

'Twas vain: the loud waves lash'd the shore, Return or aid preventing;

The waters wild went o'er his child,

And he was left lamenting.

Campbell.

8. THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT

BRIGADE.

HALF A LEAGUE, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!

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Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not though the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:

Plunged in the battery smoke,

Right through the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reel'd from the sabre stroke

Shatter'd and sunder'd;

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind them

Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O, the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.

Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.

Tennyson.

9.-HIGHLAND MARY.

YE banks and braes1 and streams around

The castle o' Montgomery,

Green be your woods, and fair your flowers,

Your waters never drumlie! 2

There simmer first unfauld her robes,

And there the longest tarry;

For there I took the last fareweel

O' my sweet Highland Mary.

How sweetly bloom'd the gay green birk,3

How rich the hawthorn's blossom

As underneath their fragrant shade
I clasp'd her to my bosom!

The golden hours on angel wings
Flew o'er me and my dearie;
For dear to me as light and life
Was my sweet Highland Mary.

1 slopes. 2 muddy. 3 birch-tree.

Wi' mony a vow and lock'd embrace
Our parting was fu' tender;

And pledging aft to meet again,

We tore oursels asunder;

But O! fell Death's untimely frost,

That nipt my flower sae early!

Now green's the sod, and cauld's the clay,
That wraps my Highland Mary!

O pale, pale now, those rosy lips,
I aft hae kiss'd sae fondly!

And closed for aye the sparkling glance
That dwelt on me sae kindly;
And mouldering now in silent dust
That heart that lo'ed me dearly!

But still within my bosom's core
Shall live my Highland Mary.

Burns.

10. THE ARMADA.

ATTEND all ye, who list to hear, our noble England's praise;
I sing of the thrice famous deeds, she wrought in ancient days,
When that great fleet invincible against her bore in vain
The richestspoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts of Spain.

It was about the lovely close of a warm summer's day,
There came a gallant merchant ship, full sail to Plymouth bay ;
The crew had seen Castile's black fleet, beyond Aurigny's isle,
At earliest twilight, on the waves, lie heaving many a mile.
At sunrise she escaped their van, by God's especial grace;
And the tall Pinta, till the noon, had held her close in chase.
Forthwith a guard, at every gun, was placed along the wall;
The beacon blazed upon the roof of Edgecombe's lofty hall;
Many a light fishing bark put out, to pry along the coast;
And with loose rein, and bloody spur, inland rode many a post.

With his white hair, unbonnetted, the stout old sheriff comes;
Behind him march the halberdiers, before him sound the drums.
The yeomen, round the market cross, make clear an ample space,
For there behoves him to set up the standard of her grace:
And haughtily the trumpets peal, and gaily dance the bells,
As slow, upon the labouring wind, the royal blazon swells.
Look how the lion of the sea lifts up his ancient crown,
And underneath his deadly paw treads the gay lilies down!
So stalked he when he turned to flight, on that famed Picard field,
Bohemia's plume, and Genoa's bow, and Cæsar's eagle shield:
So glared he when, at Agincourt, in wrath he turned to bay,
And crushed and torn, beneath his claws, the princely hunters
lay,
Ho! strike the flag-staff deep, sir knight! ho! scatter flowers,
Ho, gunners! fire a loud salute! ho, gallants! draw your blades!
Thou sun, shine on her joyously! ye breezes, waft her wide!
Our glorious semper eadem! the banner of our pride!

[fair maids!

The freshening breeze of eve unfurled that banner's massy fold-
The parting gleam of sunshine kissed that haughty scroll of gold.
Night sunk upon the dusky beach, and on the purple sea;
Such night in England ne'er had been, nor e'er again shall be.
From Eddystone to Berwick bounds, from Lynn to Milford bay,
That time of slumber was as bright, as busy as the day;
For swift to east, and swift to west, the warning radiance spread--
High on S. Michael's Mount it shone-it shone on Beachy Head.
Far o'er the deep, the Spaniard saw, along each southern shire,
Cape beyond cape, in endless range, those twinkling points of fire,
The fisher left his skiff to rock on Tamar's glittering waves,
The rugged miners poured to war, from Mendip's sunless caves:
O'er Longleat's towers, o'er Cranbourne's oaks, the fiery herald
flew-
[lieu.

He roused the Shepherds of Stonehenge-the rangers of Beau-
Right sharp and quick the bells rang out, all night, from Bris-

tol town;

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