THE STORMY PETREL. 185 III. SEA-SIDE THOUGHTS. "WHETHER We consider the ocean as rearing its tremendous billows in the midst of the tempest, or as stretched out into a smooth expanse-whether we consider its immeasurable extent, its mighty movements, or the innumerable beings which glide through its rolling waves-we cannot but be struck with astonishment at the grandeur of that Omnipotent Being who holds its waters in the hollow of his hand,' and who has said to its foaming surges, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.'”— Dick's Christian Philosopher. BEAUTIFUL, sublime, and glorious Sun, and moon, and stars, shine o'er thee, See thy surface ebb and flow, Yet attempt not to explore thee In thy soundless depths below. Whether morning's splendours steep thee Earth-her valleys, and her mountains, Thy unfathomable fountains, Scoff his search and scorn his sway. Such art thou, stupendous ocean! Can we think, without emotion, BERNARD BARTON. IV. THE STORMY PETREL. "THE flight of the petrel is very swift, and on wings even more rapid than those of the swallow, it wheels round the labouring ship, descends into the trough of the waves, and mounts over the curling crests, secure amidst the strife of waters: often, with wings expanded, is it seen to stand, as it were, on the summit of the billow and dip its bill into the water, no doubt in order to pick up some small crusta ceous animal. Seldom does it settle on the waters to swim, and it is totally incapable of diving, as many have erroneously supposed. During a gale at sea the petrel is all animation."-Knight's Pictorial Museum. A THOUSAND miles from land are we The hull which all earthly strength disdains, Up and down! up and down! From the base of the wave to the billows' crown, The stormy petrel finds a home; A home,-if such a place can be For her who lives on the wide wide' sea, And only seeking her rocky lair To warn her young, and teach them to spring, At once o'er the waves on their stormy wing! O'er the deep! o'er the deep! Where the whale, and the shark, and the swordfish sleep! The petrel telleth her tale in vain : For the mariner curseth the warning bird, Who bringeth him news of the storm unheard: BARRY CORNWALI 1. What is the effect of the reduplica- 2. The ellipsis in this line? tion of the adjective here? THE SHIP FOUNDERING. V. THE SHIP FOUNDERING. 187 "THEY that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heavens; they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them into their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men !"- Psalm cvii. 23-31. "How accurately has Byron described the whole progress of a shipwreck to the final catastrophe."-Sir John Burrow. THEN rose from sea to sky the wild farewell Then shrieked the timid, and stood still the brave,'Then some leaped overboard with dreadful yell, As eager to anticipate their grave;2 And the sea yawned around her3 like a hell, And down she sucked with her the whirling wave, Like one who grapples with his enemy, And strives to strangle him before he die. And first one universal shriek there rushed, A solitary shriek, the bubbling cry 1. Put these two lines into their natural order. Is anything gained by the transposition? BYRON. 2. Fill up the ellipsis in this line. VI. DANGERS OF THE DEEP. "THE poet that beautified the sect, that was otherwise inferior to the rest, saith yet excellently well, 'It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore, and to see ships tost upon the sea; a pleasure to stand in the window of a castle, and to see a battle, and the adventures thereof below; but no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of truth (a hill not to be commanded, and where the air is always clear and serene), and to see the errors, and wanderings, and mists, and tempests, in the vale below;' so always that this prospect be with pity, and not with swelling or pride."-Bacon's Essays. 'Tis pleasant by the cheerful hearth to hear 1. What is the difference between the two phrases, hear of and hear tempests? SOUTHEY. 2. In what sense is perilous used here} 3. Show the propriety of this word? VII. THE CAST-AWAY SHIP. "THE subject of the two following poems was suggested by the loss of the Blenheim, commanded by Sir Thomas Trowbridge, which was separated from the vessels under its convoy during a storm in the Indian ocean. The admiral's son afterwards made a voyage without success in search of his father. Trowbridge was one of Nelson's captains at the battle of the Nile, but his ship unfortunately ran aground as he was bearing down on the enemy."-Montgomery. THE CAST-AWAY SHIP. A VESSEL sailed from Albion's shore With broad sea-laurels crown'd; A gay and gallant company That deep, that like a cradled child In breathing slumber lay, More warmly blushed, more sweetly smil❜d, Majestic o'er the sparkling tide With swelling winds and shadowy pride, Britannia's cheeks grew pale, When lessening through the flood of light Oft had she hailed its trophied prow And bannered masts that would not bow 189 |