Written in the first Leaf of a Common Place Book.
O'ER these blank leaves may Inspiration beam, And Fancy paint her magic fictions here; The passing scenes that to her view appear, The noon-day musing, and the midnight dream! But, more than all, the airy shapes that stream Before her wondering sight in radiance clear 'Twixt wake and sleep, when Phœbus 'gins to steer From the red east his heavenly-harness'd team! So with Amanda's smiles, whose image fair In all my dreams, and all my musings wild Still claims the greatest and the sweetest share, Perchance my labours soft may be beguil'd! Dear Maid, for thy applause I only care! Favor'd by thee, I have not vainly toil'd.
WEARIED of walking, for the Sun was high, And fervid was his ray, I sought the shade; With violets prank'd, and daisies trim array'd, A bank I saw; where, winding, wandering nigh, A stream irriguous ran; -my length I laid Along the green declension of its slope :- Soft sorrows sooth'd my soul-and "Oh," said I, Contemplating the brook that babbled by, "Emblem of Time, of Nature, and of Hope!- "Continual as thy current, Time shall fly, "And Nature shall decay, and Hope shall fade."- Thus did I moralize in mournful trope,
And ponder pensive parallels: and then Full of sad musings-I got up again.
A SPECIMEN OF A TRANSLATION,
SPANISH, OF THE ARAUCANA,
BY ALONZO DI ERCILLA I ZUNIGA.
The two first Cantos contain a description of the country and character of the Araucanians, their conquest by Valdivia, their conspiracy and revolt, which was projected in such secrecy, that, as appears, the Spaniards were nearly taken unprepared; this led to the miserable end of Valdivia, described in the following extract, as his avarice had contributed to the general odium in which he was held.
The valley where they met for their consultations is thus de scribed by Alonzo, who probably had seen it
In an umbrageous vale the seniors meet, Embosom'd deep in woods, a cool retreat, Where gentle Flora sheds her annual blooms, And with her fragrant scents the air perfumes.
The sweet perfumes the Zephyrs waft away, Deep whisp'ring thro' the groves in wanton play; And to the limpid stream that purls below The rising gales in solemn concert blow. Here, in a sylvan theatre, they find An ample space, where all their tribes combin'd, Could meet at large to banquet or debate In graver mood the business of the State. Th' assembling clans within this bowery scene Repose, where scarce a fiery shaft between From Phœbus can descend, so close above The hand of Summer weaves the solemn grove.
O thirst of gold! disease without a cure! What toils thy persevering slaves endure! Thou common vice, whose long, tenacious spell, The noblest energies of mind can quell! Thy deadly charms the human soul unbind From Heaven, and let her drive before the wind.
Thou public foe! insatiate as the tomb, A dropsy's rage distends thy craving womb; From thee those countless ills derive their source, That deluge all the world with headlong course: Disguis'd by thee, the pomp of state appears A troubled journey thro' a vale of tears; Thou bidst the peasant wail his luckless lot, And spurn the blessings of his peaceful cot. * Each morning from Potosi's sunless caves, Five toiling myriads of devoted slaves,
* Cinquanta mil vassallos. Orig.
Five golden MARKS for each incessant bore, To proud Valdivia, yet he long'd for more : Tho' wealthy, still in want, by sloth betray'd, And love of gold, he in his mines delay'd, Till from the potent grasp of mighty Spain, The land was rescu'd with its num'rous train; By him in evil hour, these vales were found So long conceal'd within the southern bound; For him Bellona stretch'd her sway afar, Follow'd by dire Oppression, worse than War Till rous'd to rage, with unsuppressive might, The hardy Araucanians claim'd their right, And all the rigours of unlawful sway Call'd forth those powers that held her rage at bay. How well in calm prosperity we know Due counsel on the wretched to bestow! And much the fruitless theory we prize, Tho' for ourselves the practice we despise. How learn'd we seem beneath the tranquil shade, In every chance of warfare's deadly trade! With what keen scorn the favourites of the sky Survey their brethren in adversity; And as they stumble in the vale of Death, Censure attends them thro' the slippery path; Still judging by th' event; but Heaven alone, By whose just hand the lots of life are thrown, Can tell why some are wreck'd on Fortune's steep, While others sail secure the smiling deep.
* Led on by fates averse, Valdivia past In long disastrous march the lonely waste, Not with such headlong and ungovern'd speed, As late he us'd his haughty bands to lead,
* The story is continued from the second Canto, where the steps that led to the revolt are detailed.
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