For the Freedom's Journal

For the Freedom's Journal

"Star of descending night, fair is thy light in the
West! Thou liftest thy unshorn head from thy cloud; thy steps are stately on thy hill. What dost thou behold in the plain? The stormy winds are laid. The murmur of the torrent comes from afar. Roaringwaves climb the distant rock. The flies of evening are on their feeble wings, the hum of their course is on the field. What dost thou behold fair light?"
(Ossian's Address to the Evening star

"I look from my jewel'd sphere in Heaven,
Abroad on the dark and stormy earth;
I see where your mailed chiefs have striven,
How nobly each prov'd his battle worth.
Your bossy shields, and your lightning spears!
What hearts they guard! and what blows they give;
Oh! who, when such warrior forms uprear,
Would dare to strike! or would dream to live?"

`I beam through the azure vaults of space
And pierce to the hearts of your ancient halls;
I view the smile on each furrow'd face,
And anon the tear that trembling falls.
Perchance you dream of your former days,
When your eyes were bright as your swords that flash'd
When your life blood in each vein that plays
in a warmer and fiercer current dash'd!'

`The pleasant past! ye may not recall,
`Tis fled with the gone of a thousand years;
But there are forms where your hopes may fall
On your heroes, young and devoid of fears,
The sons inherit their fathers' fire,
Their bosoms throb for that burnish'd fame
Kept bright from each silver'd sire to sire,
Since Erin bore her hallowed name.'

`Rest then, brave King, from the battle's noise,
The invading hosts have felt thy spear;
How fled they when thy echoing voice
Proclaim'd the meteor sword was near!
Rest, for the heroes of Morven's line
Will prove themselves of ennobled blood;
The spirit of valor shall in them shine,
And nerve them on as the mountain flood.'

Arion

2:16, p. 127

1828.07.11