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All appetite had left his maw,
And age disarm'd his mumbling jaw.
His numerous race around him stand
To learn their dying sire's command:
He rais'd his head with whining moan,
And thus was heard the feeble tone:
‘Ah, sons, from evil ways depart;
My crimes lie heavy on my heart.
See, see, the murder'd geese appear!
Why are those bleeding turkeys there?
Why all around this cackling train
Who haunt my ears for chickens slain?'
The hungry foxes round them star'd,
And for the promised feast prepar'd.

'Where, sir, is all this dainty cheer?
Nor turkey, goose, nor hen is here.
These are the phantoms of your brain;
And your sons lick their lips in vain.'

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'Restrain inordinate desire,

'O, gluttons,' says the drooping sire,

'You

And never feel the quiet hour.

Your liquorish taste you shall deplore,
When peace of conscience is no more.
Does not the hound betray our pace,
And gins and guns destroy our race?
Thieves dread the searching eye of power

'T

You

No

'In

'I

Now puts a period to my woe.

Old age (which few of us shall know)

And

T

Let honesty your passions rein;

Would you true happiness attain,

"Yo

So live in credit and esteem,

And the good name you lost, redeem.' 'The counsel's good,' a son replies,

'Could we perform what you advise.

An

N

k what our ancestors have done;
e of thieves from son to son.
as descends the long disgrace,
infamy hath marked our race.

ugh we like harmless sheep should feed,
est in thought, in word, in deed,
atever hen-roost is decreas'd,

shall be thought to share the feast.
change shall never be believ'd,
-st good name is ne'er retriev'd.'
Nay then,' replies the feeble fox,
■t hark, I hear a hen that clucks,)
but be moderate in your food;
nicken, too, might do me good.'

J. Gay

LXXXVI

-LD MAN'S COMFORTS, AND HOW HE GAINED THEM

e old, Father William,' the young man cried, few locks which are left you are grey; hale, Father William, a hearty old man tell me the reason, I pray.'

days of my youth,' Father William replied, member'd that youth would fly fast,

used not my health and my vigour at first, I never might need them at last.'

e old, Father William,' the young man cried, pleasures with youth pass away;

you lament not the days that are gone, tell me the reason, I pray.'

'In the days of my youth,' Father William replied, I remember'd that youth could not last ; I thought of the future whatever I did,

That I never might grieve for the past.'

'You are old, Father William,' the young man cried, 'And life must be hastening away;

You are cheerful, and love to converse upon death, Now tell me the reason, I pray.'

'I am cheerful, young man,' Father William replied, 'Let the cause thy attention engage;

In the days of my youth I remember'd my God,
And He hath not forgotten my age.'

R. Southey

LXXXVII

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

I

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!' he said:
Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

2

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not though the soldier knew

Some one had blunder'd.

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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.

6

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 !

A. Tennyson

LXXXVIII

YE MARINERS OF ENGLAND

Ye mariners of England,

That guard our native seas;

Whose flag has braved a thousand years

The battle and the breeze!

Your glorious standard launch again,

To match another foe!

And sweep through the deep,

While the stormy winds do blow;

While the battle rages loud and long,
And the stormy winds do blow.

The spirits of your fathers

Shall start from every wave !—

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