SUNSET. 533 



worthy woman's oration was true to the letter ; we had converted the 

 parlour into Messenia. Our tea-table had become lone, when 

 Tyrtaeus ceased in our dream we had rushed forwards, throwing out 

 our arms sideways and upsetting the tea-table, and sending our legs 

 forward had put the left into the fire, and brought the full tide of 

 wrath in the shape of a stream of boiling water upon the right. All 

 this, O Tyrtseus, we lay at your door but be of good cheer, thy sins 

 are forgiven thee; the bard who sung " ov$ uvpwa-oupnv " arid 

 " p*xysrev xTa>tto-0 " shall never draw an angry exclamation from 

 the lips of a scholar. 



B. B. 



SUNSET. 



I. 



How beautiful is eve so pure serene, 

 Or when it gilds the front of feudal halls, 

 Buried within the thick wood's shadowy screen, 

 And sheds a lustre o'er the falling walls ; 

 Or when afar the outstretched clouds retire, 

 And roll their volumes vast in waves of fire ; 

 Or when embosomed in the seas of heaven, 

 The bright effulgence shiver'd, rent, and riv'n, 

 Capriciously, fantastically strays, 

 And forms a thousand clustering cyclades. 



II' 



Oh, gaze upon the sky ! behold ! on high, 

 Piled by the breath of the compelling wind, 

 A thousand floating clouds condensed, combin'd, 

 Veer their unknown dimensions curiously. 

 Beneath their outline a pale brilliancy 

 Flashes at times, as if a giant of the sky 

 Had drawn his sword of radiance suddenly. 



III. 



And still the sun, thro* masses piled and roll'd, 

 Pours his full tide of mellow light, that streaming 

 Gives to the humble cot a dome of gold, 

 And leaves the forest-trees all bright and gleaming ; 

 Or battles with the coming mists of night, 

 That from the east begin to wing their flight; 

 Or on the dark green herbage falls, and makes 

 The spreading pasture gleam like fiery lakes. 



IV. 



So in the chequer'd heav'n a crocodile, 

 A mighty monster, flames along the sky, 

 With broad red back, and teeth in triple file, 

 And flashing eyes that glitter fearfully. 

 The wreathed clouds, in many a burning fold 

 Collected, form his scales of purest gold. 



