WAR SONG. 157 



vrordjine which came under our cognizance a few days 

 since : six or seven ragged urchins were harnessed as 

 horses, by sundry cords, to a frying-pan, which must un- 

 questionably have seen better days, in this vehicle sat a 

 weatherbeaten lump of juvenility stirring up the speed 

 of his compatriots who were then hauling him along 

 at a slapping pace by repeated and enthusiastic ex- 

 clamations of " My Gor ! this is FINE/' 



The " Valley of the Nymphs" is, as we have already 

 intimated, " a dream of the Golden World/' but, con- 

 sidering that the poem contains but 1000 lines or 

 thereabouts, we think that the gold is rather supera- 

 bundant ; in very sooth there is enough to stock the 

 elaboratory of a worker in the precious metals : to wit, 

 we have " golden sedge-flowers ;" the day " breaking 

 goldenly ;" the lithe poplar, "a spire of leafy gold;" 

 the lake " a golden mirror ;" " the golden Narcissus ;" 

 "golden dreams ;" " golden pomp ;" "golden peaks ;" 

 "golden verdure," &c. 



But on the whole we must honestly say that the 

 effusions of Nr. Johns are 



aurei ac auro magis aurei. 



We recommend the work to all lovers of poetry, and 

 feel quite assured that no one, with the slightest touch 

 of feeling or imagination, will peruse it without expe- 

 riencing much refined intellectual gratification. 



TENTATUS. 



WAR SONG. 



Come, come ! my Hearts, to the battle plain, 



In the ranks of war let honour find us; 

 Despair is hope to die is gain, 



The Name shall live we leave behind us : 

 The tender kiss, the parting sigh, 



Must not be blended with our glory ; 

 The very glance of Beauty's eye 



Is dimmed in fires of martial glory. 

 VOL. in. 1834. x 



