Of Nature's Laws, and Nature's mighty King -Eighteenth century translation, anonymous. ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH. Born in Liverpool, January 1, 1819; died in Florence, November 13, 1861. For a time Fellow at Oriel, Oxford. A gifted poet of rare spiritual sensitiveness, moral sincerity, delicate humor, and absolute intellectual honesty. See "Poems and Memoir" (by F. T. Palgrave, 1862); Poems and Prose Remains" (1869). SAY NOT THE STRUGGLE NAUGHT AVAILETH SAY not, the struggle naught availeth, The enemy faints not, nor faileth, If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars; For while the tired waves, vainly breaking, And not by eastern windows only, When daylight comes, comes in the light, SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE SAMUEL TAYLOR Coleridge. An English poet, philosopher, and liter ary critic of high rank, and an intimate friend and associate of Wordsworth and Southey. Born at Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire, October 21, 1772; died July 25, 1834. Author of "The Ancient Mariner," "Wallenstein,' "Christabel," "Poems on Various Subjects," "Aids to Reflection," "Table Talk." The best edition of Coleridge's works is that edited by Professor Shedd in seven volumes. THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER PART I It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three: "By thy long gray beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp'st thou me? "The Bridegroom's doors are open'd wide, The guests are met, the feast is set: He holds him with his skinny hand: "There was a ship," quoth he. "Hold off! unhand me, graybeard loon!" Eftsoons his hand dropt he. He holds him with his glittering eye An ancient Mariner meeteth three gallants bidden to a wedding-feast, and detaineth one. The wedding-guest is spellbound by the eye of the old seafaring man, and constrained to hear his tale. The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone, And thus spake on that ancient man, "The ship was cheer'd, the harbor clear'd, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top. "The Sun came up upon the left, Out of the sea came he! And he shone bright, and on the right Higher and higher every day, Till over the mast at noon The bride hath paced into the hall, Nodding their heads before her goes The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast, "And now the STORM-BLAST came, and he Was tyrannous and strong: He struck with his o'ertaking wings, And chased us south along. "With sloping masts and dripping prow, As who pursued with yell and blow The Mariner tells how the ship sailed southward with a good wind and fair weather, till it reached the line. The wedding-guest heareth the bridal music; but the Mariner continueth his tale. The ship drawn by a storm toward the south pole. The ship drove fast, loud roar'd the blast, "And now there came both mist and snow, And ice, mast-high, came floating by, "And through the drifts the snowy cliffs. Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken "The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It crack'd and growl'd, and roar'd and howl'd, "At length did cross an Albatross: As if it had been a Christian soul, "It ate the food it ne'er had eat, "And a good south-wind sprung up behind; And every day, for food or play, "In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, It perch'd for vespers nine; Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white, "God save thee, ancient Mariner ! From the fiends, that plague thee thus! Why look'st thou so?"-"With my cross-bow The land of ice, and of fearful sounds, where no living thing was to be seen. Till a great sea-bird, called the Albatross, came through the snow fog, and was received with great joy and hospitality. And lo! the Albatross proveth a bird of good omen, and followeth the ship as it returned northward through fog and floating ice. The ancient Mariner inhospitably killeth the pious bird of good omen. PART II "The Sun now rose upon the right: Still hid in mist, and on the left "And the good south-wind still blew behind, But no sweet bird did follow, Nor any day for food or play Came to the mariner's hollo! "And I had done an hellish thing, For all averr'd, I had kill'd the bird 'Ah wretch!' said they, 'the bird to slay, "Nor dim nor red, like God's own head, Then all averr'd, I had kill'd the bird "The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow follow'd free; We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea. Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down, 'Twas sad as sad could be; And we did speak only to break His shipmates cry out against the ancient Mariner, for killing the bird of good luck. But when the fog cleared off, they justify the same, and thus make themselves accomplices in the crime. The fair breeze continues; the ship enters the Pacific Ocean and sails northward, even till it reaches the Line. The ship hath been suddenly becalmed. The silence of the sea! "All in a hot and copper sky, The bloody Sun, at noon, |