ARGUMENT.

Brief coruscations_Italy under the thraldom of the Pope-Charlemagne

-Sigh for Italy-Shame to the nations—Who restored to the world the long lost lore of the ancients—Who called back the Muses, Dante-Titian_ Tasso — Cosmo di Medici-Lorenzo di MediciGaza-Pletho—Barbaric conquest-Leo X. the great patron of learning and learned men-Galileo_What the reward to Italy for all she had done-Ages of strife—The prey of avaricious states— Religion made the cloak of worldly ambition_Italy torn and distractedEarly policy of Germany-Portentous times—Ambition of AustriaDomineering—Hope for Italy - Alexander of Russia–His death, Cause of—Disaffection in Russia_Nicholas, his clemency-PrussiaOrigin of the kingdom-Held together by military prowess--King esteemed-A people's rights—Union best sublimes—Better to grant timely what is reasonable, than have it imperiously demanded The reign of arts-A good machine-A happy state—Make the people good— Discontent from overlearning—The working bees.--A good wish for Sweden-Bernadotte-Belgium, advice to-Divide would you be conquered—A comparison- The Bull family-Switzerland, land of the brave and the free-Early love of_Prayer for-Spain as a Roman province—Ancient glory of_Spain, where's thy memory ?The Cid—Alberni-Spain, hast thou no shame ?-Ferdinand-El Conde- Mina—Valdez-South America—Lusitania-Constitution broken—A blush-Don Miguel-Advice to-An injured innocentThe Rose of England—Revolts–Our native country-Fermentations_King William IV.-Late Premier—Sir Robert Peel-Caution to Reformers-St Giles's Church-Viva voce-Earl Grey-Aspiration for Union-Ireland_Scotland_Concord_Commiseration for a fallen Monarch-Duchess of Angouleme-Duchess of Berri and her two children-Adverse winds-Power of England-A gentle hint-Cologne yet prosperous——“ Eau de Cologne”– Tomb of Duns Scotus Sir Walter Scott-Petrarch-Rubens-Smiled when baptized-Crucifixion of St Peter—Funeral ceremony in the Dome of Cologne Fonke, a pious priest—A vestal-Humble piety_Modern artists Alarms of revolts and disturbances in many countries—Colonia quiet -Resolution to remain there during the winter-A prayer for the peace of England and the freedom of the Poles—A lady sues for tales of sorrow—The Broken Heart-Poor Adelaide, The EglantineThe Felon--Inscription for a Tomb-A Dying Gift - An Orient clime.

a

FITZ-RAYMOND.

CANTO III.

I.

The coruscations were but vague and brief,

Which play'd amidst the darkness of that age. Iberia drank not deep in true belief;

Italia, dead to all save Papal rage.

Howe'er fam’d Charlemagne would oft assuage
Religious feuds,that Hero who perus’d,

Alas! in vain, the Roman's polish'd page,
Or at his death he never had diffus'd ?
A mighty empire, soon to be abus’d.

2

? Quintius Curtius Rufus, who wrote the history of Alexander, and is supposed to have flourished in the time of Vespasian or Trajan.

2 Charlemagne put an end to the kingdom of Lombardy, by overthrow

II.

Natural bulwarks.

Poor Italy ! who would not weep for thee,

Who had a tear still lingering in his brain ?
Erst first in glory, first in majesty,

How art thou fallen !—“ How are the mighty slain !"

Do not thy very bulwarks look disdain ?
And cry aloud, as through a power divine,

“ One kingdom, joy, and union "," we'd maintain !
Those bold gigantic shields ! are they not thine ?
What shores are bath'd by a more bounteous brine ?

1

1

III.

nations.

Shame on the The nations-shame! all selfish

grown

and proud, Unmindful who the brightening bays regain'd ;

ing Desiderius, A. D. 772. A few years later, in 800, he had address enough to get himself invested with the imperial purple, by Pope Leo (II. at Rome; after which ceremony, he was universally acknowledged as Emperor of the West. He died at Aix-la-Chapelle in 814, Bernard, the natural son of Charlemagne's eldest son Pepin, obtaining possession of the kingdom of Italy, while Louis, the younger son of Charlemagne, inherited the empire. So soon ensued the same miseries which arose after the death of Alexander, and from a similar cause, divided dominion,—the history of Europe, for several ages after Charlemagne’s death, being little more than a catalogue of crimes.

What time the Latins, and bold Baldwin, vow'd

Fell vengeance 'gainst Byzantium, and enchain'da,
But for fair Venice, what had then remain'd

Of Attic lore, lost to the western race ?

Howe'er good Chrysolorus, pious, deign'd, Greek as he was, to teach, and teach with grace, In Rome, those beauties time can ne'er deface.

An accomplished Greek.

* It was in A. D. 1204, that Constantinople was taken by Count Baldwin and his followers, consisting of French, Germans, and Venetians. They entered the city with little or no resistance, and put all who opposed them to the sword. It was the first time that the eastern capital had been taken, though besieged by the Caliphs of Persia on no less than eight different occasions. The advantages arising to the western world from the Crusades were many, by leading the nations to those regions where the Greek learning, though much neglected, was not yet defiled by the conquest of the metropolis. Hallam tells us, that at the period we contemplate, however great havoc was made amongst the libraries of Constanti. nople, yet it must also be allowed, that much must have been treasured and brought to Italy; and we know well, that, when the city had ceased to belong to the Greeks, many Venetians remained, and made themselves acquainted with various branches of trade and the arts, which then enriched that capital, till, after the expiration of fifty-seven years, it was retaken by Michael Palæologus.

2 It was about 800 years after the building of Constantinople by Constantine, that it was taken by the Latins. The wealth it then contained has been estimated at £800,000. Villehardoun, a knight of Champaigne, has written a very interesting account of this siege, and the affairs of those days.

3 It was a few years before the termination of the fourteenth century,