66 RELIGION OF REVOLUTIONARY MEN. Born into that undying life, They leave us but to come again; With joy we welcome them—the same, And ever near us, though unseen, The dear, immortal spirits tread: Is life-there are no dead. I RELIGION OF REVOLUTIONARY MEN.-LAMARTINE. KNOW-I sigh when I think of it-that hitherto the French People have been the least religious of all the Nations of Europe. The great men of other countries live and die on the scene of history, looking up to Heaven. Our great men live and die looking at the spectator; or, at most, at posterity. Open the history of America, the history of England, and the history of France. Washington and Franklin fought, spoke, and suffered, always in the name of God, for whom they acted; and the liberator of America died confiding to God the liberty of the People and his own soul. Sidney, the young martyr of a patriotism, guilty of nothing but impatience, and who died to expiate his country's dream of liberty, said to his jailer, "I rejoice that I die innocent toward the king, but a victim, resigned to the King on High, to whom all life is due." The Republicans of Cromwell sought only the way of God, even in the blood of battles. But look at Mirabeau on the bed of death. "Crown me with flowers," said he; "intoxicate me with perfumes. Let me die to the sound of delicious music." Not a word was there of God or of his own soul! Sensual philosopher, supreme sensualism was his last desire in his agony! Contemplate Madame Roland, the strong-hearted woman of the Revolution, on the cart that conveyed her to death. Not a glance toward Heaven! Only one word for the earth she was quitting: "O Liberty, what crimes in thy name are committed!" Approach the dungeon door of the Girondins. Their last night is a banquet, their only hymn the Marseillaise! Hear Danton on the platform of the scaffold: "I have had a good time of it; let me go to sleep." Then, to the executioner: "You will show DYING SPEECH OF MARINO FALIERO. 67 my head to the People; it is worth the trouble!" His faith, annihilation; his last sigh, vanity! Behold the Frenchman of this latter age! What must one think of the religious sentiment of a free People, whose great figures seem thus to march in procession to annihilation, and to whom death itself recalls neither the threatenings nor the promises of God! The Republic of these men without a God was quickly stranded. The liberty, won by so much heroism and so much genius, did not find in France a conscience to shelter it, a God to avenge it, a People to defend it, against that Atheism which was called glory. All euded in a soldier, and some apostate republicans travestied into courtiers. An atheistic Republicanism cannot be heroic. When you terrify it, it yields. When you would buy it, it becomes venal. It would be very foolish to immolate itself. Who would give it credit for the sacrifice,-the People ungrateful, and God non-existent? So finish atheistic Revolutions! DYING SPEECH OF MARINO FALIERO.-LORD BYRON. I SPEAK to Time and to Eternity, Of which I grow a portion, not to man. Ye elements! in which to be resolved I hasten, let my voice be as a spirit Upon you! Ye blue waves! which bore my banner! I am not innocent,-but, are these guiltless? I perish, but not unavenged; far ages Float up from the abyss of time to be, And show these eyes, before they close, the doom 68 DYING SPEECH OF MARINO FALIERO. Of this proud city; and I leave my curse When she, who built 'gainst Attila a bulwark, Shedding so much blood in her last defence. When all the ills of conquered States shall cling thee- When these, and more, are heavy on thee,-when Smiles without mirth, and pastimes without pleasure, Youth without honor, age without respect, Meanness and weakness, and a sense of woe, 'Gainst which thou wilt not strive, and dar'st not murmur, Have made thee last and worst of peopled deserts, Then, in the last gasp of thine agony, Amidst thy many murders, think of mine! Thou den of drunkards with the blood of princes! Gehenna of the waters! thou sea Sodom! Thus I devote thee to the infernal Gods! THE REMOVAL. A THE REMOVAL.-ANON. NERVOUS old gentleman, tired of trade,— By which, though, it seems, he a fortune had made,- This thought struck his mind when he viewed the estate; At six in the morning their anvils, at work, From morning till night they keep thumping away,— He offered each Vulcan to purchase his shop; "Agreed!" said the pair; "that will make us amends." He gave the two blacksmiths a sumptuous regale; So much was he pleased with the thought that each guest "And now," said he, "tell me, where mean you to move? 69 70 THE MANIAC. THE MANIAC. STAY, jailer! stay, and hear my woe! She is not mad who kneels to thee; For what I'm now too well I know, And what I was-and what should be! I am not mad! I am not mad! My tyrant husband forged the tale He smiles in scorn-he turns the key- 'Tis sure some dream-some vision vain! What! I-the child of rank and wealthAm I the wretch who clanks this chain, Bereft of freedom, friends, and health? Ah! while I dwell on blessings fled, Which never more my heart must glad, How aches my heart, how burns my head! But 'tis not mad! it is not mad! Hast thou, my child, forgot ere this |