XXXIX. — VERSES SUPPOSED TO BE WRITTEN BY ALEXANDER SELKIRK, DURING HIS SOLITARY ABODE IN THE ISLAND OF JUAN FERNANDEZ.

COWPER.

[William Cowper, an English poet, was born in 1731, and died in 1800. His poetry is remarkable for its religious tone, its vigorous style, and its accurate pictures of nature. There is a little ambiguity in the title to this poem. No one ever supposed that these verses were actually written by Alexander Selkirk, but the meaning is, that they express the sentiments he may be imagined to have felt while on his solitary island.]

I AM monarch of all I survey;

My right there is none to dispute;
From the centre all round to the sea,
I am lord of the fowl and the brute.
O Solitude! where are the charms

That sages have seen in thy face?
Better dwell in the midst of alarms
Than reign in this horrible place.

I am out of Humanity's reach;

I must finish my journey alone;
Never hear the sweet music of speech;
I start at the sound of my own.
The beasts that roam over the plain
My form with indifference see:
They are so unacquainted with man,
Their tameness is shocking to me.

Society, friendship, and love,

Divinely bestowed upon man,
O, had I the wings of a dove,
How soon would I taste you again!
My sorrows I then might assuage

In the way of religion and truth;
Might learn from the wisdom of age,
And be cheered by the sallies of youth.

Religion! what treasure untold

Resides in that heavenly word! More precious than silver or gold,

Or all that this earth can afford. But the sound of the church-going bell These valleys and rocks never heard, Ne'er sighed at the sound of a knell,

Or smiled when a Sabbath appeared.

Ye winds, that have made me your sport, Convey to this desolate shore

Some cordial, endearing report

Of a land I shall visit no more. My friends, do they now and then send A wish or a thought after me? O, tell me I yet have a friend, Though a friend I am never to see.

How fleet is a glance of the mind! Compared with the speed of its flight, The tempest itself lags behind,

And the swift-wingéd arrows of light. When I think of my own native land, In a moment I seem to be there; But, alas! recollection at hand

Soon hurries me back to despair.

But the sea fowl is gone to her nest,
The beast is laid down in his lair;
Even here is a season of rest,

And I to my cabin repair.
There is mercy in every place;
And mercy (encouraging thought!)

Gives even affliction a grace,

And reconciles man to his lot.

XL. - HOW BRUIN THE BEAR SPED WITH RENARD THE FOX.

[This extract is taken from an English version of The most Delectable History of Renard the Fox, one of the most popular books of the middle ages. It was written long before the invention of printing, but it is not known with certainty when it first appeared, or who the author was. He has been claimed by Germany, Holland, and Belgium. It has been translated into many languages; and there are versions both in prose and verse. It is a story in which animals are the actors, and in the course of it, their various peculiarities are illustrated. The lion is king; and much of the narrative is taken up with an account of the attempts made to bring the fox before the royal court, to answer charges against him, and the tricks and devices by which he evades the several summonses. Much of its popularity was owing to the fact that it contained many satirical reflections upon kings, courts, and governments.]

THE next morning, away went Bruin the bear, in quest of Renard the fox. Passing through a dark forest where Renard had a by-path, to be used when he was hunted, he saw a high mountain, over which he must pass to go to Malepardus. Now Renard had many houses, but Malepardus was his chief and most ancient castle, and he lived in it both for safety and ease.

When Bruin arrived, he found the gates shut. Then he knocked, and called aloud, "Sir Renard, are you at home? I am Bruin, your kinsman, whom the king hath sent to summon you to the court, to answer many grave accusations brought against you. His highness hath taken a vow, that if you fail to obey his summons, your life shall answer for your contempt; therefore, fair kinsman, be advised by your friend, and go with me to the court."

Renard, as was his custom, was lying close within the gate for the sake of the sun; and hearing these words, he departed into one of his holes; for his castle is full of curious and intrirate rooms, through which he could escape when danger threatened. There he mused within himself how he might counterplot and disgrace the bear, who, he knew, loved him not, and bring himself to honor.

At last he came forth, and said, "Dear uncle Bruin, you are exceedingly welcome; pardon my slowness in coming. He that hath sent you this long and weary journey hath done you

no good service; your toil and labor do far exceed the worth of the object. If you had not come, I should have been at the court to-morrow of my own accord; yet I am not sorry you have come, for at this time your advice may be useful to me. I wish for your sake we were already at the court; for I fear I shall be troublesome to you on the journey; since I have abstained from eating flesh, I have taken such strange new food that I am much disordered." "My dear cousin," said the bear, "what food is this which so much distempers you?" "Uncle," replied the fox, "what profit will it be for you to know? It was mean and simple food; we poor fellows are not lords, as you know; we eat that from necessity which others eat from caprice; it was honeycomb, large and full, and so good that, forced by hunger, I ate greedily."

“Ah,” quoth Bruin, "honeycomb! Do you speak so slightingly of that? Why, it is food for the greatest emperor in the world. Fair nephew, help me to some of that honey, and I will be your slave forever." "Sure, uncle," said the fox, "you do but jest with me." "I do not jest,” replied Bruin, “for I am in such serious earnest, that for one lick thereof you shall make me the most faithful of all your kindred." "Nay," said the fox, "if you be in earnest, I will show you where there is so much that ten of you shall not be able to devour it." "Not ten of us?" said the bear; "that is impossible; for if I had all the honey between Hybla* and Portugal, I could in a short time eat it up by myself." "Well then, uncle," quoth the fox, "there dwelleth near here a husbandman named Lanfert, who is owner of so much honey that you could not eat it in seven years; and this I will put you in possession of." Bruin, mad for the honey, vowed that, for one good meal of it, he would not only be Renard's faithful friend, but that he would stop the mouths of all his foes. The fox, smiling at his easy belief, said, "If you want seven tons, uncle, you shall have it." These words pleased the bear so well, and made him so merry, that he could not stand for laughing.

* A place in Sicily famous for its honey.

"Well," thought the fox, "this is lucky; surely I will lead him where he shall laugh to another tune." And then he said, "Uncle, we must lose no time, and I will do for your sake what I would not do for any other of my kindred." The bear gave him many thanks, and so away they went; the fox promising him as much honey as he could eat. At last they reached Lanfert's house, the sight whereof made the bear rejoice.

Now Lanfert was a stout carpenter, and he had brought into his yard, the day before, a large oak, which he had begun to cleave, and had driven two wedges into it, so that the cleft stood wide open. At this the fox was very glad, and with a smiling face he said to the bear, "Behold this tree; there is so much honey within, that it cannot be measured; try if you can get into it. But be careful of yourself, and eat moderately; for although the combs be good and sweet, yet a surfeit is dangerous, and may hurt you."

"No fear of that," said the bear; "I am not such a fool as not to be able to control my appetite." With that he thrust his head into the cleft, quite beyond his ears. When the fox saw this, he pulled the wedges out of the tree, so that he locked the bear fast therein, where, with his scratching and tearing, he made such a noise, that Lanfert in amaze came out of his house with a sharp hook in his hand, whilst Bruin lay helpless, roaring and howling within the tree. The fox, afar off, seeing the man, said mockingly to the bear, "Is the honey good, uncle? I beseech you, do not eat too much. Nice things are apt to surfeit; and it may hinder your journey to the court if you eat too much. When Lanfert cometh, he will give you some drink to wash it down." And having said this, he went away to his own castle.

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Lanfert, finding the bear fast in the log, ran to his neighbors, and begged them to come into his yard. For," said he, "there is a bear fast caught there." Which being noised throughout the town, there was no man, woman, or child, but ran there; some with goads, some with staves, and some with stakes, and whatever they could lay hands on. This host put Bruin in