XLVIII. TO A YOUNG LADY. MICKLE. SAY, gentle lady of the bower, And known to thee is every flower Say, which the plant of modest dye, And lovely mien combined, That fittest to the pensive eye I sought the groves where innocence Methought might long reside; But April's blossoms banished thence, Gave summer, Flora's pride. VOL. I. I sought the garden's boasted haunt, But on the gay parterre Carnations glow, and tulips flaunt, No humble floweret there. The flower you seek, the nymph replies, : Has bowed the languid head; For on its bloom the blazing skies 'Tis now the downward withering day Of winter's dull presage, That seeks not where the Dog-star's ray, Has shed his fiercest rage. Yet search yon shade, obscure forlorn, There, shaded by the humble thorn, L XLIX. THE MEXICAN PROPHECY. JOHN SCOTT. FROM Cholula's hostile plain, Left her treacherous legions slain, Left her temples all in flame, Cortes' conquering army came. High on Chalco's stormy steep High the Hispanian banner raised, Bore the cross in gold emblazed. Line 1st, Cholula was a large city, not far distant from Mexico. The inhabitants were in league with the Mexicans, and after professing friendship for the Spaniards, endeavoured to surprise and destroy them. Line 8th, The device on Cortes's standard was the sign of the cross,Vide De Solis. 10 Thick the gleaming spears appeared, Echoed from a thousand caves, Down to Tenustitan's waves; Spacious lake, that far below Bade its lucid level flow: There the ever-sunny shore Groves of palm and coco bore; Maize-fields rich, savannas green, Stretched around, with towns between. Tacubà, Tezeùco fair, Reared their shining roofs in air; Mexico's imperial pride Glittered 'midst the glassy tide, Bright with gold, with silver bright, Dazzling, charming all the sight. Line 6th, Tenustitan, otherwise Tenuchtitlan, the ancient name of the lake of Mexico. Line 18th, The Spanish historians assert, that the walls and houses of the Indian cities were composed of a peculiar kind From their post the war-worn band Raptured viewed the happy land: "Haste to victory, haste to ease, "Mark the spot that gives us these!" On the exulting heroes strode, Shunned the smooth insidious road, Deep within a gloomy wood Montezume's magicians stood: Tlcàtlepùca's horrid form, God of famine, plague, and storm, of glittering stone or plaster, which at a distance resembled silver, Line 8th, The Indians had blocked up the usual road to Mexico, and opened another broader, and smooth at the en trance, but which led among rocks and precipices, where they had placed parties in ambush. Cortes discovered the stratagem, and ordered his troops to remove the obstructions. Being asked by the Mexican ambassadors the reason of this pro ́cedure, he replied, that the Spaniards always chose to encounter difficulties, |